Can i stay at playgroup with my ds?

[SandyChick]

My ds is aproaching 2.5 yrs. Im a SAHM so ds is really clingy as he's used to being with me 24/7

Im not familiar with how playgroups work. From what i can tell they dont have to be OFSTED redgistered? I would love to get ds to stay on his own for 1 morning a week to get him ready for nursery school in Sept but i want him to enjoy going so if i could stay to start with then it would be easier. He had been in private nursery for 1 day a week but hated so we took him out. I dont want it to end up the same.

1 morning can be terribly difficult for children to cope with as the time between is so long, it maybe easier to do a few mornings and/or afternoons as the frequency will help.

I believe you can stay at play groups, do you take him any where else, or leave him with other people, it maybe helpful to take him to music classes, or gym or whatever to help him socialise with other children, maybe take him to a creche so he use to being left for short periods of time, or maybe grandparents or friends, try half hour then and hour and so on and so forth??

Ime, playgroups, music classes and anything not called a nursery for pre-schoolers expect that a parent/carer will stay with the kids. I agree that 1 morning/day a week sounds not enough for your child to get used to a different setting and routine. You usually would do "settling-in" sessions of a couple of hours at a time to help to give him some confidence there, but you'd expect him to take a bit of time to get used to it.

How much does your ds already mix with other kids when you are there?

Thanks for replying.

We do toddler groups, tumble tots, local sure starts, swimming, parks etc. We're really active, I think I'd go insane if we didn't get out and about!

Ds is fine being left with friends and family - I don't get a look in when Nana & Grandad are about!

We socialise with other kids ds's age and he has cousins of similar age too.

He went to private nursery for aprox 12 months. Started off doing 2 mornings then we changed to 1 full day. He was fine once he was there but we always had tears of a morning.

Its becoming more difficult to find activities for his age group so I thought a playgroup would be something new but I'm not looking for childcare. Our local one is £7 for a 2 hour morning session. It would be good if in time he was ok being left there without me but its more just for him to socialise with children his age.

I think you're expected to stay with them at playgroup as there is usually one leader.

If you're talking about a sessional or all day preschool playgroup then they are exactly the same as a nursery in that they are registered with Ofsted, have to work to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework and have appropriately qualfied staff.

In that case they will each have their own settling in policy, but it is common for parents to stay for as long as it takes to settle the child.

Just ask them what their policy is.