playdate

American  

[pley-deyt] / ˈpleɪˌdeɪt /

Or play date

noun

1. an appointment made by parents or caregivers from different families to have their young children play together.

   My son has a playdate this afternoon, so I’ll be picking him up early from day care.

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Etymology

Origin of playdate

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

“He’s proud of the fact that their house is the site of every playdate, that he butts heads with his toddler, that he stalks the halls as ‘Papa T-rex.’”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026

The group of about eight women clicked, meeting for a weekly playdate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

Everything about the story, from opening to closing dance party, feels like it was made up on an especially unimaginative playdate by bored kids who’d rather be watching TV.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 18, 2025

On Sunday morning, as I was looking for shoes and packing snacks, I heard a rumor that ICE was on the same block as my child’s playdate.

From Salon • Jul. 13, 2025

The next day, since I knew Hudson was still going to be there, I asked Lourdes if I could have a playdate over at Zack’s house after school instead of going to Auggie’s house.

From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio