Where do you go (small group get together)?! Help!!

[HeliumBee]

Hello

I still meet every every week with the 5 Mums from my ante natal class. We've all got 3 year olds now and also all got a second child ranging from 0-2.
My small house gets ransacked every time I host (no one ever offers to help tidy despite me ALWAYS doing this without being asked when round others houses!!). Anway - my question is - does anyone have any bright ideas of where to go what to do?
The chlidren need to be enclosed (i.e in a reaonsable area due to everyone having 2 and also wanting to have a chat with the other Mums!) - but child friendly too - argh!! Help before my house is completely wrecked!!!!

Do you have any cafes with a play area, we have one in town with a huge play area.

Soft play, with a good enclosed under 5s area.

is there not a small enclosed park near to you? have you tried posting on your MN local to see if someone has suggestions?

look around for a local community centre - even in london you can get them for an amazing £10 ph. and if other mums jjoined in thats just a measnley £1

My SIL had the same problem as you in that everyone always wanted to go to her house. She then hired a room in the local community centre. By default she was kind of "in charge" of collecting the money from her friends for the rent. I think she also used some for tea/coffee, etc. She did always end up being the one putting all the toys away, though. She had to keep the tea/coffee at her house and make sure that the milk was bought.

Also, even though it was a private meeting, word got out and the local HV started telling other mothers there was a group on. My SIL stopped arranging it after that, I think.

She kept on doing it for a year or two, but in the end gave up as the other mothers liked the meeting up idea, but no one else wanted to arrange anything or actually make the tea/coffee. Also, I cannot remember what they/she did about toys or whether she could keep some toys at the venue. HTH