How to Start a Playgroup for Children

Parenthood comes with many milestones and joys, but taking care of your child can also feel isolating. A playgroup serves as a social outlet for both you and your child. Many communities have organized playgroups through churches, community organizations or nationwide chapters of groups such as Mothers of Preschoolers. If your city lacks a playgroup or you feel the available options don't meet your needs, you can start your own playgroup. With a little planning and organization, you can gather others with similar values for regular play dates.

Instructions

    • 1

      Write a mission statement for your playgroup. It may seem silly for an informal group, but the mission statement helps you define the direction of the playgroup. It helps you decide the type of people you want to join, what you will do and what you will expect from members.

    • 2

      Set the guidelines for the group. Decide if you will restrict the age of the kids so they are all similar. Choose a limit if you don't want the group to grow too large.

    • 3

      Choose a way to communicate with the future members you will recruit. One option is a website or social media group page that offers forums, calendars and other resources for your group. Communicating solely through email is an option, but you may have difficulty staying organized.

    • 4

      Plan a few introductory play dates. Decide if you want to jump in with both parents and kids or just have the adults meet for the first time. A moms-only meeting gives you a chance to feel out the people you invite to join and allows the parents to discuss any issues ahead of time. You can also focus more on getting to know each other without chasing around your kids.

    • 5

      Invite parents you know to join the group. Introduce yourself to neighbors with kids or parents you meet at the park. Direct them to the website you started for the group, if applicable. Let the parents know about the initial play dates you scheduled.

    • 6

      Expand your recruitment if you want to increase involvement in the group. You can advertise in local parenting publications, post a flier on local bulletin boards or post in forums for local parents.

    • 7

      Schedule regular events for the group once you recruit a few members. Plan different events, such as play dates at home, at the park or at local attractions like zoos.

    • 8

      Ask for help from the other members to run the playgroup. Allow others to plan some of the play dates so you don't have to handle all the work.

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