Experience of church run baby groups?

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I have been struggling to find local baby groups or classes to start attending with my 4 month old, especially ones where we can drop in rather than committing to a whole term of expensive classes. The ones I’ve found so far are run by local churches but I’m slightly nervous about attending as I’m not religious. Most are poorly advertised online so I was wondering if they are mainly targeted at regular attendees of the church and everyone will know each other already. The best advertised one mentions Bible stories at the end - my DD is too young to understand them anyway but seems like the group might be targeted specifically at Christians? I guess there is only one way to find out what they are like but was just wondering what your experience is of church based baby groups if you are not religious or not a Christian?

Went to one that was awful, Bible stories, religious songs etc. They were friendly but it wasn't wasn't suitable environment for I'd say 1+ year olds who might start picking things up.
Another was great though and they never bought religion into it.

Our local church group was the best baby group to get into, with a waiting list! They did a cute baby sing about Jesus at the start each week, then nothing else after that. The ladies that ran it were lovely, repeatedly bringing us cake and tea, while we mums sat and chatted. Loved it!

Ours had no religious content at all!!

Our local one is lovely. Since Covid we don’t go anymore because it now has a waiting list / limited numbers.

I’m Jewish so definitely not interested in the religious aspect but that doesn’t matter the ladies who run ours are so lovely and welcoming.

From experience they don't care about your religion but that's just my experience. I found them cliquey. I once asked to join one via e-mail and got a course I will pass it on and never got a response. I'm sure the person forgot but the same person (in charge of the group) had sat opposite me at a church coffee morning and completely ignored me and my DC, it was very strange. I got the feeling they are selective. Tried not to dwell on it and decided we would do our own thing. Church groups seem not to care about your background but they can be very cliquey. I'm sure others have had better experiences and I look forward to hearing about them on this thread.

As above- two church run in our village, one fabulous and not specifically religious and the other (I didn't attend) had some bible story content each week. If you can't find someone who goes (try local Facebook groups for recommendations) just give it a shot!

I run an NCT one which is welcoming to everyone regardless of whether they are NCT or not.

The church ones I went to were also super welcoming. Some had a bible story at the end but that was fine.

I'm not Christian and I didn't feel they were trying to convert me.

Pop along and see what you think

Very friendly and welcoming, with no or very little religious content. I've been to many and they are amongst the best, because they are very accepting.
They often provide hot drinks and snacks for the kids as well and can be more spacious then other settings.

I went to one in a Methodist church hall, and there was no religious element to it at all (other than they didn't like to do anything overtly Halloweeny).

They did good tea and toast, and they did a brilliant Xmas party.

I've never been to one with bible stories, and would probably avoid that one. Most of them are just using the hall because it's a handy big space, but not actually religious at all. Just try a few, if you enjoy it go back, if you get weird vibes try somewhere else.

The one I used to go to was very friendly, good way to meet local people with similar aged children. They did have bible stories/songs but they were right at the end and just used to leave before they started. I assume they put them at the end so they were optional and I went regularly and everyone was friendly so not an issue to swerve the religion.
Go along and see what you think. At least when they are run by a church you know what you are getting, I went to another which was parent run in a community hall and one week the vicar rocked up midway through and started singing goddy songs. Was such a shock I upped and left in disgust.

We went to a few different baby groups - the church one served cake for the parents. Obvious winner for me 😄

I go to 3 different church groups a week with my 18 month old and none of them have any religious content at all. One of them seems to be mainly for people who attend the church and everyone knows each other but the other two are more inclusive.

I went to one that had bible stories and they played hymns through the speakers so didn't go back to that one.

I like the church groups as they're always friendly, cheap, offer snacks etc rather than the £10 a session structured groups

I'm not religious at all and the one that I took my little boy to was the most welcoming baby group we went to. The women who ran it were lovely, remembered our names straight away and always plenty of tea and biscuits. Lots of toys out, sang songs and nursery rhymes with musical instruments at the end and they did a religious story in another room but optional if the kids wanted to go along. Give it a go!

They're all different. Ours is not at all religious on a week to week basis but they do offer a mini Christmas and easter church service if you want to go.

I’d say the church members are the minority it’s more childminders than anything. The ones I’ve been to over the years have a very short age appropriate toddler bible story and maybe one song but other than that you’d not know it was a religious group. The crafts and songs are the normal sort of nursery rhymes etc.

I don't remember religious content to the one I went to but it's not like they are a standard think like a school with a set curriculum. Is guess each one is unique to the person running it

Overwhelmingly no religious content (except maybe craft might be Christmassy in December)
Overwhelmingly there for the whole community, not members of the Church
Overwhelmingly being subsidised by the Church members who want to provide a warm welcome for everyone, of any faith or no faith at all.

Separately many Churches do run a 'messy Church' now where the clue is in the name, and that will have bible stories and crafts etc to do with stories from the bible. You still don't need to believe or treat the stories other than just that - stories, but there is an expectation that you will cover festivals such as Harvest Festival, Christmas etc and you will hear stories such as Noah's Ark.

The ones I went to (one Catholic Church, one C of E) had zero religious content and everyone was welcome. Not well advertised online but I think that was because they were volunteer run and those churches didn’t have much online presence in their own right. There were posters up on local noticeboards and the like, and they definitely weren’t intended for parishioners only. They were great actually, free, nice people and you got a cup of tea and a biscuit!

Ours is lovely, a bit religious eg a song about Jesus and a bible story each week. But the place is a godsend (pardon the pun)

Free tea and cake and little old ladies who love to help with the kids. And they have the best toys!

Church groups that I’ve been to have been super welcoming and whilst there might be (at most) a religious story or song or Christmas activity or something, it’s totally optional and low key. Definitely not a word of “which church do you go to?” Or “why don’t you join our bible study?” Or anything scary!

Our local church group was actually the one I enjoyed the most, there were bible stories and songs but were very child friendly. I say this as someone who is not into religion at all

The church ones tend to be lovely and kind, I’m not remotely religious but they were always so welcoming when I took my little ones, usually very cheap and turn up when you want, with tea and cakes and often older ladies who help and who are incredibly kind. Just try a few out and find one that you like. Many, if the are need your local school, are great places to make friends with other parents of children your child will eventually go to school with. My eldest is 14 now and I am still friends with the mums I met in his first playgroup

Church playgroups were the only ones I went to when mine were small, I loved them because you didn't have to commit to attending weekly, they gave coffee and cake and were very inexpensive. I found them a range of no Bible content all and a Bible story and Christian songs at the end. No one ever invited me to church (I was open to it!) or any kind of evangelism. My children go to a Church of England school now and there is a lot more Christian emphasis.

I went to five different church-run baby groups over the years. Most of them had some very low-key religious content (a story about Noah's Ark, or a lively Christian song like Who Put The Colours In The Rainbow? at the end. There was no praying together or pressure to start attending church though. They're run as a service to the community, not recruitment drives, and all of the ones I attended were friendly groups run by lovely, supportive ladies, with a great selection of toys and crafts to enjoy. I made some good friends at these groups and I really appreciated the support I got in those first confusing months of motherhood.