Yellowknife (Dec 10/04) - The room is full of laughing toddlers, zooming around on plastic bikes.

The dozen or so kids are in the basement of the Calvary Baptist Church for a session of the Yellowknife Playgroup.

Madelon Haener, president of the group, said it started as an informal meeting of moms and kids. It turned into a formal group in 1993.

The playgroup meets three days a week -- Monday and Friday mornings, and Wednesday mornings and afternoons. There's time for play, crafts, stories and songs.

"My daughters love it," said Haener. "I'll tell them the night before and they'll get all excited. Jenaya, because she has no sense of time, thinks she's going right away instead of going to bed."

Also for parents

She said the group is for kids, from newborns to five-year-olds, but the parents get something out of it, too.

"I get to talk to other moms and get a break from home," said Tara Vatcher. "I have a hyper three-year-old and he gets to burn off some steam."

The playgroup is open to dads, grandparents and people who run day cares, not just moms.

Haener said there are about 100 families who come to the group. Anyone is free to drop in at any time. The playgroup also organizes outings, such as trips to the pool.

It's run by volunteers and all the money comes from fundraising. Haener said a big chunk of the budget -- $1,100 -- goes to insurance.

Volunteers tired

For the first time, the group has hired a co-ordinator, Nancy Hashi, for the program.

"The volunteers were getting burned out," said Haener.

As for the kids, they're running around in giraffe suits and sparkly shoes.

"We're princesses," said Deliliah Hashi of herself and her friend Kyra Hanninen, Haener's other daughter.

"They met through playgroup," said Haener.

"They're the best of friends now."