Children’s psychologist Dr Martha Deiros Collado says that one of the most valuable ways to help children get ready for school this year is surprisingly simple: arrange regular playdates.

Dr Martha, who has teamed up with BBC Studios to support beloved brand Bluey’s annual theme Playdates with Friends, says that frequent playdates are especially beneficial to a child’s development between the ages of four and six, and particularly before starting school.

Dr Martha commented: “Playdates are the most important thing a parent can arrange to help a child get ready for school. There is a wealth of science that shows children’s early play experiences with peers positively predicts better social skills and peer acceptance in reception class / kindergarden.”

Research has found that regular playdates are already a part of family life, and around eight in 10 parents in the US, UK and Australia say their child has them at least once a month, while around six in 10 believe playdates help their child feel more confident around other children.

While 39 per cent of parents internationally (UK, US and Australia) say the most important part of a playdate is simply seeing their child have fun, Dr Martha says the real value often lies beneath the surface. Through play, children are learning how to take turns, communicate, cope when things do not go their way and build confidence with other children before they start school.

She also reminds parents that playdates don’t always need to be smooth and trouble-free.

“Importantly, playdates do not need to be perfect to be valuable. Small disagreements, little moments of frustration and working things out together are all part of how children learn,” said Dr Martha. “In the classroom, children need to share space, take turns and navigate bumps and conflicts with other children. Playdates give them the chance to begin building those skills before they start school. Playdates are like impromptu mini life-skills workshops. They give children the chance to practise things like turn-taking, empathy, patience, communication and problem-solving in a natural and meaningful way.”

When asked what activities make for a successful playdate, free outdoor play in a garden or park was the front-runner with 77 per cent of parents agreeing. Simple crafts and drawing closely followed at 64 per cent, with role play and imaginative games at 53 per cent.

Dr Martha continued: “Free play can be incredibly valuable for children. It gives them the chance to imagine, negotiate, solve little problems and build confidence together, all in a way that feels natural and enjoyable.”

Playdates can also help parents and carers build local support networks ahead of a major family milestone. Almost four in 10 say that playdates have helped them to build new friendships with other adults, while 36 per cent say they have had a positive impact on their social life.

Playdates are beneficial, but they are not always easy to arrange. Parents worry about a range of things including not knowing other parents well (32 per cent), clashing schedules (42 per cent), feeling awkward about reaching out (21 per cent) and worrying about hosting at home (18 per cent).

And while adults may be thinking about logistics and timings, children tend to keep it simple. According to the research, what makes a great playdate in their eyes is playing with toys, playing outside and, very often, snacks (52 per cent).

BBC Studios commissioned the research as part of Bluey’s 2026 annual theme, Playdates with Friends, inspired by the role shared play has in children’s social development and in everyday family life.

Bluey’s home at Bluey.tv is designed not just to entertain audiences on screen, but to inspire play in real life. To support the importance of playdates and friendship-led play, we have created a dedicated Playdates with Friends hub on Bluey.tv, bringing together a brand new quiz, relevant character pages, curated playlists of episodes and clips, friend-focused playdate crafts, news and activations, and instructions for games from the show. This builds on Bluey.tv’s extensive Make collections, which already offer thousands of printable activities, colouring sheets, recipes and game ideas designed to take inspiration from Bluey off screen and into everyday play.

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Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Research

Tags: BBC, bluey