Drop on play sessions/toddler groups in Hammersmith or Kingston

[jane313]

Does anyone know of any central ones? Its the only place I can meet my friend who has no car as an alternative to wrecking her flat every week. I had a look at netmums and the council websites but most only had phone numbers and I was feeling lazy so thought I would try here instead!

no? Oh well I'd better get on the phone tomorrow then. I think every shoppiong centre should be forced to have a soft play area to make my life easier!

come to Abacus on thursdays or Fridays. It's on the Cambridge Estate - and I know that might put you off, but it's great. It 's structured, has a sit down and juice time, singing at the end. The mums are all asked to sign up for a job (making coffee, doing the craft table, washing up after coffee) which makes it completely uncliquey - no groups of chairs for grown ups to sit as and not move from all morning - you have to move around and I love it! (am always raving about it, in fact...)

hello jane313, how about blueberry playsongs? website is www.blueberry.clara.co.uk

I have not been, but have the families west london newsletter next to me.

Ravenscourt Park is good all round and has a One O'Clock club which costs £1.50 I think per child for 2 hour session including snacks and drink. It's a nursery usually so there's lots of toys (although slightly shabby if you care about things like that) and adults can get coffee. The cafe further down is very good and, although there's no inside play area (although there are3 seats inside) it's full of mums and kids who usually play outside on the 3 or 4 bits of equipment or mostly run around in the enclosed area hiding in the wooded bit.

Now if you go down to Chiswick there's much more there...

there's a drop in mother and toddler group i think every morning at the Bradmore Park Neighbourhood Centre on Bradmore Park Rd in Hammersmith. I think it's from 10-12

jane313, if you get in touch with Kingston Early Years Information Service they will give you a massive list of all the parent and toddler groups. I think there's one in the church opposite John Lewis and there's definitely one in the Methodist church the other side of Fairfield Recreation ground to the bus station. Also ds and I used to catch the bus to one in the Hawker centre on Richmond Road

Hatter, I have wondered about the Cambridge Estate one and as ds1 is changing his days at nursery we might give it a go soon. I especially like uncliquey groups with singing

Thanks very much. They all sound great. I shall get that list and look into all the others.

jane, the best one I ever went to in all my toddler group years (and this is across several london boroughs) was the Salvation Army playgroup in Hammersmith. Cannot for the life of me remember the name of the road but it's right near Ravenscourt Park tube. It was BRILLIANT and everyone wanted to go to it. THe couple who ran it were fantastic - the husband played the guitar for songs, they had craft for the older kids and a lovely big room for playing. The Bradmore Park Road one was also fantastic and well run. Both had great snacks and organised seasonal parties.

Nearer Kingston way, there's a fantastic one o clock club at Marble Hill (though this is more Richmond than Kingston) but can't remember when it is open (think it's open some months in the year and not others) and there is a place in Kingston (think it is called the Hawker centre?) where playgroups take place.

Thanks, just found it, in Dalling Road. I thinks ive been to a pub there. Heres what they run

Pebbles Toddler Groups
Monday and Wednesday 10 ? 12

Pebbles Baby Group
(for under 18 months) Thursday 10-12

Stepping Stones
Toddler Group with a difference ? Friday 10-12
Bible Stories, Songs, Craft, fellowship and fun

I think I went to the Monday one. They did occasionally sing some religious songs but other than that, it was pretty much anything goes. All faiths and all types of people went there (which I always thought made it quite nice!). The Bradmore Park Road one was completely community based and had no religious bias at all and I think, didn't mind occasional visitors (whereas the Sally army one may have a waiting list - but that may well have changed).

It's on that bit of Dalling road which ends up on King Street (i.e. away from the railway bridge towards the main road rather than back towards the pub you're thinking of!).

should say it's been well over a year since I've been there but I heard from a friend who was still in the area that they still run and are still good!

I'll call them to see if they have a list. Some of the kingston ones do too. I've never come across that before

go to www.netmums.com there is a section for Hammersmith and Fulham and one for Kingston too, I believe. It will have most of the Toddler group listings for the Borough