Given your update I would arrange some kind of ladies night. Not just mothers.
You could do a paint night, some kind of public service event/evening, or restaurant close to the church.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. For context, this is with a new church we’ve been attending, which is the reason for the wide age range. I’ve been going to church activities, but honestly, it’s mostly been with senior citizens who show up so I thought I’d try to initiate with a slightly younger group.

Given the broader age range in your group, I would suggest an activity so it’s more about having fun with the activity and that can be your conversation started/shared experience. If I went to a dinner or happy hour for MNO, I would likely be looking to connect in conversation on having kids the same age and things around that.

Anonymous wrote:Save a lot of money and have a pot luck dinner at your house. Unless the pont of it all is to flirt with strange men at a bar somewhere under the cover of moms night out

Great-grandma has entered the room.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. For context, this is with a new church we’ve been attending, which is the reason for the wide age range. I’ve been going to church activities, but honestly, it’s mostly been with senior citizens who show up so I thought I’d try to initiate with a slightly younger group.

Do you have the option to use the church facilities? The space can work well for a baking project or game night. Maybe a service project for a charity. A fire pit.

We’ve done sip and paints but that might not be right for your audience. We’ve also done craft nights. We’ve done clothing, purse and knick-knack exchanges. But most of the time we’re just hanging out at someone’s house or hanging out at a restaurant.

OP here. For context, this is with a new church we’ve been attending, which is the reason for the wide age range. I’ve been going to church activities, but honestly, it’s mostly been with senior citizens who show up so I thought I’d try to initiate with a slightly younger group.

Anonymous wrote:I go to two moms nights out a month.
One with school moms and one with moms I met when in a moms group when DD was a toddler.
We always do a restaurant.
I’m not sure I would want to go if I didn’t know the other moms though and our kids are different ages. What is the goal of this get together?

+1. Highschool moms don't really need "mom's night out". Our kids barely want to hang out with us. They can order food from uber eats or make their own. I'm not saying this won't work, just wondering why the group is so broad. At our community pool we do a "ladies night" at the pool. We do not plan activities, just food and fellowship (it is a potluck). Any woman over 18 is welcome. We usually have fun, but it is not based on being a "mother".

How about a game, like pictionary?

I go to two moms nights out a month.
One with school moms and one with moms I met when in a moms group when DD was a toddler.
We always do a restaurant.
I’m not sure I would want to go if I didn’t know the other moms though and our kids are different ages. What is the goal of this get together?

Anonymous wrote:I used to do happy hours. Just be aware that a lot of women aren’t gonna be able to do this because their husbands don’t know how to care for their own children in the evening.

Honestly, it wouldn't work for me to be friends with people who are that tied down. If I'm looking to make new friends they need to be independent and have husbands who are grown ups.

The good friends I made when I was a new mom are able to do a weekend away or go out to dinner without permission.

I planned happy hours or dinners when I was in new-mom mode, and that how I met my smaller core group of friends that I still have.

Anonymous wrote:Save a lot of money and have a pot luck dinner at your house. Unless the pont of it all is to flirt with strange men at a bar somewhere under the cover of moms night out

Save a lot of money and have a pot luck dinner at your house. Unless the pont of it all is to flirt with strange men at a bar somewhere under the cover of moms night out

I used to do happy hours. Just be aware that a lot of women aren’t gonna be able to do this because their husbands don’t know how to care for their own children in the evening.

I want to organize a Moms Night Out for a group of women who don’t really know each other. The age range will be quite wide (kids in preschool through high school). Any suggestions on how to make it a success? I know some of it will depend on personalities, but I can’t decide if we should meet at a restaurant, my house, have an activity, etc.