Starting playgroup with COVID restrictions

[Bee3214]

My 2 year old is starting playgroup and I have to hand her over at the gate. I don’t even get to settle her, she’s too young to know when I’ll be coming back to collect her.
She’s never been looked after by anyone else before but she is social and confident. I was just wondering how to del with this, if she’s screaming should I still let them take her? Anyone experienced taking toddler to playgroup during the pandemic?

My toddler just had his first ever session at nursery too. I wasn't allowed in (as would've been allowed pre-Covid) - just basically had to hand him over to a masked stranger and it was shit. You're not alone

I'd talk to her about it before hand, then in the day hand her over quickly with a big smile and tell her to have fun and you'll see her soon. Don't let her see you worried or sad about it. I actually think children settle better on the whole when there are clear boundaries - staying for 20 minutes or whatever can get really confusing.

I've found that my two have settled better with being handed over at the gate. The prolonged goodbye of me taking them in was worse. Nursery and preschool have said the same for all their children. They've actually said they aren't going back to the old way.

My 2 year old is great going in and just waves goodbye.

Thanks for the replies. Yeah I’m really nervous about it, wish they could just make exceptions for a first day, I just wanted to get her involved in an activity and then leave.

As she is only 2 and a few months, I don’t know how much she would understand if I tell her about what’s going to be happening.

I know it might sound easier to distract her, but actually imo I think it's better to be clear that you are leaving. My daughter understood a lot at that age, more than her speech gave away. Good luck!

Mine started just after she turned two in November. Then was off from Christmas to last week.

We were not allowed in.

First week we did a half hour meet outside in playground with helpers taking them in for five minutes.

Second week off they went. She absolutely loves it and there have been no issues at all.