how do you find out about children's activities and classes in your area?

[Kitoma]

I don’t have many mom friends in the town that I live in (we moved after baby was born) and struggle to find out what activities and classes are available in my neighbourhood for children. What sources so you use? How do you stay up to date on all the activities?
Thanks!

Facebook, google, local faith based groups websites, posters in the local area, chatting to people in the park/soft play/cafe.

I googled and sent a few emails where there were contact details and ended up going to the ones that got back to me. You could go to your local family centre or library rhyme time session to start and see if you can chat to some mum's there and see what they recommend.

Do you have the 'Lots for Tots' magazine in your area? It's free from most libraries and is a mine of info!

Go to the local library - they'll have lots of magazines advertising activities.
this is good if it covers your area

The app Hoop is amazing you put in your postcode and it tells you what is on each day.

your local community centre may run baby/ toddler groups. Have a look.

Thank you ladies for all the great suggestions. Downloaded Hoop, it is really good!

Your MN Local site, obvs .

Are you in the UK?
I've mainly found stuff by Googling and by looking at posters in the library/cafe/nursery, or by asking other parents.
What age are your children?

Children's centres perhaps? We have a few round here and they have some sort of activity on each day, minimal fee of about a pound. Also agree with the library suggestions!

I was new-ish to the area and knew no-one when I had DD1. I used children's centres a lot as they are cheap/free and well organised. The staff are good at befriending new faces and they still run during the school hols, when playgroups often don't. Mine gave me a list of all the local playgroups and I tried a few from that. Some are/were great, others one visit was enough! It's finding one that suits you so don't get disheartened if the first few you try are awful I also looked up and signed up to baby swimming classes which were good (although very expensive!). Once DD1 was on the move I took her to smaller softplays and made friends there too.

Our children's centres (I think) produce a magazine, the mid-Sussex one is called Grapevine, which lists all the local parent and toddler groups and classes, and had loads of adverts for other things. Library, children's centres and local nurseries see or have copies for you to pick up.

Our health visitors have a Facebook page with groups listed.

familiesonline.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk you reckon? I always find their listings a bit generic and samey. Good for an overview and big school hols days out/treats but really for local activities?