What was a playgroup and do they still exist?

[NameChange9490]

I know that when I was 2 I went to playgroup 3 mornings a week, for the year before I went to nursery school. As a mum now I’ve never heard of a playgroup. Does anyone know what they were and why they don’t appear to exist any more?

We went to one in a church hall. Painting, dressing-up, stories, water stuff. I loved it! I remember someone bringing in a cottage loaf & all kids later getting into trouble as we picked bits off it... Orange squash in plastic beakers - big treat.

This was early-mid 70s. DM left us there when not on the rota, and I must have been there until I started school as I still have the framed bird picture I was given with something along the lines of "enjoy your school days" on the back 😊
And yes - DM is still friends with women she met there.

Early years foundation stage. It's what nurseries/pre schools/childminders and reception classes in schools use to evaluate children development and plan for progress.

Any ofsted registered setting works to this.

Sorry if someone has already mentioned this.
I am off to work and don't have turn to read her whole thread now but will later.

Have a look at this.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-schoolLearningg_Alliance

Back in the 90s, my mother would leave me and my siblings at our local playgroup for a couple of hours while she did her shopping or tidied the house. It cost her 20p per child!

I've taken mine to many toddler group type things but always have to stay. I don't think there's anywhere now that will look after your child unless you pay proper nursery rates.

They are basically what are now called 'play and stay'.

A room with toys, typically the ones that are too big for home. Parents bring their child (or children) and pay a small amount, I think the one near me is £1.

I went to playschool and so did my 20 something kids. You were dropped off for a few mornings a week. It was like a nursery but you didn't use it for childcare. I used to go home and get a bit of housework done.
Playgroup or mother and toddler was once a week and you stayed with the kids, had a natter and a coffee and sang a few songs, we did those from when they were babies, and before they were old enough for playschool. There's still some of them around here ad I see them advertised in local groups.

There are still loads of small charity church hall based playgroups round here. My son went to one which was just like the one I went to in the 80s. They are often called preschools and are more formally regulated than they used to be but same idea. There are very few school based nursery classes here so they're used a lot if you don’t need full time childcare.

They still exist where I am.

Quite a few where I am, I can think of 4 within a mile radius of home. Like.a pre pre school year here, from 2yr 10 months. Our local ones all have little jumpers they can wear with a logo.

Not same as toddler group. Kids could be left there. Mine went in the noughties, paid approx 3 pounds for 3h morning session. Run by 2 paid staff with a rota of volunteer parents / carers as well , in a scout hut. Went from age 2-3 then moved on to state nursery school. I worked 4 days and was on rota 5th day as enjoyed helping. MIL picked up DC for other 4 afternoons (DC mostly slept in afternoon!)

In the North of Ireland they still exist. I think parents contribute £20 per week. Mainly seems to be for children who don't get into preschool/nursery. Which quite likely mine won't with the criteria.

My dd went to playgroup in the early 00s. I had to pay and it was run by paid staff, and they adhered to EYFS curriculum.

It was more informal than a nursery and was only for 3-4 year olds.

And, yes, it was in a church hall.

My son went to playgroup just over 10 years ago, it was 9 to 12. We paid for a couple of mornings when he was 2 and then when he turned 3 we got 15 hours funding. I worked 3 days but my mum had him for me and the playgroup gave her abit of a break. This particular playgroup changed when the 30 hours free became available so it’s more like a nursery now

It's a pre school , both mine went 2/3 days a week and upped to 4/5 the term before school.
I didn't work when the kids were small so it was perfect for me . Not all parents work

To me a toddler group is where you go with your child and you stay .
Managed by volunteers .

Playgroups were great (except when it was your turn for duty!).

There would be a rota for the parent/carer to cover the sessions. You paid pennies which was put towards biscuits, day trips out etc. It was the next step up from "Mother and Toddler" (does that still exist?!) It all started to fall apart when ratios came in for adult:child and background checks for anyone working with children.

I was left at playgroups in the 80s. They were a little bit like a creche service. Think they exist , but are stay and play and require a grown up with the child.
Probably due to insurance, safe guarding , adult to child ratios etc.

Was only talking about this yesterday, it was where children could go and play and have some independent time from parents but not inspected by ofsted and no ey curriculum. Social services inspected them and gave advice. Usually children arrended half days.

In my experience there were baby and toddler groups where 'mum' (carer) stayed for the morning. Always cliquey.

Then playgroup was available from 2.5years and child HAD. To be potty trained. It lasted a couple of hours maybe 3 mornings a week you paid every half term in full and the staff were paid ours was in the community centre which the council sold off to raise money a few years ago.
Child probably spent a year there until nursery in a school started in the term after the child turned 3 unless child was born in a low birth year and could start nursery as soon as they were 3 ( my youngest did).
None in our area for at least 14 years because of funding from age 2 in nurseries that are open 5 days a week for longer hours.and wrap around care.
There are still cliquey carer and child groups..
Also we didn't pay pennies I think it was £2 a session £6 a week paid up don't half termly so approx £36/42 up front non refundable. Which sounds like peanuts now but in 1999 it was a push to find for not much return you just got home and had to go back much better set up now.

My two were little 15 years ago and went to the following:

Baby group (0-9 months) free / 2 hours
Church Hall group - parents stayed (any age) £2 per session / 2 hours
Playgroup (2-3 years) £5 per session / 2.5 hours
Pre-school (3 until school) free / 2.5 hours

The playgroup my kids went to in the early 90s was run by a lady but there was a committee. She had expenses paid, not employed. I was on the committee for a while. Meetings were held at her home. She didn't 'need' the money and often put the money into buying stuff for the kids. She started doing 'preschool' preparation with the older 'rising 5s' buying workbooks and started reading and writing. She was a lovely lady with a sense of community and was very child centred. My DC remember her and have fond memories.

I took my kiddos (now 18 and 20) to playgroup once a week at the church hall. It was just lots of soft blocks, toys and stuff with a craft table.
Just a quick google and there are over 30 in my area of SW London - some are pretty general, some are more age or activity specific (newborn to sitting up age, under fives, music and movement, craft based etc).

People are confusing mother and toddler groups with playgroups.Playgroups were sessional preschools , usually for 2.5 to 5 year olds which ran so many mornings/ afternoons a week.They were run by paid,qualified leaders and followed the eyes
They were neatly always nonprofitsble and people could spendthrift government free hours there.
Once the government discovered if was cheaper to put preschoolers in a school setting with longer staff ratios , and expanded the free hours to younger children it sealed the fate of playgroups.
It is a shame because I think the small playgroups provided a much more suitable and beneficial setting for the age group. My kids did so much more than they did on a school nursery ckass

Same here, my three went to playgroup at the church round the corner. 2.5 hours in the morning, run by ladies from church who were retired teachers I think. Mine absolutely loved it, we knew everyone there. Those ladies love hearing about my adult children now 😊 Mine went on the days I didn’t work

There are playgroups in manchester

There's the free church ones where you stay and play and there are a couple where you pay a bit but just drop off from 9-12.