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Original poster

Mums and toddlers, starting a new group and want to know what your favourite things are.

56 replies

steppemum · 16/01/2004 07:31

Dear all,
I live overseas, and dh and I are work in development. We are opening a community centre, and I would like to start a mums and toddlers group there. They are unheard of here, but most people live in very crowded housing, with a long cold winter, and so I know many mums would love a place to come and talk, with a safe place for kids to play.
The only thing is, I've never been to a mums and toddlers group, as I came here when ds was 2 months. I have lots of ideas, but I want to know what you like (and dislike) about them, and any thing you would add if you were starting from scratch. It would help if you could say why you like/dislike something too.
I guess I'd like all the support and help that we get on mumsnet to be available here, but that's not possible unless you all want to move house!

Thanks in advance for your help.

OP posts:
Original poster
steppemum · 16/01/2004 07:33

I've just thought, does this count as advertising or something? Is it OK for me to post this? I don't think it breaks the rules, but if I'm out of order, please tell me.

OP posts:
popsycal · 16/01/2004 08:08

for tiny ones, baby gyms are a godsend!

Roscoe · 16/01/2004 08:15

I think it would be good to have somewhere to do the nappy-changing. Not necessarily a purpose-built changing area. A small screened area with a couple of changing mats on the floor would do. We always had to go into the toilet, which wasn't the cleanest of places.

Lots of things to play with too. Nothing too pricey though. I used to live in fear that ds would break one of the expensive toys.

emmatmg · 16/01/2004 08:24

Ditto what popsycal said but maybe some baby bouncy chairs too. Bottle warming stuff, nappie change area. Any baby toys should be able to be sterilized (sterilizable...is that a real word?).Can you tell I have a little baba?!?
The one I go to has a music session at the end where they all(older kiddies obviously) have something to bash, ring, shake etc etc to make as much noise as possible and that is always a real success.

BTW I don't think you're breaking the rules as you haven't said where your group is.

emmatmg · 16/01/2004 08:25

Doh! and ditto roscoe......

LIZS · 16/01/2004 08:37

Sounds like a great idea.

Suggest separate areas for toddlers , with ride-ons and small climber/slide perhaps, and quieter, matted area for babies to lie and roll on. Could you get donations for toys and books from those whose kids have outgrown them.

The ones over here often have an organised activity too - simple craft or song/story time - which ideally mums take in turns to do - and someone else will bring snack and juice. dEpends on your age range though.

popsycal · 16/01/2004 09:25

the chairs, nappy changing and bottle warming are a great idea too
at one i used to go to had a link with the midwives and every month, a midwfe would pop in with baby weighing scales (a godsend to me as i used to find baby clinics very stressful at one point)
speparate area for babies is a good idea..i went to one group before ds cuold crawl and the baby gyms were right next to toddler climbing frames etc - not carefully planned!

WideWebWitch · 16/01/2004 09:29

I think steppemum lives in the Russian Steppes so this shouldn't count as advertising! Agree about baby changing that isn't cold stinky loos. And coffee and biscuits for the mums. Good luck with it steppemum. Could you send out a questionnaire to some of your potential customers asking for suggestions?

popsycal · 16/01/2004 09:33

ooooh and coffee which is BROUGHT to you!!!
when ds was giong through his really difficult phase and would nto be put down, I loved thursday mornings when severeal cups were brought to me in my seat!!!

twiglett · 16/01/2004 09:44

message withdrawn

CafeCroissant · 16/01/2004 09:51

Great idea steppemum, good luck! the toddler group I used to take dd to was really good. They used to have 5 or 6 different areas: play-dough table, lego/construction corner, mat and little cars, mat and farm animals, sand play, and a different craft activity each week (painting, collage, etc), plus a baby corner, and a mini library corner, and a little slide. Then after an hour and 15 minutes (roughly), a couple of mums (different ones each week) would prepare juice and apple and biscuits for the kids, and they'd have their snack together. When finished, we'd get the trikes, balls, hoops out and let them run wild for a bit. Finally, we'd do a singing session with 3 or 4 songs before going home. there was a lady employed to make hot drinks for the mums and buy the snacks. We'd have a rota for washing-up duties.
Hope that helps and let us know how you get on.

150percent · 16/01/2004 09:56

Having name badges on the children and mums helps to strike up conversations (sticky lables that you just write on). Possibly a book to note down birthdays and make sure that you sing "Happy Birthday" - our has a fake cake so the child gets to blow out the candles as well. One I went to had a health visitor make a monthly appearance and just chat to the mums - no red books or anything and it felt far less informal than the baby clinics. Would echo separate area for babies, but also good to have a space for ride-ons buggies etc - our one has different zones set up - a book corner, a home corner (toy kitchen, dolls and dressing up), baby corner, construction corner, and cars/boast trains, as well as paper etc for drawing.

The stuff doesn't have to be new - none of ours is. However it is useful to make sure that you have enough of each type of toy (eg you have some dolls, some cars, some books) rather than just to accept/rely on whatever you're given.

Tea/coffee for the parents, juice/biscuit for kids. A separate area to store the buggies coats etc (these always take up tons of room). Sometimes it is the little things that make you appreciate it - our has some spare nappies/wipes just in case, toilet seat/potty and step for the older ones and "nice" handwash, handcream, some scent and other lotions for those who want a moment to pamper themselves....

A highchair or two can be useful. Ability to heat milk or food is great. A welcoming smile and someone willing to hold your baby as you unpack or heat milk etc can make a real difference to the day. Some parents like to feel part of it and all the parents help clear away at the end.

Goo luck and hope that you enjoy it.

zebra · 16/01/2004 10:04

NAME BADGES??? Wouldn't toddlers & babies just eat them?
I like decaf tea, and real juice instead of squash/chemical water.
Not too small a room; big room the kids can run around and be silly in is great.

Hulababy · 16/01/2004 10:09

If you have name badges, put them on the children's BACKs - then they can't get to them; that's what we did at Tumble Tots.

150percent · 16/01/2004 10:09

sticky labels which you put on the back of toddlers. Never been eaten yet in my experience And saves that awkward moment when you realise that you're chatting to someone who has been also attending the group for over a year and you have no idea what she or her dd is called.

zebra · 16/01/2004 10:16

DD would pick them off another child and try to eat. Maybe your Toddlers just aren't cunning enough in their efforts to obtain unusual nourishment??? And then what happens when they fall off and get stuck to the floor...?

Sorry, speaking as an American, it's just TOO AMERICAN for me. I'd hate it.

codswallop · 16/01/2004 10:21

Lol Zebra at the badges

we dont thave them

Steppe we have a nylon "parachute" at the end that we hold and shake and the kids run under, you can put little balls on it too
heres one

popsycal · 16/01/2004 10:23

those parachutes are meant to be amazing

Hulababy · 16/01/2004 10:25

We used a parachute like that at Tumble Tots and all the children loved them! We would lift it in the air and the kiddies loved playing underneath it and then bouncing balls on top of it whilst shaking it madly.

DD did used to take the badges off at first but after 2 or 3 times she got used to it and just left it there - told her it was her special sticker. Tumble Tots had them as there were quite a few children I guess. Adults didn't though so I never knew their names!

codswallop · 16/01/2004 10:25

they coulsd wear them all night Zebra!

codswallop · 16/01/2004 10:26

well, not amazing but ok
Bad for your hair tho!

Enid · 16/01/2004 10:27

Definitely a highchair or two (no group I have ever been to have had these), a separate tinies area, some beanbags for tinies to crawl over, a heavy push along toy suitable for new walkers (rather than the toy buggies and shopping trolleys that tip over if you aren't very good at walking), decaf coffee and REAL coffee (in fact my ideal group would have some sort of fantastic cappucino machine!!), SUGAR!! (am I the only person in Dorset that takes sugar in her coffee?), a craft activity and singing at the end.

miriamw · 16/01/2004 10:28

I'd rather ds was eating a sticky label for unusual nourishment rather than eating another child. We don't have labels, but wish we did at times.

Any form of "cooking" (usually just decorating biscuits) seems to go down very well at ours.

The parachute is great, though mine just didn't get it until they were 2.

Hulababy · 16/01/2004 10:29

Hoestly, the children were all so excitied when they saw it coming out. They only had it on the last session before each half term but recognised it straight away. The older ones always knew it was coming too so were excited the whole session. It was always a huge hit!

Hulababy · 16/01/2004 10:31

They used it with ALL the classess too. Gymbabes to Gymbobs, so 6 and 7 month olds to 5 and 6 year olds. DD loved watching it the first time, aged 8 months but adored it the next time at a year old and kept running underneath it the whole time.