Be a class act

Whether on a weekend afternoon at the local park, after school at the playground or even in your own backyard, inviting your child's classmates, and their parents, to a fun-filled gathering can help forge new friendships and ease the transition. Here are a few tips to get you started with planning your own Friendship Fair:

Let the games begin – No party is complete without fun games and activities for everyone to enjoy. When prepping for your Friendship Fair, think about bringing items like sidewalk chalk, skipping ropes and balls to keep to everyone occupied. A scavenger hunt is a great idea for children and parents. Or, ask your guests to come prepared with a quick show-and-tell about their summer vacation. Perfect for kids of all ages, these activities work well for large and small groups and are an excellent opportunity for people to get to know one another.

Get your art on – Encourage children to get crafty with a craft corner. Set up a craft table by laying out art essentials, like colouring markers and crayons, construction paper, glue and pipe cleaners, on a park picnic table. No picnic table? Consider spreading the crafts on a tarp instead. Children can make decorations for their school cubby or locker or simply make custom designed textbook covers.

Snack time – Providing snacks is important for keeping little ones fuelled and the key is to keep things simple, for the kids and yourself. Offer cookies in the shapes of letters or a quick and easy fruit tray. Serving treats such as Nestlé Fav*rites, an assortment of snack-size, peanut-free Kit Kat, Aero, Coffee Crisp and Smarties chocolate bars will please the crowd. For beverages, hand out 100 per cent juice boxes lemonade.

Location, location, location – Locate your Friendship Fair central to your child's classmates. Your backyard, local parks and the school's playground are all great options. Just be sure to consider an indoor back-up if planning an outdoor party, should the weather take a turn for the worse.

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