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I am planning to have a first playdate for my 5 year old daughter and some of her friends from Pre-School, at our home next week. I would like to know if mixed playdates are a good idea. I was thinking that a mixed group of girls and boys, around 5 children could be more fun playing board games, and watching a childrens movie and maybe some drawings activities! Has anyone tried it like this? Or I am asking for trouble :-) ? Edit: Some more details Its the first playdate we are hosting at (our)home. She has had friends, who live in our neighbourhood, over. (These friends attend different schools, and are girls). She has also been to a couple of playdates at school friends houses. Funnily enough, although I thought she would enjoy it more, it seems she doesn't. She gets bored when its a group of girls just playing Winx fairies and with Barbies, and a recent Parent Teacher meeting endorsed this fact, my daughter is not typically a "Girlie Girl". It seems, she is she very social and enjoys playing with all her friends. Then this made me think about having a mixed playdate. The classroom is a differnt enviroment I know, but would boys enjoy a mixed playdate, would they end up screaming at each other? and hence a total disaster as far as a playdates go? |
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Seems like a good idea to me (the idea of mixing, that is) as long as the kids involved are all friends and the total is not too much for you to handle. I'm not quite sure what you're really asking. Can you clarify about what your concerns are specifically about whether it's a mixture of boys and girls? First playdate? You mean the first one you've hosted at your house, or are you saying your daughter has never played with other kids outside of school before? (That may have a whole other set of challenges.) EDIT: With the new info you added to the question (she's had play dates, only with girls, wasn't crazy about them, haven't hosted at your house), I would add the following advice:
By the way, when I was 5, my best friend was a girl (I'm male) and we had a LOT of fun doing all sorts of things. (And for the curious, to the best of my recollection, it never occurred to us to "play doctor." And we were fairly unsupervised.) Thanks for your comment Igritz, I added some additional information to clarify :)
(16 Nov '09, 04:11)
Emi
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In my experience five children is going to be quite rowdy and will require a lot of attention. But so long as they are all friends with your daughter I don't think it'll matter whether they are boys or girls or both. My five year old daughter has recently got in to the "I only play with girls" stage, so if you can keep yours playing with boys too for a bit longer then go for it. |
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I think the individual temperaments are more important than gender. If they're all mild except one, that one could become either bored or the trouble-maker. If they're all wild except one, that one may feel overwhelmed or excluded. Also, as Meg Stephenson said: if they're already friends, this will help the dynamic considerably. |
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I agree with the other posters – mixed playdates should be fine. But – be aware that 5 is around the age at which boys & girls might think of playing doctor. :-) Thanks alot for reminding that, I just came across, http://www.canadianparents.com/article/i-caught-them-playing-doctor from there that seems useful too (also for my other question about the birds and the bees)
(16 Nov '09, 04:18)
Emi
Good article link - thanks for sharing.
(16 Nov '09, 14:27)
Chris W. Rea
Good point. For peace of mind: when I took Sociology of Human Sexuality in college, they said as long as the children are both prepubescent and both consenting, there's no harm in them playing doctor. Don't get me wrong: I don't think it should be encouraged, but it is natural curiosity and not harmful.
(16 Nov '09, 15:31)
Dinah
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Do you mean "mixed" as in boys & girls or something else?
Yes, I meant mixed in that sense, boys and girls. :)
@Kate Thanks for pointing that out, I have edited the title and the content so its clearer now I think.
Thanks for the edits, I've edited my response to give what I think is appropriate advice.