January Schedule

Friday, January 6th: Totally Tots at the Riverplex (600 NE Water Street, Peoria)

Meet at 9:30am (end time at 11:30) at the Riverplex. Kids can play with our oversized foam equipment, balls, hoops, trikes, cars and scooters. No food or drink allowed in the play area. The cost is $3 per child; children under 1 and Riverplex members are free.

Friday, January 13th: North Branch Story Time (3001 West Grand Parkway, Peoria)

Meet at 10:15am (end time 10:45) at the new library (behind Menard’s off Allen Rd) for Fun Time Storytime. Enjoy fun stories and songs. Afterwards, you can read books with your child(ren), and let them play with the puzzles and blocks.

Friday, January 20th: Play date at the Christensen’s (2315 W Miners Dr, Dunlap)

Meet at 9:30am at Nikell Christensen’s house (801-361-1142) to play.

Friday, January 27th: Tunnels & Trains at Church

Meet at the Church in the cultural hall at 9:30am. Bring a train toy and/or tunnel to share.

December Schedule

December Schedule

Friday, December 2^nd: McDonald’s (7720 North University Street, Peoria)

Meet at 9:30am, and play on their indoor play-place. Don’t feel obligated to order food in order to play.

Friday, December 9^th: Toy Exchange at the Church

Meet at 9:30am at the church. Bring a USED toy that has been wrapped. Bring one toy per child that would like to receive a toy. We’ll meet in the nursery so the kids can play too.

Friday, December 16^th: Christmas Party (2107 West Winnebago Dr, Peoria)

Meet at 9:30am at Jacqie Lewis’ house. Bring a holiday treat to share if you’d like.

Friday, December 23^rd: No Playgroup

Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 30^th: No Playgroup

Happy New Year’s!

November Schedule

With winter approaching, it is time to compile the list of families willing to host playgroup at their home. If you volunteer, we would come to your house to play with your toys during the regularly-scheduled playgroup time (Fridays, 9:30-12noon). I would, of course, check the specific date with you prior to sending the schedule out to everyone.  Please email me directly - so as to avoid cluttering others’ inboxes - if you are willing to host sometime this winter, and I’ll get your name on the list. THANK YOU!


November Schedule

Friday, November 4^th: Chuck E. Cheese (2601 W. Lake, Peoria)
Meet at 9:30am. There is a slide and a climbing thing that are free, and there is no entrance fee. Just buy tokens if you want them. Check their website for coupons. https://www.chuckecheese.com/coupons/

Friday, November 11^th: Wheels!
Meet in the cultural hall at the church at 9:30am. Bring your toys with wheels: ride-on, toy cars, trains, etc.

Friday, November 18^th: Franciscan Complex Motor Mites (908 N Sterling Ave, West Peoria)
Meet at 9:15am (ends at 11:15). Cost is $2 per child ages 1-5. This winter open gym is a great way to let little ones with lots of energy enjoy the fun of playing freely with scooters, balls, hula hoops, tumbling equipment, and more. This place can be hard to find if you’ve never been there before; it is not directly on Sterling Ave. To get there, take University South and go Right on Main Street, Right on Heading and Left on Sterling.

Friday, November 25^th: No Playgroup
Happy Thanksgiving!

October Schedule

NOTE: New Time! Playgroup will now begin at 9:30am, but you are welcome to come and go anytime between 9:30 and 12noon.

Friday, October 7^th: Sommer Park North (6600 N. Basket Oak Drive, Edwards)
Meet at 9:30am (enter off Koerner Rd through Sommer Place neighborhood). Bring sand toys.

Friday, October 14^th: Tanner’s Orchard (740 State Route 40; Speer, IL)
Meet at Tanner’s Orchard at 9:30am. Bring your camera and some cash. There’s a country market, playground ($3 for ages 2-12), petting zoo (feed for 25 cents), and duck pond. For more information, http://www.tannersorchard.com/index.php

Friday, October 21^st: Bumper Bowling (4100 N Brandywine Dr, Peoria)  

Meet at the Christian Center Lanes at 9:30am.
(Bowling Prices - Adults: $2.50, Children: $1.50) (Shoe Rental - Adults: $2.00, Kids: $1.00)

Friday, October 28^th: Halloween Party

Meet in the nursery at 9:30am. Come in your costumes (kids and moms!) and bring a festive treat to share. We’ll do an easy Halloween craft with the kids and play with the toys.

September Schedule

Note: Back to Fridays - Playgroup will now be on Fridays for the school year.

Friday, September 2nd: No Playgroup
Happy long Labor Day weekend!

Friday, September 9th: Nursery Cleaning
Time for some service! Come help clean and organize toys in the nursery while the kids play. Meet at 10am at the church. Bring a bucket and rag.

Friday, September 16th: Ride-on Toys & Car Seat Safety Presentation
Meet at 10am in the church parking lot with ride-on toys for the kids. (If the weather isn’t nice, we’ll head into the cultural hall.) While the kids play, we will have a special presentation from OSF about car seat safety. Come prepared with any questions you may have. She’ll begin at 10:30, and afterwards will be available to check the installation of our car seats as well. (Thanks to Jacqie for organizing this!)

Friday, September 23rd: Charter Oak Park (5802 N Orange Prairie Road, Peoria)
Meet at 10am to play on the playground.

Friday, September 30th: Discovery Children's Museum (101 E Beaufort St, Normal)
Meet at the church at 9am to caravan/carpool to the museum. If you just want to meet us at the museum, we’ll arrive about 10am. We’ll plan on staying until about 12noon.
Admission is $6 per person ages 2 and over; under two are free.
Pack a lunch, and bring it inside. They have tables, and don’t mind having children eat there. The only food-for-purchase inside the museum is vending machines. There’s also a McDonald’s on the way back to the highway, if you’re interested.
Parking is recommended in the College Avenue Parking Deck, which has plenty of spaces and is only a block away. The first hour is free, and then parking is $1 an hour. There is also a small parking lot across the street from the Museum, directly to the north. This lot offers two hour parking. There is another small lot, located near the intersection of Beaufort and Broadway, to the west of the Museum, that also offers two hour parking.
For more museum information, visit their website: http://www.childrensdiscoverymuseum.net/index.asp
Questions? Contact Melanie Chambers (660-3220).

August Schedule

Note: This will be our last month with Wednesday playgroup. In September, we’ll return to Fridays. Also, please note the special instructions for August 17th's event.

Wednesday, August 3rd: Grand View Drive Park (3210 Grand View Drive)
Meet at 10am by the playground for some outdoor fun.

Wednesday, August 10th: Riverplex Playground Picnic (600 NE Water Street, Peoria)
Meet at 10am next door to the Riverplex at the playground. Bring a lunch and enjoy playing on Peoria’s riverfront. Then we’ll have lunch at the picnic tables in the shade.

Wednesday, August 17th: Fire Station Tour
Meet at Jacqie Lewis’ home (2107 West Winnebago Dr, Peoria) at 9:40am. We’ll walk about a block to the Northmoor Fire Station where we’ll have a short tour starting at 10am. If you plan on attending, email Jacqie (jacqie96@hotmail.com) each of your children’s names no later than the 11th to RSVP.

Wednesday, August 24th: Riverfront Walk (100 NE Water St, Peoria)
Meet at 10am by the Spirit of Peoria. Don’t forget strollers for the little ones. Maybe we’ll see a train or a barge!

Wednesday, August 31st: 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.

July Schedule

Wednesday, July 6th: Safety Town (6518 N Sheridan Rd, Peoria)
Let’s try this again. Bring your bikes/ride-on toys and a helmet and meet at 10am. There is a covered bleacher seating area, port-a-potty, picnic tables, and drinking fountain.

TUESDAY, July 12th: Fondulac Farm Park (305 Neumann Drive, East Peoria)
Meet at the farm (go east on I-74, take the Camp Street exit - 95B; turn right onto Meadow Avenue - Route 150 at the 2nd stop light; continue on Meadow Avenue for about 2 1/2 miles; turn right onto Neumann Drive at the barn-shaped sign; follow the road up the hill and take the first right to the parking lot) at 10am. Bring a sack lunch, and we’ll eat outside on the grass after touring the farm. Free admission on Tuesdays! Feed is 50 cents.

Wednesday, July 20th: Movie at Willow Knolls 14 (4100 West Willow Knolls Drive, Peoria)
Come watch Stuart Little (rated PG) for just $1 per person. Movie starts at 10am, so arrive a little early.

Wednesday, July 27th: Water Fun at Lindsey Williams’ house (5816 W Brookmere St, Edwards)
Meet at 10am in Lindsey’s backyard. We’ll have splash pools and a sprinkler for the little ones. Bring a towel, sunscreen and a lawn chair.

At Church Today

Playgroup will be held at the church nursery today, due to the rain. Please bring liquid Elmer's glue, if you have any, for our Father's Day craft.

June Schedule

Note: Playgroup has been moved to Wednesdays for the summertime rather than Fridays in order to accommodate traveling and to give moms with older children who are home from school a mid-week break. We will return to Fridays in September.

Wednesday, June 1st: Detweiler Park (Dogwood/Pine Shelters)
Meet at 10am at the “spider web” playground. If it is too crowded, we’ll move to the Moose Shelter playground.

Wednesday, June 8th: Forest Park Nature Center (5809 Forest Park Drive, Peoria Heights)
Meet at 10am for a Wildflower Walk hosted by their nature guides. Afterwards, enjoy their summer story time from 10:30-11:15 in the Nature Center.

Wednesday, June 15th: Father’s Day Craft at Northtrail Park (1621 W. Meadowview Drive, Peoria)
Meet at 10am at Northtrail Park. We’ll do a craft in the shelter for our daddies, and then play on the slides and swings.

Wednesday, June 22nd: North Library Story Time (3001 W Grand Parkway, Peoria)
Meet at 10am at the North Library (the new one on the road between Menard’s & WalMart) for their story time. Expect fun stories and a craft.

Wednesday, June 29th: 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.

May Schedule

Reminder: You do not need to have children in order to attend - If something sounds fun to you, please join us!

Friday, May 6: Sommer Park
Meet at 10am (enter off Koerner Rd through Sommer Place neighborhood; left at dead end – Basket Oak Dr). Bring sand toys.

Friday, May 13: Bicycle Safety Town
Meet at 10am (6518 N. Sheridan Road - near Sheridan & Knoxville), and bring your bike and helmet. There is a covered bleacher seating area, port-a-potty, picnic tables, and drinking fountain.

Friday, May 20: Detweiller Park, Moose Shelter
Meet at 10am (8327 North Galena Road/Route 29), and bring your teddy and sack lunch for a picnic together.

Friday, May 27: Rock Island Trail
Meet at 10am (Alta Ln parking lot). We’ll be walking down the trail. Bring strollers and/or bikes.

In case of rain, playgroup will be at the church nursery.

Egg Hunt at Church

Due to all the rain this week, the Easter Egg Hunt will be at the church instead of Mirinda's house! If it isn't too muddy, we'll do it outside at the church, but otherwise it'll be indoors there.

Meet at the nursery at 10am (with your eggs, if you haven't already given them to Mirinda).

April Changes

First, a reminder: Playgroup is for any woman in the ward who would like to attend. You do not need to have children. It is as much for the women to socialize as it is for the kids to play. In fact, I attended playgroup a few times before children and had a fabulous time. So, if you are free on Friday mornings (usually at 10am) and would like to come and join us where ever we may be, please come! We'd love to have you!

Now, some updates to playgroup for this month...

1 - Friday, April 15th: I'd really like to go to the activity listed below, and I am hoping other moms will want to too. So I am canceling our Easter Craft at the church. Instead, meet at HyVee for an Earth Day Celebration. Thanks to Jacqie for the info.

2 - Friday, April 22nd: Mirinda has volunteered to host our Easter Egg hunt this year. She has requested that each mom get their eggs (6 plastic eggs per child filled with something) to her BEFORE that morning. You may bring them to church or drop them at her home any time before the 22nd. Of course, if you don't get them to her early, that is fine. She just wants to get the bulk of them hidden before the kids arrive. Please don't NOT come just because you weren't able to plan ahead. :-) Also, in case of rain, meet at the church instead of her home. Happy Hunting!

April Schedule

Friday, April 1: Chuck E Cheese
Meet at 9am (2601 W. Lake, Peoria). 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.

Friday, April 8: Ride-on Toys
Meet in the church cultural hall (in the parking lot, if it’s nice) at 10am with your child’s favorite ride-on toy.

Friday, April 15: Easter Craft
We’ll be making bunny ears for our Easter Egg Hunt. Meet at the church nursery at 10am.

Friday, April 22: Easter Egg Hunt
Meet at Mirinda Chatfield’s house (6235 N Hamilton Rd, Peoria, 692-4304) at 10am. Bring 6 plastic eggs filled with something per child and a basket for collecting.

Friday, April 29: Poem in Your Pocket Day
Bring your favorite children’s poem (Need ideas? Google Jack Prelutsky or Shel Silverstein for silly ones for toddlers), 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.

March Schedule

4 Read Across America Party
Bring your favorite book to read to your child, and meet at the church nursery at 10am. Enjoy time swapping titles with other moms and reading to your child/children.

11 St Patrick’s Day Party
Meet at Carrie Wood’s house (10815 N. Fieldgrove Dr, Dunlap, 370-3933) at 10am for a leprechaun craft. Be sure to wear green, and bring a treat to share if you’d like.

18 McDonald’s (different location than January’s)
Meet at 10am at the University McDonald’s (7720 North University Street, Peoria). Do not feel obligated to purchase food (but you may if you’d like), just come and play on their indoor playground.

25 Play Dough Fun
Bring any toys for play dough fun to the church nursery at 10am.

February Schedule

Friday, February 4
Play date: Sledding at Jacqie Lewis’ house (2107 W Winnebago Dr, Peoria, 219-0061) at 10am. Wear snow clothes and bring sleds. If there’s no snow, we’ll play inside.

Friday, February 11
Valentine's Day Party: Meet at the Church nursery at 10am. Bring a Valentine to put in each child's bag, and a treat to share. We will decorate a bag as a craft.

Friday, February 18
Jungle Jamboree: Meet at Jump Start Gymnastics (8820 N Industrial Rd, Peoria) at 11:15-12:15. $5 per child; for children who are 3 and under. The gym floor is filled with balls, tunnels, building blocks, legos, and mats.

Friday, February 25
Cowboys & Indians: Meet in the Church cultural hall at 10am. Bring a toy to share that goes with our theme.