Age to send baby to playgroup
- Thread starter NewBabyLA
- Start date
southside852
Registered User
do you mean formal or informal plygroups? My son has been going to playgroups (w/in our condo with other moms) since around 6-7 months. He went to Panda Junction as soon as he could crawl - @ 7 months.
when her sleeping time is predictable
i brought my daughter to playgroup when she turns 16 months old, about the time when she only need 1 nap in a day. i think it is more important that she sleeps when she need to sleep at this age. when kids still needs two naps in a day, sometimes, i see mothers carrying their babies asleep in the playgroup.
i brought my daughter to playgroup when she turns 16 months old, about the time when she only need 1 nap in a day. i think it is more important that she sleeps when she need to sleep at this age. when kids still needs two naps in a day, sometimes, i see mothers carrying their babies asleep in the playgroup.
carang
Registered User
it really depends on the type of playgroup you are talking about.
for informal playgroups, where it's more for the mums than the babies, anytime.
for formal "paying" playgroups it again depends on their recommendations. at mine, we accept from 10 months, but most are closer to one year (and i tell parents that when they ask how old their child must be). personally, i don't have a problem for babies that are 10 months coming to class, but i believe that if they are just a little bit older, they will learn and more importantly, enjoy it so much more!
for informal playgroups, where it's more for the mums than the babies, anytime.
for formal "paying" playgroups it again depends on their recommendations. at mine, we accept from 10 months, but most are closer to one year (and i tell parents that when they ask how old their child must be). personally, i don't have a problem for babies that are 10 months coming to class, but i believe that if they are just a little bit older, they will learn and more importantly, enjoy it so much more!
FutureHKmom
Registered User
I decided to send my son to playgroup when I thought he would be getting something out of it (i.e. not neccessarily learning but at least enjoying the suroundings and the playtime). At 8 months or so I sent him to Kindermusik because I really found that he liked listening to the music and smiled and had fun. It was only after he started walking well at about 13-14 months that I sent him to a gym (My Kiddy Gym) as I felt he would get more out of a gym activity after he started walking. So it really is up to you and what you think would be fun for your bub!
Agree with the others, it's about fun for you and your baby. So if you feel you want to get out and do something and meet other mums in the early days then sure, take them from any age. If you really want your baby to interact with a gym/play style environment then probably wait till they're mobile and hitting the investigating everything stage.
For us it was also important to pick a place with classes that suited his nap times too as he's right grumpy if he hasn't napped - depending on how your baby is if he's late with a nap or a meal you might want to take that into consideration too.
For us it was also important to pick a place with classes that suited his nap times too as he's right grumpy if he hasn't napped - depending on how your baby is if he's late with a nap or a meal you might want to take that into consideration too.
Shenzhennifer
Registered User
I started an informal playgroup with my boy from right before he was crawling, but that was as much about my own socializing as his.
I waited til he was just over a year to start him in a formal one. I wanted to wait til he was walking, I wanted to wait til he could be in the 1-2 yr group rather than the oldest one in the baby group, but most of all, I was waiting until his napping patterns changed and was sure that he could handle all the travel and excitement nap-free. It worked out well for us. Now I just need more activities to fill the time!
I waited til he was just over a year to start him in a formal one. I wanted to wait til he was walking, I wanted to wait til he could be in the 1-2 yr group rather than the oldest one in the baby group, but most of all, I was waiting until his napping patterns changed and was sure that he could handle all the travel and excitement nap-free. It worked out well for us. Now I just need more activities to fill the time!