Parents and carers of young children are encouraged to get involved with a playgroup to help connect themselves and their children to the local community.
A playgroup is a group of parents or caregivers with their babies, toddlers and preschool children who get together regularly for play and social interaction. A range of playgroups are held throughout the Corio and Norlane area. Some are council-run, some are facilitated by agencies and services. All have the common aim of using fun and play to connect with others.
Helen O’Connor, from Northern Bay College’s Family Centre, said playgroup is a fun and playful experience for parents and carers to share with their child and with other families.
“Playgroups at our centre are run by committed staff who rely on relationship building, sharing ideas and simply brightening the day for the adults and the children. I strongly recommend playgroups. There are excellent ones in our local area.
“Each Northern Bay College campus offers playgroups, and this could be a great starting point if you want to join in. Session times, days and frequency vary across centres and may depend on the families who are attending. Sessions are free and joining a playgroup important for a range of reasons.”
At Our Place Northern Bay there are several choices for parents or carers and their pre-school, aged from birth to five years. No child is ever too young to go to playgroup.
Our Place staff, who are based at Korayn Birralee Family Centre, know that a child’s learning from birth to three years of age is one of the most important and vital stages of their lives. And playgroup helps set them up for the next step in their learning journey to Kinder.
Meli provides a free playgroup at Korayn Birralee Family Centre on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The playgroup is free and is facilitated by experienced and supportive staff. The Thursday playgroup also has a bi-lingual support worker which assists families to feel welcome and supported.
Playgroups provide families with so many benefits. Not only do children have the opportunity to socialise, learn and practice new skills, but parents and carers also benefit in so many ways. It is a place to meet other parents and carers of young children, share ideas and learn from one another.
For more information about Our Place Northern Bay, call in to Korayn Birralee Family Centre, 146 Purnell Road Corio or email [email protected].
The Northern Bay College Family Centre is at 25 Goldsworthy Road, Corio, phone 5224-9791.
More information about playgroups is also available on the Playgroups Victoria website – www.playgroup.org.au.