Let’s set the scene. You’re out with your kid when they mention they want to set up a playdate with another kid, but you don’t actually know the other parent and you feel kinda weird walking right up to them. It’s a nerve-wracking scenario, especially for introverted parents or anyone whose child is a social butterfly by nature.
Enter playdate business cards, which might just be the ticket to combating those awkward intros with fellow parents. Now that kids are back to school (and sports, and social gatherings, and, well, everything else), one mom is explaining why she is selling these hilarious cards on Etsy, and you’ll be wondering how you’ve gone this long without ‘em.
Missouri-based artist Brianna Mullally told TODAY.com that her 6-year-old son, Liam, “will go up and talk to anyone.” But when the family moved to St. Louis in 2021, Mullally realized her eldest child needed a way to more easily make friends.
“It was winter and I was caring for a newborn, but Liam really needed to socialize,” she explained. So she created playdate business cards, putting her contact info, Liam’s name, and an invite to reach out to her directly. Each card reads: “Let’s play! Have your people call my people.” (Too cute!)
“He always wanted me to set up playdates and in my head I was like, ‘I don’t want to talk to these parents. This is so awkward,’” she added. Now, they’re a hit with buyers online and with Liam himself. “I always have them on me, but he’ll ask for extra cards if we’re going someplace where he knows he’ll need them,” she told the outlet.
Parents everywhere are on board with the trend. During the pandemic, one parent shared the card their son received from a classmate on Reddit, with a teacher chiming in about how these cards help make teachers’ lives easier, too.
“As a teacher this is great,” shared the commenter. “I get emails all the time from parents who want the contact info for other parents because their kid wants to set up a playdate. It sucks to say I can’t give it out. I’ll ask the family emailing if I can give out their contact info and pass it along to the other family. It takes some leg work and adds to the crazy amount of responsibilities I already have. There just aren’t really any easy ways for families to connect so the kids can get together outside of school.”
Moms on TikTok are sharing examples of their kids receiving these playdate business cards in real time, too.
Given that phone trees are no longer common practice, it seems like these cards can help facilitate new friendships without the inherent weirdness of chatting up a total stranger. Of course, keeping safety in mind is crucial—if a child loses the card, you don’t want too much sensitive info floating around. But sticking to first names and a cell phone number and/or email address—along with letting your little one help design it—can be a fun way for them to make friends and relieve some of the pressure you might feel. A win-win all around, indeed.
