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Original poster

Running a messy play group…..help please

72 replies

Megan0909 · 12/01/2023 21:05

Hi,

I am thinking of starting my own messy play group, we have a good one in our area but it’s only once a month. They charge £11 for a child, if I could run a session 4 days a week (a different town each day) charging say £10 for a child, hoping in time to get say 15 children per session, after the venue cost and insurance would I have much left? Or is it more hassle than it’s worth?

thanks

OP posts:

wannarunfromitall · 12/01/2023 21:06

£10?!

They're run by church people in my area and £1

watchfulwishes · 12/01/2023 21:07

surely you can do your own maths?

How much do the venues cost? How much is the insurance?

Original poster

Megan0909 · 12/01/2023 21:08

I know it seems a bit steep but I’ve been to the church type ones and the £11 one and there is a big difference. There is lots of extras, and I was more than happy to pay the extra. Also in our area toddler groups are around this price

OP posts:

Yellowgreenpurple · 12/01/2023 21:08

wannarunfromitall · 12/01/2023 21:06

£10?!

They're run by church people in my area and £1

The OP is looking at starting a business though.

I know some places have brilliant free or low cost playgroups but in other areas they just don’t exist, or if they do, are only on at limited times.

TrippinEdBalls · 12/01/2023 21:11

Megan0909 · 12/01/2023 21:08

That's fine, but then surely you need to factor in significant material costs to be doing the more professional kind - you've only asked about venue and insurance? To be honest I don't think you're going to get much left over from £150 if you're going to be giving a 'premium' experience unless you can find very cheap venues

Original poster

Megan0909 · 12/01/2023 21:11

@watchfulwishes that’s why I’m asking on here first, I haven’t a clue how much insurance would be. I haven’t looked that much into it yet, just came into my head today, thought some
nice mums on here would be happy to give some advice. If not no need to respond, thanks 😊

OP posts:

bluechameleon · 12/01/2023 21:15

I had some friends try to do it, they gave it up because they couldn't make any money out of it. You get through loads of consumables, and the prep time is significant if you want to do exciting themed trays.

PuttingDownRoots · 12/01/2023 21:17

First look at venue hire, insurance costs and materials. Plus advertising.

Add on your wage (including prep timesnd administration time)

See whether this creates a viable per child cost.

I wouldn't pay £10. £5 at most...

Original poster

Megan0909 · 12/01/2023 21:17

@TrippinEdBalls I think a lot of it would be one of purchases, initially it would cost a lot but I’m thinking once I have the products it’s really just the venue and insurance, so I guess what I am hoping to find out is how much would insurance be for this type of group? If it’s high then it probably wouldn’t be worth it

OP posts:

Pinkflipflop85 · 12/01/2023 21:19

But it wouldn't be a one off set up cost for products.

The very nature of messy play means that you are constantly replacing consumables!

User478 · 12/01/2023 21:19

Another thing to consider is how you will dispose of everything at the end of your sessions. You can't just put it in the bin (or down the sink!) You need to have a plan for commercial waste.

MaverickGooseGoose · 12/01/2023 21:22

£10?! Not a chance and I'm in London. Our local messy play is in the church and it's in a donation basis.

Original poster

Megan0909 · 12/01/2023 21:23

@PuttingDownRoots thanks for your response. Yes it’s the insurance and venue and need to really look into. I’m confident I could use social media for advising, so I’m not too worried about that.

I’m really surprised to hear people wouldn’t be happy to pay £10, the session that runs in my area for £11 is always fully booked.

OP posts:

MrNook · 12/01/2023 21:24

After the venue cost and insurance would I have much left?

Depends how much your venues and insurance cost?

Original poster

Megan0909 · 12/01/2023 21:24

Yes I mean the tuff trays, the snow machine, bubble machine all the expensive stuff 😀the messy play items them self could easily be done on a budget I think🤷🏻‍♀️

OP posts:

helloimnew123 · 12/01/2023 21:25

Where are you based? Near me they have Artventurers which is messy play. I assume each region is a franchise style business. Maybe you could set up a franchise in your area? It must be profitable or people wouldn't do it.

In Greater London we pay about £10-15 a class and you normally have to commit to a term.

I don't know what people are getting at a baby class for a £1! 🙈

Original poster

Megan0909 · 12/01/2023 21:25

Basically I am hoping to find out how much insurance would cost for this sort of group? If anyone has experience or knows anyone who has run a group? Thanks

OP posts:

Redlorryyellowlorryblue · 12/01/2023 21:27

I believe there are messy play franchises you can buy into. I attended a messy play session once and paid about £6-£7 which I thought was a lot. Only about 3 babies there sadly.

Not long after I saw the lady was selling the business on FB.

CrabbyCat · 12/01/2023 21:29

There's this franchise www.messarounduk.com/ . Can't remember how much they charged a session, it's been a long time since we went.

Redlorryyellowlorryblue · 12/01/2023 21:29

www.splatmessyplay.co.uk/about/franchise.php

PuttingDownRoots · 12/01/2023 21:32

@helloimnew123 a £1 group is run by volunteers in a free venue (like a church hall) where the entry fee covers consumables like art materials and any bigger costs are covered by fundraising.

Its lack of overheads making it cheap!

IwishIwasSupermum · 12/01/2023 21:34

I’ve also had friends try to start one up, it was really good but they couldn’t get it going to earn anything from it, we all used to pitch into help, served tea/coffee and cake alongside messy play, this was before a cost of living crisis. You need to get people to commit to coming every week, charging less but sell a block of classes gets more commitment but a pricier outlay, the benefit is you get spaces paid for non attendance. It was really hard work and so disappointing it didn’t work out.

If you Google messy play franchise, quite a few come up, I can see one that charges £35 for a batch of sessions and £7.50 for a single.

WandaWonder · 12/01/2023 21:37

Would have parents have to help the kids or do you care for that many alone as in drop and run and collect at the end?

Of course you may have thought of this but the first thing I thought of

Sartre · 12/01/2023 21:40

Cheaper clubs or free ones will be run by volunteers in a church or library so free venue too. The supplies will be provided by fundraising events and such forth.

I wouldn’t mind paying this as a one off cost but hate when they tie you down to a full term. It’s just so much money in one go and there’s no guarantee you could go every week with how often toddlers get sick. I remember wanting to sign up to an art club but she wanted £120 up front for the term and then you had to buy your own art set on top of that! Just no way, I couldn’t believe anyone paid it but it was always booked up.

NameIsBryceQuinlan · 12/01/2023 21:45

I'm in London and it's £10 for baby groups (not church style ones), the type where they have lots of stuff like Hartbeeps etc. I think messy play would be a nightmare, you'd need to bring sooo much stuff, store it. People with babies are really flaky they cancel loads. Some weeks you might have two people and you've still got all your costs.

Booking system
Website
Facebook page - time to update
Venue costs
Insurance
Materials
How will you market it?

Seems like a lot of work for irregular income sorry!

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