Why is it so difficult to organize playdates/meet-ups!

I know we are all busy, but I remember the good old days when I was a kid, I would just visit my friends' houses and play with them, my parents would be with me or sometimes they would drop me off and I would play with my friends in their yard or just run around the neighbourhood. I grew up in a small town and it was fun.

I am a young mom, still in a small town, but now everyone seems to be so unavailable. I get it, they have to make sure the schedules or their other children don't clash with possible playdates, or life happens and are generally busy, but I feel it is also the general apprehension that we have about other people now and the dangers and kids just don't have the same experience we got. I don't know. My kiddos have plenty of friends at school and they want me to invite them home and I tell them they can come at any time, and I meet their parents, and invite them over, but many either refuse or seem to want to constantly reschedule.

I guess it's fine, we do a ton of things together as a family or just me and the kids and have fun.

Is it easier for you to set playdates or meet-ups for your kiddos and (the parents of) their friends? What do you do, meaning how do you go about organizing them?