Does this sound familiar: It’s Wednesday. You think you showered on Sunday, but you can’t be sure. Your kids are babbling incoherencies at Peppa Pig on the television and your breakfast consisted of the crust of your child’s bagel. It’s time to get out of the house!

The Seacoast has some excellent play groups that offer your children interactive peer time and some mental downtime for you. Showers for these events are optional.

 #1 Wiggles and Wisdom

Recently founded in the Seacoast area, Wiggles and Wisdom brings generations together in their weekly activity classes held at at Harmony Homes by the Bay Assisted Living/Memory Care in Durham. Children (ages 5 and under), their parent/caregiver and senior residents come together for collaborative activities including crafts, storytime, songs, puppets, dancing and more! Classes are held every Tuesday from 10am-11am. Cost: $10 for one adult, one child; $15 for one adult, two children; each additional child $7; children under 2 are free. For more info, visit wigglesandwisdom.com.

 #2 Tinkergarten

Also new to the area, Tinkergarten classes are a great way to get active and creative while being outside. Held at local public parks and green spaces, Tinkergarten offers kids 1-8 (a little younger, or older, is also welcome) activities that teach self-reliance, problem solving and imaginative exploration—think scavenger hunts, nature crafts, STEM projects and more. Try it out for free during these upcoming trial classes on Thursday, June 21, 9:30-10:45am; Saturday, June 23, 10-11:15am; Monday, June 25, 10-11:15am; and Thursday, June 20, 9:30-10:45am. Session classes (6-8 weeks) will be held over the summer on both weekdays and weekends. Sibling and referral discounts offered. For more info, contact tinkergarten.com/classes/all/03801.

 #3 Playspace

Need a play date and a free place to meet up on Wednesdays? The North Church on Spinney Road in Portsmouth offers their space and invites you to come enjoy the company of friends over a cup of their fair trade coffee. Looking for some more mellow playtime? They also offer their children’s library, preschool and toddler classrooms for quieter activities. Runs every Wednesday, 10am-12pm. Free. Check out their Little Artists classes held on Mondays from 10am-11:30am for $10 per family. Call Jill Newsome at (603) 436-9109 for more info.

 #4 Families First Playgroups

Families First, with events held in Portsmouth, Exeter and Epping, has a ton of excellent playgroups with staff members on hand including Parent Recharge, Terrific Two Playtimes, Family Morning Out, Toddler Playtime, Babytime, Preschool Playtime. Cost: Free, however a $5 donation is happily accepted if you are able. Visit the calendar on familiesfirstseacoast.org for to see event dates, times and locations.

 #5 NHSPCA Storytime with the Animals

So fun! Visit the NHSPCA’s Learning Center every Thursday at 10:30am for kids ages 2-5 years. Children listen to a story about an animal, color a picture of an animal and visit with the animals in the classroom (hamsters, bunnies, birds, chinchillas and sometimes kittens or puppies, awwww!). No registration is required. A donation of $5.00 is appreciated. Visit nhspca.org for more info.

 

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