How To Know When Your Little Groovy Adventurer is Ready for the World of Extra Murals
There are so many choices of group activities to introduce your little one to…especially if you are living in a big city! So how do you know if he is ready for one or more of these?! And what can you do to make this whole new world of Extra Murals a smooth and fun experience for him?
Most little ones enjoy spending time with other adults or children and usually only learn to amuse themselves for any length of time when they are a bit older! Even a little Sleeper enjoys smiling and cooing at a friendly face. You will know that your little one is ready for some quality time with mom/dad/nanny or granny in a group setting if:
- He is comfortable and enjoys the attention he gets while at the supermarket
- He is able to interact easily with some background noise
- He is alert and wide-eyed, seemingly ready for stimulation
- He enjoys watching others
- He doesn’t become quickly overwhelmed by music and movement as many groups incorporate these elements
- He can remain awake for 30-45 minutes
- He manages a play date with one or more little friends without it ending in a meltdown
- When you as a caregiver feel ready and up to embarking on a weekly outing with your Groovy Adventurer!
Even social bunnies can have extreme separation anxiety and kick up a little resistance in a group situation! It may be helpful if you have a little limpet-Groovy Adventurer to:
- try out a class or group where you stay with your little one for the entire group!
- try a group that has a limited number of people attending the group
- join a group with a familiar face or buddy
- find something close to home so that it’s not an overly long outing
- remember to have fun – don’t feel pressurised to perform or to have him perform!
- take his strengths and sensitivities into account when choosing a group (e.g. join a music group if he likes music or a sensory group if he loves being messy!)
- do the activities with him
- repeat activities that were done in the group in the safety of his familiar home environment
- remember that he may prefer to watch from the safety of your lap the first few times, encourage him but don’t push him to participate
- arrive a few minutes early so that he can get familiar with the place and facilitator before the rush and buzzy-ness of the group
Enjoy your extra murals with your little Groovy Adventurers…use your time to bond, network and receive support from like-minded moms and their little ones and ask any questions you may have!
That’s what I will be doing at GAP this week!
