Thinking of starting a playgroup for knackered mums/parents/carers - would this work do you think?

[inthekitchensink]

I’m in the early stages of researching setting up a playgroup for preschoolers at the local hall, where adults can come and get shit done on their phones, or read or whatever with tea/coffee/biscuits - while I play with the children.

All the playgroups I went to with my toddler encouraged parental interaction and really all I wanted was somewhere I could get admin done for an hour or read mumsnet while my child had quality play & learning.

I’m a montessori practitioner with a few spare hours a week and really miss working with kids, but don’t want to do it full time. I would provide montessori materials to play with, arts and crafts, story time.

Would you be interested in something like this or am I just projecting? !

I’m well past the point of needing a playgroup but when I did, I frequented the “bung them in the middle, toys and play while we have coffee and cake and chat” variety. They saved my mental health, unlike the HV run ones that insisted you painted butterflies with Jemima what the fuck do you think I do at home to fill the unending hours between breakfast and bedtime?

Your idea sounds like a great version of that - you might need some way of making sure people didn’t try to “nip out” to collect shopping or whatever though.

@Xmasbaby11

I can't see the appeal really - bog standard playgroups are generally pretty easy if your child likes playing with others. i could sit and chat / read while my dd played, and that was £2 for a 2 hour playgroup run by volunteers (we all chipped in).

If you're in the same room, it's not really so different for parents as they'll have half an eye on their child. What admin are we talking about - bringing a laptop to work for a couple of hours? If in another room, you'd need proper ratios and it wouldn't be financially viable.

It's an interesting idea - feel I'm always very can't-do on new ideas so happy to be proved wrong.

This is what concerns me. We have church run sessions which are cheap and great but do need constant supervision and a lot of communal singing. Maybe a limit of 5 children? Then parents could switch off for a period.

@Jokename

I’m well past the point of needing a playgroup but when I did, I frequented the “bung them in the middle, toys and play while we have coffee and cake and chat” variety. They saved my mental health, unlike the HV run ones that insisted you painted butterflies with Jemima what the fuck do you think I do at home to fill the unending hours between breakfast and bedtime?

Your idea sounds like a great version of that - you might need some way of making sure people didn’t try to “nip out” to collect shopping or whatever though.

Exactly this, we don’t have playgroups where you can relax - parents are reminded to supervise, it’s exhausting when you’ve been trying to entertain and educate all day anyway

@Stichintime

I think this is only good in theory. Would you take bookings per session? What if only one or 2 children booked, could you still afford to run? Would you employ staff only when your bookings reached a certain amount, so no guaranteed income for them? If so how could you ensure their availability?

Yes I could afford to run, it’s more something I enjoy doing than a profit making venture. But may not be practical at all so I’m researching thoroughly

Thank you for all your comments! I’m chuffed to see the pros and the cons - I’m very grateful

I wonder if marketing yourself as ‘entertainment/activity for children provided’ would convey what’s on offer?

They saved my mental health, unlike the HV run ones that insisted you painted butterflies with Jemima

Me too, they were the ones where I actually got to connect with other mums instead of doing whatever activity and then having to rush off for naps/lunch whatever.

You will need an appropriate child/ adult ratio. Also, a designated and appropriately qualified safeguarding lead. You will also need appropriate insurance. Will you have key workers in place? Is your safeguarding in place?

Will the children be following a curriculum ? Do you have appropriately qualified staff? Are you appropriately qualified? Are you and all your staff enhanced DBS cleared? What curriculum will the children be following while parents working? What food provisions have you in place? Are your kitchens approved? What food will you be providing? Are your food technicians qualified and insured? Have your kitchens and food prep been inspected and signed off.

I personally would not just turn up and work/ look at Mumsnet without all that all in place.

My son is 7 but I would have 100% LOVED this. I had PND and I needed this for sanity 😂. I also got really anxious at toddler groups because I thought people were judging how I played with/interacted with DS and this would avoid that. I’d pay £5-10 especially if it included cake and coffee.

You can’t have some parents drop off and some parents sticking around unless they are dbs checked.

You cannot just "play with children", while their parents work. This is really not a thing. There is regulated childcare and then there is what you are envisaging. You cannot just " dump " kids off
While you work or go on Mumsnet. What you are suggesting is proper, regulated child care. If you do not want interact with your children and do "play groups "and need somewhere to go while you do " admin" you need proper regulated childcare.

Sounds fantastic, i wish you were in my area!

I used to go to a soft play session where a lovely lady would take the children to do music or crafts or small world play or something with no expectations of parental involvement. I could always get some admin done- the lady was like the pied Piper!. I would have paid double and more for that session and it was always busy! I'm not sure how it was badged/branded any different from the usual under 5 sessions (as the lady was only there once a week) but I heard from a friend and word of such marvellous things spreads fast!

@girl71

You cannot just "play with children", while their parents work. This is really not a thing. There is regulated childcare and then there is what you are envisaging. You cannot just " dump " kids off While you work or go on Mumsnet. What you are suggesting is proper, regulated child care. If you do not want interact with your children and do "play groups "and need somewhere to go while you do " admin" you need proper regulated childcare.

Can I ask why not? I’m a child care professional, fully qualified and dbs cleared. If the ratios are fine, why can’t parents faff on their phone instead of being encouraged to join in wheels on the bus? Why can’t a parent crack on with emails while I’m instructing their child on the golden bead bank or painting a ladybird? On a pay as you go basis.

@Mooey89

My son is 7 but I would have 100% LOVED this. I had PND and I needed this for sanity 😂. I also got really anxious at toddler groups because I thought people were judging how I played with/interacted with DS and this would avoid that. I’d pay £5-10 especially if it included cake and coffee.

Thanks for this, my PND is a big driver behind this. Mostly I was trying to keep from crying while putting on a happy face. That was a few years ago but I would still like to explore the idea of helping out a knackered parent

@Frazzled2207

You can’t have some parents drop off and some parents sticking around unless they are dbs checked.

No it would be a stay and play but you don’t have to play unless you want to

@girl71

You will need an appropriate child/ adult ratio. Also, a designated and appropriately qualified safeguarding lead. You will also need appropriate insurance. Will you have key workers in place? Is your safeguarding in place?

Will the children be following a curriculum ? Do you have appropriately qualified staff? Are you appropriately qualified? Are you and all your staff enhanced DBS cleared? What curriculum will the children be following while parents working? What food provisions have you in place? Are your kitchens approved? What food will you be providing? Are your food technicians qualified and insured? Have your kitchens and food prep been inspected and signed off.

I personally would not just turn up and work/ look at Mumsnet without all that all in place.

I run story time sessions and bounce & rhyme at the local library so it would be low key like that. No food, though I would check what license I need to provide tea, coffee, water and biscuits for the adults. I’m doing an awful lot of research I promise, not just asking on here! But mumsnet is a great place to get a feel for how an idea might pan out or not

Yes I’m qualified have dbs, safeguarding lead, first aid trained etc

Our church has a ‘messy church’ where the church old ladies lead activities and the parents hang back and watch. Is very popular and the kids enjoy it.

I guess I used to do this informally as at most playgroups I always ended up being the mum in the middle of the mat playing with all of the kids while their parents were on their phones or chatting.

I think it would just be an adult led playgroupz as long as you’re not expecting to make much of a profit I think it would be great.

I think it sounds amazing. I can’t see how I’d possibly manage to get my youngest to ignore me though, same for my older until he was probably 3.5-4, but it there were a way this would be brilliant.

I think it would be particularly great now due to Covid as many DC (like my toddler) are so unsocialised and funny around adults if they are wearing masks. I’d love a break but am not ready to leave her in a nursery so this sort of half way house sounds fantastic.

@woodfort

I think it sounds amazing. I can’t see how I’d possibly manage to get my youngest to ignore me though, same for my older until he was probably 3.5-4, but it there were a way this would be brilliant.

I think it would be particularly great now due to Covid as many DC (like my toddler) are so unsocialised and funny around adults if they are wearing masks. I’d love a break but am not ready to leave her in a nursery so this sort of half way house sounds fantastic.

Half way house is a great way to describe what I’m thinking, mum is in sight or in the loo and little one can be knuckle deep in sand or paint before they realise they’ve stopped wailing. It’s what I do with the kids on my street while mum has a cuppa, but I have a tiny terraced house and I’d like to do more of it if there’s a market for it

A family holiday resort we went to once had similar, I’ve just remembered.
We didn’t want to leave DC at the children’s club and for DC like ours they had this play area on the beach where a member of staff would chat to your child and play with them but parents had to stay in the area so it wasn’t full childcare but you got the chance to have an uninterrupted conversation etc. Lots of people seemed to use it.

@Skysblue

Our church has a ‘messy church’ where the church old ladies lead activities and the parents hang back and watch. Is very popular and the kids enjoy it.

I guess I used to do this informally as at most playgroups I always ended up being the mum in the middle of the mat playing with all of the kids while their parents were on their phones or chatting.

I think it would just be an adult led playgroupz as long as you’re not expecting to make much of a profit I think it would be great.

Me too! I was always the one in the middle when I could be. It definitely would not be a profit making enterprise! I do love our local community, and Christ having young kids is hard. I would have loved a stay-but-not-play when mine was 1-4

@woodfort

A family holiday resort we went to once had similar, I’ve just remembered. We didn’t want to leave DC at the children’s club and for DC like ours they had this play area on the beach where a member of staff would chat to your child and play with them but parents had to stay in the area so it wasn’t full childcare but you got the chance to have an uninterrupted conversation etc. Lots of people seemed to use it.

If only I could provide a white sand beach and a bar at the same time.. now that would be a franchise! Would stay-and-drink-instant-coffee-while-disengaging work as well?

Sounds perfect to me!

One local to me runs just like this. It is £9 for 45mins including a cup of tea and piece of cake. Different sessions for different age groups.