Published: May 10, 2008 11:19 pm         

Playgroups can help keep kids active, mommies sane

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. — In the 1950s, when mothers insisted their children “get outside and play” it was mostly a reason to give mom a chance to finish her laundry list of chores for the day.

Of course, she knew spending hours outside was certainly no punishment, and back then, no reason to worry.

But educational value from playing in the dirt with the neighbor kid? That was never a thought.

Until at least two decades later, anyway.

What started out as a growing awareness in the 1970s that children’s playtime had real value in their emotional, social and intellectual development has evolved into everything from suburban playmates to a highly competitive industry in large metro areas.

Among the most popular movements around the country is the playgroup, where moms (and sometimes dads) and little ones get together with others to visit kid-friendly art and music programs, picnic at parks or just play together in a member’s back yard. The idea is to build children’s social skills and confidence and expose them to new things, and to give mommy someone to talk to who knows exactly where’s she coming from.

In general, a playgroup is organized by a mom that recruits other moms with young children via Web sites or social organizations and outlines an agenda. Fees are generally minimal, ranging from $5 to $45 a year, as are membership numbers — some groups have 25 members while others have 200.

Of course there are many variations of playgroups — some are very organized and offer structured learning activities several times a week, others meet at someone’s house or a park for free time for an hour each week, some are church-based, others are just for stay-at-home moms or only working parents or even more specific, such as families that practice a holistic lifestyle.

New Albany-based Teeter Toddlers, for example, meets for 90 minutes twice a week, once at St. John's Presbyterian Church and another time out for a field trip, like a trip to a local park or fire station. The 40 or so members also host three family parties a year and deliver meals to new moms in the group, according to the group’s outreach coordinator Lisa Mascio-Thompson, who also belongs to a Louisville playgroup.

Teeter-Toddlers, a non-denominational group, is currently the only known formal playgroup based in Floyd and Clark counties.

Instead, several Southern Indiana moms belong to one of the largest playgroups in the region, the Louisville Hip Mama’s Meetup Group. With about 180 members made up of stay-at-home moms, work from home parents and working moms, the group’s calendar stays full, ranging from visits to the Louisville Zoo, Gymboree class and swimming trips to organized weekly walking groups, Easter egg dyeing events and occasional mom’s nights out.

One of the group’s recent events included a Final Four basketball party at member Megan McCarthy’s Clarksville home. With Indiana members hailing from Floyd’s Knob, New Albany, Jeffersonville, Greenville, Corydon and even Fort Wayne, the Hip Mamas plan visits in Indiana as well, such as the upcoming visit to Huber’s farm for berry picking and the petting zoo.

Holly Contreras was living in Fort Wayne with a 6-month-old and a husband that traveled frequently when she decided it was time to look for like-minded moms.

At a playground, she met a mom who told her about a playgroup. “It was my saving grace. My husband traveled a lot so most of my adult interaction was talking to the checkout lady at Meijer’s,” she said.

Still, it took awhile to find a group she and her son Cameron — and their schedules — clicked with. Once she did she spent the next 2 _ years enjoying new friends for both her and her son.

“We would do play dates at members’ houses, have hayrides, go to the zoo, go to kid friendly entertainment areas. They also did mom's night out events. These were a great way to get to know more mom's going through similar situations,” said Contreras, who joined Hip Mamas in advance of her family’s move to Southern Indiana this month.

“This group was a true blessing and helped me to keep my sanity. When I found out I was going to be relocated, I immediately looked to see if there was a meet-up group and was very excited to join the group,” she said.

New Albany’s Autumn Grasty knew she and her son Braxton both needed playmates when they returned to Indiana after her husband’s Air Force service in New Jersey.

“None of our friends here have kids yet, so we live very different lives. It's tough for people that don't have children to understand how much life changes,” she said. “Since I'm a stay-at-home mom, days got really lonely during the day while my husband was at work. I started searching on the Internet for groups to meet with during the day. I found two that I ended up joining and becoming active with. I have found several moms that I have become active with outside the group, and that's what I was hoping to get out of it.”

In addition to belonging to Hip Mamas, Grasty belongs to KentuckianaMoms.com, which plans events in Louisville and Southern Indiana. A recent event included a picnic at Sam Peden Community Park in New Albany.

Other KentuckianaMoms have posted requests for starting Southern Indiana specific playgroups.

There’s plenty of information online, at sites like KentuckianaMoms, PlayGroups USA, Brilliant Babies and Momsclub.org to help organize playgroups for anyone so inclined.

How playgroups benefit mom and child

Often times, parents think babies under age 1 are too young to benefit from playgroups, but professionals disagree.

• 0-3 Months: Although very young infants often seem oblivious, the world around them, nothing can be further from the truth. In the early months, playgroups provide an opportunity for young babies to be exposed to their peers for the first time. This interaction can provide infants with an introduction to expressive language and play. Though a baby has been listening to the voices of his/her own mother and father recognizing that the world is filled with many people who have different voices may help young infants to become more outgoing children.

• 3-6 Months: At this age, babies become much more aware of their surroundings. More particularly, they really start studying the faces of others and learning about both their own and the emotions of others. Being involved in a playgroup allows babies to learn how much fun it can be to interact with others. Just place a few 5-month-olds together on the floor and watch how intently they stare at each other. Though they usually won't play together, they “parallel play” and really learn as one watches the other.

• Months 6-9: During this period, babies make great strides in eating, becoming mobile and talking. Being a member of a playgroup allows babies a chance to see other babies act out the same things that he/she is learning. Moms are also able to learn new strategies on a wide variety of subjects, from teething tips to games to play with their growing babies.

• Months 9-12: Babies start showing real signs of becoming independent toddlers. As they begin to pull up and take their first steps, some mothers may find that their babies are much more interested in their “friends” rather than sitting with mommy. At this age, being a member of a playgroup can help babies overcome separation anxiety. Also, as their babies get older, moms often take turns being the “babysitter” during the playgroup time. This gives all of the moms involved much needed “kid-free” breaks.

• Other benefits for children: Playgroups give babies and toddlers an opportunity to learn the proper way to speak and react to other people. For example, they can learn the proper protocol of speaking to other people by watching their moms speak to other moms and how older children interact. Not only do playgroups give infants and toddlers an opportunity to practice verbal and listening skills, they also provide a great opportunity to practice their newly found ability to imitate others. It’s not uncommon for young children to showcase their ability to perform a skill that his/her parent has been trying to teach through imitating another child at his/her playgroup.

• For Moms: Perhaps the greatest purpose of participating in playgroups is so that moms can have an opportunity to share ideas, fears and experiences. This is especially true for new moms who may sometimes feel inadequate. Experienced moms can share their “know-how” with new moms, in a laid back, casual environment. Additionally, playgroups sometimes serve as a much-needed social support system for moms where they discuss not only their children, but also their marriages, families, careers and other interests. The friendships made through playgroups are often meaningful and long lasting.



Source:Playgroups USA





Lisa Hurt Kozarovich writes for The Evening News in Jeffersonville, Ind.