Toddler groups struggling

[alwayssoserious]

So many toddler groups I’ve been to in the past seem to be struggling for numbers. I guess it was inevitable with declining birth rates but it’s sad to think those little sanctuaries are slowly going.

Doesn’t seem to be the case round here, both the cheap church run toddler groups and the more expensive paid toddler classes are busy.

The one I run is struggling with numbers. It may be because it is in the afternoon (naps) but we can't really do the morning due to a other group using the building.

It could be that. We went out every morning avd they napped after lunch.

Not ours! 150 kids on the register and regularly 80 people there.

It’s costs sometimes. I saw one recently, just toys in a hall, it was £7 for an hour and a half.

Sod that.

I think that is expensive too.

Around us it's because most people have to go back to work, at least in some capacity, whereas traditionally there would have been more SAHMs. So baby groups up to about 1 years old are busy but after that it drops off a lot. I work part time so would take DC on my day off but struggle to find groups that are for toddlers rather than babies!

Yes we’d struggle with afternoon groups, I go in my day off in the morning but then nap is after lunch followed by school pick up for older DC, and the majority of my friends do the same.

I think a lot depends on area.

In our area, where there are quite a lot of SAHM's, toddler groups have waiting lists. A couple of the nurseries are actually advertising spaces as there's not been quite as high an uptake of the 30 hours that they expected.

SIL travels 45 mins once a week from her area to come here as the two toddler groups in her area folded. In part because of the free hours and in part because the majority of women she knows have gone back to work at 6 or 9 months. Nursery spaces are at an absolute premium and childminders are completely full.

A toddler group, or do you mean a preschool?

Baby and toddler.

I’m trying to imagine a toddler group with 150 children in it! Most are around thirty, mostly less!

Ours is doing fine for attendees, especially at this time of year - but where we struggle is for volunteers. There are very few people willing to help out even on an ad hoc basis, never mind make a weekly commitment. I’m sure this is partly because more mothers are back at work and don’t want to feel like they have to come each week as that one day off with their DC is precious. But it does make it difficult to run a community playgroup when you struggle for volunteers.

Although the UK birth rate is going down as a long term trend, it actually went up in 2024, so you'd think there'd be more demand for toddlers' groups than last year...

However more two year olds are attending nursery year on year, and the average age of mothers is increasing, so perhaps there's less appetite for toddlers groups if toddlers socialise at nursery.

Everyone’s at work.

We have had two term time only nurseries close in the last two years locally. 9-3 kind of things.

It’s because it’s completely unaffordable to be a stay at home parent IMO - anyone with young kids is dual full-time or almost full-time hours to afford to do so.

Many years ago, I ran a Toddler Group. It was based in an area with lots of first time buyer houses. When the housing market slowed and people weren't moving, it struggled for numbers. Thankfully, the church didn't charge much rent and it survived and once the housing market recovered, so did numbers.

Loads more kids are at nursery with the 30hrs funding, there are less nannies that attend toddler groups as more people sending kids to nursery rather than using nannies

Same story at ours - weekday morning in a church hall. Run by volunteers, mainly retired women who have been doing it for almost 20 years. So they've seen all sorts of changes in that time. The leader says mums are tending to return to work earlier/working more days than they did in the past. Combined with falling birth rates, they've gone from having long waiting lists to being quite quiet most weeks and don't have regulars who come every week like they used to.

I run a toddler group in a rural area that has been going for 30 years. It looks like it will come to end soon due to low numbers. I also think it's to do with people going to back to work. I also work full time but over 4 days so I have that day free to run the group with my youngest child.
I always thought that groups wouldn't be for me but I have made the most amazing friends and I've seen what I lifeline it is for some families.
It's a lot of work as well (applying for grants, organising activities etc) and I just don't think people are interested in doing voluntary roles when their lives are so busy with little ones alongside work.
We ask for £1 so I don't think it's cost. I've also noticed in recent years (perhaps due to COVID?) that some mums and parents are becoming very resistant to things like health visitors, midwives giving advice, nursery giving advice etc and they feel very defensive and almost attacked by these professionals. People feel very alone and very protective, and going to a group where they might feel judged or like there's a clique is too much for them to try (not that our group is like that, I try very hard to make sure everyone feels welcome!)
We have a lovely local HV and she occasionally comes to our group as she has been doing for a decade to answer questions or give out info. Last time I advertised she was coming all the newer mums who haven't ever met her (because they also declined HV involvement at birth) didn't come that week.

I'm still on the mailing list for a local group which is closing classes at a couple of venues, it had declined in popularity even a couple of years ago, compared to 6-7 years ago with my eldest. Not sure if it's a widespread issue though as I haven't been to many groups since my youngest started preschool. She goes to a music group once a week which only has 3 children in it (though the class immediately before is more popular). Her gymnastics group is busy and popular though.
We're in inner London and I think it's more of a matter of declining birth rates than costs, in this area at least. Parents of older dcs who are settled here are happy to fork out for expensive extracurriculars and holiday camps. Lots of parents return to work early but use nannies who use the expensive toddler groups.

How well do they advertise, and do they need to advertise in a different place? (And is rhe information accurate)

Ours is oversubscribed, but it’s only £2

I’m the rare breed of being a SAHM.

I’m the only SAHP I know of (apart from young mums who never had a career to go back to).

All the ‘mum’ and toddler groups around here are either childminders or grandparents.

We went to soft play last week and my DD was the only kid in there for 40 minutes. During the weekends/holidays you have to book a spot.

Toddlers are all in childcare.

I’d go if we could find any in the afternoon! They’re all in the morning which doesn’t suit our boy’s naps!

Ditto!