Signing out

It's been a long time since my last blog so any followers may have abandoned me by now. However hopefully you may have realised that this blog has served its purpose in creating a group of like-minded people and their babies/toddlers in Bologna.

Let me leave you in the capable hands of Jenny who is taking over Little Bo-Peep at the Sala Borsa from this September. Good luck and goodbye!

Venue for toddlers' group needed

Hi

I am still keen to start up a weekly morning toddlers' group for mothers and toddlers (approx aged 1-3) but have not yet found an ideal venue. Can anyone help?

We would like to meet somewhere indoors for all weather scenarios, ideally with plenty of space for children to play freely and safely. It would be nice if there was also the opportunity to enjoy a tea or coffee and perhaps a snack for grown-ups and children alike...though of course this is not essential.

Please post here any ideas for child-friendly indoor play areas or even spacious cafes where you think we might be able to start a toddlers' group.

Thanks and look forward to hearing from you!

Sangeetha

Little Bo-Peep is back!

Hello all,

Hope you have all had pleasant and restful summers.

I have just confirmed with the Sala Borsa the same day and timing for our Little Bo-Peep mother and baby group in English. As before it will take place on a Wednesday morning at 10.00 at the Sala Bebè of the Biblioteca Sala Borsa in Piazza Nettuno. We start next week, ie Wednesday 9 September, so hope to see many of you there...It will be the same sort of format as before, though probably may involve more standing activities as the babies have turned into toddlers. Speaking of which I am also keen to start a weekly Toddlers' Group at another venue, possibly outdoors while the weather is still good then indoors when the autumn starts setting in. Let me know if you might be interested.

Bye for now!

Sangeetha

La bella stagione

So the fine weather is upon us at long last, though almost too much too soon as the Giardini are now heaving with children, pollen and dust at every available opportunity making it less attractive an outdoor meeting place for Friday afternoon's Ready, Steady, Bo! group. Oh well...if anyone has any better ideas then please air them here.

Meanwhile Little Bo-Peep is still going strong and some of us are venturing to the Giardini Margherita on a Friday morning at around 10 for some peaceful play and reasonably fresh air...

By the way we shall continue to meet at the Sala Borsa on a Wednesday morning until at least the end of June, possibly even beyond though not into August as the library is closed for the first two weeks.

Also, if anyone would be interested in joining an English-speaking toddlers' group meeting weekly for mothers and toddlers from September, please let me know as I am trying to see how much interest there is in Bologna. It would be a weekday morning for children who don't go to an asilo or organised daytime childcare who would like nonetheless to spend time playing with other children regularly.

OK, that's it for now. See you soon...

More rain...

Same as last week ie if it is dry, see you at the Giardini. If wet then of course we won't be there.

Let's hope next week will see the real advent of spring...

April showers

OK so I spoke too soon...Obviously if it is wet we won't be in the Giardini tomorrow after all. But if it's dry and a decent temperature we'll be there, at the Porta Castiglione end. Swings etc may still be closed but we hung out on the grass near the pond last time in the sun and it was lovely.

See you then if not tomorrow then hopefully next week...

Spring update

Hello and hope you are all enjoying the advent of spring.

It has been a while since I updated this blog so I just wanted to let you all know my thoughts on how the playgroups have been going. Basically I'm very pleased as they seem to have been a success both for me and for others so I feel some ground has been broken and Babies in Bologna has begun to make its mark. In fact I am now full of new ideas and enthusiasm for how to expand. More about that later...

For now I would like to make a couple of suggestions about taking Babies in Bologna outdoors. I have already discussed with the Little Bo-Peep mothers about meeting at the Giardini Margherita another morning a week, ie maintaining our Wednesday meeting at the Sala Borsa while also taking the babies out to the park for some fresh air, free play and mutual support one other morning a week for those of us who can make it. Mondays would be good for me but by doing some juggling I could make other days too if necessary. I could be there by 9.30 onwards. Let me know your thoughts.

As for Ready, Steady, Bo!, I thought it might be an idea to move it outside so the kids have a chance to run around and play outside rather than being cooped up indoors since the weather is now good and the evenings are light. I would propose the Giardini Margherita for this too, on a Friday afternoon from say 17.00 onwards (even earlier if you can make it?) The Sala Borsa has been great but it is more of a winter pursuit to be sitting indoors singing songs and reading books when one could be outside playing. Besides, we can always move back indoors in the autumn...Again, let me know what you think on this one too.

Looking forward to hearing from you

Bye for now and Happy Easter!