December Schedule

Friday, December 7th: Toy Exchange
Meet in the church nursery at 10am. Bring a USED toy (wrapped). Bring one toy per child that would like to receive a toy. We’ll do a craft, exchange gifts, and play toys.

Friday, December 14th:Christmas Party (Jacqie Lewis’ Home)
Meet at 10am at the Lewis’ house (2107 W Winnebago Dr, Peoria). We’ll be celebrating Christmas! Bring a festive treat to share if you'd like, and we'll have a craft or activity and holiday game.

Friday, December 21st: McDonald’s(4007 W Baring Trace, Peoria)
Meet at 10am, and play on their indoor play-place. Don’t feel obligated to order food in order to play.

Friday, December 28th: No Playgroup
Happy Holidays!

Change to this Friday's Playgroup

Friday, November 30th: Church Nursery

Meet at 9:30. The kids can play in the nursery with a few moms, while the rest of us head to the cultural hall to setup for the Ward Party. If you don't want to help, still feel free to come and enjoy some socializing and time for the kids to play together.

November Schedule

Friday, November 2nd: Motor Mites (908 N Sterling Ave, West Peoria)
Meet at Franciscan Rec Complex 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 9th: Wheels!
Meet in the cultural hall at the church at 10am. Bring your toys with wheels: ride-on, toy cars, bikes, trains, etc. While the kids play, willing moms can help with Christmas party decorations.

Friday, November 16th: Chuck E. Cheese (2601 W. Lake, Peoria)
Meet at 9:30am. There is a slide and a climbing thing that are free (no entrance fee). Just buy tokens/lunch if you want them. Check their website for coupons. https://www.chuckecheese.com/coupons/

Friday, November 23rd: No Playgroup
Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 30th: Emily Hardy’s Home (11232 N Jason Dr, Dunlap)
Meet at 10am to play.

October Schedule

It is that time of the year again. As the weather turns colder, it is time to compile a list of people willing to host playgroup in their home.

If you volunteer, we would come to your house to play with your toys (and clean them up!) during the regularly-scheduled playgroup time (Fridays, 10-12noon). Prior to sending the schedule out to everyone, I would check the specific date with you.

I am also looking for people interested in hosting Playgroup “parties.” These would be themed-events where you’d provide a craft, book, movie, treat or game for the children to do. Themes we have done in the past or could do include: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Winter/Sledding, Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, Poem in Your Pocket Day, Read Across America, Easter. This would be a little more involved than just opening your toys up for the children to use, but really not too hard and super fun. If you have a holiday you are particularly excited about hosting, let me know that too.

Please email me directly (ryanandlindsey1227@hotmail.com) if you are willing to do either service sometime this winter, and I’ll get your name on the list. THANK YOU!

October Playgroup Schedule

Friday, October 5th: Preschool Splash (600 NE Water Street, Peoria)
Meet at the River Plex at 10am (ends at 11:30). Bring a towel and water toys (if you want). Parent must accompany child in the water. Ages 1-5: $3 per child; Adults: free.

Friday, October 12th: Tanner’s Orchard (740 State Route 40; Speer, IL)
Meet at Tanner’s Orchard at 10am. Join us and bring your camera, lunch and some cash (if you’d like). There’s a country market (apples, cider, donuts, pies, etc), play area ($3 for ages 2-12) and petting zoo (feed for 25 cents). For more information, http://www.tannersorchard.com/index.php

Friday, October 19th: Bumper Bowling (4100 N Brandywine Dr, Peoria)
Meet at the Christian Center Lanes at 10am. (Bowling Prices - Adults: $2.50, Children: $1.50) (Shoe Rental - Adults: $2.00, Kids: $1.00)

Friday, October 26th: Halloween Party
Meet in the church nursery at 10am. Wear your costume (moms too!), and bring a festive treat to share. We’ll do an easy craft, eat our snacks and play with the toys.

CHANGE: Playgroup at Church today

Due to the weather this morning, Playgroup will be in the church nursery at 10am. Bring play-dough toys. See you there!

September Schedule

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

Friday, September 7th: Northtrail Park (1621 W. Meadowview Drive, Peoria)
Meet at 10am to play on the playground.

Friday, September 14th: Riverfront Walk (600 Northeast Water Street, 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.

Friday, September 21st: Charter Oak Park (5802 N Orange Prairie Road, Peoria)
Meet at 10am to play on the playground.

Friday, September 28th: Discovery Children's Museum (101 E Beaufort St, Normal)
Meet at the museum on the first floor at 10am. We’ll plan on staying until about 12 noon.
Admission is $6 per person ages 2 and over; under two are free.
Pack a lunch, and bring it inside. They have tables. The only food-for-purchase inside the museum is vending machines.
Parking is usually available in a small parking lot across the street from the Museum, directly to the north. This lot offers free 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 free two-hour parking.
For more museum information, visit their website: http://www.childrensdiscoverymuseum.net/index.asp

August Schedule

Note: Playgroup is on Wednesdays in the summer time. Next month it will return to Fridays.

Wednesday, August 1st: 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.

Wednesday, August 8th: Movie at Willow Knolls (4100 West Willow Knolls Dr, Peoria)
Get out of the heat and enjoy the movie The Pirates! for $1 per ticket (all ages). Movie starts at 10am, but you’ll want to get there a little early.

Wednesday, August 15th: Sommer Park (6600 N. Basket Oak Drive, Edwards)
Meet at 10am (enter off Koerner Rd through Sommer Place neighborhood; left at dead end – Basket Oak Dr). Bring sand toys and a picnic lunch.

Wednesday, August 22nd: Bicycle Safety Town (6518 N. Sheridan Road, Peoria)
It’s been recently remodeled! Meet at 10am and bring your bike / ride-on toy and helmet (required).

Wednesday, August 29th: Linden Hills Dairy Farm (8412 W. Middle Road, Peoria)
Meet there at 9:30, and take a guided tour and see cows, calves, chickens and sheep all while taking a walk around a farm! Expect it to last about an hour and a half. Wear appropriate clothing and shoes for a farm. Bring a sack lunch to eat outside under the trees after our tour. If we have at least ten people, the cost will be $3 each. (Pay it to me that day, and I’ll pay them.) You must RSVP to Lindsey (ryanandlindsey1227@hotmail.com) no later than Monday, August 20th if you’d like to attend. For more information, you can check out their site: http://www.lindenhillfarms.com/