This is what different parents said when we asked them to tell us:
“Why we like being part of a playgroup…..”
"We met through the baby clinic; most of us girls and we wanted to start our own little group. So one of the other mums contacted the Playgroup Association to find out how to start our own playgroup up, and they sent us all the information and that’s how it all started and we come along every week and share our stories, our sleepless nights, or nights when the kids have been good, and we just let them have a bit of fun together and make new friends." Timea (young, first-time mum).
"I needed some contact that wasn’t just my dog and the people at the supermarket. The friendships I get from other parents there are fantastic, it’s always really good for a laugh, good morning tea and my children always have a really good time." Elizabeth.
"I enjoyed seeing my son enjoy playing, and his social skills improving because he was meeting other children, learning, sharing and having fun." Diane.
"Getting out of the house! It’s great to know that once a week, I’ll get to have a coffee and chat with friends, and that my kids will get to interact with other kids." Melinda.
"I was new to the town and it was a very isolated small mining town and I went to the local playgroup and made heaps of friends really easily. It’s basically just having a great time with friends and having a great network of support that you know just doesn’t exist anywhere else for under 5’s." Kareana
"I started at playgroup about 5 years ago. I took it over from a lady who took it on from her sister. I was unsure about how a male would be accepted in a playgroup, so I brought along a bit of hedgehog chocolate slice to initiate myself into the good graces." Cory (dad).
"Getting out of the house and watching my son interact with others, and meeting other mothers that I can relate to." Monique.
"We have a great support network at our playgroup. We’ll cook for each other when a new baby comes along or there’s another mishap that comes in our lives, we babysit for each other, we swap kids to keep ourselves sane, and that’s great for our children’s confidence and their social network as well." Elizabeth