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A children's playgroup serves multiple purposes. Not only does it benefit the kids but also their parents and/or caregivers. Starting a playgroup is not always an easy task but can be very rewarding in the long run.
If you would like to meet other mothers, fathers and caregivers in your neighborhood or community and provide a setting for your baby or toddler to interact with other children, start by finding a location.
It can be as simple as your family room or living room for small groups, or you might try using space from a local church or community center. Many places like this have nothing scheduled on weekday mornings and would be happy to help. Another option is to take turns hosting at different people's houses.
GETTING PEOPLE INVOLVED
To get the group started, you will want to find other people like yourself who are looking for ways to entertain their kids, enrich their development and promote social interaction. There are many people out there in need of a support network, especially new moms, who want to give and receive advice from their peers.
To find people in your area you can try chat rooms and search engines on the internet, however, what might be more effective is putting up good-old-fashioned flyers. You need not be a graphic artist to put a flyer together -- just put some basic information on there about the playgroup including location and phone number. Try posting these flyers at the local supermarket, convenience stores, dry cleaners, churches, community centers, library and any other place you can think of that might get a parent's attention.
Once you have a few people interested in the playgroup you can start deciding what activities to offer the children. It is important not to overwhelm them or force them into too many structured activities. Most likely these will be very young children who just want to explore their surroundings.
It is nice to offer the kids as many non-breakable toys as possible (blocks and legos are great for this purpose). Also try to make sure you have a range of toys for the different age groups (a six month old's needs are very different from a three year old's needs). Of course, you wouldn't want to go out and purchase toys, so try to make it a group effort. Round up any toys that your little one isn't using anymore. Also, try requesting donations from local community groups, health centers, etc. Many are happy to share the wealth but are just waiting to be asked.
Lastly, gather some music that the kids can sing and dance to. This is a great way to get parents involved in their child's play and is even something that the young babies will enjoy. There are lots of kids music tapes out there (and even videos) that can be purchased inexpensively.
Snacks, juice and coffee (adults only of course!) enhance the playgroup experience. There are many creative things that you can do once you gather a group of people who share the wonderful common interest of spending time with their children.
The main idea is that you and your children are having fun. If you accomplish that the playgroup is a success!
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