Does anyone not go to playgroups??

[sharonmanc]

I am not keen on the ones in my local area, they are very cliquey (sp), i did no tgo with my own daughter, but have forced myself to go with mindee. We do g to ryme and bounce at the library and meet a couple of childminders at soft play, and we go to the art sessions at city Art gallery. I love to get out and about, so visit parks, and the farm quite alot.

Would ofsted judge me if i dont go regularly? would they see it as a bad thing?

Does anyone else not go on a weekly basis??

[silvermist]

I havent started going to any yet because I hate the feeling of being 'the new one'. I am going to go to some groups as I think its worthwhile for my mindees and for my business but just havent plucked up the courage to go yet!:(:(

[kellib]

I don't go to groups as the timings of the ones local to us aren't great for drop off and pick up times!

I do take the LO's to soft play once a week, our local one does a toddler morning every morning during school term so you can get an hour's play for £1.50 :thumbsup:

[adele1985]

I dont go to playgroups, all the children i have at the mo are of school age and go to nursery half days so i know they get to see other children there

to be honest i dont like playgroups in my area as the kids are just left to run riot whilst the adults sit and chat with a coffee ( i also have a hots drink policy which wouldent fit with the playgroups)

My mindees do get ont and about alot to the park, library, feed the ducks, butterly world,

If i did get any littlies i would go to the local childminder drop in and another small playgroup which is in a small chruch hall

[sharonmanc]

Kellib, mine does this too £2 for unlimited play and a free tea or coffee for parent. I usually spend around 2 hours, LO loved it this morning as she is just finding her feet and loved being able to pull herslef up on the blocks

[sharonmanc]

Adele, i find that too with my local playgroups and the childminder one, Its nice to chat, but at the same time I am there for the little ones, and all they seem to do is drink coffee and gossip, which is not me.

[adele1985]

Adele, i find that too with my local playgroups and the childminder one, Its nice to chat, but at the same time I am there for the little ones, and all they seem to do is drink coffee and gossip, which is not me.

i dont drink coffee or tea and i cant just sit and watch a want to play too lol ive been a few times to the big one near me and i spent the morning runnung after kids that wernt even mine while most others where just sat

[sharonmanc]

i dont drink coffee or tea and i cant just sit and watch a want to play too lol ive been a few times to the big one near me and i spent the morning runnung after kids that wernt even mine while most others where just sat

I feel like the pied piper when i go lol, I drop in ocasionaly but not weekly as it gets me down

[loocyloo]

i go to the local toddler group every 2 or 3 weeks, and the same with a group at the childrens centre.

i have some children who only come one day, so if we always went to toddlers that day, they wouldn't get to do anything else!

i do like toddler groups though, they help the children get used to larger groups of children, to noise ( !!! ) and other adults. i have a shy LO, and to start with she would always stay by me, now she is running off to play with everyone, chats away at snack time and sits with all the 'big girls' at songtime.

we spend the rest of our time in the woods/feeding ducks/visiting places etc and playing at home!

[butterfly]

I don't go to groups at all. I have in the past and I feel they are very samey - my particular mindees didn't much out of them. I don't feel they need to go because I work with another minder so they are generally with atleast 5 other children every morning anyway.

The other reason I don't go is that most of my children are very part time ie one day per week so if we go to the same group every week that's all I ever do with that mindee.

I do go out and about but prefer to organise trips rather than visit groups ie woods, nat trust, zoo etc

[uf353432]

I go to a toddler group and a childminding group every week - I run them so I have full say on the content and so every week is different play wise.

I don't think you need to go if you can show that it doesn't fulfill the needs of the individual child - but I think if a child can play in a larger group environment then there are many benefits as the dynamics are so very different.

I always encourage the childminders who attend my groups to get stuck in, help with activities, to prepare something for the group, to lead singing time etc. If you toddler group is not working then get stuck in and offer up your help and make positive changes (like with drinks policies)

For those who are shy about being the new girl - remember you are only the new girl for the first week. :D

[AliceK]

I used to go but I got fed up with being the only one looking after all the other children as everyone just sat in another area to drink coffee and chat so I stopped. I've just started to go to a new childminders group and so far I think it's great so will continue to go to this one. We also go to soft play, park, woods etc too so the children get to be out and about a lot plus I've usually got 5 / 6 children every day so the LO's get to mix with others of all ages too.

xxxx

[Kimmy050983]

I don't! Mindee 1 needs her sleep in the mornings and afternoons and i am not a big fan of them anyway!! My lo has never been to playgroup (but we used to go to tumble tots and jo jingles) and now at 3.5 years its only took him 4 weeks to get used to pre-school and he's loving it. Now he still has got 18 months til he goes to school to get used to play in a big group.

I have looked at one once and all that was happening was kids running mad while parents and CM were chatting. I'd rather pay for jo jingles where you actually do something proper. :o

[silvermist]

I go to a toddler group and a childminding group every week - I run them so I have full say on the content and so every week is different play wise.

I don't think you need to go if you can show that it doesn't fulfill the needs of the individual child - but I think if a child can play in a larger group environment then there are many benefits as the dynamics are so very different.

I always encourage the childminders who attend my groups to get stuck in, help with activities, to prepare something for the group, to lead singing time etc. If you toddler group is not working then get stuck in and offer up your help and make positive changes (like with drinks policies)

For those who are shy about being the new girl - remember you are only the new girl for the first week. :D



I know that :)but it still makes me nervous, I dont really know many mums of lo now as my children are 15, 22,25! I must be more assertive and just take the plunge, Like you say its only for the first time!!:thumbsup:

[sharonmanc]

Kimmy, thats how they are here, and when i do get stuck in , i get snide comments from others. I am just one of those people who cant sit around and do nothing, especially when a child needs someone to help. I think i may just drop in every so often for a change. At the moment we do a lot, with soft play, parks, Galleries, rhyme time at the library, etc so i dont feel they are missing out.

[kel1983]

we use to ttend our local chilminder group but just didnt enjoy it. The minders sat drinking and chatting while the children just got on to play with the same old toys every week. Couldnt really see the benefits. I co mind with my mum so there is someone to always talk to and we always make the effort to get out and about to woods, library, park etc

[Kimmy050983]

I just wouldn't feel right sitting around whilst I am being PAID!!! to look after the children. At home I don't constantly play with them but I am also not sitting there drinking coffee/tea ;) apart from when all mindees are asleep :)

[mushpea]

I got to the childrens center once a week for the childminder drop in but we are not allowed to attend other groups there, there is another nice toddler group but i very rarley go at the moment because the children I have that day are older and are gone by 1.30pm each day and thats the one morning where we can stay in and do 'older' activities, plus as I am out most other days I dont get to spend quality time with these particular children.

[Monkey26]

I used to go to various toddler groups regularly but then my setting got busy and i took on an assistant so there are at least 5 children plus 2 adults which is a lot to take to a toddler group so we don't go anymore!
There is plenty for us to do locally - a nice walk, local parks, the beach, we live very close to the train station so sometimes just jump on the train to the next town have a look around and come back again!, there is a museum and several soft play areas in the next city (20mins). Oh we also go to our local childminding drop in every other Monday xx

[PerkyEars]

I quite like them. But they are always in the morning! I've now had a couple of babies who sleep all morning and are raring to go at 1 after lunch, at which point we've missed all the groups. :(

[boxtree7]

I use to love my cup of tea at toddlers sometimes it would have being the only tea I had all day. (in our group they changed it so you could only drink tea / coffee in the kitchen no one really bothered)

There was a group of childminders who sat around when you walked into the hall they wouldn't even turn to say hello - If you spoke to there minded children they would be straight over to see what you are saying. The group hired a girl to carry out art and crafts each week which was really good because at least one thing was organised well. Some weeks it just wasn't worth the bus fares.

[miffy]

I don't think Ofsted will judge you for not going to toddler groups - I'm sure I've read something about Ofsted not being happy if childminders are spending most of their time at groups and not in the home setting.

Miffy xx

[buzzy bee]

I just wouldn't feel right sitting around whilst I am being PAID!!! to look after the children. At home I don't constantly play with them but I am also not sitting there drinking coffee/tea ;) apart from when all mindees are asleep :)


This is exactly why I feel reluctant to go to toddler groups - because I don't want other mums thinking this about me!!

[Kimmy050983]

This is exactly why I feel reluctant to go to toddler groups - because I don't want other mums thinking this about me!!

I didn't write I am thinking this about other people \i wrote that I am uncomfortable doing that.

[JCrakers]

I like going even though sometimes I dont have anyone to stand and talk to but it gets me out the house. I really go insane if I dont go out and I dont have a car for work so cant do the farm or the museums etc.

I go mon/tues/thur/fri mornings (i have different mindees) Some are nicer than others, some have other childminders there and Ive just started to get to know a few of them whichis fantastic as before I could go allday without speaking to another adult.

[Posy]

At my recent Ofsted inspection, the inspector didn't ask about playgroups or anything like that - I think the most important aspect would be whether you are planning appropriate activites for your mindees. That could be playgroup, or it could be other things - I don't see anywhere in the EYFS the requirement to go to playgroups, just to make sure the children have plenty of opportunities for play and socialising. I think it is up to you how you address this.

On a personal note, there are lots of playgroups near me, some are awful and cliquey and some are lovely - I think it is worth trying lots before you give up completely!

[sharonmanc]

Thanks Posey, we get to a variety of different places, today we went to the city art gallery where they had on sensory play for under 5's , it was fantastic>

[clairelou]

We go to a childminder group at sure start one morning and a mums and tots another, for me that is enough, with everyones routines i couldnt cope with being out more

[notts]

We have a lovley one close by which I plan to go to regularly but not every week. They cap it at £2 for childminders so ideal and the people seem nice.

[Cammie Doodle]

No I don't go they are all too far away and I don't drive, but I do meet up with another Minder most days :D