Part of the fun of being a mum to young children is having their friends round to play. Playdates often become a regular feature on many young families’ weekly planners.

“playdate” (CC BY 2.0) by Krynop

They’re great for helping children learn to play with others and understanding how to share their toys nicely. OK, the house might have toys strewn everywhere by the end of the afternoon, but if you’re smart, you’ll factor in some tidy-up time at the end of the playdate and see if you can get the kids to give you a hand.
To make any playdate go smoothly, have some snacks on hand to keep energy levels up and moods good.

DIY toddler snacks

What toddler doesn’t like to get involved in food prep? While you might not appreciate sticky-fingered helpers for every meal you prepare in the kitchen, making snacks like chocolate fruit balls can be a fun activity during a playdate.
Add a cup each of prunes and almonds along with half a cup each of oats and chocolate chips to a food processor. Pulse the ingredients into a sticky mass. Now the kids can get involved; divide up the mix and let them roll small amounts of the mixture into 2-inch balls. These sticky treats can be eaten straightaway or stored for up to four weeks in the fridge.

Time to cool down

There’s often a time when the kids get overexcited and need a little time out during a playdate. Frozen fruit smoothie lollies are always great for the kids to cool down with when they’ve been running around and got a bit hot and bothered. They can be prepared in bulk and stored as popsicles so you have them to hand whenever you need them. The easiest way is to blend together a banana and some frozen berries with a cup of milk. Divide into popsicle moulds and store in the freezer.

Source: Gloomkitty’s Crafts and Kitchen Korner via Facebook

Parents get hungry too

What about food for the parents when they bring their kids over to play? While just offering a cookie with a coffee is always a fail-safe option, why not make pick-up time a time for a treat for both you and your guests. You don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen baking though – services like Deliveroo bring dessert to your door and you can choose from desserts as varied as Krispy Kreme donuts through to fancy French tea cakes from Patisserie Glace in Republic Plaza.

Fun faces

Source: Food Faces For Friends via Facebook

You’ll earn brownie points with the parents of your little guests if you get them to eat some fruit and veggies when they’re visiting. Here’s an easy way – prepare a selection of fruit and vegetables and ask the kids to create some funny faces. And when they’ve demonstrated their artistic flair on the plates, they can eat their creations and enjoy a snack packed full of vitamins and fibre.

Of course, food is only part of a successful playdate, but having a few kid-friendly snack ideas on hand is always a good idea.