by Carla Whitton, Play Central Coordinator
Q: It's already fall and the weather makes it hard to get my little ones outside. Do you have any advice on how to survive the fall and winter with them?
A: Young children certainly have limitless amounts of energy. Many parents begin to feel cooped up when the weather gets cooler.
There are lots of great indoor options for poor-weather playtime. Most parents have tried out McDonald's playland, Pump It Up, and Eastland's play area.
Why not try something new? One great local choice many people don't know about is Play Central. Play Central is a drop-in open play group run by The Family Center, a local non-profit organization.
The program begins each year in November, when it's too cold most days for playgrounds. On Tuesdays, we meet in the upstairs gym at The Neighborhood Club. On Wednesdays, we meet in the gym at Barnes Early Childhood Center.
Both groups run from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. It costs just $3 each visit for the whole family. The format is open, so you can let your child's interests direct you. You will both enjoy having a large selection of toys that are new to you. It's a great opportunity for young children to run around and practice their large motor skills, and, of course, run off, or crawl off, some of that energy!
Your child may even make a great new friend. Children will practice their social skills, and you can chat with other adults. All caregivers are welcome; we have moms, dads, grandparents, and nannies. Some participants come once a month, some come every Play Central session, and some even invite all their friends or mom's group to meet there.
And new, this year, on Wednesdays, we are offering Play Central Plus! When you come to Barnes, you will have the option to join a structured Play Group lead by Barnes Preschool Teachers. They will offer circle time and various activities based on that week's theme.
This is a wonderful opportunity for your child to get a taste of preschool while maintaining the comfort of their caregiver's support. If your child isn't in the mood for structure that day, just come on down the hall back to the gym.
Play Central is a fun, flexible, and affordable program designed for young children and their caregivers. Be sure and check it out with your little ones this winter!
Play Central 2009-2010 Schedule*
Tuesdays 9am-11am, The Neighborhood Club gym
located at 17150 Waterloo, Grosse Pointe.
Wednesdays 9am-11am, Barnes Early Childhood Center gym
located at 20090 Morningside Dr., Grosse Pointe Woods.
Play Central will meet each Tuesday and Wednesday from
November 3rd, 2009 through April 28th, 2010 with the following exceptions…
No Play Central
November 25th (Barnes building closed)
December 23rd (Barnes building closed)
December 29th (The Neighborhood Club building closed)
December 30th (Barnes building closed)
February 17th (Barnes building closed)
April 7th (Barnes building closed)
*Play Central will not meet any Wednesday that GPPS declare a "Snow Day".
Carla Whitton is a certified elementary school teacher with an endorsement in early childhood education.
To view more Ask The Experts articles, please visit our website www.familycenterweb.org.
Please email your questions to info@familycenterweb.org
To volunteer or contribute, visit familycenterweb.org or call 313.432.3832.
20090 Morningside Drive, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
