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 “Play, Laugh, Sing, Read, Listen, Hug!”

That’s what these family play-dates will be about. I’ll make the arrangements. You show up when you can – there will be daytime, evening, and weekend events throughout the year. Moms, Dads, nannies, babies, big sibs, grandparents: all welcome!

I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. Schedule some play-dates for my kids and familY with a purpose/ theme/ goal in mind for MAKING CONNECTIONS – in little brains and emotional bonds with parents. They will always include a little “circle” group time with songs, a book, and activities. I’ll send you talking points for connecting with your children before/ during/ or after. We will also just enjoy each other’s company, and share “good things”. We’ll have fun, and you’ll go home with great “take-home” tips for extending the bonding and learning connections. They will all be designed to be developmentally appropriate, to and to offer enrichment opportunities within the framework of valuing family time, diversity and inclusion, experiencing new adventures and cultures, and multi-sensory learning. Each play setting will provide a chance for parents to “work” on critical developmental skills with their children: social, emotional, physical, musical, cognitive, language, and more, all while CONNECTING!

Here’s what’s already scheduled – don’t forget to RSVP, and bring a friend!

• Spray-ground water play! in Lake Highlands
• Belo Garden  Family Picnic – down-town water play!

• McKinney Avenue Trolley with songs and stories, sights and sounds, and lunch!
• Farmer’s Market Fun: Farm songs, fresh produce tour and samples, meal planning/ cooking, and money lessons.
• Little Bakers at Panera: The kids will get a behind-the-scenes tour, get to bake their own loaf, and decorate a cookie!
• Blueberry Picking with songs, books, and pie!
• Family Soccer Clinic: Don’t want to commit to 14 weeks of games and practices? I don’t either. I’d much rather take the pressure off, and make it a more relaxed and inclusive family affair. While decorating family “team” T-shirts, doing cheers for each other, and including EVERYONE in the fun, we’ll still be exercising and playing together, working on team-building, communication, and gross motor skills.
• Family Baseball Game: Whether your child is just being introduced to the game or can already list the Texas Ranger players (like my little neighbor Charlie, age 3), we will celebrate America’s favorite pastime with all ages. Singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”, sharing hot dogs and cracker jacks, learning how the game works, baseball books, decorating caps, and more!
• Family Nature Walk and picnic at “The Lakes” at the Village in Dallas
• Family Crafting day – a chance to craft together without shopping for supplies or making the mess in your own house.
• Family “BLOCK” party – a chance to play with all sorts of blocks together, build together, and sing songs about building!
• Family Dance Party – a chance to move and groove, exercise together, explore creative movement and motion together, along with all the vocabulary, spatial reasoning, internal control, listening, and teamwork skills that involves!
• Cardboard Box Bonanza – We’ll gather with cardboard boxes and other recyclable material to use our imaginations: build houses, towers, cars, cities, robots…the sky’s the limit!

Let me know if you are inspired and want to help me set up any of these play-dates! Or if you have other ideas. Looking forward to playing with you and your kids!

“Life must be lived as PLAY!”

Plato, Greek Philosoper, 427-347 BC

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