A: Boy how we empathize – safer socializing outdoors with kids is tricky. We’re here to help! The Nerdy Girls’ Outdoor Playdate Checklist helps you balance the need for children’s socialization with the need to reduce infection risk.
Context:
Yesterday the Nerdy Girl/IMPACT4HC team had the opportunity to talk about outdoor socializing with the wonderful Bump Club and Beyond community. We stressed three key priorities for navigating outdoor playdates: COMMUNICATE early and often, REDUCE infection risk, and BE CREATIVE with activities.
(1) COMMUNICATION IS KEY.
It’s a weird thing to need to discuss infectious disease protections prior to a playdate. But these are weird times, and proactive communication about COVID risk is now an absolute must. Here’s the Nerdy Girl playbook for handling these potentially sticky conversations.
Team up SAFER
S: SHARE your concerns about risks and behaviors.
A: AGREE on rules that all will follow.
F: FOLLOW the rules, and help others do so.
E: EVALUATE how it’s going with regular check-ins.
R: REVISIT the rules as the situation changes
For more on the SAFER principles, see our earlier post. And remember that empathy rules the day: Others may have different levels of risk tolerance around outdoor socializing, and it’s important to honor their preferences even if they’re ultimately not a match for your own.
(2) REDUCE INFECTION RISK BY STAYING SMART.
While we can’t completely eliminate the risk of socializing, we CAN greatly reduce it. The Nerdy Girls have been encouraging everyone to Stay SMART this summer, and outdoor playdates are no exception!
For those new to the SMART party, the principles are:
S: SPACE. Keep your distance! 6 ft or more is best.
M: MASK. Keep it on!
A: AIR. Keep it outside!
R: RESTRICTED. Keep your social bubble small and stable!
T: TIME. Keep it short!
Relaxing any one of these principles adds some risk to the situation, so be intentional about risk/benefit trade-offs.
One more piece of tactical advice: BEWARE high-touch surfaces/shared equipment! Come prepared with hand sanitizer.
(3) BE CREATIVE.
Some outdoor activities involve greater risks than others, so it’s worthwhile to plan ahead. Luckily, there are terrific resources for creative, kid-friendly outdoor activities that keep infection risk low. Here are a few that we really like:
Today Show’s list of outdoor yard games
NYMetroParents’ tips for safer playdates
The Washington Post’s tips for safer playdates
The YMCA/American Camp Association’s (exhaustive!) list of summer activities, ranked by risk level (high, medium, and low). Bonus: Lots of good, nitty gritty tips on equipment disinfection practices and activity-specific safety protocols.
Finally, we’d be remiss not to recognize the difficulties of adding an additional “to-do list” on top of parents’ already overwhelmed mental load. Parents: Please know that WE SEE YOU and hold you in our hearts. The Nerdy Girls are here to help you feel more educated and empowered through these crazy times.
