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Original poster

Parent & Toddler Groups - Is this normal?

24 replies

bumbleweed · 27/09/2006 16:21

Went to one with a friend for the first time today in local community centre, because our babies are crawling and starting to toddle now and they need space to move around free of constant restrictions.

Only thing was there were loads of 3-4 year old boys tearing round and round on trikes and little cars and there was nowhere for the toddlers to crawl safely without their fingers getting ridden over. So I was constantly grabbing her and moving her to the baby area - but that consisted of a square of carpet with a few toys on, and she did not want to stay there!

I expected it to be mostly younger children as I thought thats what toddlers were.

Will we find the same at other groups?

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misdee · 27/09/2006 16:22

probably.

Nemo1977 · 27/09/2006 16:23

Same in most groups... I have a near 3yr old and a 9mth old who I take to the same toddler group. Ds is now getting close to being in the oldest group which there are about 10 of them that age. The only bonus with my group is that there are 2 rooms a huge hall where all bikes etc are and a smaller room that is not allowed the cars and bikes in.

Fimbo · 27/09/2006 16:24

I have been to a few that sound the same tbh. But I did go to one where the ride-on toys were in a separate area. It depends on the hall really.

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beckybrastraps · 27/09/2006 16:24

Younger children often have older brothers or sisters!

In our village we have a number of playgroups. SOme just up to 18mo, some from 18mo and some for all ages. You have to cater for everyone!

laneydaye · 27/09/2006 16:25

Think its kids as old as 3, my dd is 2 and i make her very aware of the babies on the carpeted area... not sure what advice to give really apart from its called mother and toddler group and i suppose they are still classed as toddlers till around 3... have a word with the organisers maybe. Good luck..

Peggotty · 27/09/2006 16:25

Yes, it's like that at mine. It think that they are usually a bit of a free-for-all in that respect. The 'baby' area isn't much use for babies who want to crawl etc. You're probably going to have to get used to snatching your baby out of the way of marauding kids on trikes/cars/pushing prams. Good luck! it's good fun really (sarcastic face)

Sparkler1 · 27/09/2006 16:26

Parent and Toddler groups in our area tend to go up to school starting age. I finished going just before the summer holidays with dd - she started school this term. I had to keep my eye on her with the little ones around.

Babounette · 27/09/2006 16:28

We have a toddler group where they have a separate room for the babies. However, it is not great for older toddlers (2.5 ~ 3 yo) so I tend not go there...
All the others are similar to the one you described

Original poster

bumbleweed · 27/09/2006 18:44

oooh I wasnt suggesting that 3 year olds shouldnt be in the groups - if it came out that way. there were a few mums there with older toddlers and babies too, and it must be really convenient to have somewhere where you can go with both

guess it was just my expectation which clashed with reality and needing to check what's the norm. I think a distinct area for the trikes as a few people have described would be much better, but I think not enough space in the hall at this place ... I will check out a couple more to see if set up different

thanks for replying

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hana · 27/09/2006 19:04

there's one or two around me that are just for babies, or non walkers for that very reason! I have to entertain a 5 year old as well in the afternoons for the autumn term - can't have a 5, nearly 2 and a newborn all at the same playgroup though.........!

Surfermum · 27/09/2006 19:09

At mine they section off one side of the hall for the charging up and down on trikes and the like. It works really well.

heifer · 27/09/2006 23:13

We are in a large hall, which we devide up to different areas.

Almost half of the hall is for toddlers bikes etc, we just devide with chairs, then the rest is baby area on the lefthandside and toddlers "quite play"[hmmm] on the right hand side.

Since we have have more babies recently we have made a point of ensuring all bikes etc stay in their zone....

CarolinaMoon · 27/09/2006 23:19

around here, the 3 and 4yo are mostly at pre-school when toddler groups are on, so not many over-2s at all.

I would try a different group tbh, see if it's better elsewhere. They can vary quite a bit even in the same area.

Clary · 27/09/2006 23:22

we have just stopped going to toddler group with DS2 (a bit actually) as he has started nursery school in the ams.
TBH he was getting a bit big for it as of course all the toys have to be baby friendly (ie no playmobil etc).
Most toddler groups are for pre-schoolers, as becky says, 1yos often have 3yo siblings.

To be fair, if my child was tearing round like a mad thing at risk to others I would stop him. But it was never a prob at our group, maybe because it was a really lovely big hall, plus the kids all knew to be careful.

LizP · 28/09/2006 20:27

Ours separates the bikes from the rest of the hall. I've just started going again with ds3 and was commenting how I had stopped going with ds2 as all the 1st time mummies spent the whole time glaring at him being a normal active little boy. Of course those same children now behave in a far worse way than he ever did and are totally ignored by their parents.

prettymum · 28/09/2006 20:34

the one i go to is really good, it has a big section for 0- 18 months which has a lot of toys and the rest for ages up to four. they also have a room for arts and craft and a very good out door area!! very happy with mine!

jellybeans · 30/09/2006 15:27

I took my boys till they were 3.5 and made sure they were out the way of babies but to object to 3 year olds being there is abit OTT they have as much right as babies. But for as many toddlers running riot there were babies not being watched and wondering to the path of the older kids.

Original poster

bumbleweed · 30/09/2006 15:54

jellybeans - I didnt, as you put it 'object' to 3 year olds being there, I think if you read my OP I was saying what I had found contrasted with what I had expected. I was asking if 3 year olds capable of tearing round on trikes classed as toddlers. And I was asking if this was normal.

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Original poster

bumbleweed · 30/09/2006 15:55

thanks for everyone else for telling me there are groups where everyone is catered for because they are set up / organised better

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jellybeans · 30/09/2006 16:39

I just meant it in general, probably worded it wrong but didn't mean to offend The best groups I went to were at churches and were organised with volunteers and had specific baby areas and toddler areas with bikes etc .

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 30/09/2006 20:38

do try a few different groups. If you're lucky enough to have a few to choose from you'll probably find them all subtely different. My favourite was one where you had an hour of table-type toys - jigsaws, play-doh, train set, a craft table etc. then cleared all that up, had a drink and biscuit, then got ride on toys out, then singing at the end. with something like that you can always leave for the ride on bit. Quite a few have ride-on things seperately. Look for something that has some structure/organisation - not one where the sum total of thought is to get some toys out all at once and all in the same place

alex8 · 30/09/2006 21:03

thats a bit much saying the "sum total of thought". The people who run these are volunteers giving up their free time or often with their own children to look after. Just because they don't always offer a full pre-school curriculum doesn't mean the children enjoy it any less.

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 30/09/2006 21:14

ime it's precisely the ones run by volunteers that are the best. The ones run by the mums are even better (which is how mine was - everyone who went contributed something ie I was a regular and willing volunteer) The ones i had in mind were commercially-run ones - there are a couple round me, and believe me, there is no thought at all - apart from how much they can get away with charging and how little they get away with providing.

alex8 · 30/09/2006 21:19

really? thats annoying if they are commercially run. The commercial ones near us are quite good but pricey. The one I help at has me (plus bad back) and couple of over 70s who just about manage to get the toys out before collapsing. We make up for it in friendliness though which is the most important factor if you haven't got a mum gang with you.

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