Kent - new & at a loss what to do

[Dixie]

I moved to Kent last year, I live close to Bluewater (dangerously close my husband keeps telling me!). I feel so isolated, and feel my son is also missing out on valuable socializing with other toddlers. I have tried to find various things to do but am not having much luck. I take my son to swimming classes once a week and to a soft play area I have found myself. The health visitor has given me details of 2 parent & toddler groups but they are on days I can't do due to work and the swimming class we already attend clashes with the other one. I've looked into changing his swimming class but again its not an option. I have rung the local council for a list of any parent & toddler activities but they don't have that infomation (only schools!?).

Where we used to live there was so much to do, he could do painting, sand play, singing and dancing to action rhymes (he's absolute favorite thing), tumble tots etc. But out here is nothing. I've asked other mum's at swimming but they too say there isn't anything else really in the area.

DOES ANYONE ELSE LIVE OUT THIS WAY WHO KNOWS OF ANYTHING? I CAN DRIVE SO DON'T MIND THE JOURNEY TO SOMETHING THAT IS ANY GOOD!

Lonely 1st time mum who feels she's living on mars!

Dixie, sorry to hear you feel so lonely. My mother in law lives in Longfield and my sister in law in Sole Street so I know the area. I never seem to see a lot of young children around down there so maybe it's just not a part of the country where there is a big concentration of under fives. The only exception I can think of might be New Ash Green, which is a "new" village and has unheard of attractions for the area such as a real bookshop. Or, it could be worth coming up the A2 to Bexley or even to Blackheath. It's only about 25 mins from Bluewater and there's heaps going on there. We moved from Blackheath a year ago and I still miss all the activities so much.
Have you asked at your local church? Could you enquire at the local NCT branch (might be Bexley again...) Or, you could just be passing your local primary school at chucking out time and pick a few mums' brains that way. Sorry if you've tried all these already.
One thing you could do is hop on a train on Sat December 1st and join other mumsnetters for a meal at Vinopolis. Me, Bells2 and Tigermoth first started meeting up because we weren't meeting other local mums either (SE/E London). About 25 members have expressed an interest already.
Have to be honest: I find N Kent has improved utterly since the arrival of Bluewater. No wonder it is always full of mums and young children. Gravesend or Bluewater? No contest.