CelebriMom

Scroll down for contest details to win an autographed play date planner from Tori, plus a bevy of Mott's for Tots products!!

Play dates are not only fun for kids, but they're great for moms to connect and refresh, a time to get away from the mundane tasks that greet us every morning when we start our day. Another pile of laundry to be folded, another dishwasher that needs to be emptied... That stuff can wait. Let's play!

Tori Spelling knows the power of play. As a mother to toddler, Liam, and newborn Stella, Tori also knows the value of connecting with other moms and the importance of playtime and interaction with other kids. This CelebriMom extraordinaire has partnered with Mott's to create Mott's for Tots to help you plan your children's special play date!

Tori's Four Play Date Steps (with additional commentary from Manic Mommy):

1. Plan Ahead for Fun -- Line up a few activities before the little darlings arrive. Set out separate areas for play: a coloring table, a dress-up area, an imagination station. This way, when they all start fighting over the last sparkling pink My Little Pony, you can direct their attention elsewhere. Make sure there's something to entertain even the most precocious of children!

2. Ensure Entertainment for All Ages -- Tori's favorites include pirate-themed activities for the boys, and spring garden play for the girls. Nothing dampers a play date faster than a grouchy, bored older brother looking to cause havoc at a garden tea party so make sure there's fun activities for everyone!

3. Prepare for a Snack Attack -- Think healthy, quick, easy, and no mess! I personally hate when a well-meaning pal brings over a box of chocolate sprinkled-covered donuts for a bunch of two-year-olds to share. That's just WRONG! Plan easy snacks, like what Tori recommends: baby carrots and other easy-handled veggies, cut-up fruits, whole-wheat crackers, and cheeses cut into fun shapes.

And remember, parents get hungry too! Some moms cannot get through the day without their caffeine, so have coffee and soda available too. Remember that most moms may be running interference between kids so the food for parents should be quick snacks that are easy to grab in between diaper changes and trips to the potty!

4. Make Good-Bye Easy - Saying goodbye can be traumatic for the little ones who are having such a great time! Give a gentle warning, and enlist everyone's help before their departure so you're not left with a huge mess. I usually like to offer an incentive like a lollipop or a small handful of chocolate candies (most moms won't object!) for the kids who help with clean-up. And when saying goodbye, make sure to let the kids know that next week, there'll be another special play date with more fun things to do at someone else's house!

You can download Mott's Play Date Planner by Tori Spelling by visiting Mott's® at Motts.com. You'll find tips on activities, safety, themes, what to serve, and how to keep everyone playing nice. Tori offers suggestions for craft time and story time, and there's even a contact information sheet to keep track of your special guests and their needs!

I'm going to start planning my play date right now! This will include calling up my girlfriends, hitting the grocery store for healthy snacks, gathering up the kids, and planning some fun activities for them. And, while the kids are playing, I think we moms might relive our youth and I just might pop in the first season of 90210 to see good old Donna Martin.

You've come a long way Tori! Go YOU!

Stephanie Elliot writes the popular mommy blog Manic Mommy at www.manicmommy.blogspot.com and can be reached at manicmommy@bettyconfidential.com.