Winter Means Indoor Playdates & Games for the Whole Family

Worried about cold wintry weather? Gloomy gray days can bring worries to new moms who need ideas for fun, indoor entertainment for their babies and toddlers.

 

Rather than spend your days home alone with a new baby, or invest in the cost of a Gymboree class or visit to the local kids' gym or playspace, we have found with our kids that playgroups are a fun way to pass the time. Not only will parents and caregivers make new friends, but a friendly neighborhood playgroup that moves from house to house each week can help your toddlers build lifelong friendships.

And if you've got your tiny travelers in tow over the holidays, creating a playgroup space in your in-laws' home can help all your new relatives and baby's new cousins become acquainted while having fun (and making great photo ops!)

Hosting a playgroup means establishing a few rules. Talk with your friends about who sets the schedule, which snacks and beverages the host will be responsible for, how to cope with naptime, the group's tolerance for runny noses, and whether your group is open to caregivers as well as moms and dads.

Of course, having enough toys and books so that other children can share with yours is essential. With that in mind, the LEGO company (Search Amazon.com for Legos) has worked with with Heather Flett and Whitney Moss, co-founders of parenting blog, RookieMoms.com, to create videos packed with tips for moms and dads on how to make the most of play time with their toddlers.

Flett and Moss explain that one of the top things moms look for in their blog are ideas and suggestions for fun activities and ways to connect with other moms, and that their readers value any and all ideas that are practical and actionable.

The Rookie Moms suggest that playgroups are a fun and easy way to add variety to the weekly routine, and give children a chance to play with new or different toys than their own. At this tender age, most of the activity would be considered parallel play, but exposing kids and their toys to others is always a great way to introduce the concept of sharing -- a lifelong skill.

Here are some of their thoughts on making a playgroup playdate successful.



If you find the video as inspirational as we did, go right ahead and visit the LEGO Shop at Home Service.
They cater to real fans, with the most complete LEGO collection anywhere and special sales in time for the holiday season.