Playgroup - help

[jenjenj]

Hi everyone! Hope you're all well.

My little boy starts Playgroup on the 22nd January (this is all new to me so forgive me if my questions sound silly.)
They have been extremely sparse with their information. I have emailed asking them to clarify certain things, and they have been sending out emails regularly, just not any answers to my questions.

So I'm just looking for a bit of advice on your Playgroup experiences.

First of all - how often do you pay for Playgroup?
I haven't been notified of how I pay for it and payday isn't until the 26th January so I want to be prepared incase I need to fork out £100+ for a month and their £20 admission fee before payday.

Secondly - have any of your LO's had a Playgroup that offers an outdoor session? Every Friday my son will be spending 3 hours in a woodland area. They ask that I bring waterproofs.. do you send your children in all in one puddle suits (I think they're called?) and wellies?
Or just their regular clothes with a nice cosy waterproof jacket?

For the day that he is indoors - they have asked for indoor shoes.. will a little pair of Asda slip on plimsolls be suffice?

I may be looking into this way too much (I'm going slightly delirious through panicking) but I am just thinking of all the £££ I need to spend whilst my bank account is quietly screaming "noooooo."
Seeing as he also needs a backpack, and some more trousers as Santa never brought any, as well as everything listed above.

Hearing of any experiences you've had with the above would be much appreciated. Xx

Oops also - my Playgroup have a parent duty rota which is making me nervous. I have a 1 and a half year old aswell as my 2 and a half year old (who will be attending the Playgroup) I have wrote to them to say I have his sibling with me, what am I supposed to do? Again - to no reply. In their email they mentioned no exceptions unless you have a baby under 6 months etc..

What have you done whilst being rota'd for parent duty if you have a younger sibling with you?

First of all. Calm down
You aren't silly to worry - we all have with our first, and then look back and wonder what we were ever wondering about. (You'll also worry before he starts school, then secondary school, then university, and along the way first cub camp, first school residential, etc.,etc ). If you are worrying, then it isn't a silly question.

Now, to answer them. Difficult for us to be sure as every playgroup is different. The fact you are on a volunteers rota suggests to me this is probably a church, or other community group running for the benefit of the community, and, more than likely the staff are volunteers too.

How often you pay - will depend on the playgroup. 99% will listen if you talk to them, and explain you don't get paid until X date, and can you just pay £Y for now and give the rest on pay day.
Clothing - it sounds as if it is a trip offsite ? In which case an all in one suits and wellies sounds ideal. Before buying specially though, check with them, as the sight might provide them. Some Nurseries do.
Indoor shoes - yes, i'm sure Asda plimsolls will be fine, or it might just be their ordinary shoes and then wellies for outside.
Backpack - is normal to have their own bag with a change of clothes so if child has an accident (might spill drink or get clothes wet from water play, not just a toileting accident) the y have something of their own to put on at the time. Doesn't need to be anything particular - usually one of those drawstring bags would be fine if you don't have a backpack.
Rota - you just take the younger one along and they get to have fun too. Honestly, they will have it all the time. Relax, and enjoy .

Backforgood thank you so much for your response.

You've put my mind at ease! I think I just need to chill haha. I'm not very patient though so as soon as I email someone, I expect a reply yesterday I'm sure they'll respond soon to fill in all the blanks.

I just want to make sure he has everything he needs. Just everything is freaking me out, he doesn't talk either so I'm really worried other kids are like wtf? cause he just makes funny guinea pig like noises.

You're right - this is only the start. This is only Playgroup, I bet I'll be having a full on meltdown on the lead up to the bigger things! Haha. At least I'll be a pro at all of this with my youngest.

None of those are silly questions and not all playgroups are the same.

My DD went to preschool and we paid a term in advance. An all in one puddle suit with layers of clothes underneath, to keep warm sounds good.

DD wore slippers indoors, but lots of them wore plimsoles.

We were definitely not allowed to take any other children with us on parent rota.

Sounds a bit like our playgroup in terms of communication - they were not good at responding to individual emails but otherwise lovely. We got useful information sheets when we started and they will know you don't know anything and expect questions so try not to worry about that. We definitely could take younger siblings when we helped - my Ds used to play with their cars while I helped with sorting out fruit snack / reading etc. We were invoiced termly.