PLAYGROUP GUIDELINES

CMC Playgroups
We tend to keep our playgroups to a maximum of four to five moms and their children, since larger groups tend to be chaotic and overwhelming for the children. We also try to keep the childrens' ages within limited ranges, as low as 3 months for those less than 1 year old. These are just guidelines, and if a playgroup would like to accept more than four or five moms, or children outside of the age range, this is fine, as long as all members of the group agree.

The Playgroup Coordinator’s responsibility is the initial set up of the playgroup and adding new members as wanted. The members of the group must contact each other to determine the meeting day and time. The responsibility of hosting the group usually rotates each week through the members of the playgroup. If a member does not think they have room in their home to host the group, it is suggested that they try to find another suitable place (see below).

Places to Meet
Ideas for places to meet can be endless. A playgroup outing can be as simple as meeting at a nearby playground or as ambitious as an adventure to the zoo, complete with picnic lunch. The members of each group will select activities based on the personality and ages of the children as well as the ambition and daring of the moms. Investigate your community and find out what it has to offer. The following are some suggestions to get you started:

• playground
• a beach, pool, or lake
• county and state parks
• walk with strollers
• bike ride
• nature hike
• picnic
• your own back yard
• check the Calendar section of your local newspaper

Commitment
If a playgroup is going to be successful, each member must be committed to it. Regular attendance is essential in order for the group to remain intact.  It should be thought of as a weekly appointment. No one would think of consistently missing a doctor's appointment. Playgroup should be thought of in the same way. Put it on the calendar!

Playgroup Rules
We strongly suggest each playgroup determine a set of ground rules for themselves. It may be a good idea for the moms to get together one evening without the children to accomplish this. They should anticipate problems that may occur and how they will handle them when they do. Some problem behaviors they can expect are fighting, grabbing, hitting or biting. The moms should discuss how they plan to handle these various situations. Will over-aggressive children be removed from the group for the day? Does everyone agree on a time-out chair for minor squabbles? Although this discussion may not be much fun, brainstorming possible problems and solutions beforehand may save a lot of hurt feelings later.

Illness
Another subject that you may want to address at this brainstorming meeting is sick children. Everyone in the group should agree on guidelines for when a sick child should stay home. Everyone in the group should be aware of and abide by the guidelines chosen by the group.

Courtesy
Another important discussion to have beforehand is on the subject of courtesy. Establish rules that apply when the group is meeting in each other's homes. Will guests be expected to clean up after themselves? Will children be restricted to certain rooms in the house? If the playgroup is meeting at one member's home, will the other members be responsible for providing snacks or an activity? Once again, planning ahead may save disagreements or hurt feelings later.

In Conclusion…
Each playgroup will develop its own personality and style. It will change as the children grow and all the members get to know each other better. Some groups become good friends for a lifetime, others merely see playgroup as a way to socialize before school begins. No one hand-selects the other members of their group. Interested CMC members are placed in playgroups by the Playgroup Coordinator according to the children's ages. If all personalities don't immediately blend, stick with it. You'll be teaching your children, by your example, how to get along with all kinds of people. As with all facets of the club, your playgroup experience will depend on what you put into it and what you expect to get out of it.