To The Park
There are a couple of great benefits to going to the local park for a playdate. First, there are often lots of kids around to join in the fun. And, the activities at the park require very little verbal negotiation. The swings, the slide and the climbing structures all lend themselves well to parallel play.
We usually brought our water bottles and a small snack. That way, we wouldn’t need to leave early if one kid got hungry or thirsty. Then we would milk it for all it was worth and try to get the kids as tired out as possible.
Pro Tip
The park is a great place to tire out the kids without tiring out the parents. This one had a fence and gate around it so I could see the kids at all times and they couldn’t open the gate without an adult. I had another mom there to chat with, but if you’re on your own, just grab a bench and let the kids run around.
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About the Author
Erica Mauro is a mom to two teenage boys, Will who is neurotypical and Michael with Autism and cognitive delays. She holds a BA in Psychology from Colgate University and a Masters of Psychology in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College. Before staying home with her children, she worked as an elementary school teacher. For five years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs. In partnership with her husband Dave, she aspires to parent by using daily life as an opportunity for therapeutic intervention, seizing on real experiences as opportunities to build skills and strategies for Michael in a joyful, loving home environment. On the tougher early days, she just tried to get everyone safely to bedtime and start fresh in the morning. *wink* 
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