To have never been to a baby/toddler group

[HeyThatsNotMyName]

Just that really.

My DS has everything he could possibly want to play with at home, socialises with family, friends and children at nursery and I have never had the inclination to want to go to a group.

Am I the only mum out there who hasn't been to one of these groups?

Starting to feel like I'm depriving him of something that I don't know about! Mum guilt is kicking in!

If I were to take him to one, what type of group would you recommend? He is almost 2.

Unless you really really love singing Wind The Bobbin Up whilst preventing that toddler from hitting your child with a tambourine.

Muddy has nailed it

Well if you have plenty of family and friends and he goes to nursery you are in the fortunate position of not needing to go to one.

I had no inclination to go to a baby or toddler group either but it was that or sit at home on my own all day.

I had plenty of family and friends but still wanted to go.

You don't have to go to toddlers groups unless you want to for whatever reasons.

Your LO have friends and family to socialist with, you both will not miss anyone for not going to these groups.

I had to take mine to these groups when I was a SAHM because my LG was a painfully shy baby/toddler. I don't miss one bit of it.

Thanks to you all for your replies. It seems that I had built it up in my head that I was depriving him of something all other children have.

Maybe I'll keep doing what I'm doing and start groups for when he shows an interest in something. Most specialist groups start at 3 in my city so a bit of time to wait.

Nope. My twins turn 2 this week and I've never been!

I stopped going because my son is that toddler

I've made the best friends I've ever had through playgroups. Maybe I'm just lucky.

I found them great when I moved to a new area with a toddler & a new baby & wanted to get to know people. I made some really good friends at one of them, I was really lucky to find such a nice group.

I never had but do have some twin mums I meet up with sometimes. I find it super hard to get my twins out. I started taking them to a weekly toddler group at our local children’s centre last term and really enjoyed it. Doing another one next term, they’re 18 months now. They don’t go to nursery though.

Ugh no, never with any of my 3. My idea of hell too. I hate the noise, small talk with strangers, songs, grubby toys.
My children have other kids to interact with (first two went to nursery full time as I was working) and I don't have interest myself. I guess they are OK for naturally outgoing people, that's not me ...

Not all groups are the same.

It was a long time ago now but the one I attended was not noisy the toys were clean, the tea and coffee were nice and the strangers turned out to be really great people.

It does seem to be the thing on MN to say they are hellish though.

My son absolutely loved a music group we went to - I think he was about 2 when we started, or possibly a little younger. It was called Jo Jingles and it was brilliant! We used to sing song and there were instruments and shakers and ribbons and a big parachute - he had so much fun! I'd really recommend something like that. Groups often let you try the first session for free before signing up, so maybe you could try a few and see which one you prefer x

Activity groups (baby sensory, jo jingles, hartbeeps etc etc) can be good fun and don't involve the painful (to me anyway) experience of milling around trying to break the ice with feeble small talk that happens at stay and play type groups.

There are definitely good and less good stay and plays, I do take my DC to them, but I am socially awkward so it is like getting teeth pulled no matter how fab a group it is :(

P.S. Our local library has a few sessions for toddlers too, so maybe yours would too? I quite liked the structure of having something to go to once a week on a set day, but I didn't overdo it like some people I knew, who went to different activities almost every day!!

I would never go to them because they're just not me.
Ds was at a childminders, now he goes to nursery so he is out mixing with other children.

I have family and friends but go to a lovely group as well.
It’s not compulsory. If you don’t want to, don’t, if you do, do...

Yanbu at all, it’s what’s comfortable for you.

I moved so I threw myself into groups & both of mine love them however we do go to loads,
A playgroup, a music group, a dementia friendly children’s group that meets once a month, swimming, nature tots - which is my favourite & I do messy play the 1 year old once a week that we book on.

It gets us out the house, toddler is occupied & learns so much.
Plus it means I’ve made a small group of friends in a new area.

They're very necessary to me and a few of my friends who go to them. If they're not necessary for you then why do you feel guilty?

Toddler groups can be an absolute lifesaver, brilliant fun for the kids and you can make friends..all of which is optional!

Never went either, baby started Nursery at 8 months when I went back to work

I did it a lot with my first to meet/
Socialise with new mum friends and get out of the house as ds was like a caged animal at home. Not as much with my second and won’t much with my third. Have a more extended social circle now, they go to nursery a fair bit, the kids play better at home now they can entertain each other and also go to the gym/Creache more these days.

'I've made the best friends I've ever had through playgroups. Maybe I'm just lucky.'

Nope, lots of people have too! I'm a massive advocate for toddler groups for those who want to make friends. I met my best friend at one 11 years ago with my eldest child and I now have a 3 and 1 year old and ALL my friends are toddler group mums. We have lunch together, meet up in the hols, go to each others houses etc etc.

I’ve been to classs or groups since my baby was 6 weeks. Some I hated with a passion, others have been my lifeline and an important source of friends. It really depends on what is offered locally. I find I have to do a class on one of my non-working days for my own sanity, particularly in winter. It tends to be something physical to try and wear my toddler out. I could go to soft play instead but I like the structure of classes (and still go to soft play, park etc on other days). You won’t be depriving your son as it sounds like you do loads already and don’t need the groups.

Only one I went to was messy play at the local soft play. Only ever did it if DH was with us and I'd manage to time it with an "Oh crap, I've just realised we have nothing for dinner. I'll pop to Tesco whilst you take dd in."

90 minutes later, after a coffee, perusal of all the local shops, I'd return to collect them.

I'd sooner take the kids to the park, city farm or for a nice walk. We can sing nursery rhymes as we go!!!

I went to one when the dcs were little. I think dc1 was about 10 months old when we started and of course, dc2 came along from just a few weeks old. It was a lifesaver for me - sahm, none of my neighbours had children, I didn't drive at the time and I was the first amongst my friends to have children. Also no other going children in our families. I made some very good friends at our group, am still in touch with some of them now - our dcs are all grown up and some of them are about to become parents themselves. I think though, for you, it's not 'necessary ', your DC is at nursery, so has the socialisation that a group offers and it sounds as though you have plenty of opportunities to socialise yourself.