Fun Outdoor Playdate Ideas from Kmart Playdate Place

With all the time off to play with friends over the summer, planning playdates to keep my children entertained is a must.

But, after a while, coming up with ideas of what to do, where to go, a theme, and more can get pretty difficult. It seems like there is a lot to coordinate just to get even a few young friends together, doesn't it?

Fortunately, thanks to the articles, tips, toys, and more available right online at Kmart Playdate Place (which I was recently introduced to), I felt much more prepared when it came time to plan for our recent get-together with friends.

In fact, the article that I found there titled Playtime on the Town: Frugal Fun was just what I was looking for.

Included in the list of affordable attractions and locations suggested for having a playdate (e.g. zoos, museums, and more), playgrounds and parks were mentioned as an option, particularly if you pack and bring extra items for more fun. Considering that we have a favorite park only a mile away, this sounded perfect!

Playdate Place even had an entire page of suggestions for what to pack in an Outdoor Playdate Fun Kit, so I made sure to take note of what would work well to bring along to share with all of our friends. Knowing that we had things like sand toys, sidewalk chalk, and sunscreen already, I then turned to the Toys category to see what might work well for the variety of ages and interests that we would have represented at our playdate.

With so many great choices and the convenient description and link directly to Kmart.com to make a purchase, the hardest part was making a decision. After all, there were just so many toys that looked like they would be a big hit with my girls as well as their friends!

After eventually making my final choices and placing my order, I was pleasantly surprised when I received automated emails over the next day or two letting me know that each item had been shipped. Within three or four days, our playdate toys had arrived and we were so excited to play with everyone!

With a lineup like this, I already felt like there was no way that we could not have an amazing time! I was happy seeing that these were outdoor toys that would work for all of the ages, interests, and abilities of the kids that we had invited to our playdate.

All that was left to do? A little assembly, a bit more preparation, and some finger crossing in hopes that the too hot/too cold weather we have been having this spring and summer holds off on the big day...


What a great time! The kids really did enjoy playing with all of the toys as well as the just soaking up the warm sun and the cool breeze.

And, as the slideshow indicated, when we returned home the girls were both extremely pleased after all of the fun they had yet very ready for a long nap (which always makes Mama happy). The dirt was really only a small price to pay for such delight for all of us.

Created to provide ideas, inspiration, and help to plan the perfect get-together, Kmart Playdate Place was a great resource for easing the stress of planning a fun-filled time for everyone involved. I'm looking forward to visiting again to prepare for our next playdate!

If you haven't yet, be sure to check out Kmart Playdate Place as well as connect with them on Twitter. It's time for fun!

By the way, for a little outdoor fun of your own, don't miss the Kmart Backyard Makeover Sweepstakes! Simply Like the Kmart Fan page through July 20, 2011 and fill out the entry form to be eligible to win amazing prizes likes a backyard makeover valued at $4,000 from Kmart, $250 Kmart gift cards and more!

This post is part of a shop that has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.