Playgroup

Today Melissa invited us to a Thursday morning playgroup she and the boys have enjoyed.

I knew it would be a long day. Daniel has a meeting tonight, so we will see him about an hour today during dinner, after the kids literally saw him less than five minutes yesterday. Plus it is a rainy day, so we couldn’t walk or go to the park. So I thought it would be good for the kids to get out and do something fun with someone else besides Mom!

There were a bunch of toys in a large area–a wooden play kitchen; washer & dryer; baby dolls with cradles, car seats, and highchairs; a tool bench; all sorts of “ride-on” toys; a slide . . . What fun for Mara! Right away she met a little girl on the slide, and I heard Mara call, “Hey, Lily, come down the slide!” She already knows her name. At first, I thought she may have “named” the girl herself, as she has been quite imaginative lately. But when I met the mom, sure enough–her name was Lily!!

Mara loved carrying a baby doll around in the carseat–even better, setting the carseat in the shopping cart, and taking her shopping for food in the play kitchen!!!! I wish Daniel could have seen her. She really had fun! After 45 minutes or so, they had circle time, where they sang songs. Mara remembered that they sang “No more monkeys jumping on the bed” and “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” Then it was snack time: pretzels, cheese, graham crackers and juice in little cups. I was so proud of Mara–she didn’t spill her juice (or play with it!!). We also made it through playgroup and all the way home without a potty-training “accident.”  Those little successes are big with toddlers!

Playgroup was so  good for my shy little one-year-old! Everytime someone says “hi” to him, he clings to my shirt and buries his head in my shoulder with a coy smile.  But he really loved watching the older kids play, and he ventured over to the toys by himself, glancing nervously over his shoulder to be sure I was still there. . . He also enjoyed playing in the kitchen, where he could open and shut cabinet doors without Mommy saying ‘no.’ Maybe interacting with other children in a fun setting (with Mom nearby) will help him grow out of this clingy, insecure stage.

When we got home, as we were getting out of the car, Mara said, “That was a fun nursery!” 🙂

We’ll have to do it again.