Starting up a baby and toddler group - ideas/advice please!

[Miaou]

A group of us have decided to start up a baby and toddler group in our village - there has been a baby boom this year and we totted up 10 potential users of the group! (That's a lot, in case you were wondering ). I seem to have got myself voted in as chair (how did that happen????) so I thought I'd better get some ideas together!

Can you tell me, what do you like about your baby and toddler group? What does is do well? What things are best to avoid/not do? Any advice welcome

if there aren't going to be loads of you then a small(ish) venue.. ie not a HUGE hall...

somewhere comfy to sit and chat and facilities for tea/coffee...

places to put said hot drinks out of reach of kids.

toys that aren't broken

area for small babies so they don't get trampled by toddlers

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Have a few baby bouncy seats so if people turn up with babies in pushchairs or carriers they've got somewhere to put them other than lying them on the floor.

Have a rota for the adults to take it turns to provide a basic craft activity for the older children (doesn't have to be every week).

lots of ideas, lovely...keep 'em coming!

What about structure of the session? Finish with a song ?

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Definitely finish off with a song (or 2 or 3). Also gives opportunity to give out information about upcoming events/activities, and introduce people if necessary.

Free wine for all the mums! That'd be nice!

Comfy chairs with cushions, not those hard back ones - try breastfeeding in them! In fact there should be a nice comfy chair in a quiet corner for breastfeeders. I hated bfing in toddler groups, the chairs were put too close together and I wanted some bloody privacy, not to mention the risk of squirting another mum!

A cage for the misbehaved tots.

No bikes!!!! One tot group I went to had little cars and bikes that the older tots would chase each other round on, knocking the younger ones flying.

A separate baby playarea.

Did I mention the wine?

How do you finance a group?

Our local ones only charge about 30p a go, and not a huge amount of people ever turn up. We're thinking of starting one aimed at 'friendlier people' but this is worrying us.

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I'd want lots of free wine for that spod! stuff yer tea and coffee!

Last one I attended in Fife got a Lottery grant to help them with the big toys, soft play ones. You should be able to do that Miaou, especially where you're located. Don't know who you contact. We paid 50 per session too. go along with area for small babies. This group had nothing and so i had to stop going as ds2 was getting trampled underfoot all the time

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3 hours with a bunch of other peoples children! Eugh! You'd have to pay me!

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Great idea about the separate area for babies - however we will have about 8 babies and two toddlers there so may not be such a problem

We will be paying £2 per session. Sounds a lot compared to what you lot pay but I guess we may only have 6/7 mums each week (from a pool of 10). If under 6 months were free we would be running at a huge loss!!

We have a toy library up in the town, my friend and I are going up in her huge Bolbo on Wednesday to see what we can bagsie. She is also going to try and sweet-talk the local carpet company into giving us an offcut for the babies to play on.

ELC discount card - will look into that, thanks!

Comfy chairs is a great idea but we are having the hall refurbished over the next year or two so I think we might have to wait for those...we are used to roughing it up here Will bear it in mind though.

Agree re the bouncy chairs, advertising, asking for toys etc .... all good ideas

Oh yes I suggested we apply to the Lottery too - we are a "good cause" I think - we count as being underprivileged because we live so far from anywhere.

Sell knitted items every week (and remember who your agent is ).