I'm excited to continue my preteen parenting series in 2024. I am learning a lot as our kids are getting older and I'm looking forward to sharing things that our preteen loves.
I win points with our preteen anytime I say yes to hosting friends at our house.
Olive talked about different options for hosting friends over Christmas break. She mentioned an ornament exchange, a Christmas craft party, gift exchange or hot cocoa bar. Christmas was a busy work week for me baking cookies so we opted for a hot cocoa bar at the end of Christmas break.
She made plans with her friends, I confirmed plans with the moms and then they got dropped off at our house. They exchanged gifts, hung out and I prepped this hot cocoa bar for the girls. They loved adding mix ins to their cups of cocoa. It was the easy food to host!
I took their picture with Olive's new polaroid camera and they had a great couple of hours together during their break from school. It wasn't expensive - we had all the hot cocoa bar ingredients so we just had to buy a gift for the gift exchange.
Olive loved it and is already talking about plans for a cookie decorating party, a trip to Starbucks with her friends, cooking something together, crafting and more.
I'm keeping my eyes peeling and ears open for ways to help HOST THEIR FRIENDS!
Do you have any suggestions for preteen activities we could host?
Yes to all the friends at your house! Last year, Ella hosted a "Galentine's" and the girls loved it! She hosted a Friendsgiving one year!! I let her set up the dining room table however she would like! She loves it!
ReplyDeleteThis is so awesome! And I would say just keep hosting into the teen years. Even if it seems like an occasion they might have outgrown (like cookie decorating and Halloween), if you offer an event for their friends, they will definitely come and have fun!
ReplyDeleteNeighborhood scavenger hunt!
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