quick clicks

babies today articles

babies today q&a

toddlers today articles

toddlers today q&a

breastfeed.com articles

breastfeed.com q&a

message boards

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Making Playgroups Work For You and Your Toddler

Playgroups Can Be a Lifesaver for Parents

Once you have several prospective participants, arrange an organizational meeting. At that first gathering, you'll need to decide several things:

• Will there be a membership fee to allay the costs of snacks? Will the host family provide snacks? Or will each child bring his or her own snack?



• How often will the group meet? How long will each session be?



• Is everyone expected to host once every so many weeks? Or will the group meet in the same location every week?



• Can older or younger siblings tag along? Or should the group be limited to babies or toddlers?

When your playgroup is up and running, don't let it fall into a rut. Make holidays and seasons exciting for your children – and yourselves – with theme parties and activities. Make masks for Halloween, for example, or cut out paper snowflakes in winter.

Be on the lookout for the occasional new member, too. If you see a young mother in the neighborhood, and you notice her eyes have that slightly glazed look you remember from your pre-playgroup days, invite her to join you. She'll be able to catch you up on anything you might have missed on Sesame Street.