Playgroups/Toddler groups?

[GruffaloandMouse]

I know it’s probably hugely unlikely, but does anybody think they’ll be opening in September if all schools go back? I’m really aware of how little socialisation by 22 month old is getting and that he’s an only child too.

[123Dancewithme]

I also have a 22 month old and we used to go to a different group each day before lockdown started. It’s so difficult finding things to do to keep him entertained now, and I’m also worried about the lack of socialisation with other children

[MsMarple]

Sadly, I don’t think we’ll be opening ours whilst social distancing is still required. Apart from the mostly-elderly volunteers, and the impossibility of getting toddlers to space out, it would be a nightmare trying to wash all the toys every session - and once at the end of the day probably wouldn’t be good enough anyway.

[Camomila]

DH and I were just saying yeaterday all the local softplays will go out of business as no one will want to use them anymore...but hearing people are keen to go back to playgroups maybe not.

I think a lot of people will spend more time doing activities with just a few friends at home, or outdoors. Thats my plan anyway.

I feel bad for first time mums though 🙁
(I have a 4 year old and a baby, and live near relatives so the little one will get enough socialisation)

[GruffaloandMouse]

Thanks for all the replies.

I saw a post on my local children’s centre page (sure start) and it said they’re hoping their groups will be up and running again when schools go back, they’re government funded, so hopefully they’re right.
They are much more regulated and run by paid workers, some family support workers and some nursery nurses from the nursery that’s attached to the building.

[GruffaloandMouse]

I suppose they may take temperatures at the door and continue to hand out hand gel as they were doing previously before lockdown started.

[Tartan333]

I think they will open whenever schools are fully open.

[SnuggyBuggy]

I'm desperately missing stay and plays. I find the holidays hard enough. I wish they would at least let us take them to the park with friends.

[MRex]

If we could just have playgrounds that would be something. Clarity about how likely it is for children to transmit the virus to each other outside or not would help. I don't think it's helpful nor realistic to keep toddlers apart, but we could mix with another family or two who are also not going out. I can't see accompanied playgroup working but hope nurseries will be normal by September.

[MRex]

(I mean, we would like to mix, not we could...)

[Spam88]

I expect the playgroups that children attend alone will be open before the stay and play type ones. They're normally from age 2 and significantly cheaper than nursery (around £10 a day in these parts) - might be worth seeing if there are any local to you.

[BeatrixPottersAlterEgo]

I really miss them too. I love all the toddler socialising and miss it very much. I also worry about the effects on socialisation for my youngest.

[BornOnThe4thJuly]

I honestly wouldn’t worry about 1 & 2 year olds missing out. As long as you chat to them lots and lots, and they get chance to play with different things, and explore by going for walks, playing in the garden if you have one. I think until they get to 3 they’re fairly oblivious about other children, and only ever play side by side, not together. I think it’s much more a problem that parents may become isolated and lonely.

[MRex]

@BornOnThe4thJuly - It's unfortunately not the case that all two year olds are oblivious to other children. My DS has been very upset about not being able to play with "friends"; he calls every other child his age a friend and wants to go to play with any he sees, as well as getting upset that playgroup churches aren't open. Even when they play side by side that IS interaction. Children aren't usually kept apart, so that might be why people like yourself don't realise the impact for this age group.

[BornOnThe4thJuly]

I agree it is interaction, but I don’t think they’re going to have terrible lasting effects from missing out on playgroups for a few months. As long as they’ve got parents who played it them and talk to them and keep them stimulated. I’m not saying it’s ideal and I’m sure some of them will miss playgroups, and maybe even more so playgrounds. I think parents don’t need to be getting anxious and upset about any lasting problems though, as a result of them missing out for a few months. I think the parents will be suffering more, in terms of struggling to keep them entertained and by feeling isolated.

[cadburyegg]

I help run a toddler group and I don’t see ours reopening before the end of the year. So many factors... it’s run in a village hall which has been closed since before lockdown and the council need to decide its safe enough to open first. They may also want to charge higher fees to make up for the shortfall in income. At the current rate, as it was we needed to get 10 toddlers a week to make it viable to run. We won’t know if enough people will want to return to make that possible. Then there’s the question of volunteers, I’ll be happy to run it again from when we get the go ahead but we need 2 adults to run it. We usually have 3 but one of the other ladies is having a baby in September and I don’t think she’ll be in a hurry to rush back and the other i don’t think will be sending her son to school for a long time by the sounds of it so I doubt she’ll want to run the toddler group. I don’t think I’ll get many more volunteers because it was hard enough to get them before coronavirus 😩