Ontario has the most amazing free resources for new parents. By far, one of my favourite mom and baby activities has been infant playgroups offered by Ontario Early Years Centres. Don't let the name fool you, your little one is probably too little to really care much about playing with other babies. This activity is for you. If you're thinking about leaving the house for the first time and want to find a safe place to try for the first time, this is the best option. whether your baby is sleeping in the car seat, playing with one of the many provided toys, nursing or having a bottle, this is the place to be. You meet other moms that usually live in your neighbourhood, all with infants under a year old.
Many of the centres also offer toy lending libraries so you can bring home interesting toys for your baby to play with without having to buy them.
My favourite so far is the drop-in hosted by Mothercraft in my neighbourhood, where I had the pleasure of meeting many moms with babies born within a week of my little one (last time there were 4!) as well as moms with slightly older babies, which are great for asking questions about what to expect next. I also met a mom that lives a few blocks away from me, who is on maternity leave most of the same time as I am. The only down side is that its very popular and maxes out at 16 people, so you aren't always guaranteed the ability to get a spot.
To find a drop-in infant playgroup in your area of Ontario, go to Ontario Early Years Centre Locations, select your location and then find the links for calendars.
You might also do a search for groups on Facebook, as some community centres also host infant playgroups such as McKellar Park, which has drop-in infant playgroup the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month.
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