Playdate Ideas with Cleanliness in Mind
PLAY MORE. WORRY LESS
When you’re a parent, nothing beats a good old-fashioned playdate. Not only do they let you “adult” with other parents; they’re also extremely beneficial to your kids. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been less opportunities for kids to socialize (in and out of school), which is why playdates are now more important than ever before.
Getting kids together in smaller groups is an opportunity for them to burn energy, be creative, and form closer friendships! We’ve gone ahead and found some fun playdate ideas and activities for you to try. Just remember to keep some Wet Ones® Hand Wipes or Hand Sanitizer handy, so you can let them have a ball, without worrying about germs and messes.
TAKE IT OUTSIDE
If the weather’s nice, there’s no reason to keep the fun indoors. Grab a few Wet Ones singles for the back pockets and go on a nature walk, hit the playground, put together a seasonal scavenger hunt, or decorate the sidewalk or driveway with washable chalk.
If you’re feeling crafty, collect some smooth rocks and paint them. These are great for decorating a garden, backyard, or placing alongside a nature trail to put a smile on trail walkers’ faces!
MAKE YOUR OWN SLIME
What kid doesn’t love slime? It’s ooey, gooey, mushy, gushy and very easy to make.
All you need:
- A medium-size bowl
- Bottle of glitter glue (6 oz.)
- Measuring and mixing spoons
- Baking soda
- Saline solution
- A clear plastic bag
Directions:
- Cover your workspace with a plastic tablecloth or paper to protect furniture and surfaces.
- Empty a 6 oz. bottle of glitter glue into a bowl.
- Add ½ tbsp. of baking soda to the bowl and mix.
- Add 1 tbsp. of saline solution and stir until slime begins to form. Continue combining ingredients together with your hands, mixing in all of the liquid.
- When finished, grab Wet Ones to wipe excess slime from your hands.
- Store in clear plastic bag and refrigerate for next slime time!
CARDBOARD CASTLE
Got some big boxes lying around from all that online ordering? (Old moving boxes work too.) Well, it could be a beautiful castle! Just cut open some doors and, if you want, stagger the roof. Then let your little Picassos paint and decorate it with markers or washable paint. Let it dry if needed, then it’s time to take a trip back to Camelot.
Pro tip #1: Used Wet Ones hand wipes make great flags.
Pro tip #2: If you’ve got a dog in the house, they make excellent fire-breathing dragons.
DANCE PARTY
Here’s an easy way to burn off some energy! Turn on some kid-friendly music and have a dance-off. If you have a virtual assistant like Alexa, just ask her to play kids’ dance music. Then all you have to do is just sit back and watch. If you want, you can start and stop the music for a “Freeze Dance Showdown.” Just don’t tell them that the real winner is you (for tiring them out).
GET CRAFTY
Chances are you’ve got more than enough supplies lying around to get the kids going on a fun craft project. Grab some paper, yarn, popsicle sticks, markers, acrylic paint, glitter and glue and let their imaginations run wild. You can give some creative themes, like animals, robots, outer space, dinosaurs or superheroes, or just sit back and see what they come up with. Then when they’re finished, pop open a canister of Wet Ones so they can clean those messy, creative little hands.
FRESH FRUIT SNOW CONES
After all that playing, you and the kids are gonna want a refreshing treat. This recipe for Fresh Fruit Snow Cones from Wet Ones fan @CATHIEFILIAN will let your kids have fun cooking a tasty treat, while also getting little nutrition at the same time. Win-win.
Ingredients:
- 3 Cups of Fresh Fruit (can be mixed berries, mangos, strawberries…any fruit will work)
- 1 1/2 Cups of Natural Cane Sugar
- 1/2 Cup of Water
- Crushed or Shaved Ice
Directions:
- (Parents, this is your part)… Combine fruit, sugar and water in small saucepan and over med-high heat. Stir and watch carefully. The fruit mixture will begin to thicken, and the fruit will become soft. Heat the mixture on a low boil for 3 minutes.
- Remove the fruit from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Allow the kids to have fun using a potato masher to smash up the softened fruit.
- Strain the mixture to remove any seeds or large chunks and chill in fridge for 1hr.
- Fill cups with shaved or crushed ice.
- Use a squeeze bottle or a spoon and allow the kids to pour apx. 1 Tbsp. fruit mixture over 1/2 cup ice for each serving.
