August Schedule

This is my last month in charge. Melanie Chambers has volunteered to head up Playgroup starting in September, so look for all future calendars to come from her. Thank you, Melanie!

 

Note: Playgroup has been on Wednesdays for the summer. Next month it will return to Fridays.

TUESDAY, August 6th: Stroll & Story Time (5809 Forest Park Drive; Peoria Heights)
Meet at the Forest Park Nature Center at 9:30am for a short stroll down the trail. At 10:30, we’ll meet back at the Nature Center for some nature-themed stories. Their program will last until 11:15.

 

Wednesday, August 14th: Northtrail Park (1621 W Meadowview Dr, Peoria)

Meet at 10am at Northtrail Park. We’ll play on the slides and swings. They also have a pond (with fish who love Cheerios) and a short path around it.

 

Wednesday, August 21nd: Charter Oak Park (5802 N Orange Prairie Road, Peoria)

Meet at 10am to play on the playground.

 

Wednesday, August 28th: Santa Fe Park & Splash Pad (1400 N Benedict St, Chillicothe)

Meet at 10am. Plan to get wet, and bring a towel. There is a splash pad, pavilion, restrooms, thirty-foot twisty slides and train engine playground.

July Schedule

The time has come for me to retire as playgroup leader. I will finish out this summer (through August), but with the start of the new school year, we will need a new leader. It is crazy easy, I promise. This blog dates back to 2007!

If you are new to the area and/or a new mom - both of which I was when I first started -  don’t shy away. This is the perfect opportunity!

Please email/call me if you are interested in taking over, and I’ll give you the run-down.

And now without further adieu...

July Playgroup Schedule

Note: Playgroup is on Wednesdays in the summer time. It will return to Fridays in September.

Wednesday, July 3rd: Sommer Park (6600 N Basket Oak Dr, Edwards)

Meet at 10am (enter off Koerner Rd through Sommer Place neighborhood). Bring sand toys.

Wednesday, July 10th: Water Fun (5816 W Brookmere St, Edwards)

Meet at 10am in Lindsey’s backyard for some splash pool fun. Bring a towel and sunscreen. I’ll provide popsicles too.

Wednesday, July 17th: Riverfront Walk (600 NE Water St, Peoria)

Bring your stroller and a sack lunch, and meet at 10am by the playground beside the Riverplex. We’ll walk, then return to play and eat at the end.

Wednesday, July 24th: Grand View Park (3210 Grand View Dr, Peoria)

Meet at 10am at this shaded park. You may want to bring sand toys, as the play structure is surrounded in gravel/sand.

Wednesday, July 31th: Movie at Willow Knolls (4100 W Willow Knolls Dr, Peoria)

Meet at the theater before 10am. This week's movie is Rio. Each ticket is $1 (all ages).

June Schedule

Note: Playgroup will be on Wednesdays for the summer months (June, July & August).

We’ll return to Fridays in September.

Wednesday, June 5th: Forest Park Nature Center (5809 N Forest Park Drive, Peoria Heights)

Meet at 10am. We will be hiking down the trail while the kids look for nature scavenger hunt items.

TUESDAY, June 11th: Fondulac Farm Park (305 Neumann Drive, East Peoria)

Meet at 10am inside the gates. Admission is free on Tuesdays! Feed is $0.50 per cone. Bring a sack lunch, and we can eat outside on the grass after touring the farm.

Wednesday, June 19th: Glen Oak Park (2218 North Prospect Road, Peoria)

Meet at the large wood play structure by the zoo at 10am to run and play. If it is too crowded, we’ll head around the loop to the smaller, plastic structure.

Wednesday, June 26th: Chartwell Park (2828 Willow Lake Road, Peoria)

Meet at 10am by the playground. Please note that this park only has on-street parking in the neighborhood, and then there’s a short walk down a path to the play structure. You may want sand toys, as the play structure is surrounded in gravel/sand.

May Schedule

Please note the varying start times.

Friday, May 3rd: Wheels O’ Time Museum (11923 N Knoxville Avenue, Peoria)

Meet at 12noon. Adults $6.50, Children 3+ $3.50, Under 3 are free. We may be able to get a group discount if enough people come. Please RSVP (ryanandlindsey1227@hotmail.com) by this Thursday so I can let the museum know how many people to expect. Print coupon for discounted admission: http://wheelsotime.org/print_this_coupon.htm

Friday, May 10th: Sommer Park (6600 N. Basket Oak Drive, Edwards)

Meet at 10am (enter off Koerner Rd through Sommer Place neighborhood). Bring sand toys and a picnic lunch. If it's raining/cold, we'll meet at the church nursery at 10am.

Friday, May 17th: Red Cross Car Seat Safety Presentation

Meet at the church at 9:30am in the nursery. As everyone arrives, the kids can play for a few minutes. A presenter from the American Red Cross will be coming to teach the children about car seat safety at 10am. It is called Buckle Bear and will last for 20 minutes, geared towards the kids. Then it'll be open for questions anyone may have. Please RSVP (jacqie96@hotmail.com) by Fri, May 10th so we can tell them how many handouts to prepare.  After the presentation, the kids can play some more.

Friday, May 24th: Bicycle Safety Town (6518 N. Sheridan Road, Peoria)

Meet at 10am with your bike / ride-on toy and helmet (required). If it's raining/cold, we'll meet in the church cultural hall and ride there.

Friday, May 31st: Detweiller Park - Dogwood/Pine Shelters (8327 North Galena Road, Peoria)

Meet at 10am at the “spider web” playground. If it is too crowded, we’ll move to the Moose Shelter playground. If it's raining/cold, we'll meet at the church nursery at 10am.

Note: Starting in June, Playgroup will be on Wednesdays for the summer (June, July & August). We’ll return to Fridays in September.

At Church Tomorrow

We'll meet in the church cultural hall in the morning (10am) with ride-on toys. Rain, rain, go away.

April Schedule

Designated Playgroup Leader: Lindsey

Friday, April 5th: Rock Island Trail

Meet at 10am (Alta Ln parking lot). We’ll be walking down the trail to enjoy the Spring sunshine (fingers crossed). If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we'll meet at the church nursery at 10am.

 

Friday, April 12th: Chuck E Cheese

(2601 W. Lake, Peoria)

Meet at 10am. Check their website for coupons. There’s a slide and a climbing thing that are free and no entrance fee. Just buy tokens if you want them. (Hopefully, it’ll be less crowded than last time!)

Friday, April 19th: Safety Town (6518 N. Sheridan Road, Peoria)

Meet at 10am. Bring bikes or ride-on toys and helmets (required). If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll meet in the cultural hall at church and ride there.

 

Friday, April 26th: Poem in Your Pocket Day

Bring your favorite children’s poem (Need ideas? Jack Prelutsky or Shel Silverstein both write silly ones for preschoolers), and meet at the church nursery at 10am. We’ll have the moms take turns sharing in story time fashion, and then let the kids play.

Update: Easter Egg Hunt this Friday

The Easter Egg Hunt is this Friday at 10:00am. Because of the not-at-all-Spring-like weather, we are moving the hunt to the church. Sorry.

If you haven't already, please bring your egg-filling donations to Mirinda Chatfield before Friday - ten fillings for standard-sized Easter eggs per child that will be hunting.

In addition to the hunt, we will be decorating foam eggs and making Bunny Bag Baskets too. Treats will be provided, but feel free to bring something to share if you want.

Thanks and hope to see you all there!