[mojomom]

I belong to this play group, it is actually one I and my SIL started last winter. It has to our suprise turned into such a wonderful experience. It has double in size. We all have some different parenting styles but ultimately the same goals for our kids. I always walk away happy and refreshed every friday.
It was not until our mom's night out last week, when we suprised an expecting mom with baby gifts did I realize our play group can be so much more then just a set play date for our kids. What I would like is some ideas and thought s on how to get our group more connected on a support level. I want to bring it up a level. So moms who belong to great play groups how do you get more connected to the other moms? What are some things you do as a group of women? Also what kind of activities do you do with the kids to keep the play group fresh and fun, especially during the cold winter months? Thank you guys so much.

 

[fairielass]

Hey...I just joined a playgroup/mom's group that does a couple of really neat things. First...if there is an expecting mom each member of the group signs up to bring her a meal each day after her birth. (With this group of around 40 the new mom gets almost a month of dinners.) They also do this for moms who are sick or have an emergency. I thought these were great ideas!

 

[Mere]

We try to have a moms night out at least once a month, which is really essential IMO if you're going to get to truly know a group of people. Sure we talk at playgroup meetings, but a night out is our chance to talk unhindered and in complete sentences around topics that don't necessarily involve children!

So far that's all we've really done...I'll be interested in hearing other responses.

 

[mojomom]

Thank you guys for your responses. Those are some great ideas and ones I planned on instituting in our group. The mom's night out I would like to do every other month, the next one I would like to do a small gift exchange among the moms. I also like the idea of preparing meals we have 2 preg. moms in our group and have discussed organizing meals for them. I have seen a few play groups come and go around ours and it is important for me that our group keep growing in numbers and closeness. Right now my focus is also on getting the moms involved in planning small activites for the kids during the winter months. I just decided to send out a news letter with the bi-monthly schedule. This is something I am really enjoying.

Thanks again!

 

[kylersmomma]

One idea is to at some point do a "check in" where each mom shares her high and low since the last time you got together...great opportunity to celebrate each others victories and collectively problem solve any challenges. Today our group had a sharing of books that have greatly influenced our approach to parenting/life. It was wonderful!!! It seems a shame to be surrounded by amazing women/mothers with so much insight and wisdom and not take the "playgroups" to a deeper level to utilize the collective power of the group. good for you for wanting to raise the level of your group and goodluck

 

[JayGee]

We do a Moms Night Out every month - usually dinner out or at someone's house, but this month we're going bowling! Lots of time to sit and chat, and an activity that's bound to cause a lot of laughs

! We also have scrapbooking night at the local scrapbook shop every few months.

With the children, we meet every Tuesday for an activity, and every other Friday for either music or art at someone's home. Activities have included apple picking, the zoo (it's free in St. Louis!), blackberry and peach picking, the local children's playground and the Children's Museum. Our group is relatively small (8-10 2-year-olds), so it's easy to manage them in a setting like a museum.

I LOVE our playgroup!

Kristina