To make a playgroup run smoothly, the hostess should spend some time planning for it. The first playgroup meeting is particularly important as it will set the format for future meetings. Check out some useful suggestions to host successful and fun playgroup sessions at home for parents and kids.
Get the House Ready for a Playgroup
As there will be quite a number of visitors coming over, the parent hosting the playgroup will need to get the house ready. Here are some important considerations:
- Baby-proof the house. Move furniture with sharp edges or corners away and cover electrical outlets. Remove breakables too. If there are stairways, put gates to prevent children from wandering there. Have a first aid kit ready.
- Close forbidden rooms. If there are rooms that the hostess wants to keep private, she should keep them locked.
- Provide toys and craft supplies. While there should be some toys and craft supplies to keep the kids amused, the parent hosting the playgroup may also want to put away her children’s favorite toys. She can ask the other mums to bring their children’s toys along. Playgroup mums can also join the local toy library to have an endless supply of toys.
- Keep pets away from kids. Pets not accustomed to having so many visitors at one go may behave strangely and can be a menace to small children. So put pets in another room during a playgroup meeting.
- Ask for help to clean up. Some parents find it hard to ask the other mums to help tidy up after the play session ends. Don’t be shy about that. Just include the request for help when sending out reminders for each meeting.
Offer Refreshments at Playgroups
Refreshments are excellent as icebreakers, particularly at the first playgroup meeting. However, be sure to check with the other parents about the possibility of their children having food allergies. Some parents may also have strict rules about eating candy and sweets. It’s a good idea to ask each family to bring some food. That way, all the kids – those with and without food allergies – will have something to eat.
Another important food-related issue to remember is to avoid outdoing each other with refreshments! The idea of having a playgroup is to let both parents and kids socialize and play, not to compete with each other.
Keep Group Format at Play Sessions Consistent
When a playgroup format is consistent, it doesn’t matter where or whose house the meeting is held. The children always know who they’ll be seeing, what they’ll be doing and how they’ll end the session. Keep the time, duration and frequency of the playgroup meeting consistent as well.
This consistency makes the kids feel more comfortable and secure, allowing them to play, learn and socialize better.
Be Prepared to Manage Behavior Problems
When a group of young children with different temperaments and nature get together, there are bound to be disagreements, tantrums and disruptive behaviors. Therefore, it’s best for the playgroup mums to discuss what the kids can or cannot do before the group meets for the first time. Be completely prepared to manage any behavior problems that may arise. Set up rules to deal with tantrums, clinginess and aggressive behaviors. Make sure each parent is responsible for the discipline of her own child.
How the first playgroup meeting is planned and hosted has a major impact on subsequent meetings. Set some rules from the start. The parent hosting the play session should get the house ready, make sure there are refreshments, try to keep the playgroup format consistent and be prepared to deal with disciplinary problems among the kids.
Found this article useful? Read also Starting a Playgroup and Managing a Playgroup.
References:
Playgroup Victoria Website – Home Playgroups
Carren W. Joye. A Stay-at-Home Mom’s Complete Guide to Playgroups. San Jose: Writers Club Press, 2000
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