How much do you pay for toddler groups?

[lulumamasmentee]

Is it just me or do they seem to be getting really expensive. I currently pay about £3.50 to £4.00 for some groups that DD goes to which to me seems very reasonable. They last for a good amount of time (1hr to 1hr 30 mins), there are refreshments and the activities are really varied etc etc.

But today I went to a pregnancy/baby fair type thing and some of the people advertising their groups there seemed to have ridiculous prices ie £6 to £7 a session and you have to book and pay for a certain amount of sessions all at once (and if you miss a session you don't get to make them up), I thought that seemed really unreasonable for what were only 30 to 45min sessions doing the same thing we do at this other group.

But then I might just be being tight? so what does everybody else pay for these type of groups ie treasure baskets, art and crafts etc

What, just coffee morning type groups? Or do you leave the children there?

We charge £1 per family. 1 1/2 hours, always a craft and refreshments. And we are well in the black.

We pay £1.50 per family. It lasts 90 mins and includes a craft (usually fairly basic but, heck, they're toddlers not art students!), outdoor play if it's fine, and a healthy snack - Rocks squash and fruit. Occasionally cake if there's a birthday. But our rent is really cheap so that's why the cost is so low.

£2 for a family, 1.5hours, craft stuff,tea/squash biscuit for kids

The ones around here are £0.50, £1 or £2 for 1.5 hours, tea/coffee and biscuit included. Where are you LM? That sounds very expensive.

£1 per family to cover a drink for the kids and a biccie. Cup of tea for parent. Activities organised

Well, I only do one and that's Mucky Pups, which costs £4.50 for about an hour and a quarter.

I wouldn't want to pay much more, that's for sure.

And the local village playgroup is £1.00 for about an hour 1/2.

No not leaving children there, kind of music, parachute games, refreshments and arts and crafts type of things.

So I was right in thinking that some of these groups I saw today were bloody expensive then

we pay £2.50 - £3, some include squash and biccies, some don't. what really bugs me at the mo is as dd is now over 1 some expect me to pay full for her too. so somedays it's £6 for 2 hours play, bit much imo

the most I pay is £3, but we get organic food and wafty crafts for that (and NO bloody squash of any kind)

going rate is more 50p-£1 around here, i only go to the wafty group because its attatched to the kindergarten ds is at and which dd will attend sooner or later, so it acclimatises her. also any profits go to ds's kindergarten, so i don't much care.

£1. Includes healthy snack.

£1.50

Squash & biscuits for the children.

Coffee / tea & biscuits for adults.

Loads of toys out. Craft activities if the children want to do them. Sing-a-long session at the end.

Lasts 2 hours.

I go to 2 groups.

1 is £2.10, for 2 hours, includes one cup of tea and unhealthy biscuit. Soft play.

1 is £2. 2 hours, unlimited tea, whatever snacks they provide, sometimes biscuits sometimes fruit and activities as well.

Maybe I'm stingy but I think £4 is too much!

Yes we get organic food stuffs too and a hhhuuuggggeee range of teas so I don't mind paying the £4 cause its a really good group. But six or seven quid for 45 mins seemed ridiculous and the not being able to miss a session bit seemed quite harsh too.

OOh yeah, £7 is above and beyond. There are some like that round by me, they are about £40 a term for a 30 min session a week.

£7!!!!!!!!!

One I go to is free but we take it in turns to bring the milk. Kids get a drink & a biscuit. The other one costs £2. Neither has any structured activities but plenty of toys, paper, play doh etc. Both last a couple of hours. I also take DS to JoJingles which is about £4 and is structured, singing, movement & music for 1 hour.

Thats what I was trying to think of, it's per term so if you miss a few sessions in the term you don't get to make them up, it's not like you have bought a certain amount of classes?

Who pays these prices, I can't see how they would be much different to my other groups??

The best one round where I live (and there are loads) is 50p per child and its huge - 2 large rooms (one with climbing frame and bikes etc), 1 small room and another room dedicated to crafts. You get a drink for child and tea/coffee for adult and biscuits all round. A bargain methinks (this is in London too 1).

Others round here are £1.50 ish.

£7?
I pay 60p per child (I take 2 kids) on a Thursday at local church hall, includes tea/coffee for mums, juice, fruit, snacks for kids and massive selection of toys and activities, for 2 hours. Others I go to in the area tend to be 50p per adult or child, or £1 per family, again mostly at church halls and include cuppa, juice, fruit, snacks, games, singsong etc etc etc.

You think 1 to 1.5 hours is a good length of time for £3.50/£4??

I don't mind paying the £4 for that group because it's structured activities etc, i'm not sure if I would pay it for other groups we go to where the children just do their own thing and played and I didn't feel like the money was actually being earnt by someone IYKWIM.

We do go to a free play session which we don't pay for because its with Surestart and i wouldn't pay £4 for that because there isn't actually anybody doing anything for the money just kind of supervising.

I don't think i'm making any sense

£1.25 for an hour and a half in a church hall with coffee squash and (oh my god i love them!)pink wafer biscuits.

Kids in the middle with toys and craft area mums around the edge...though we are allowed to do sticking if we really want to.

Our most expensive is Tumbletots £78 a term....I close my eyes and write the cheque cos DD loves it so much!

ps what is IYKWIM?

£1.50 10am-12pm
Children get drink,fruit and biscuit.
Adults get tea/coffee,biscuit if there are any spare!

I go to two at 50p each for 1.5 hours.
Tea, juice, biscuits, activities, story and music all included.

They are both run by churches and staffed by volunteers. There are groups for £4 a go but they tend to be the type where you have to pay for a whole term at a time, and get no credit/refund if you can't go.

If you know what I mean

We used to do Tumbletots but it was just too expensive and your not allowed to carry over sessions there either I don't think?