AAYM began in 1962 with a small group of children's museum directors who decided it would be helpful for them to meet informally as a group during the American Association of Museum's (AAM) annual meeting. Michel Spock says, "AAYM stayed informal for about a decade. We resisted turning it into a real organization. We didn't take minutes or have formal meetings. It was for directors - to discuss our common purpose and our problems and issues." Approximately ten children's museums were operating in the United States at this time.