Dear Dr.MOZ

Dear Dr.MOZ,

I was wondering if or a reader had any suggestions for finding playgroups. We don’t have any young children in our neighborhood, but I know they must be out there somewhere. How do new parents usually do it?

Thanks,
Ann

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Hi Ann,

It can be tricky to find a playgroup if you aren’t already in schools where you have access to other new parents. Although some parents start their own groups with those they meet at local parks and playgrounds, many new parents are using popular online services like these to locate existing groups:

• MeetUp: The MeetUp playgroup listings include over 65,000 members and 1,304 meet ups in 780 cities in 9 countries! Not only do they list existing playgroups, but they also list parents interested in creating new meetups. (to Playgroup.MeetUp.com)
  

• Playgroups USA: It’s unclear how many playgroups are actually listed within Playgroups USA, but I think it’s worth mentioning. It’s a corporate site with some advertising, but a graphic ad here and there is a small price to pay considering that it’s an easy to use website providing continuously updated information. Unlike the other sites Playgroups USA offers a matching tool that lists factors other than location (age, time of day, etc) in the results. (to PlaygroupsUSA.com)

• Matching Moms: This non-profit website is much smaller than the first two websites, but it’s still a great resource with 2,902 members and 364 playgroup listings. Tip: the zip code search box doesn’t always work, but the “find playgroups or local info” text link will do the job. (to MatchingMoms.org)

Of course, it’s always a good idea to meet new people in a public place so please keep that in mind when choosing playgroup locations. Thanks for the great question Ann and don’t forget to check back to see if readers have posted other tips for locating playgroups!

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ