Five Reasons Why Playdates Matter

John Dewey wrote (Democracy and Education, 1916), “Education is not an affair of 'telling' and being told, but an active and constructive process.” This gave rise to the constructivist theory expanded by Lev Vygotsky (“Zone of Proximal Learning” from Thought and Language), who believed children learn best through collaborative, meaningful, problem-solving scenarios, rather than instruction. Put simply, it is active and participative. In real-life terms, collaborative children gain more knowledge that they can own, than they will ever learn on their own (Forsyth Family Magazine, 2014).

1. Playdates make a child feel like an individual.

You are sacrificing time for your child to interact and socialize with children that include things that benefit your child. This gives them time to do things that are developmentally appropriate for their age and caters to them.

2. Playdates help your child make a connection.

You know the feeling when you connect with someone and you just click? It's the same for your little one. When they have similar interests and enjoyable experiences, it makes for great friendships and a sense of belonging. When we're connected, whether at work, or at play, we thrive.

3. Playdates allow for parents to see how your child interacts with their peers.

As moms, sometimes we aren't always aware of what our kids really need to work on. When
you see your child one on one with their peers, you can really observe your kid in action. Problems sharing? Using their words to solve a problem? Working cooperatively? Yup. These are great times to help guide your child in action. And the great thing is to watch their progress. The more play date opportunities you give, the more time for growth.

4. Playdates allow for your children to experience other families.

All families are different. This is a great opportunity for your kids to see how other families interact and what morals they have. They may even get tickled by realizing how similar your families are!