How to Start Your Own Local Playgroup

Being a stay-at-home mom is the most important job in the world...but it can be a bit lonely at times. Having other stay-at-homes to hang out with, who know exactly what you are going through can be such a blessing. A mom & tot playgroup can just the solution. A playgroup provides both mom and child time to socialize with their peers. There are so many different kinds of playgroups. Some are organized by the age of the children, for example a groups of moms with babies all 12 months old or younger. Other may be organized by religion or by the age of the mothers (example: 20 something moms or a group for moms over 40).

Finding a playgroup can be a challenge at first, but thanks to the Internet it has become a lot easier to find local groups in your area. Websites like Matching Moms and RaisinThem have listings of playgroups by state and city. Meetup is also a great way to connect to other people and groups in your area. Also check with your church, they may have a MOPS (Mothers Of Preschoolers) program available.

If you can not find a playgroup in your area, start one. It's easier than you may think. First decide what type of playgroup you want to create. Do you want a group of moms who have a child the same age as yours or would you prefer a group with a mix of ages? Perhaps you want to meet other moms who have a similar interest as you (example: Attachment parenting, or homeschooling). Once you decide what kind of group you want create an online website with information about the group. Websites like Yahoo, Google and MSN all offer free website groups which are great for communicating with the other moms in your group. Next you have to find members! Print up some flyers with information about the playgroup and put them up on bulletin boards in your local grocery stores, library and church, Also place online listings at the websites mentioned earlier (Matching Moms, etc.). Another idea is to print up business cards that include the playgroups website information and hand them out to moms you see at the park. It shouldn't be too long before you have a few moms who are interested in your group.

Now that you have a group you will quickly realize finding the members was the easy part and the hard part is now getting the others moms to attend the playdates on a regular basis! One way to keep your playgroup active is to meet at the same day and time every week (ex: every Tuesday at 10:00 AM). This way the playdates become routine for the moms and kids. Another idea is to make a rule from the start that "lurkers" are not allowed in the group. Members must participate and attend playdates on a regular basis in order to stay in the group. This rule is important not only to keep members active, but also for safety reasons. Most likely your members will be sharing personal information, such as phone numbers and directions to their house, so you do not want people who are not serious about the group to stay and view all this information.

Keeping a playgroup successful and active can take a lot of work, but the relationships you and your child develop from the group will make all your efforts worth it! Good luck!