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One of the most popular activities offered by the Plano Chapter of Mothers & More is playgroups. Playgroups are a chance for mothers and their children to get together with other chapter members for fun each week. Check the newsletter or the Members Only site hosted on Yahoo!Groups for a full schedule of playgroups each month and contact information for each group. Contact the Playgroup Coordinator with any questions or issues regarding playgroups. 

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This page last updated on 02/26/2001.

Playgroup Descriptions

Our chapter currently offers its members four types of playgroup as explained below:

1. Open Playgroups
   

   Targeted at specific age groups, these generally meet weekly, usually at a member's home, a park, McDonalds, etc and last for about 2 hours.

2. Super Playgroups
   

   Intended for all ages, these meet at special locations like the Arboretum, the Zoo, or the Dallas Children's Museum.

3. New Member Playgroups
   

   These are open to all members and their children these are a chance to meet new chapter members.

4. Assigned Playgroups
   

   Based on a child's age and days available, a maximum of 6 or so members are assigned to a specific group by our Playgroup Coordinator .

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Playgroup Age Groups

We define the following age groups for the purposes of playgroups: Infant, Toddler, and Preschool. The following explains the span of each age group:

Infant Playgroups

Infant Playgroups are geared for children ages birth to 12 months (pre-walking). Infant playgroups are commonly scheduled for Thursday mornings.

Toddler Playgroups

Once your child is walking, you will want to attend our Toddler Playgroups. Toddler playgroups are geared for children from ages 1 year (or walking) to 2 or 2 1/2 years old. These playgroups meets on various days, so check the newsletter or Yahoo!Groups for a complete schedule.

Preschool Playgroups

The Preschool Playgroup is for children approximately 2 1/2 years old and up. This group is scheduled primarily on Tuesdays and Wednesday, to accomodate the Monday/Wednesday/Friday and Tuesday/Thursday "Mother's Day Out" schedules that many members have.

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Mothers & More Plano Playgroup Guidelines

Playgroups are a great way to get acquainted with other members and their kids. They provide an opportunity for you to spend time with other moms in a smaller group setting, so you can get to know each other on a more personal level. Getting to chat with some other "grown-ups" while your children are playing together is a double bonus.

The Playgroup Coordinator, provides the overall structure for the playgroup program. She decides on the playgroup schedule and handles any issues that may arise. If at any time you feel uncomfortable with a situation, you are encouraged to speak to the person involved at the time, or to the Playgroup Coordinator, as soon as possible. The best way to avoid misunderstandings is to communicate openly with others.

The following are the guidelines for all the Mothers & More playgroups (open, new member and assigned) within our chapter. They are intended to avoid misunderstandings between members by stating in advance what is/is not acceptable within the group:

1. Health – If your child has a contagious illness or a fever then please do not attend a playgroup. If you have already RSVP'd for a playgroup then simply call the host to let them know not to expect you. If you are the host of a playgroup and either you or your child is ill then, please notify Playgroup Coordinator, (for open playgroups) or your assigned play group point of contact (for assigned playgroups) as soon as possible so that other arrangements can be made.
2. Pets – All pets must be kept out of the play area. Although you may be comfortable with your pet's behavior, others may be afraid of or even allergic to your pet.
3. Play Area – The host should make every effort to provide a safe, childproofed play area. Please try to put away toys, which would be inappropriate for the younger children in the group, specifically those that would present a choking hazard. If you have firearms in your home, please make sure they are locked up and inaccessible.
4. House Rules – As a host, tell arriving moms the rules of your house. As appropriate, specify the areas of the house that are OK for playing and eating, drinking or diaper changing and inform moms of any off-limit areas etc. Guests should respect these boundaries.
5. Toys – It may be stressful for your child the first time you host a playgroup. Although it is important to promote sharing, if your child has a favorite doll or new toy, you may want to put it away during the playgroup. Hosts should try to provide age appropriate toys. If necessary ask guests to bring an age appropriate toy when they RSVP.
6. Hosting Playgroups – All playgroup members are encouraged to host a playgroup on a rotating basis. You can have a playgroup in your home, or in nice weather at a park, or in any location acceptable to the group. In consideration of everyone's budgets, playgroups should be held only at locations where it costs little or nothing to participate.
7. RSVP – The host needs to know how many people will be attending the playgroup. Please contact the host in advance to let her know if you will attend. If possible RSVP 24 hours in advance to allow the host to prepare for and cater the playgroup. Most hosts would prefer to know numbers in advance and expect some cancellations than hear nothing until the night or morning before a playgroup.
8. Smoking – There is no smoking allowed at any playgroup.
9. Visitors – According to the national Mothers & More policy, guests may not join a playgroup without first becoming a member. In keeping with this policy, visitors are furnished with the appropriate information about our playgroups, but they are not eligible to attend a playgroup until they have joined Mothers & More.
10. Conduct – Playgroups provide a great opportunity for children to learn social skills. It is an ideal time for them to interact with other children, since you are present to encourage them and also to model appropriate behavior. Conduct that hurts another person, either physically or verbally, will not be tolerated. If possible, members should agree in advance how to handle unacceptable behavior. This would include who will handle the situation (whoever sees it happen or each child's Mom) and how it will be resolved (diversions, separate from the group, etc.) Remember that we as mothers are responsible for our own children and not the host.
11. Snacks - It is up to the host whether to provide snacks for the kids, and if so, what kind of food is acceptable. You may want to set a time for snacks so they don't interfere with meals. Some good non-messy snacks are small apple slices, grapes cut in half, Cheerios, Chex, or Goldfish crackers.
12. Clean Up – If possible, leave 10-15 minutes at the end of a playgroup for a joint cleanup effort.

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Playgroup Schedule

Membership in the Plano Chapter of Mothers & More is required to attend playgroups. The schedule is posted on the Members Only site hosted on Yahoo!Groups.

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