How to Host a Social Media Party

Summer vacation is here. For many of us, it was with a mixture of relief and dread that we kicked the 2019-20 school year by the wayside and embarked on a summer that seems to stretch endlessly before us. Hey, remember when the kids used to play with each other? How, personally?

I can’t tell you if – or when – to start scheduling play dates for your kids again. This will depend on how badly your area has been affected by the pandemic, how committed social distancing is by everyone involved, and whether anyone has serious medical problems such as asthma or a weakened immune system. But if you and the other family decide it’s time to start re-introducing face-to-face appointments, there are a few things you can do to make them safer for your kids and your families.

Schedule Suspension Games

Maybe it goes without saying, but “tags” are not worth playing right now. Obviously the kids will want to play together – after all, that’s the point – but you should also try to keep them at least the recommended six feet apart. The best way to do this is to arm yourself with some “stay out” gaming ideas before your gaming day begins.

Create an obstacle course and let them take turns running through it and cheering each other on. Fill balloons with water, give them to each child, and set targets for them to aim at. Ride bicycles, tricycles or scooters around the area. Fight a hula hoop who is at social distance – great if they can bring their hoop; if not, disinfect it before passing it on to the next child. Equipping yourself with a fun plan that you can do from a distance will make it easier for children to resist their urge to hang on top of each other.

Stay outdoors

While the coronavirus can still be transmitted outdoors, it is more likely to spread indoors, where there are so many surfaces that could potentially be contaminated and it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain a social distance of at least six feet. So pick a nice sunny day to play outside, or a rainy day to get together and splash in the puddles.

Avoid food and snacks

Every good date includes a snack break, at least in my experience. Or earlier. For now, however, it’s best to leave bits of privacy in your own home. You don’t want everyone to share and touch the faces that invite you to eat, so plan your play time for a time when the kids are unlikely to get hungry, such as right after lunch.

If you absolutely must have a snack, implement a BYOS policy (bring your own snack) so there is no food exchange.

Keep it short

It’s hard for small children, it’s very hard not to bother each other. Moreover, they have been denied physical contact with their friends for months, they will want to hug, fight, give high-fives, jerk each other, bounce off each other, mark each other “this”, etc., etc. on. The longer they are together, the more seductive it becomes.

So at least for the first few game dates, until they get used to the new game date protocol, keep them short and sweet. Half an hour to an hour is probably the most you need now.

Remind them why we keep our distance

Ken Ginsburg, a pediatrician specializing in adolescent medicine at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, tells the Washington Post that it is important not only to try to control our children’s actions, but also to explain to them why the following precautions are important:

Ginsburg recommends focusing on the safety and protection of others, which makes children feel cared for. “If parents do it about control, it can backfire, and teens will think it’s attempts to suppress their independence or control them, which could provoke their rebellion. When we remind them that their actions are protecting other people, they feel important and recognize that their sacrifice has value. ”

Children are essential helpers, and knowing that they have the opportunity to have fun with their friends and keep them safe will make the whole process a little easier.