SE Portland. Seeking Group or Activities to Take My 7 Month Old.....

Hey A.,
I too live in SE Portland and I swear my little guy went through the same thing at around 6 months! He's 10 months now but yeah, just being at home w/ mom all day I think they get a little bored!
I found Stroller Strides in SE and we both loooooved it. They have workouts every morning (Mt.Scott Community Center and Clackamas Town Center) and Luna Moms Group that they have play dates once a week but on any given day the group with get coffee and head down to the play center in the mall or something. It was so nice for me and my baby. I loved it so much I started one in NW Portland. I really miss the group in SE and I bet you would just love it! Go to www.strollerstrides.com and enter your zipcode under the class locations tab. The first week of SS is free but the Luna Moms Group is always free. I hope you like it!

Hi A., I wanted to tell you about a national organization with a local chaper in Portland called Mothers and More. This is such a great group as it is organized so there are regular meetings wtih regular attendance. Part of the group is a weekly playgroup which moms take turns hosting (no hosting required, though). Other meetings include mom only nights out and chats as well as all family activities. Please let me know if you are interested, and I get you more information. You can also check out the local website at www.mothersandmorepdx.org Good luck! Mandy

I take my son to the library story hour once a week. They have a session for tiny kids where they blow bubbles, play with scarves and bells and other toys. He loves it! I started that when he was about 7 months old. We live in Vancouver, but your local library probably has something similar.

Definitely Book Babies! Multnomah County Library system has great early literacy programs for little ones. Each branch has book times at different times/days, so check their website for one near you.

Portland Parks & Recreation has classes for little ones. The "Angelfish" swim class for you and baby (6 months and up). Same for "Baby Expressions" art class. They have a "Gym Babies" class for crawling and clambering in a safe, soft environment. When he gets older, you'll find all kinds of art, craft, nature, sports, etc. classes in their catalog.

Have fun!

There's a group of moms and infants that meets on Thursdays at 1 (or a little later) at the coffee shop Opposable Thumb on Belmont and 33rd. You're welcome to join us! We grab some lunch and chat about our babies! Most of us live in the SE.

--A.

There are a couple places on the web to look for groups.

www.meetup.com is a great area to find local Mom's groups. Also Mom's Club International is a great resource to find other mom's in the area. http://www.momsclub.org/links.html

Dear A.: Your baby is right! He needs to get out more. Book Babies at the library is fun and a good way to meet other moms and their babies.

I hope you will also consider joining Portland Metro Moms. Joining helps moms to meet and support one another. Currently, meetings for all members are occuring monthly. Joining allows you to participate in one of our small play groups which meet more often.

Here is an flyer with information concerning our next meeting:

Got Kids? Need Fun?
Portland Metro Moms is for you!

Looking for fun, social activities for both you and your children? Want to find a great playgroup? Portland Metro Moms is a nonprofit social group designed to accommodate the many needs and interests of today's mother. There is something for everyone.
FUN PLAYGROUPS
KID-FRIENDLY OUTINGS
RELAXING MOMS' NIGHTS OUT
MOMS HELPING MOMS

Come to our meeting on
Monday, April 7th, 10am
at St. Luke Lutheran Church
(6835 SW 46th Ave.)
on SW 45th & Vermont.

To learn more about Portland Metro Moms, check out our website at PortlandMetroMoms.com or email ____@____.com.

I hope I'll see you there.

S. Hoffman
Portland Metro Moms
Membership Co-coordinator

I love all the portland parks and rec activities that we have been to. They are very affordable and allow me and my son to explore different activities together. The SE community music center has great classes for babies, Montavilla Community Center ( 82nd and Glisan) has indoor park for 50cents per child, the public libraries have story time, and I highly recommend swimming with your little one at Mt. Scott (72nd and Foster). Preschool swim occurs 3 times a week in the mornings. We also have taken swimming lessons there to get our son acclimated to the water.

Urban Grind on NE 21st and Oregon( 1 block N of Sandy) is a great coffee shop with infant and toddler play rooms.
On rainy days a trip to the mall play area works well too. I take our sons to the local playgrounds often.

Enjoy spending time with your little one.

I am an organizer of a mom's group called Portland Metro Mama's on Meetups.com. We tend to go to E. Portland Community Center for their indoor play park. They have tons of tons and lots of other moms and kids to connect with. If you are interested in my mom's group let me know.

H.

Some of the libraries have storytimes suitable for little ones (and they're free too). Kindermusik is a great activity, I've done it with both of my kids and started my daughter at about 6 months. It's not cheap, but it's worth it if you find a good place/teacher. I live in Vancouver, so I don't know anyone to recommend in Portland.

If you find a playgroup, that's another option, since he's probably starting to have more of an interest in other kids now. Some of the free parent magazines have listings for these, or you can start one yourself. Hope this helps!

I used to take my little guys to Portland Parks and Rec (near Target on 96th AVe) for open gym days. Usually it is open from 9 or 10 to noon. The big kids can ride tricycles and the babies can crawl on soft mats and interact with other babies. Costs about 3 bucks. :)

i joined stroller strides about 6 months ago to try to shed the lingering baby pounds and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! it's great exercise, the kids stay in their strollers during the workouts then get to play after class. a fantastic group of women of all shapes and sizes. we have mom's nights out, playdates, it's lots of fun. check it out!
http://classes.strollerstrides.net/search.aspx

Where do you live in SE?
We have a casual moms group (though I say mums cos I'm english) in our neighbourhood. We set up a listserve on yahoo groups and whenever anyone feels like hosting, we post a message to the group " hey, playdate my house this day this time" and then for whoever the time and date works, shows up. (we RSVP so everyone knows who's going). It works really well cos there's no fixed day or time that we regularly meet at so no one is constantly left out due to nap time/work days etc. Plus there is only a handful that can come at any one time, so its never too chaotic and crowded.
We all live in the South Tabor district between Powell and Division and SE50th-82nd? cos the idea is that we can walk to each others houses/ the local park etc to meet but we are not exclusive. Just we might not walk all the way to your house if you don't live close cos everyone would fall asleep on the way.
Anyway you are welcome to join us,
Or set up your own thing in your neighbour hood. Ours began cos one lady who moved here pregnant, didn't have a network of friends to turn to and put a note in the neighbourhood newsletter calling mums with the little ones to get together. Though I have lived in the same house for 4 years, it is only because of her initiative that I have started to meet other mums who live just down the street.
If you are interested in becoming part of South Tabor Tots, (though I think it is just as much about mums needing social time!) email me at ____@____.com
or anyone else reading this who lives in south tabor can email me too

Check with MOMS Club and find a chapter near you. I did this when I moved to Portland and made some great friends for me and my little ones.

http://www.momsclub.org/

Both the Library and Portland Parks and Recreation have activities for babies. You can learn about them on their web site.