Play down TV and computer games: Playdates are supposed to help kids polish their social skills — something that’s hard to do when they’re staring raptly at a flickering screen or impatiently awaiting their turn at the mouse. Save the video or computer game for the post-playdate wind-down, and plan activities the kids can do together instead
Set limits on their play space: As kids get older and more adventurous (especially when egged on by a peer they’re desperate to impress), you may need to clearly limit the scope of their play area. (You may want to tell them that playing in the backyard is fine, for example, but no shooting hoops in the driveway unless you’re there to watch.) While you don’t want to hover too much around kids this age, you should know exactly where they are at all times and look in on them every few minutes.