This post is sponsored by Houseparty, a fun way to connect with those you love. Opinions belong to the writer.
Each year, my husband and I make a goal of inviting six new families to our house for brunch or dinner. Having people over and watching our families play together brings so much joy to our routine. Quarantine is seriously messing with our social goals!
We have awkwardly navigated social life during our stay at home orders while not being able to actually BE together. We have found our kids don’t have proper video manners (Anybody want a tour of my house? Look, here’s my cat!). As adults, we can be just as lax in getting good convo going when we’re exhausted and would much prefer to be sitting on a back porch with friends, glass of wine in hand.
Thankfully, there’s an app for that! Houseparty is a face-to-face social network available on phones, tablets and your PC/Mac. Once you download the app, create your profile with your e-mail, phone number, and username (this is how your friends find you), and have a chance to invite your favorite people to come party with you. We’ve loved the fun ways people are using it, like these nurses singing with hope together.
Houseparty can also be used to host a virtual birthday party, end of school celebration, or really any kind of party that makes the best of these COVID-19 times. Houseparty is safe, too. You can lock down your room, or as friends sign in, you can add them to your chat. You can even leave a Facemail (video voicemail) for friends that couldn’t join you.
After a day of struggling to homeschool, making 5,467 snacks, planning my next grocery order, and trying to keep my house from looking like a bomb went off (oh, and doing my paid job, too), seeing my family and friends’ faces makes me feel less alone. The thing I love about Houseparty is my family happy hours can include the option of four free games like Quick Draw, Trivia or Heads Up. Up to eight people can be in one room.
One of my favorite features of Houseparty is the ability to just hop on without a schedule. My life feels so unpredictable right now that promising to be online at a certain time can be hard. With Houseparty, I can just sign on and see who is free. We can begin our chat with a “mutual handshake.” It eliminates the feeling that socializing online is just one more scheduled meeting.
During these uncertain and sometimes scary times, it’s even more important to stay connected and engaged with those who lift us up. Whether it’s celebrating a birthday, connecting the littles with a playdate, having a weekend dance party or playing trivia with your mom friends, Houseparty is helping families make memories.
To learn more, visit Houseparty online or check them out on Instagram.
