It has cost me over £200 to sign my toddler up for classes twice a week

[SpicyJalfrezi]

Then on top of that he has a weekly swimming lesson which is costly - £54 a month.

I know they aren’t compulsory and you don’t have to do them and some MNetters would rather gauge their own eyes out, etc. But it’s pretty sad that people who would like to do them won’t be able to if the cost is prohibitive.

@Namechange192727171

Your costs seem just as high tbh.

I agree with you @SpicyJalfrezi. We could.only ever afford one lot of swimming lessons. I think swimming is really expensive & so people on low incomes will never be able to access the lessons.

I think this is why the early years funding is in place so disadvantaged toddlers are funded at nursery from 2 years rather than 3. It's not quite the same as swimming, gymnastics type activities but they can learn other skills that they may not do at home with parents.

I agree that the gap exists from a really young age. Schools focus heavily on attempting to close that gap but it has challenges. I offered an amazing creative day for free to six students &. not one parent responded. It's the sort of opportunity most patrons would jump at. Opened up to rest of year & places were filled within 10 mins. You basically a child needs a parent who is organised.

Prices of toddler groups round here have really shot up. I went to one last week that I haven't been to for ages - pre covid it was 50p per child, now it is £5 per family. For a cuppa, a kids snack and some toys in a church hall! It's now comparable in price to stuff like baby sensory (£6 per session).

It gets us out of the house though and there's only so much one on one time I can handle with my very small children without some adult interaction . . .

My DC both swam just before the age of 5 (I have no idea if this is young or old) and didn’t have swimming lessons. I did start them after though as I joined a new leisure centre that offered three free classes per child per term.

It is rather difficult to get an NHS dentist at the moment.

@PuttingDownRoots , but it isn’t just those who are really struggling who are impacted … I think a few are.

Same @DuneFan 😂

@gogohmm you're correct - small villages are more likely to have a church hall group.
Although now the OP has come back and said there are a couple of low cost groups where she is. So I really don't understand what her post is about !

Do you live in an affluent area? Maybe that’s why the only options seem so expensive? We did swimming which was expensive but everything else was £3 ish a session. Where we are classes are marketed to the demographic- so more affordable classes in areas with a lower average income.
im not saying it’s all roses, but it’s not quite as bad as you imply.

No I haven’t, @Needmorelego . You must have misread or misunderstood.

I said there is one toddler group that is low cost on a week.

@SpicyJalfrezi yes apologies. I just realised you said there's just one group.
What about a library? Is there one near you? Even if they don't do rhyme time you usually end up with a few toddlers there and the parents chat while the babies play and look at books.

Very mixed really, @museumum . There are some very affluent parts but some very deprived parts too.

It isn’t as bad as I said as it is heartening that many of the free or cheap options appear to have opened up in other parts of the country. I think many stopped here due to COVID and then didn’t open back up again - it’s understandable but a bit rubbish for parents who really do rely on those sorts of things.

Many of the cheap toddler groups were volunteer run, by parents. So during lockdown they shut and the children got older, and no one naturally took over.

I've noticed many independent bookshops do storytime now.

I agree that Sure Start was brilliant. It was shortsighted to remove the funding.

I never took any of my children to toddler yoga or whatever the latest trend is now. They all turned out just fine thank you very much.

They didn't spend their toddler years doing 'nothing much'

I don’t think toddlers NEED formal swimming lessons, they can wait until school age when they are better able to a) follow instructions and b) remember what they’ve been told week by week.

Take little ones to the many public sessions and get them used to getting their heads wet, learning to float and to turn onto their backs. Make it fun. They don’t need formal lessons for that - it’s £7 for myself and my grandson to enjoy the 90 minute fun sessions at my nearest public indoor pool, which is a simple rectangle sloping from 0.9m to 1.5m, no slides or flumes to attract older kids who can overwhelm tiny tots.

Still, if the OP is able to afford classes and can justify the expense, how lucky are they?

I dunno OP. I feel (three kids in) that these sorts of classes (actually any structured activity) aren't worthwhile below age 3 or so - and I have a very compliant, verbal kid. But if it gives you both something and you can afford it, then on balance I'd crack on. I'd likely do it differently (though I don't know where you are or what you like doing) - a train or drive somewhere more interesting once a fortnight, delivery of craft stuff, playdate with another kid from nursery, baking if they have the attention span. My favourite thing was and remains just inviting another mum and toddler round for the kids to squabble over toys while we have a coffee.

And that’s great @NewThisSummer . No one is saying toddler groups are compulsory, that you have to do them, that your children won’t be okay if they don’t do them.

but if you do wish to have some interaction with other parents and simply can’t because you don’t have the money and it’s cold and wet outside it takes a certain amount of self motivation to create a brilliant experience for small children. I don’t have it and I don’t mind being honest about that. And many other people don’t have it. I admire those who do endlessly!

You are possibly right @YourWinter - although I was surprised at how much DS picked up when we took him on holiday - but the point isn’t that private swimming lessons are essential, the point is that if you just can’t get in at the local leisure centre, your only option is to pay quite steep prices for private lessons and/or for a family gym membership.

Toddler groups get us both out of the house, mean DS can use up some of his pent up energy leaping around to Sleeping Bunnies while I don’t feel an idiot as everyone else is doing it, get me smiling and chatting with other parents and I even get a cup of coffee made by someone else. I don’t mind paying.

Toddlers can use pent up energy in many low cost and free ways. Sounds like the groups are more for your benefit - I think that’s generally the case and that is absolutely fine of course. I think many parents would admit that’s what they go for. That was definitely the case for me when I took my LO to the library for rhyme time or the local church baby group. DS didn’t need to get out of the house or see other people - I did.
So please don’t pretend that the expensive classes are a must for toddlers and that toddlers who don’t access them are at a massive disadvantage. It’s nonsense.

Because, where I live, there isn't a single NHS dentist taking new patients. Anyone who doesn't have a dentist and who can't afford private care has to rely on the Dentaid bus. Social services have had to get involved to make sure that children in care in our area can access dental care.

@BeanieTeen - of course they aren’t essential, in themselves.

But what is essential is interaction with other adults and children, a variety of experiences and getting out of the house. Is it not feasible that given the state of the world as it is that this is something that parents of preschool children may find challenging?

If you don’t drive, the only toddler group in your village stopped when the first lockdown happened and never restarted, you have barely any spare money after the bills, what do you do with the long hours? Yes the park and if you’re lucky enough to have local friends and family great - but no way would I personally be motivated to sing endless rounds of The Wheels On The Bus whilst trying to clear up the latest carnage that resulted from attempting to bake with a 20
month old.

(I hate baking. And I am crap at it.)

The BBC did an expose on lack of NHS dentists recently. I am not sure why it apparently took undercover reporters to reveal this fact. I could have told them that!

We do toddler group once a week, £45 for 6 weeks. And the very expensive swimming. Any other classes or groups are free (neighborhood centre or library ones) or very minimal cost (£1/2 church type ones. But I don't sign up for a term of those, just drop in occasionally if we've got a quiet week and I fancy it.

Mine didn't until playgroup which was free then nursery at 3+ half, also free, son went full time daughter part time then school the year after.
I really don't think it stunts their development at all, they catch up quick esp when they socialise with kids with better skills than them. £12 per session sounds about right my grandson goes to one 3 morning per week and it's this cost for his parents to send him.

We do a music class that is £7 a week and then story time at the library thats free. Surely all local libraries do story time?

I just did a search. My nearest library is three miles away. So say I don’t have a car - but I can get a bus. Not easy with a toddler but not impossible of course.

Opening hours:

Monday - 2-5
Tuesday - closed
Wednesday 10-1
Thursday - 2-7
Friday - closed

No rhyme time at that library.

I see from my council homepage rhyme time is on at some libraries but it doesn’t say which ones offer it!

It all adds up. My daughter does gymnastics. It was 1 hour a week at £35 every 1st of the month. Then because she went up a year at school she had to move up class at gymnastics and is now 2 hours a week and up to £68 every 1st month. She also does swimming £26.99 a month for 30 minutes a week but she has unlimited use of the pools any other time which I actually like otherwise it is £6 for her to go swimming, and we go swimming 1-2 times a week. She wants to do football now and I'm like sorry I cannot afford that. Xxx