Playgroup Survey

With Brittany's coming move, I have volunteered to head-up Playgroup. Any and all suggestions and help are welcome! In fact, here's a few things I have been thinking about...

1 – Hosting: With winter approaching, I was hoping to compile a list of families willing to host playgroup at their home. Basically, we would all just come to your house to play with your toys during the regularly-scheduled playgroup. I would, of course, check the specific date with you prior to sending the schedule out to everyone.

2 – Money: An additional winter-challenge is the necessity of attending more indoor events which sometimes have a fee. What is your opinion about the frequency of such events? My goal is to limit pay-for events to once per month. I’d love to hear your perspective.

3 – When: Playgroup has traditionally been held Friday mornings at 10am. I have heard some discussion about rotating the date and/or time to accommodate different/more people. If we met on different days, we could also attend different events that are sometimes only held Tuesday/Thursday, for instance. What’s your opinion? Would it be too confusing to move it around? Would having it on a different day allow you to attend?

4 – Ideas: Even with all the ideas from previous years (Thanks Brittany and Melissa S.), it would still be nice to have more input. Do you have any ideas for playgroup? If you hear of anything, you are welcome to send it my way any time.

You can post a comment to this blog, or you can email me (my email address is on the ward website) with your thoughts. THANKS!

October Playgroup

Friday, October 1^st

Meet at Sommer Park at 10am (enter off Koerner Rd at Sommer Place neighborhood; left at dead end; parking lot at the next dead end). Bring sand toys and lunch. You can also bring strollers and bikes, because there’s a nice trail.

Friday, October 8^th

Meet at Tanner’s Orchard at 10am (740 State Route 40; Speer, IL).

http://www.tannersorchard.com/index.php

Bring your camera! And cash if you’d like: there’s a market, playground ($3-5 for ages 2-12), petting zoo (feed for 25 cents-ish), and duck pond (new this year!). Bring lunch and join us!

Friday, October 15^th

Meet at Columbia Park at 10am (300 W McClure Ave, Peoria) to play.

Friday, October 22^nd

Preschool Splash at River Plex 10:00-11:30. Parents must accompany child in the water. Ages 1-5, $3 per child, adults free.

Friday, October 29^th

Halloween Party at the church at 10. Come in your costumes and bring a festive treat to share. We’ll do an easy Halloween craft with the kids.

This month Lindsey Williams is heading up playgroup, so feel free to contact her with any questions. If anyone else would be willing to do the schedule for a month, please let me know!

Apple Blossom Farm

This friday we are heading to Apple Blossom Farm. The address is : 9809 North Route 91 for those of you who haven't been there before. We will meet at 10. The playground is free. They still have the petting zoo, but unfortunately the big slide is no longer there. BUMMER! The website states there is a beehive you can check out in the Harvest Barn (store).

Come enjoy our beautiful weather, let the kids run and play, and maybe enjoy a cider donut or two. They have a little bakery where you can buy lunch from 11-2.

If you want to check out their website:
http://www.appleblossomfarm.com/index.html

Group picture at the Dairy

Directions to the Dairy for playgroup

Tomorrow we will be heading to the Dairy in Elmwood for playgroup. Be sure to wear CLOSED toe shoes, and maybe a pair you don't care to much about. We will meet at Dannielle Spackman's house at 10 and then following her out to the Dairy. It will take you a good 30-40 minutes from Peoria to get out to Elmwood due to some construction. Dannielle's address is:605 N. Chestnut Drive Elmwood, IL 61529.

You can get the directions on mapquest through this link: http://www.mapquest.com/mq/7-lWHS8Dj2

For any questions....you can call my cell phone tomorrow: 309-550-0191. DON"T FORGET YOUR CAMERA!

Hope to see you there,

Brittany DeCaires

September Playgroup

3 Rock Island Trail - meet at 10 at the main parking area off of Alta Road, bring bikes for kids and strollers for walking

10 Picnic at Chartwell Park @ 10am Bring a lunch and your kites. There is sand under the playground, so don't forget your sand toys.

17 Fun on the farm- Spackman's Dairy in Elmwood. Come see all the cows and get a good whiff of that dairy!

24 Apple Blossom Farm ($5 per child ages 3+)
-more info to come, they are re-opening with new ownership on Sept. 1st and hopefully will have more info.

Playgroup is BACK.........August Schedule

5- (a thursday) Come enjoy a story in the great outdoors. Forest Park Nature Center (5809 Forest Park Drive) - Summer story time 10:30-11:15. Those that would like to meet at 10 can come go for a short hike before story time. The paths are stroller friendly!

13- Sommer Park Subd. @ 10, bring a picnic for the kids and come to play! There is sand, swings, basketball courts, and a skate park for the older kids! Don't forget your sand toys!

From 150 going towards and passing Grand Prairie, Left on Koerner, Right at Summer Place Subdivision, follow through neighborhood to dead end. Left at dead end and that will take you to the park

20- Safety town at 10....bring helmets and bike and get your cruise on! I won't be there due to preschool open house, but you can all meet for some fun!

27- Detweiller Park at 10. We will be at the "spiderweb" park. That is what we call it. If any of you know the real name of the shelter, let me know!

From Knoxville turn on Detweiller, follow all the way down, stay left at the fork. Once you get the bottom of the hill you'll take your first right turn, almost like a u- turn into the parking lot. There is a sign there stating it is to a shelter. Follow it back and you'll see the park on your left.

Just an FYI: the park district has a great coupon for a free child's admission to the zoo with paid adult.