Baby and toddler groups

[Lelophants]

Does anyone know what's happening with these? Have any in your area opened up?

I feel like they are an unnecessary risk in so many ways, but I've also had pretty much my whole mat leave without them and feel sad that we have missed out on them. We only had a bit of them at the start.

I know soft play is reopening but that feels really risky to me. What about the baby groups? I feel like some of them could be a bit more incentive in how they work.

*inventive

I run a toddler group and am thinking we’ll wait and see how things are looking after Christmas. Can’t see how to run safely with social distancing and cleaning etc.

I have been going to outdoor baby yoga and sensory classes in the park with my 3 month old. They are socially distanced with single use props. They are resuming indoors in september but not sure I feel comfortable with that yet.

I volunteer at a baby group at a library and we have no sign of starting up again. I don’t think it will be this year

@Lelophants what do you mean by more inventive? What do you want them to do?

Most in my area are starting again in September. As far as I can see they are just spacing out families and using individual instruments/toys for each child. This meets all the guidelines so I don’t see any problem with it. Swimming lessons too.

Some are starting up near me in the next few weeks. We have booked onto baby sensory in a village hall. Will see how it feels before we book anything else.

@jblue2018

Most in my area are starting again in September. As far as I can see they are just spacing out families and using individual instruments/toys for each child. This meets all the guidelines so I don’t see any problem with it. Swimming lessons too.

So are they limiting numbers and keeping each family with an individual box of toys in their own space?

@SandieCheeks I didn't mean it in a nasty way. I feel very sorry for those running groups as it is a real loss of business and sorry for the many mums missing out.

I wasn't sure. Perhaps limiting numbers, more outside classes, things on screens and wearing masks - recordings instead of live singing. I'm just trying to work out what the future might be.

Ah, are you talking about Tumble Tots/Monkey Music type classes rather than toddler groups?
I can imagine business ones will open much sooner.

I wonder what will happen to the health of upcoming children who haven’t been able to develop their immune system as they should.

@stairway

I wonder what will happen to the health of upcoming children who haven’t been able to develop their immune system as they should.

If I had a baby under 1 right now I would be doing my best to expose them to some normal bugs eg household pets, child relatives, crawling around in the dirt in the garden/park.

"If I had a baby under 1 right now I would be doing my best to expose them to some normal bugs eg household pets, child relatives, crawling around in the dirt in the garden/park."

That is what I am doing with my 3 month old. Her brothers are allover her and we see cousins. I am not keeping my house sterile so she encounters normal germs and we have a dog too!

Hi, to give my perspective,I had my daughter at the end of May so she's almost 3 months. As lovely as it's been having her at home, I've also found it really hard not to the m have any structure to the week with the days just feeling very groundhog Day like. Couple that with the fact that I have an 11 year old starting secondary school on 1st Sept, this has led to me getting my arse into gear and searching for baby groups who are starting to facilitate f2f sessions in September. I'm currently signed up to start a buggyfit and mum and baby yoga class in sept. The buggyfit is outside in groups of 6 and the yoga class is inside with a socializing session afterwards. We don't have to wear masks for that.

I've also found a tinytalk baby signing grou who is starting f2f sessions but we have to wear masks and can't sing. Because singing is banned. Ridiculous. So I'm going to give that a go.

Baby swimming is starting back up slowly,one company has been in contact with me and they're using some school pools and hotel pools.

In my opinion,it's really down to the people running the group's and thinking outside the box. All of the above are clearly desperate to get back to work and understand how vital these groups are for babies and their mums and you can really tell that by the protocols they've put in place and the time that's gone into them. Other groups are just flatly refusing to go back to f2f classes which is a shame as I agree that there's a lot that can be done with social distancing,masks,cleaning and bigger/outdoor spaces. But I understand that some of these people may be shielding or have to consider finance. It is a massive shame more have not been willing to consider running groups outside, especially with the summer months.

So that's my experience. I'm aware time is ticking on my maternity leave,that this is my last baby and am not fully convinced we won't see local lockdowns again and that these classes will stop- hence why I'm getting out there now! You really have to look hard and think out of the box yourself for classes/groups that are running - I found most of mine on FB.. None of the ones I've signed up for are actually running in my city,I'm having to drive 20/25 mins to get to them. So if you don't have a car,it's really tough.

Good luck and I hope you find something that's right for you x

Some in my area have opened recently outside, clearly not going to be ideal getting towards winter. I think there are also some looking at opening in September with each child having own props ect and area. More difficult for toddlers obviously as can't stop them moving!

And as for the babies who haven't been able to develop their immune systems, completely agree. There are so many people I've heard of who aren't taking their babies anywhere or letting anyone hold them (I mean family,not random strangers!) And find this so sad.

@Layladylay234
"n my opinion,it's really down to the people running the group's and thinking outside the box. All of the above are clearly desperate to get back to work and understand how vital these groups are for babies and their mums and you can really tell that by the protocols they've put in place and the time that's gone into them. Other groups are just flatly refusing to go back to f2f classes which is a shame as I agree that there's a lot that can be done with social distancing,masks,cleaning and bigger/outdoor spaces. But I understand that some of these people may be shielding or have to consider finance. It is a massive shame more have not been willing to consider running groups outside, especially with the summer months."

I'm sure all the classes run by companies/self-employed people have been absolutely willing and desperate to run if they can do so safely and within the guidelines.

For those run by volunteers it's too big an ask to get most running again. It is a shame for mums/families though (especially those who aren't in a position to spend £££ on classes).

If I had a baby under 1 right now I would be doing my best to expose them to some normal bugs eg household pets, child relatives, crawling around in the dirt in the garden/park.

Yes! DS2 (nearly 7m) doesn't get anything sterilized and gets water from the tap (not on formula, just food and water), he gets lots of hugs from the 4 year old, and gets taken to the beach or to the park to sit on the grass.

Ironically the only illness he's had was probably coronavirus in March. (he just coughed a bit and had gunky eyes)

We know primary age children aren't a risk, it's the adults.what the scientists have got to decide is if baby groups are more risky than gyms.

For many isolated families, they are vital for development.

If we don't get a vaccine, I think we've got to rethink our term timetables and as you say, be inventive.

@SandieCheeks yes exactly that

[quote jblue2018]@SandieCheeks yes exactly that[/quote]
I would have thought that pretty much defeats the point of going to a toddler group - you want your child to play with other kids while you chat to other adults. If you have to sit in your own space with separate toys you might as well stay at home and not run the risk of catching anything.

Last I heard the one I attend, which is a SN playgroup in a children and family centre (run by family support team), had zero plans to return for a long while. Not sure if recent news will have changed it though as they have been very cautious about the rest of their work too.

I miss it a lot but it’s a council decision I guess.

Very good point about immunity generally, I’m really glad we have a little garden now and a big park near our house for the toddler

@SandieCheeks Maybe. But I find DD likes to play with different toys sometimes. And the adults could still chat from 2 m away!

The stress of trying to keep toddlers on their own mat/with their own toys
I think I'll wait til restrictions are lifted.

The toddler group I run can’t start back. Even if regulations allowed it, we have lots of older volunteers from the church who would be high risk.

We are considering running small group meet-ups outdoors, in particular for new parents or those who have been very isolated. But as we are all volunteers we probably won’t do anything until the schools go back.