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If you live in a close-knit neighborhood-
If you live in a close-knit neighborhood with planned activities, what kinds of things do you do? Planned either by a committee, or just by parents, or whatever.
I really like our neighborhood and they do have some planned things throughout the year (for example, they're having a block party next month, they do a Halloween parade, etc....) but I just feel like there could be even more. There are quite a few kids in the neighborhood, but the houses with the kids are all very spread out (my development is made up of probably 6 or 7 different streets) so it's not like you just step outside and see kids playing.
I know this is going to sound cheesy, but I want to make it an awesome neighborhood, because I really feel strongly that it can be. 
we plan on living here a long time, so I really want to have that community feel. I think it can be done, it might just need to be that the initiative needs to be taken!
Re: If you live in a close-knit neighborhood-
Theres alot of kids on my small section of my street and my neighbor just put a flyer in our door about what she was hoping to do and he email that if we were intrested in to email her to set up a meeting - and so far she planned a block party during summer and we were boo'ed. I know there was supposed to be a block party for halloween but it was canceled for the rain. I dont know what else they do since I didnt join at the time, but you've inspired me to contact her too see what they are up to these days.
So thats what I would start with a flyer to see whos intresed and go from there. Its really a nice thing if it can work out.
It was actually MIchelle's pictures of her tie-dying party that inspired me to start thinking about this yesterday! Such a simple idea, but a great way to meet people and let the kids have fun. I love the idea of the split star wars/ladies night!
I almost put a disclaimer in my original post that said "all suggestions are welcome unless they involve boo-ing someone"...I am too lazy for that!
Jake - 1.15.08
Liam - 5.17.11
isn't the point of a ladies night to exclude the men and kids? Or is that just my definition?
Jake - 1.15.08
Liam - 5.17.11
We just had a 4th of July party at the community pool in the new neighborhood. We didn't get to go due to leaving for vacation, but they asked everyone with last names A-L to bring a dessert and everyone with last names M-Z to bring a covered dish.
In the old neighborhood they had:
Cornhole Tournament, Luau, Golf outings, Bunco night (ladies only), Adults-only swim night. I think there was also a Margarita night.
I really wasn't involved in the old neighborhood, but I really want to be involved now that we're in our forever home.
we have a neighborhood association so all the events are planned through it. Happy hours, bunco, book swap, kid connection, creative cooking & then in the summer the majority of the events are planned through the pool since almost everyone belongs to it.
So assuming you don't have an association, I would just start talking to people or maybe start a neighborhood facebook page where everyone can get information & the start events through there. You can also use it to welcome new neighbors and post when houses are for sale, etc... Or just take a few of the streets where you know people and start there. Movie night at someone's house, cookout etc.. Our website is here if you want ideas or more info... http://www.brookparkmanor.com/
How time flies! Caileigh (9), Keira (6) & Eamon (3)
How time flies! Caileigh (9), Keira (6) & Eamon (3)
A neighbor recently planned a movie night in their back yard. it was bring your own snacks and blankets. But then it rained and stormed. Fun idea though.
Not so much for whole street but one neighbor has a Caribbean party every Feb. It is only adults but everyone is required to wear summer attire. It is so fun in the middle of winter to have fruity drinks. They decorate their house in festive decor and everyone brings a covered dish.
If i think of anything else....... I will post.
Wow, this post makes me realize how antisocial and possible lazy I am. This all sounds like a lot of work.
Our new neighborhood has had a couple of block parties and I think we are starting to plan a neighborhood yard sale. But, it's a brand new neighborhood so we're all still in the getting to know you phase.
Our neighborhood has two associations - one for the neighborhood and one that is for women that focuses on charity and kid activities.I pay dues to both.
We have a halloween parade, farm hayride,excursions to places like Atlantic City, Santa breakfast, Christmas caroling, Easter egg hunt, movie night in the park, summer day camp, community yard sale, and Earth Day park cleanup.
It's great you want to create a social atmosphere. I think the best way to do it is for you to be willing to get the ball rolling. if you plan to the first event (or two) maybe others will be inspired and the pitch in/take over. If someone says "hey it would be great to have a ______ (bonfire, block party, halloween event) you coul say something like "Let me know if you're going to plan it...I'd be glad to help out/bring a treat/pass along my neighborhood contact list, etc.)
Also, by you planning an event or two, that is a more natural way to transition into a FB page to organize or something like that. You could informally poll the participants to see what they were interested in.
Good luck! I had a great street growing up, and still have fond memories of the friends I grew up with. (Our parents were all friends too!) I am hoping for that for S, but it he's really too little to go out and make friends yet...as are the other kids on the street who are around his age. Hopefully some day!
In our neighborhood we exchange awkward smiles and sometimes a wave if we're feeling friendly.
I can't wait to move into a neighborhood with families!
My sister's cul de sac is awesome. There are a ton of kids, so they have summer cook outs, ladies nights, Halloween parties, etc. I'm continuously jealous of their fun times. Emmy, I'm coming to your neighborhood parties.
You ladies are awesome, thanks for all of the feedback! There is a neighborhood committee, they are the ones who plan the block party, Halloween parade, yard sale, etc.... Like someone said, it's the same events every year (and don't get me wrong, they're great events, we had a lot of fun at last year's block party) but I'd just like to see more happening, aside from the events that happen every 6 months or so.
I did start a FB page and went to the committee meeting a few days ago to present it and get their approval; they approved it and now I"m just waiting for the President to send out the link so that I can start posting stuff. I was thinking once it was up & running with a decent number of followers, we could then utilize it to plan more activities, or at least advertise them on the events tab for the page.
Jake - 1.15.08
Liam - 5.17.11
I will definitely do that! And there are a few houses for sale in the plan right now.....you would have some pretty cool neighbors..........
Jake - 1.15.08
Liam - 5.17.11
I was just going to suggest that... I can speak from experience. It is a good thing.
We just moved from an older neighborhood; no kids. Now we're surrounded by young families. It's like a strange new world!
I am so thrilled I have inspired you in a small way:)
Once my neighborhood started getting to be filled with kids, I thought to myself, "this is really dumb that we don't all know each other better." I wanted to be in a place that if someone needed me to watch their kid in a pinch or there was an emergency, we could be there for each other, aside from the kids playing together.
And so the back to school ice cream social was born. I invited every family with kids in our immediate vicinity to our cul-de-sac for ice cream the weekend before the first day back to school. It was awesome. And as a result, we all did start becoming better friends and now we have each other watch our respective kids, etc.
The more the kids played together, the more I came to appreciate my neighborhood so, so much. It started to be what had been in my head for years! I realized one thing, I had to make the neighborhood I wanted for my kids. To be honest, there aren't many people who will organize things and I was totally ok being the person who would. I know we are here for a long, long time and I realized that these are the people we are going to grow old with! Certainly would be nice to all be friends!
So, at the end of this school year, I organized a dessert and cocktail night for the moms as a celebration for surviving the school year. After that success, everyone wanted it monthly! I am planning mimosas on the first day of school, too. I think all the ladies will probably volunteer to take turns hosting. The guys and kids are having a Star Wars movie night then at another house. Hank is trying to organize a poker night, too.
We did the tie dye shirt party, I hope to do a scavenger hunt and some joint bbqs as well. We'll do the ice cream social again, and for Halloween some of us get together for subs or pizza and then t o t. And because everyone is getting closer as a result of all of this, we tend to do more impromptu lunches, playdates, drinks, etc. Or if I am making cookies or something, sometimes I'll call a few kids over to come help.
You won't be sorry you threw your hat into the ring to organize. I promise you. Create the neighborhood you want:) If you build it, they will come!
Michelle-you hit the nail on the head with so many things you said in your post, it's exactly how I feel! It's so nice when we DO get together with other families in the neighborhood that I don't see any reason to not have it be more of a regular thing, rather than just when we happen to see each other outside. we also have no plans of leaving this house anytime soon (hopefully it's our forever home!) so why not make the most of it?
Thanks for sharing your ideas....an ice cream social was actually the first thing I was thinking of doing (either that or a s'mores party, but not starting out wtih fire right away seemed like maybe a better choice). And who doesn't love ice cream??
Jake - 1.15.08
Liam - 5.17.11
Emmy if you do smores instead of a fire pit you can make a smores bar with sternos for a smaller flame
Thank you pintrest.
Our new house is going to be at the end of a short street. I'm not sure I'd exactly classify it as a neighborhood though. I do know that the one house on it has a little boy a few months younger than Brinley. But I have no clue about the rest of the street.
I may have to do some investigating, because these events seem awesome! In our current neighborhood most of the people are older or single and never leave their houses. We never see anyone outside.
I'm so jealous of all your neighborhoods! Our neighborhood has so much potential, but I don't think there are a lot of kids who live around us. It doesn't matter that much now, because we don't have any kids, but I'd love to have people our age in our neighborhood when we do have kids.
This might be a stupid question, but how do you find such active neighborhoods, beyond just seeing if they have a neighborhood association?
B Born 6.27.13