Why Should You Go To Baby Groups?

When you have a baby you are introduced to a whole new world of baby groups. They are sometimes a far cry from the image you might have of sitting on the floor in a church hall for an hour jingling bells and waving scarfs in front of your newborn who might giggle or cry or just fall asleep – and sometimes they are exactly that. Be it ‘stay and play’ or ‘Baby Picasso’, there are many benefits to taking part in these sorts of activities.

Baby groups of all kinds can help stimulate your child in all sorts of ways, introducing them to new shapes, sounds, textures and experiences. They might involve songs, musical instruments, props – whether that is puppets or scarves or blowing bubbles – and often have a theme (that changes each week) or a purpose such as baby sign language.

They allow children to develop emotionally and in terms of social skills too – when I was on maternity leave these groups were the only time my daughter was around other children. Many of these groups carry on after the child turns one, (in a different class to the babies of course) so if you aren’t going back to work full time after maternity leave you can still take part.

These groups also help the children be more active, or active in different ways, to how they might be at home. Another plus is if you find a group that does messy play because that means you don’t need to worry about the mess at home!

Whether you choose a group to do an activity that you couldn’t do yourself at home – or where you could reach yourself via the Internet but it wouldn’t be the same – or a group that is more focused around play, you will find a change of scenery, different toys and different people do make a difference both to your child and to yourself.

That brings me to the other aspect to the benefits of this group – the benefits for the parent or care giver. Whether you are a new parent on maternity or paternity leave, or a stay at home parent of an older child, groups like this are a great way to interact with other adults and potentially make new friends. They are a reason to get out of the house, for some people a much needed schedule and structure to the day by needing to be somewhere at a certain time, and also time for you to be focused on your child without other distractions. And you might learn some useful skills, whether that is baby massage, sign language or how to balance a baby on your lap while dipping their hand in paint to press onto a picture without getting paint all over yourself or your baby.

I had a brilliant time at most of the baby groups I went to, and made some great friends. I stopped when I went back to work when my daughter was 15 months old (though she continued with swimming and a gymnastics class at the weekends) and while the classes could sometimes be exhausting (for me, that is!) I did really miss them when they stopped.

But at the same time, don’t worry if you don’t feel like signing up to any baby groups – and there is no ‘right time’ to start. I don’t remember exactly when I went to my first baby group but the first photo I can find on my phone is when she was eight weeks old – but other people I know started much later, for a variety of reasons. You need to find a class that suits your schedule – if your baby naps at the same time every day there is no point going to a class that they will always sleep through. Which is not to say your baby won’t fall asleep sometimes – Sophie did do that occasionally, but it was more likely that she would fall asleep in the pram or car on the way home. Equally, feeding your baby during a class is perfectly normal – but as feeding can take a while, try to find a class that will work for your schedule.

I would also recommend trying to find classes that are local – the shorter the journey the better, as you will invariably be running late at some point, and if getting to the class seems like too much effort you probably won’t go.

Most classes offer pay as you go options but some ask you to pay for a term at a time – if that is the case, ask if you can do a trial session to see if you like it first.

For some, the cost is off-putting – where I live (greater London) the cheapest classes were about £8 a time, with others around £10-12. If that is the case there are plenty of free options if you know where to look (which I will cover in a separate blog post – but look up children’s centres and libraries on your local council website).

I’ve mentioned already sitting on the floor – for those of you for whom this isn’t an issue you may be wondering why I have brought this up, but others – and I’m thinking new mums in particular here – will know exactly what I mean. Obviously I wouldn’t advocate going to baby groups too soon after giving birth if you have had stitches or a c-section or doing anything too strenuous if you may find that sitting on the floor, lifting your baby or even having to manoeuvre a buggy in and out of the car or into buildings could be difficult initially. I had pain in a hard-to-describe area (near the coccyx, but not exactly there) that made sitting in certain positions, especially on the floor, pretty painful. But there are often things you can do – if a cushion isn’t provided at the class (and they often are) you can take your own, which you can easily slip under the buggy.

It can also be quite daunting until you get into a routine and become more confident, to worry about what you need to take and whether you will manage – if all you have done with baby by this point is have visitors indoors or go for a walk with the buggy, going to a new group most likely in a venue you haven’t been to before can be a little nerve-wracking. But as long as your changing bag is packed, (don’t forget a bottle of water and maybe even a snack for yourself), there is nothing to fear. And even if you forget something, you will be in an environment with people in the same position – and in my experience everyone is willing to lend a hand – or a nappy – where it is needed.

So there is no need to feel guilty if you don’t want to go to baby classes, or you aren’t ready to start just yet, or you only want to go to them occasionally rather than several different classes a week. But in my opinion there are so many benefits both for the parent and child, and so many great classes out there, that it’s worth trying a few out until you find one or more that you like.

How do I find out about baby groups in my area?

When I was on maternity leave I used a great app called Hoop that listed everything going on, which sadly no longer exists. Here are my suggestions for how you can find out about what is going on.

– Facebook – your local town might have a dedicated group for parents or carers. People often advertise classes they run in this group and you can post a question asking for recommendations.

– Google – simply type in ‘baby groups near me’ or the name of a specific type of class you are interested in

– Your local council website – here you can find out about children’s centres, sessions at the library and more

– Happity, a platform that brings together listings for baby groups where you can search by area, that also allows you to book in online

– Netmums has similar listings for groups where you can search by putting in your postcode

– Clubhub is another website where you can search for groups near you

– Families Online publishes free magazines that list baby groups, seasonal activities such as Easter Egg hunts and listings for schools and playgroups and more. You can subscribe to receive these, according to their website, or pick up a free copy of the magazine – I’ve spotted them before in libraries and health centres. You can also find info online.

– Local Websites like LocalMumsOnline which covers Surrey and South West London 

– NCT: not just for ante-natal classes, they run parent socials and events like teddy bears picnics. Check out their website or follow the Facebook page for your local NCT group.

– Posters and flyers – look out for these when you are in your local library, family-friendly

cafes and so on

– Word of mouth – when I heard about something that may be of interest to my local parent friends I would let them know via our WhatsApp chat