French-speaking playgroups or classes for toddlers around Surrey / Berkshire

[ClairJS]

Hi - I'm looking for any French speaking playgroups / meet-ups or even classes for toddlers (my dd turned 2 in August). I am trying to speak French with her at home (I only just started though) and she has a basic understanding of everyday routines, and is starting to say a few words. But I am kicking myself now as I really should have started from day 1 and just feel I've left it a little late. Also I am the only French speaker in the house (not native, but did French degree then lived there for a few years). I am pretty rusty but I figure teaching her something is better than nothing! Basically I'm after any other form of back-up so she hears as much French around her as possible. Has anyone got any suggestions? We live near to Woking. Thanks in advance!

Hi ClairJS,
I'm French and I live in Bracknell. I run a network of French Speaking parents: we have a group on Facebook "Parents Francophones dans le Berkshire » ". Please join us! We try to meet once in a while so that the children (and their parents!) meet in a French speaking environment. We also have a live blog and a separate resources blog. Please let me know if you're interested and I'll send you the links in a pm.
Thanks! S.

Just to encourage you, OP, I also started late speaking non-native French to my ds - he was 2.2. He is now 4.5 and speaks French pretty well and understands better than I do sometimes. I also wanted to find French environments for him but haven't really found them, we watch lots of DVDs in French, have CDs in French and play on BayM and Genikids in French. 2 is not too late in my experience.

Hi Suki52 - yes please, that sounds absolutely great, do send me the link - thank you! :)

Chocolatecrispies - that's v encouraging, thank you for letting me know. These first few weeks I have found myself wondering if I will ever get there. So it's good to hear that perseverance pays off. If my dd can get to the point where she's understanding the majority and managing to converse pretty well I'll be delighted.

I'd love links too! My three kids are half French. They understand it, but need more practice than only Papa can provide! We're near Basingstoke.

DGMommy - I just found "Parents Francophones dans le Berkshire" on FB and joined. Looks like they have regular meet-ups - maybe one coming up in the Christmas hols?

I recommend dora l'exploratrice and Mickey mouse clubhouse - just switch the language! Meetups have never worked as well for us as I thought they should as the children don't really talk to each other much (or they use English!) and my ds prefers to talk to me than to other adults.

Hi ClairJS - I'm in the same boat as you and live nr Weybridge. I have spoken some French to my toddler from being a baby, but feel I should have done more. I am now really upping the French. If you find any playgroups/ meet ups I'd be interested! :)

Hi JJCseventysix - I haven't found any playgroups or meet-ups but I have found someone living in Byfleet who is a native French teacher and she is going to do regular 'fun sessions' with my little one starting in January. She actually has a bilingual son who is the same age so is just going to do 30 mins of nursery rhymes, singing etc with them both once a week and then take it from there. Would sth like that be of interest to you?

I also had someone recommend a Saturday school (1, 2, 3 Soleil) but it's in Maidenhead and is for children who are 3+ years and already fully bilingual. I'm going to one of their open days though in February.

Hi ClairJS,

I have also been looking for a French speaking playgroup in the Surrey area. My daughter is nearly two and we are planning on relocating to France at the end of 2013 when we have finished renovating our house out there. I am very keen that my daughter gets used to hearing French and playing in French so that when we move it won't be too much of a shock for her.

I would be interested in finding out more about the French teacher in Byfleet and the "fun sessions" which she is offering and whether there would be an opportunity for us to join it too!

Hi NellieO - we've had a couple of the sessions now and it's going really well. I'll ask the teacher if I can pass her email address / tel number on to you in a PM so you can contact her direct. My dd seems to have heaps of fun there - she doesn't want to leave at the end of the session!

Hi NellieO - I sent you the teacher's email in a PM. Hope you got it ok. :)

Hello all!

A few families of the French speaking parents network of Berkshire will be meeting to eat pancakes for the French Pancake Day early February in the Bracknell area. Please pm me if you're interested and would like to come, and I'll send you the details! It is very informal and everybody is bringing pancakes/waffles/beignets and takes leftovers back home. :-)

Also, I post links and info on the Réseau des Parents Francophones du Berkshire page on Facebook: it's a public page so please feel free to have a look.

Ladies, just stumbled across this thread. I can highly highly recommend Chattertots Francais.

It's a local French language class based in Englefield green which has been introducing little ones (6mths-5yrs) to French for almost seven years now. However new classes have been introduced in Virginia water just this last week as well as more classes in Englefield green. My sons and

I have been going for 4.5yrs and it's fab. Just toddler fun, in French. Songs, stories, games etc. there are free trial sessions available at the moment. Contact via Facebook page Facebook.com/chattertotsfrancais for more info.

Hi the. Not too sure if I am too late to ask something on this but I am english and my partner is french. Our daughter is 3months old and we want her to be bilingual. We are guildford based and I'd love to get the contact for the class in by fleet. Would you be able to send it? Thanks!

Hi Everyone
I just read this thread and apart from Dannifurniss who posted recently, I am not sure if the people are still around...Anyway, I have just arrived in guildford after three years spent in Middlesex and I have just created a facebook group called Familles francophones de Guildford (surrey). If you would like to discuss and/ or meet up , please join the group!

Hi,

I am looking for a Francophone Playgroup for preschool children. I am French and I have a 1 year baby boy. Did any mum found one near Basingstoke?

Hi all, please take a look at our Bilingual music classes (French and Spanish) which run in Surrey, Berks, Hants and more!

www.bilinguasing.com
[email protected]
07815 149877

Hi,
Not sure how active this thread is these days but thought I'd give it a go. I was also hoping to find other mums in the Farnham/surrounding area for some French speaking play dates. My daughter is 2.5 and understands French and speaks a fair bit but English is the dominant language at the moment and as it's only me speaking French to her I realise I need to push it a little more to succeed! If anyone is keen to meet up do get in touch.

Hi,
We have a 1 year old and a French Au Pair who speaks French to her but we would love to meet up with some other french speaking children for play dates. She doesn't 'talk' much yet but our au pair will obviously speak French to the little ones.

I realise that this thread is a bit old now, but for those who are near Basingstoke and are still looking for a French playgroup, we run one on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Please visit our Facebook page (search: Linguatastic) and feel free to contact us for further details, if interested.

Hi I have a Parisian au pair who's been here for 2 weeks. I would like for her to attend some playgroups to make some friends and gain some confidence. We are Croydon based. Do any of you know anything local to here?

linguatastic - I'll definitely check out your FB page!

My son is 3.5 and I have a little girl due in mid March. Any play date groups for French speaking kids in the Hampshire/Berkshire/Wiltshire area?