Play date for kids

Gone are the days when mommy conversations were restricted to schools, exams and grades. In a ruthless, competitive world, one cannot restrict children's learning to just classroom education - they need sharp soft skills, razor-edged confidence and are required to be good at art, music and sports to shape their overall personalities.

"However, there isn't an efficient way of discovering and booking kids activity classes. A lot is relied on word of mouth. On the other hand, there are talented and accomplished educators running efficient workshops and classes that the kids can be exposed to so as to unleash their potential," says digital media entrepreneur Anagha Rajadhyakshya.

After conducting an online survey and her own research, she founded Playydate, a Facebook page and Instagram handle that acts as a hyperlocal solution for mothers to search and book kids' activity classes in their vicinity. What it also invariably does is provides a platform for teachers to promote their classes and events, reach more moms and get more bookings.

Rajadhyakshya was intrigued by the growing traction in the parenting space and specifically the digital behaviour of moms as a community. Closer to home, her mother has been teaching kids for over two decades and being surrounded by supermoms, made her realise the existence of this need gap.

So the way Playydate - a fiercely administered social media platform - works is that moms put out what they're looking for and have teachers and other moms recommending classes or events that meet their need. "Our educators range from the neighbourhood art teacher to an innovative robotics summer camp organisers. Mothers can then connect with the teacher, find a slot, and make payments. Our aim is to streamline this process to make it a seamless and reliable experience for the parent and teachers and build an engaged community for them," she adds.

Playydate has been active for close to three months now, with communities across Mumbai, Delhi and Pune. Over the next few months, a web platform will be launched that will allow moms to find a class based on their location, book seats and pay for them online. It will also enable teachers to list their class and manage their bookings and payments.

What: Facebook.com/groups/playydatemumbai
Instagram: @playydate...

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates