Thank you to the Chinet^® brand for sponsoring this post.

I've realized something about myself. While I love to entertain, I sometimes worry about the details. Often, I put off getting together with friends because I'm worried about how things will turn out. Will the food be good enough? Will our guests have enough in common? And a big one for us: will the kids derail the whole thing? ha! I'm here to say that I've finally come to the place where I can anticipate what will keep the kids happy so that the adults are happy! Turns out, it's not the number of toys you have or the size of your home. Nope. There are a handful of simple things you can do to throw a kid-friendly, easy summer party, ensuring that your grown-up guests have a great time. And here they are:


1. Disposable Dinnerware 
For easy summer entertaining, make sure to use unbreakable kid-friendly party ware, like Chinet® Classic White™ plates. Chinet Classic White plates offer premium strength so you don't have to worry about spills and leaks - a huge plus when entertaining with kids. Chinet Classic White products also make clean up a cinch so you can spend more time hanging out with your guests. Plus I love that they're strong enough for messes but still stylish and convenient. It's like the epitome of "Pretty Real" style. ;)

2. Hire help. 
Consider hiring a teen to help with the kids for your outdoor summer entertaining. I've done this at a few of our larger gatherings and it's been awesome. You decide the parameters - Is she keeping the kids occupied, keeping them separate, doing activities with them, or all three? Whatever you decide, at the end of the day it's an extra set of hands that aren't responsible for kiddos of their own. It takes a village, right?
3. Include a sensory experience. 
Choose something simple that doesn't require much supervision. My go-tos are a sandbox (a baby pool + sand makes for an easy DIY sandbox), bubbles, or water play. These are all perfect kid-friendly summer activities that will keep the kiddos busy while the adults enjoy chit chat and a beverage. Yes please.


4. Have a show-stopping kid-friendly treat. 
It doesn't have to be elaborate. In my experience, strawberry shortcake, a root beer float, or a 3 topping sundae makes an easy summer menu item. If there is a lull or a spat, I find that stopping for a treat is a fun distraction. And since Chinet Classic White plates have a thick and sturdy design, you can fill them up with deliciousness without worry.






I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own. Chinet® and Classic White^™ are registered trademarks of Huhtamaki, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.