When will playgroups open?

ploofs · 2021-03-15T14:19:51+00:00

Ugh I feel like I've exhausted all wet parks and home activities with my 3yr old. Even the library is still shut.

Ridcully82 · 15/03/2021 14:24

In similar boat, but I working on assumption September for indoors.

Circumlocutious · 15/03/2021 14:25

@Ridcully82

In similar boat, but I working on assumption September for indoors.

I don't understand why it would be September when nightclubs are projected to reopen on 21st June.

PumpkinsMum18 · 15/03/2021 14:27

Indoor children’s classes can open from 12th April

Don’t know if that includes playgroups!

Original poster

ploofs · 15/03/2021 14:30

Ooh 12th April would be good! But yes I'm talking more of the church ones with loads of toys and some songs, or the children's centre ones! I honestly long for a bit of messy play.

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HereComesATractor · 15/03/2021 14:37

I’m with you. A year of maternity leave with two under 3yo and I long for somewhere indoors and dry and warm that isn’t our house and driven by my energy. It’s been a long winter, and we are fully paid-up members of the “pop them in a puddlesuit” brigade too.

HereComesATractor · 15/03/2021 14:40

Golf clubs are set to open a bit earlier. Maybe I’ll take the children for a round. It’s still outdoors but a nice change of scene and I’m sure no one will mind.

BrilliantBetty · 15/03/2021 14:41

Desperate to take my 13mo to an old hall, old jumble of toys, style playgroup. I know she would get so much out of it.

She's met hardly anyone. No little kids except at a group we went to pre-lockdown. But that was expensive and a bit shit. Sitting two meters apart, having to remain inside a tiny space so as not to get close to others. It wasn't enjoyable or particularly interesting for baby. I just want a standard playgroup!

zzzebra · 15/03/2021 14:42

12th April is limited to 15 people and socially distanced, so I doubt the church 'turn up and play' sort of groups will open then.

I think it'll be with the bars and clubs in June. But then with the school holidays so close after, it wouldn't surprise me if a lot of them decided to wait until September.

So fed up that the only place my daughter can have fun with out children is at nursery and not when she's with me.

Original poster

ploofs · 15/03/2021 14:45

"Driven by my energy" that's such a perfect phrase for it, my ds can't entertain himself for long at all! There's a lot of tv going on.

Yes the classes are a commitment and expensive, I dearly miss the playgroups where he could play with loads of different toys, do arts and crafts etc and interact with other children while I could drink tea and hear myself think for an hour and a half!

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HolmeH · 15/03/2021 14:52

Softplay can open on 17th May!! 🥳🥳 (obviously TBC).. indoor children’s activities can resume from 12th April but playgroups limited to 15 people. But under 5’s don’t count so you could have 15 adults & 15 children which can’t be far off how many my local ones allow in anyway!

HolmeH · 15/03/2021 14:55

Check out local gymnastic centres. There are two in my town and both do free play sessions for under 5’s. They’ll be included in the April 12th group. My DD who is 3 blooming loves them. They run all over the trampolines, massive bouncing cushions, benches, hoops, balancing beams!

Original poster

ploofs · 15/03/2021 14:58

Oh yes our local sports centre did a great one with bouncy castles etc!

Ok sounds more promising now.

I think most of our local soft plays have gone out of business

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Ridcully82 · 15/03/2021 18:49

Circumlocutious I was basing it on conversations organisers of two of our groups had had,and about the extra time of needing to wipe down all the toys,and with it being indoors,and with playgroups(in my experience) not running in summer holidays. Playgroups are usually volunteer Jed,so think their could be some hesitance from them.

Frazzled2207 · 15/03/2021 19:28

@ploofs

Ooh 12th April would be good! But yes I'm talking more of the church ones with loads of toys and some songs, or the children's centre ones! I honestly long for a bit of messy play.

our local church playgroup have sadly said they won't be reopening for the forseeable. Too much of a responsibility cleaning toys and trying to police social distancing. It is legal though from 12th April.

PumpkinsMum18 · 15/03/2021 19:43

That’s a shame but understandable. My DD has just turned 1 and I have a feeling she will never get to experience the informal church hall style playgroups. Our local council has no money so I expect they will close many of the children’s centres too! ☹️

MeadowHay · 15/03/2021 19:46

There are a couple round here already open as support groups. A lot of the others have advised they're coming back in April. There have been many groups that have never re-opened since covid started though and I think some of these are gone for good. Likewise we've had some play cafes and soft play businesses close for good too.

Same4Walls · 15/03/2021 19:53

Most of our local groups are funded by the council and don't yet know if they will be able to reopen, I really feel for the staff as much as I do for the mums who used them. They didn't open up at all last summer so have been shut for amost an entire year.

I think most of our local soft plays have gone out of business

We live in a very busy area and from what I've seen we have none left at all near us now. They have all closed for good. We are probably talking in the region of 10 different places within a 20 minute drive. It's heartbreaking and I cannot see any of them being replaced any time soon.

PlantDoctor · 15/03/2021 19:55

The toddler group near me is opening next month. So excited for my 16mo to play with/near others!

Original poster

ploofs · 15/03/2021 20:03

our local church playgroup have sadly said they won't be reopening for the forseeable. Too much of a responsibility cleaning toys and trying to police social distancing. It is legal though from 12th April.

Yes I do think that might be the case for many

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Layladylay234 · 15/03/2021 20:34

I'm very lucky that a local church playgroup opened a few weeks ago. They're mad busy though,the spaces to so quickly. Managed to get 1 for last week and one for this week. Was the most normal thing I've done all maternity leave. The mum's all had to sit in one specific place and the people who ran it wore face shields but didn't request we wore masks as we were 2m away. It's also for non mobile babies so they can ensure social distancing. I found it by joining every single parent and baby FB group within a 30 mile radius!

PumpkinsMum18 · 15/03/2021 20:45

@Layladylay234

I'm very lucky that a local church playgroup opened a few weeks ago. They're mad busy though,the spaces to so quickly. Managed to get 1 for last week and one for this week. Was the most normal thing I've done all maternity leave. The mum's all had to sit in one specific place and the people who ran it wore face shields but didn't request we wore masks as we were 2m away. It's also for non mobile babies so they can ensure social distancing. I found it by joining every single parent and baby FB group within a 30 mile radius!

That’s cool! We have done a few baby classes with this sort of set up. Do you take your own toys for the babies? I guess you can only talk to the mums next to you if you had to stay in one place

89redballoons · 15/03/2021 20:49

The full text of the "roadmap" says that from April 12 earliest: All children will be able to attend any indoor children's activity, including sport, regardless of circumstance. Parent and child groups of up to 15 people (not counting children aged under five years old) can restart indoors.

Children's activities are allowed outside from March 29 and there is a Music with Mummy class running in a nearby pub garden from them. Me and toddler DS are signed up

Children's indoor play areas open in the step that is no earlier than May 17, and then when nightclubs etc open from June 21 earliest, I can't imagine playgroups not being allowed. Whether the May 17 and June 21 steps go ahead as planned is another question, of course.

ChocOrange1 · 15/03/2021 21:13

They can open from 12th April but limited to 15 people.
Our local group is a turn up and play and would regularly have 30+ families, plus at least 5 volunteers so to limit it to 15 would mean expecting people to book or turning people away and I just don't think they will be happy to do that.
I saw one of the volunteers in tesco recently and she said they're not planning to open until at least June :(
I would love to take my 1 year old for the first time, and for my 4 year old to go back to the toddler group we attended every week for years, before she starts school.

Layladylay234 · 15/03/2021 21:41

They give you your own set of toys for the session and your sat in a circle. I've only been once. TBH,I dislike mum and baby groups to an extent,generally find them really uncomfortable and quite hard work! But it gets me out of the house and my baby loved seeing the other kids and the lady who organised it sang some nursery rhymes and my daughter was entranced! So I go for her.

Alternatively,have you tried some community centres? One near me has opened up their sensory rooms for 45 mins booking sessions with your own family bubble. It was great as you get out of the house and LO gets some new experiences.

Adelais · 15/03/2021 22:14

I think the church/ community hall style ones won’t open until September at the earliest some maybe never :(. Pre covid there were 3 group on different days in my village but all have been closed since last March.
My friend volunteers at one and they won’t be opening until next year apparently. The trouble is they are run by volunteers who aren’t going to want the hassle of all the cleaning and controlling numbers.
It’s such a shame as my 13 month old would love to go to one.