Looking for Playgroups and Activities for My 9 Month Old Son-Ferndale

B.,

I have lots of ideas for you..

I too am a stay at home mom- and when I quit my full time job I was worried I would go bonkers.. but I found lots of things to do..

Ferndale community center has a fabulous playroom for kids.
The hours are different summer and winter.. but I think it is open Mon-wed- friday.. Check it out online.. You can buy a card for 6 visits for $10. Or try it out once for $ 4.

Libraries... lots of libraries.. Look online and see what is going on at your ferndale library and the other libraries near your home.. Birmingham library has baby story time -for kids birth - 18 months.. Royal oak has some activities this summer - I am not sure about baby activities.

Centerline public schools. Runs a playgroup during hte schoolyear. It is fabulous. The cost is $20 per month. The class meets 1 day per week for 1 hour and 15 minutes... It is located at 10 mile and ryan. Again check it out online.

I am a member of a group of moms interested in living a healthy life with their children. We call ourselves Eco Moms and meet one Thursday a month. We are meeting this Thursday, July 10th if you would like informtion. Its a great group of woman and children.

I also have a 5 month old girl and not many friends with children - email me if you would like more info,.

I don't know if you're a breastfeeding mom or not, but if you are, LaLeche League has both a day and an evening group for Ferndale/Oak Park, and it's a great way to meet moms. I know the day group is planning a picnic this month. If you're interested, you can e-mail ____@____.com for info on the day group, and ____@____.com for info on the evening group. I used to meet moms at my library's programs for little ones, too.

B.,

Have you heard of Play Away in the Royal Oak Senior Center? www.play-away.org is the website for more info. I just checked it out and it's closed for the summer, but I highly recommend it. I started going there when they first opened with my first child (now six). It is a great place to let your child get some exercise and social interaction indoors while you drink coffee or tea (for free) with other parents/care-givers. I went to the drop-in classes for about three years and made many wonderful friends there. They also hosted my second child's third birthday party--so much fun. Laura Bodary, one of the owners, is an amazing, wonderful mom and she is on a mission to support other moms who need support! She makes learning and playing with your child a lot of fun.

The Ferndale Rec Center (forget the name of it) also has a drop-in, I think on Thursday mornings. They offer various classes for kids even as young as yours, and the drop-in is like Play-Away, very low-key and easy for moms to socialize with each other while they watch their kids make friends.

You might want to check into the Y (Birmingham, or Royal Oak) for their programs for kids. All are fairly inexpensive and a great way for you to get out of the house and get some support that you need. It's worth every penny. Pretty soon you'll be having lunch with friends and playdates in the park after classes.

Also, all the libraries have great baby and me story times. Again, your son will love it and you will get a break from being the 24/7 entertainment committee. Their programs are always free. A zoo membership isn't free, but there are so many things to do there, a great way for you to get exercise and your son to be stimulated. I used to meet friends there once a week for lunch and a trip around to see the animals. There is also a wonderful park there.

Good luck!

L.

look in yahoo groups for a local group. type in michigan moms and you can find something or find out if you have a local momsclub.org group for your area.

Royal Oak has a MOMS Club and their territory includes Ferndale. The moms are really nice, and they have an activity scheduled for every single day of the month!! MOMS Club of Royal Oak's website is http://momsclubro.tripod.com/main/ You should get a response if you contact them via that website, but they just changed officers, so if you don't hear anything, private message me and I'll give you the direct email to one of the officers or active members.

By the way, I'm starting a chapter in Madison Heights (it will also probably include southern Troy) with the help of the Royal Oak chapter. If anyone reading this lives in Madison Heights or southern Troy, please email me at ____@____.com or feel free to pass this info. on to anyone else you know who lives in our area.

MOMS Club is an international non-profit organization and the main website is www.momsclub.org if you want general information on what MOMS Club is all about.

Hi,
I was in the same situation not long ago. I did not find a playgroup, but these are some other possibilities:
- library: most libraries have reading for small kids. 9 month is a little bit young but you will meet other moms and it is free
- swim class: I did one at the Beverly Hills Club and I liked it. This is the perfect age to do it
- Namaste Yoga in Royal Oak: they have a Mom and Baby Yoga
every Tuesday. You can look it up on the internet.
- Kindermusik in Bloomfield Hills: Music for infants. Nice, but might be too expensive