Help - playgroup in richmond area

[marghez]

Hi, my name is Margherita and I am currently living in Vancouver. We will move to London in the summer and we are looking to find a place in the Richmond, Kew, Puteny area. I have two little girls, that will be 3 and 1 in the summer. Here my oldest has a very rich life, full of activities and friends and i am worried about how she will cope losing it all when we move. I would very much appreciate if anyone that live in the area can give me a sense of how life is for families with young children. We are trying to find a place in these areas because we assume it is good for young families, but we don't really know. In Vancouver we live in a very 'walkable' area with lots of parks, activities and programs for the children and nice coffee shops, restaurants and shops near our home and we are thinking that the Richmond, Puteny, Kew areas would be similarly nice, are we right? What places/activities do you take your children to? Also, I would like to make new friends once we get there and I thought that attending a playgroup/preschool may be a good way to have my daughter make new friends, however I am having a hard time figuring it out, finding out where these groups are, how structured are they and how to enroll. Do you know if typically there are waiting lists for these kind of groups? How would I find them? Here in Canada there are long waiting lists. Alternatively, she could go to a nursery part time (I'm at home so I wouldn't want her to go all day or everyday) again, I am lost trying to figure out which place may be nice. I would really appreciate any response or suggestions.

Thank you

The areas you are mentioning are definitely London's little gems. Personally i would pick Kew over Putney as Kew Gardens is just wonderful for long walks with the children. East Sheen is also brilliant for families but you would need to catch the train into Waterloo from Mortlake as opposed to the tube. Which to be honest is actually more pleasant and reliable.

Here is a link to the family information services

www.richmond.gov.uk/home/education_and_learning/early_years_education_and_childcare/fis.htm

This covers all the local playgroups/preschools etc. in the area, It also gives links to the leisure facilities and libraries etc.

Waiting lists for the more popular preschools are long, but sometimes places appear as families around here tend to move around quite a bit with work. Best advice is simply to ring the ones nearest to where you are moving into. The free state nursery's will be harder to get into, but the private ones are not too expensive.

You will love being in Richmond and will make new friends easily. The area is full of stay at home mums who are very keen to meet up for coffee or walks along the river/parks etc.

Hope this helps!

I live in St Margarets, just pastRichmond, and it is lovely. It is also baby/toddler central and very friendly.
There are lots ofplaygroups which are on a just turn up on the day basis. There is gymborie and loads of other classes. You are a short stroll from Richmond and right by the beautiful Marble Hill.
Word of warning as above. If you plan to stay for schooling and want to go state make sure you are in the catchment for a good school. Currently around 200 kids with no school place after the first round this week. Having said that the schools are excellent, you just need to make sure you live in the right road. Don't go by estate agent alone; check with the council and the school itself.
Good luck for the move.