Hosting playgroup - ideas please

[juliajaj]

I'm hosting my department's playgroup on Saturday. It's a group of female co-workers that Olivia & I get together with the 1st Saturday of each month. We've been rotating who hosts the group at their home each month. The playgroup starts at 10 AM & runs until 12:30, so I'm responsible for serving lunch (most of the kids have already had some type of mid-morning snack by the time they'll arrive, but I'll have some snack items just in case). There will be 5 moms & 7 little girls (ranging in age from 5 months - 3 years, 2 girls are under 1, Olivia is almost 2, then there are 3 2-year olds & 1 3 year old). Lunch for the moms will be sandwiches, chips/pretzels, fruit salad, dessert (cookies or cake) & beverages. I'm trying to figure out what to serve the kids. We had mac-n-cheese at the last playgroup. One of the little girls has a peanut allergy, so I can do pb&j sandwiches. I think they're all OK with hotdogs (except for the 2 under 1, and their moms will provide their lunch), so I was thinking about serving hotdogs, cheese sticks, fruit & something else (along with the same dessert that the moms will have). Can you give me any other ideas on what to serve.

Also, weather permitting (it's supposed to be 56 & possible rain), we might go outside & play. If not, we'll be inside playing. I was going to have plenty of activities (coloring, playdoh, toys, books, balls, dolls) available for the girls to play with.

Has anyone hosted a playgroup? If so, how did it go, did you serve anything special & do any special activities?

Thanks.

[brubeck]

Julia honestly it sounds like you've got everything covered! Hot dogs for the kids are a really good idea. I had a BBQ for some toddlers (2-3 years old) last Saturday and one Mom took pieces of lettuce and tomato I had out for the burgers and gave it to her son as a 'salad'. Perhaps you could do something similar on the side with a few lettuce and carrot shreds or something? Otherwise I think you're covered.

What kind of fruit are you planning on serving? I find that melon pieces (no rind), apple slices and strawberries are big favourites. I guess you could just give them the less messy pieces of the fruit salad.

You may want to have inside activities even if it is nice out. There is always at least one kid who does not want to be outdoors.

It sounds like you have plenty of activities but if you want a couple more: you could get a big bucket of stickers ($7 at Michael's for cool foam ones) to enhance the coloring or lie out some Fruit Loops and string/ribbon for necklace-making. I did both of these at DD's 3rd birthday party and everyone loved it.

Good luck!