The South Delhi Playdates Group

A year ago today, an enterprising young mother called Ankita Gupta started an initiative which over the months has proved to be a lifesaver for many mums. As mothers we all need some place where we can interact, discuss and sometimes vent, without being judged. The South Delhi Playdates group on WhatsApp is one such platform. Created especially for mums based out of South Delhi with kids aged between 6 months and 5 years, the group today has over 200 members, and counting! The group is also in touch with various play areas and parenting platforms like FirstCry, etc. to provide benefits to its members like discounted playtime and merchandise.

The group organizes the following types of playdates:

Regular Playdate: This is the playdate where typically moms and kids join in. These can be on a weekday or a weekend, with or without nanny, at the discretion of the host.

Family Playdate: Here dads are expected and encouraged to join in. These are usually preferred over weekends or holidays.

Mommy Discussion Meet: A meet for moms only (without kids) to discuss a specific motherhood-related topics. Sometimes a well-known personality from the arena of parenting is invited to provide inputs and insights.

Mommy Social Meet: A meet for moms only (no kids) to spend some leisure time together.

About the Admin & Co-admin:

Ankita Gupta is a Chartered Accountant by training and entrepreneur by profession. She runs a travel business while also playing a leadership role in a mid-sized company PCTI group. She has previously worked with Deloitte helping expats/companies with international taxation. She is also an amazing baker and tries out various healthy baking recipes for kids and adults!

She is the mother of twin boys who were premature by 7 weeks. After spending the initial few months in a very restricted environment, she was looking for safe and secure places to take her babies out. She also went through bouts of severe post-partum depression and loneliness since she wasn’t able to socialize or go out anywhere. It was to help other mothers facing such and similar challenges that she started the South Delhi Playdates group when her babies were 9 months old.

With Ankita in this wonderful endeavour is Himani Dalmia, co-admin.  Himani has two daughters- 4 years and 23 months. She has worked for 10 years in a family business, a premium foods company, in a marketing and general management role. At present she is on a career break. She has founded a Facebook group called Gentle Baby Sleep India, which has almost 30k members and is hugely active, with the aim of helping out sleep deprived parents!

If you are looking for a place where you can meet like-minded people in your vicinity and encourage your babies to interact with other kids in safe and secure environments, then this is the group for you! Those interested in joining this group can contact Ankita on ankita.goel.ca@gmail.com