What is a Playgroup?
You might be asking yourself, so what exactly is a Playgroup?
Every Playgroup is as unique as the children and parents that attend but they can essentially be described as an informal session where parents, carers, babies and children aged 0 to school age come together in a relaxed and friendly environment and children are encouraged to learn through play. Playgroups are not-for-profit and run voluntarily by and for the parents and carers who attend.
Benefits for the children include:
- Provides opportunities for creative, unstructured learning through play
- Builds attachments between adults and children as they play together and share time and experiences
- Helps children develop social skills as they learn to interact with others, take turns, share and make friends
- Provides experiences that enable them to manage stress and adapt to change
- Offers opportunities for children to explore, invent, reason and solve problems.
Playgroup also benefits families! Playgroup is a wonderful opportunity to meet other people in a similar situation. It gives parents the chance to make new friends, learn from one another and develop a supportive local network for you and your family.
Playgroup also offers you and your family:
- A place where parents and carers can support each other through sharing ideas, parenting experiences, concerns and information.
- A place where families can build long-term friendships with other local families as their children grow and transition to school.
- An affordable and regular opportunity to enjoy a shared outing.
Playgroup NSW has an excellent resource manual about Play and Learning if you would like to read more about the value of play and how to make the most of it.