Organizing a playground meet-up or gathering at one mom’s house for a gab fest, while the babies all coo at each other is great, but why not step up your playdate game every once in a while. We came up with seven awesome themes that’ll take your baby playdate to the next level, providing new experiences for the little ones, amazing photo opps and inspiring you to break out of your every day routine. But don’t worry if you think planning an elaborate playdate is out of the question when parenting a baby, our ideas are collaborative, so every mom in the group pitches in to bring some of the fun. Happy playing!

Have a Balloon Blow Out

Balloons don't have to be reserved for birthdays! The inexpensive, yet mighty balloon is big on fun and giggle-inducing. Buy a few packs of balloons, or ask every mom to bring a bunch. Blow them up before the playdate starts, or if you're short on time, have everyone pitch in on arrival and you can turn your play space into a balloon haven in a matter of minutes. The more balloons you blow up, the more fun you'll have. Whether your babies are only old enough to lay on their backs and kick the balloons around, or they're old enough to crawl after them, or if they're even ready to run, throw and squeeze a bunch of balloons - this is going to be one exciting hour of playtime! Once it's time to head home, have every mom take a few balloons to go and clean up will be a breeze.

Why it's a Winner: The options are nearly endless, yet the planning and set up is minimal.

Photo: Geir Tonnessen via Flickr

Have you ever set up a themed-playdate for your baby’s playgroup? Tell us all about it in a Comment.

–Julie Seguss