How to Start Your Own Playgroup

By Christopher Bode, Citizen Member, Dubuque County Empowerment Board

You just moved to Dubuque with your family but don’t know anyone. Or perhaps you are new parents for the first time and would like your child to play with some children around the same age. What is the solution? Form or join a playgroup.

A quote from Misty Auer, a member of my daughter’s playgroup, explains benefits for the children: “Playgroups offer my stay-at-home children an opportunity to develop essential social skills by providing them with time to learn and play with their peers in a safe and supervised environment.”

Playgroups also allow stay-at-home parents to meet other parents, discuss problems, and share solutions. It can be an outlet for those parents to interact with other adults for a change.

So how do you form a playgroup or become a member of one? Most of the families in our playgroup met either through a breastfeeding network or through children’s programs at the public library. There are many classes offered by various organizations in the community, such as swimming, tumbling, etc., that can allow for similar connections. If you see your child playing with other children at a park, within the neighborhood, or at the swimming pool – don’t be afraid to ask the parents to set up a playdate. Chances are, they may be just as eager as you to meet people with children.

Now that you’ve met people, here are a few suggestions that will help your newly-formed playgroup. First, make a list of the families’ addresses, phone numbers, e-mails, and member names (and even birthdays if you like). Second, see if you can find some common ground regarding an illness policy (not allowing sick children to play at an event) to protect the health of the group. Lastly, see if someone will volunteer to organize activities for the group. A playgroup coordinator can make arrangements for the playdates, collect money when needed, and spread any information to the families in the group.

There are many fun opportunities in the Dubuque area for playgroups to enjoy. Our playgroup rents the local toddler pool for a day and has an annual pool party. Other ideas include holiday parties, meetings at pumpkin patches and apple orchards, a cookout at an area park, or just rotating playdates at member families’ houses.

A playgroup can be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable social groups in which your family can engage. Your children will develop skills through their interactions with others of the same age. The playgroup also can help parents socialize with other adults facing the challenges of having young children for the first time. You may even find that some families you meet will become your closest friends.