Playdates are the best way to prepare young children for school , according to an expert. Family psychologist Dr. Martha Deiros Collado says one of the most valuable things parents can do before September has nothing to do with reading or numbers — it’s arranging a playdate. Kids between the ages of four and six who play with other children “regularly” learn to practice things like turn‑taking, empathy, patience, communication and problem‑solving in a “natural and meaningful way” — making them