Things To Do

20 Outdoor Playdate Ideas Beyond the Same Old Park

An outdoor playdate is the lowest-effort, highest-payoff version of hosting a kid's friend. The grass does the babysitting, nobody has to pretend the living room is clean, and most kids burn off enough energy that the post-playdate evening is calm. Here are 20 ideas that go beyond "meet at the park," sorted by setting and age, plus the gear that makes any of them work.