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

[steppemum]

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.

that was potty train, obviously

sorry to bring this back to the top again, but I was wondering if anyone could answer this question:
How many mums/kids do you normally get at your group? I know that will depend on the size of the room, but what is your maximum? Do you turn people away if you are "full"

Yes, you need a clear policy as to what 'full' is, and you need to be firm about sending people away.

I used to help with a toddler group in a 'relatively small' room. We didn't have ride-on toys, and the children were mainly U3s, and we coped with up to 25 children (plus their parents/carers).

Here we have a HUGE room, have big play equipment - slides, trampolines, etc., and age range up to 4.5. We have a limit of 50, (which we occasionally reach). The room could cope with more, but we sit them down for a snack, and logistically that's tricky with large numbers, and we don't have enough little chairs and tables ... or anywhere to store them if we bought more! These are all the sorts of practicalities you need to consider, as they will define your boundaries.

thanks kmg1, I have no idea how many we'll get, but I'm trying to anticipate issues so that we don't end up with problems on day one. I know some of the questions sound daft, I'm really trying to see how others work. I could just go with my instincts, but experience has taught me that others often have an different slant which can be useful.

that's interesting steppemum - about the potty training from 1 yr etc. There was a thread ages ago about never putting nappies on a child and training them to use the potty from 6 months - the technique has a name but I can't remember what it is - this was all coming from an american woman who had taught her children to do it.

whats the latest sm?