Welcome to Playtime - for toddler group leaders
Fiona Burt
Playtime Co-ordinator
Toddler groups are a lifeline to the parents and toddlers who come along each week. They are also an extremely accessible ‘first step’ into the church for these families.
Your group can provide a warm, safe environment where the children can play, socialise and, in doing so, learn. And the adults can relax and meet with others to gain encouragement and support on a regular basis.
Do you have a toddler group in your church?
Then Playtime is here for you, whether your group’s just starting out or you’ve been going for years. As part of Care for the Family’s Engage initiative, Playtime will equip and help you as you engage with your community through your group.
Here’s a quick guide to the ways Playtime will support you in your vital role:
Free email newsletter – to keep you informed and up to date. Sign up to the newsletter or view the latest edition here.
Free Playtime forum – your opportunity to network with other toddler group leaders throughout the country. Join the discussion and share your ideas online.
Free Playtime website – browse the ever-expanding articles, real-life stories and resources by clicking on the index on the left hand side. Here’s a taster:
- Loads of craft ideas to choose from and an opportunity for you to share your favourite ones with other groups.
- Download all you need to run a Christmas or Easter service for your toddlers and their families.
- Print off ‘Smalltalk’ hand-outs to give to the parents and carers in your group. They cover topics including mealtime battlegrounds, helping your child learn through play, and beating the winter blues.
- You’ll find everything you need to know about running a toddler group in your church in The Good Practice Guide for Parent and Toddler Groups (PDF).
- Use the Best Practice Questionnaire (PDF) to perform a review of your group.
Playtime National Conference – get together with hundreds of other people at this annual conference for toddler group leaders. Bring your team along too! 2010 conference details will be posted here soon - so watch this space!
Also available: a complete lending library for you to purchase for your group
Care for the Family has put together a ‘Book Box’ containing over £100 worth of top quality books on marriage, parenting and other life issues. Complete with a sturdy plastic box, you’ll get display materials and everything else you need to set up an ‘instant library’ to support the families who attend your group.
I’d love to hear from you, so please get in touch with your ideas, stories and questions.
Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , call (029) 2081 0800 or write to Care for the Family, Garth House, FREEPOST (CF4636), Cardiff CF15 7GZ.
Last Updated 16 December 2009
Your good ideas:
Run 21st Century Parent
Run 21st Century Parent alongside a toddler group. Where parents can be doing what thy normally do or join the group in another side room. The sessions are 15-20 minutes long and run at two different times, so that parents can help look after each others children. If possible, why not have a floating crèche worker in toddler group to help as well?
Read moregood ideas...
Did you know…?
There are 3.7 million under 5s in the UK. What an opportunity! Your church can develop a ministry that will make all the difference in the lives of preschool children and their families.
Engage is a Care for the Family initiative - a Christian response to a world of need.
A Registered Charity (England and Wales: 1066905; Scotland: SCO38497)