Atlanta mama groups (ITP, Eastside)

[little birds]

Anyone know of any playgroups in the in town area or east 'burbs. Anyone looking to start one? Preferably with no specific crunchiness or hipster cred requirements

[atlantafemme]

We're in east atlanta and have longed for the same thing. I'd say we should start one but we're getting ready to move out of state. The closest thing I've found is the East Atlanta Parents Network events. We went to one event recently and had a lot of fun. See here: http://www.facebook.com/EAPNet

[mama*pisces]

Not sure how far you're willing to travel, but we are an hour east of ATL and would have no problem meeting you halfway.

[lisavark]

Grant Park has a HUGE parent network with playgroups for every age. You don't have to live in GP--lots of East Atlanta families are in mine. I love the EAV parents network too. Here's a link to Grant Park's: http://grantparkparents.org/. Click on the playgroup link. 

There's also an intown AP mamas group, although you said you weren't looking for one with hipster requirements. ;) 

Decatur has tons of playgroups too if that's closer for you. I don't really know if they have a central webpage for them or anything; I just know folks who live in Decatur and say there are lots of playgroups there. One easy way to find out about your local area is just to hang out at the closest big playground and ask moms there...I've met tons of moms at the Grant Park playground and told them about playgroups. :) 

[little birds]

We recently moved away from EAV, it's kind of a haul now. We are closer to the Northlake/ Decatur side of town now. Unfortunately, there are NO parks near us (luckily, we have a great backyard). I'm going to the Decatur babywearing meeting on Saturday, maybe I'll ask the mamas there.

[oliesmama]

Curious to know if the EAV and Grant Park groups are really open and welcoming to people who don't live in those neighborhoods.  I checked out the EAV FB page and it seems too good to be true!  Even adorable veggie named playgroups.  We aren't in those specific neighborhoods, but I'd definitely be interested in bringing my boys to playgroups.

Thanks!

[pattimomma]

Originally Posted by little birds 

We recently moved away from EAV, it's kind of a haul now. We are closer to the Northlake/ Decatur side of town now. Unfortunately, there are NO parks near us (luckily, we have a great backyard). I'm going to the Decatur babywearing meeting on Saturday, maybe I'll ask the mamas there.

Little Birds- I live in the Decatur / Northlake area. I have a few friends with young children in the area and was thinking about starting a play group. PM me and maybe we could set something up.

[lisavark]

Olliesmama, my Grant Park playgroup has families from Grant Park, EAV, Ormewood Park, and Cabbagetown, so nobody from far away but definitely not all within actual GP boundaries. All within the neighboring areas though. I haven't been to any of the new EAV playgroups but I used to go when they had one all-ages playgroup. I lived in Peoplestown at the time (just southwest of Grant Park) but I live in Grant Park now. I had a friend come once who lived up in Dunwoody, and everyone was very welcoming to her. Of course she only came once. I do know that EAV folks are very attached to "the village," but I really don't know if they would look askance at "outsiders" coming to a neighborhood playgroup... 

But I suggest you contact the coordinator of the playgroup you're considering and ask. You might have better luck with Grant Park than EAV, only because Grant Park is big enough that everybody doesn't know each other. I swear I think that every single family with kids in EAV ALL know each other. At least that's the way it seems to me when I'm hanging out in EAV. I have never seen two moms cross paths in EAV who didn't already know each other. It's such a small area, everybody is neighbors. :) 

Wish I knew more resources for Decatur playgroups; I know there are a ton but I have no idea how to find them! Have you looked on meetup.com?