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!

Playgroups' first week

Hi

Just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who came along to our first two playgroups this week. We had two very good turnouts and lots of enthusiasm from parents and children, which also meant plenty of fun. Both my daughters enjoyed their playgroups and are already looking forward to next time...

Little Bo-Peep was a huge success. Despite small and big babies we managed to get a good balance and everyone seemed happy. The mums/nannies were also great singers...which I really appreciated particularly!

Ready Steady Bo! was also fun though a little more hectic due to more people and also a larger age-range than expected. The under-3s couldn't really concentrate for very long while also some parents were expecting a children's English lesson. This isn't really what Ready Steady Bo! is about; an English-speaking parent's participation is part of what makes it work, especially at the start. Also, I need help with the singing as my voice isn't up to much at the best of times and at the moment is weakened by winter colds and coughs etc.

So please do come along again next week but remember to sing out and encourage your child to do the same. Thanks and see you there...Same times, same places...

Ready, Steady, Bo! confirmed.

Hello

Just to confirm Ready, Steady, Bo! (the new English playgroup for 3-6 year olds) will take place on Friday afternoons at 17.15 for an hour. First playgroup for this age group will be on Friday 27 February 2009 ie next Friday.

Please confirm a place if possible on this blog by posting a comment with your child's name and age.

Many thanks and see you next week!

English Playgroup start dates

Well I'm finally in the position to be able to publish this post, having found and secured a venue for the two English playgroups. Apologies it has taken me so long but I hope it'll be worth the wait.

Bologna's central public library, the Biblioteca Sala Borsa in Piazza Nettuno, have very kindly agreed to host Babies in Bologna in their children's library (biblioteca dei ragazzi). The baby group, (Little Bo-Peep) will take place in the new Sala Bebè while the older group (Ready, Steady, Bo!) will take place in the Sala Bambini in the main children's library area.

Little Bo-Peep is aimed at babies and young toddlers, roughly from 8 months to 2 years old. Essentially it is a mother and baby group, in which I plan to conduct simple singing and actions in a cosy and soft environment. It will take place on a Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock, probably for not longer than 45 minutes or so.

Ready, Steady, Bo! is aimed at children in the 3-6 year old bracket. Again the presence of a parent (or nanny/grandparent etc) is essential and activities will be mainly singing and corresponding actions, with perhaps a story, game or craft activity in between. It will take place of an afternoon to allow for people to make it after school at around 17.15 for an hour. At the moment the choice of day is yet to be confirmed but may have to be on a Friday due to lack of availability on other days.

The two playgroups are of course being set up with the view to create English-speaking environments within which the children can play, sing, have fun and get to know other children who speak English in Bologna. Obviously the accompanying parent/carer is expected to be an English-speaker in order to be able to participate and encourage their child to do so too. Having said that let's see how it goes...

If you are interested in taking part please sign up by posting a comment to this post just in case I get deluged by participants and have to choose on a first-come, first-served basis. Please leave your name, your child's name and age, and the group you are interested in joining (though it may be apparent by age alone, please confirm). The rooms aren't huge so I think we might have to have an upper limit so do sign up as soon as you can if you are very keen.

The start date of Little Bo-Peep is scheduled for Wednesday 25 February. Ready, Steady, Bo! will hopefully get going in the same week though as I have said this is yet to be confirmed.

Many thanks for all the feedback so far and I look forward to meeting you!