Hey Dad, Is it TIME TO PLAY?

Editor’s Note: Thanks to NYC Dads Group member, Queens Meetup Organizer, and blog contributor Dan Giardino for sharing his thoughts about our latest playdate with Time To Play.

What do you get when you combine twenty dads, their kids, and a playroom full of toys provided by TimeToPlayMag.com?

An afternoon full of thrills and excitement for all! The NYC Dads Group had a recent meet-up event with TimeToPlayMag.com. This was my second meet up with Time To Play Magazine and was truly exciting for my 16 month old daughter. The team members from TimeToPlay come prepared for our little ones with tons of age appropriate toys. This meet up was held indoors (thanks to group member, David Kleinman) at his residential complex playroom. This was an ideal indoor spot for the children to interact and engage with these awesome toys…and for the fathers to catch up with one another.

When we have a “Toy PlayDate” meet up it starts with the TimeToPlay team members organizing new toys with a center based approach with designated areas for children of various ages. As the children enter the space, they gravitate towards an area that piques their interest, and play with any of the toys they wish. It’s always interesting to see which toys your child grabs first. They surprise you sometimes! It is always fun to see the children interact and play together and for the dads to be rolling around on the floor playing with their children. The children were treated to tasty cupcakes and goldfish snacks when they needed a break in the action thanks to the TimeToPlay team.

As clean-up time approaches, all of the children are encouraged to take a toy home from the playdate. Most children take their favorite toys that they became attached too. “No toy left behind” is the attitude and most children take this very seriously. To provide a flavor of the toy assortment at this meet up, here are some of the toys our children enjoyed: Little Tikes Tot sports Bowling Set, Baby magic – baby twins, Hot wheels – race track, Fisher-Price Little People Pink School bus, LeapFrog Touch Magic Learning Bus, Mega Bloks – First Builders, Disney Princess Lights and Lullaby Bedtime Baby Ariel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Fisher–Price Laugh & Learn Learning Vacuum Cleaner, tee ball set, just to name a few.

Chris, the “toy Guy,” visited with us during this meet up. You can view the clip on YouTube above. On this segment, you’ll observe the NYC dads interacting with their children as they play with the toys and learn to share amongst one another. Overall, this was a magical afternoon with the dads and children. My daughter looks forward to playing and learning through interaction with the other children so we can’t wait for our next playdate with TimeToPlayMag.com! Thanks again to all that helped make this wonderful meet up happen.

Disclosure Note: This was a paid, sponsored meet-up with Time To Play Mag.com. The opinions expressed in this post are our own and have not been influenced by our sponsor. We limit our advertising to relevant partners that offer products and services we believe in and use ourselves.

Dan Giardino is a first time dad to 1 year old Christina. His family lives in Queens, NY. He has chosen to be as involved as he can in Christina’s daily life. Dan works fulltime but schedules time with Christina whenever opportunity allows. He is trying to find a comfortable work/life balance. He and wife Jen value their family time and are thankful for the support found with the NYC Dads Group. Dan has been to several meetups this past year and looks forward to many more. Read more on Twitter @NYCDanG.

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