Playgroups are great for young children to try out new games and pick up the fine art of getting along with their peers. Most playgroups have lots of free playtime but there is much more parents can do to keep the young ones amused and occupied throughout the one-and-a-half to two-hour sessions. Here are some practical and fun ideas to ensure playgroups are packed with loads of fun.
Structured Activities
Most toddlers and preschoolers are used to having their own free playtime. So structured activities in playgroups may just be the change they need every now and then. Parents in a playgroup can plan new games, story time, dance and song as well as art and craft sessions for their children. Need more suggestions? Just visit the local library or browse through the Internet for fresh ideas. Websites such as TheIdeaBox and FamilyFun are filled with cool activity ideas for children of various age groups.
Lunch Treats
Like adults, children enjoy going out for lunch too! A monthly lunch gathering for parents and kids is certainly something to look forward to. Many fast food restaurants have indoor playgrounds, making them ideal choices to have the playgroup lunch. For a change of scenery and food choices, look for restaurants that are child-friendly. Also consider restaurants offering buffet treats for kids. Food, fun and frolic. You just can’t go wrong with this one.
Special Themes
Children enjoy pretend play and dressing up. And there’s no better way to accommodate that penchant than organizing themed events in playgroups. For instance, on “Fairy Tale Day”, the kids can dress up as their favorite fairy tale characters; on “Football Fun Day”, they can pretend to be their football heroes or wear something with their team’s color. Special holidays such as Easter and Christmas are meaningful for children too. Try including related activities such as Easter egg hunts and exchanging small gifts during such special holidays.
Field Trips
A change of location every few weeks is great to keep the playgroup fun. Instead of gathering at someone’s house, choose a place for the whole group to visit – the park, zoo, animal farm, aquarium, beach, museum, shopping mall, amusement arcade, airport, railway station, etc. These field trips offer great learning experiences for children. There’s another advantage – no one needs to clean up their house after the playgroup session has ended!
Birthday Playgroups
A parent can host a playgroup in the week that her child celebrates her birthday. It will be just like any other playgroup session but with a birthday cake, balloons, gifts and perhaps extra snacks. If several children in the playgroup share the same birth month, their parents can combine their parties into once. This saves time, costs and effort but the fun factor is still there.
Community Service Projects
It’s never too early to get children involved in community work. Consider holding a community oriented project once or twice a year. A playgroup can visit a retirement home, organize a fund-raising event for a local charity or help out in a church. These activities will teach children the importance of voluntary community work. Children who are introduced and exposed to such programs early in life are likely to become loving and caring adults later on.
A playgroup that offers a good mix of structured activities, lunch treats, special themes, field trips, birthday parties and even community programs are sure to be popular with mums, dads and kids. Try some of these interesting and meaningful ideas if your playgroup has not ventured beyond the usual free playtime.
Related articles:
How to Manage Behavior Problems in Playgroups
How to Have a Good Relationship with Kids
Reference:
Carren W. Joye. A Stay-at-Home Mom’s Complete Guide to Playgroups. San Jose: Writers Club Press, 2000.
