It’s hard to believe we are already one month into summer. Hard and a little sad. I always head into summer with big plans to do all of these things, but slowly the lazy days of summer pass me by and I forget to do of my fun plans. Sigh.
Three weeks into summer, I finally managed to get myself together and invite the neighborhood gang to gather for a park play date. While I love to throw big, over-the-top parties, I also love small, easy get togethers. In fact, I love them so much that I host easy-peasy playdates several times a year — even during the lazy summer.
Location, Location, Location
My two favorite places to throw an easy party are my driveway and our neighborhood park. Both options limit my ability to go too crazy with prep work and make for easy clean up. There is the minor hassle of hauling everything outside, but once that’s out of the way the hostess can actually sit back and enjoy the party and witness moments like this — Sissy’s first time down the twisty slide.
Self-Serve Snacks
It’s not a party without food, right? But you don’t have to knock yourself out to impress friends. Set out individually wrapped portions so people can grab and go. For our park playdate, I introduced my friends to Taste of Nature Bars. Because they are 100% organic, naturally gluten-free, with no artificial ingredients I knew they would impress my mom friends!
Oh and water! Always keep ’em hydrated. I typically fill my cooler with at least double the amount of bottles/juice boxes as the number of guests I expect. You don’t want overheated partygoers.
Easy Entertainment
A playground is obvious entertainment, but it’s always a good idea to encourage other forms of play too. Outdoor toys like frisbees challenge hand eye-coordination while getting the kids moving. You’d be surprised how excited the kids were when I bought out the Taste of Nature Paddleball sets – there were squeals of delight as everyone abandoned the swings. Any kind of balls, hula hoops and bubble wands are also very popular.
The More The Merrier
One of the great things about an outdoor playdate is that you aren’t restricted by space constraints. So this is your chance to invite a few people you want to get to know better. I like to host playdates on Friday afternoons. Sure, some people can’t come because they are already on their way to weekend destinations. But many other moms and kids are looking for a way to spend those last few hours before the weekend. Catching up with other moms while the kids play is a great way to ring in the weekend. Even last minute I am bound to have anywhere from 5-10 yeses!
Taste of Nature bars are available in six delicious flavors — Brazilian Nut Festival, California Almond Valley, Quebec Cranberry Carnival, Canadian Maple Forest, Himalayan Goji Summit, Persian Pomegranate Garden — at health food stores for $1.99 per bar. Since the closest location that sells them near me is on the other side of town, I was excited to also find Taste of Nature on Amazon. You can also retail stores that carry Taste of Nature near you online.
If you are looking to add a good-for-you snack to your routine, Taste of Nature is an excellent option. My guests gobbled them up, and you will too.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.