Stay and Play Groups

Baby and toddler groups, also known as stay and play groups, cater for a wide range of carers, including parents, grandparents, childminders and nannies. They provide an opportunity for carers and children to meet new people and to enjoy activities in a safe, informal and friendly setting. The social interactions that a toddler group can offer a child will also help to support the child’s transition to the Early Years Foundation Stage when they start nursery, preschool, or reception.

The safe and nurturing environment of a toddler group enables a child to gradually get used to a social environment where they can learn alongside other children and gain confidence over time. For parents and carers, taking part in different activities can help them to understand how their child learns and what their interests are. Not just for children, toddler groups also give parents and carers the opportunity to socialise with one another, and many a friendship has formed over coffee and a chat at one of our toddler groups in Worcester.

Toddler group activities

Our RGS toddler groups cater for babies and toddlers from pretty much birth to just before starting reception, and we ensure that activities on offer cater for all ages and stages of development. Such as:

• Soft toys and rattles for babies to practice reaching and grasping and teethers for babies to hold and chew on
• Activity centres, blocks and objects for crawling/mobile babies to interact with to practice their mobility and motor skills
• Equipment and toys that are different colours, textures or shapes, and instruments that make interesting sounds so that children can learn through their senses
• Walkers or push along toys for new walkers to practice their balance and coordination
• Creative activities such as colouring, sticking and simple craft projects to engage older toddlers and help to develop fine motor skills
• Dressing up and role play equipment to encourage young imaginations
• Slides, sit on toys and soft play equipment for older toddlers to engage in energetic play
• Mathematical and skill-building equipment such as interlocking bricks and shapes to encourage older toddlers to manipulate objects to sort, match, sequence and count
• A diverse range of reading and picture books for different ages that children can look through independently, or share with their parent or carer