Minchkins Parent and Baby/Toddler group started in September 2021. It’s an amazing, friendly group of local parents who get together weekly, during term time, on Tuesdays 9-11am at The Hub, Tobacconist road. It’s a voluntary £1 donation per family.
There are loads of age appropriate toys and games to play with, as well as weekly crafts for the children to make and take home. There is always singing and story time after a drink and a biscuit. Parents are also welcome to hot drinks, biscuits and often cake!
Minchkins is supported by a number of professional bodies. We are lucky that Minchinhampton academy school and nursery visit regularly and staff come up to chat to parents, play games and run the singing and story telling. Every third week we are treated to a session run by Julie Edgell, Music Monsters, where children get a fun session with an enthusiastic and talented musician.
From January 2022, covid allowing, the local health visitors and nursery nurses will visit Minchkins monthly and weigh babies and offer friendly support and advice.
The Minchkins team are aware of the struggles that all parents face at different times during their parenting journey. We are available to offer support, advice and signposting to relevant agencies, as necessary. One parent has approached Minchkins with the idea of setting up a support group for parents of children with additional needs. Together we had a session looking at its need within our area and it’s viability. As a result, Minchinhampton school and Minchkins will work in partnership with the family to help make this happen in January 2022.
Additionally, some of the Minchkins parents have requested support with healthy eating on a budget. Whilst in its early days, we have approached the Long Table and the Health visitors for support in respect of this. The parents have also requested a paediatric first aid course and funding has been sought to do this in the first half of 2022.
Minchkins now has an active Facebook page of its own (you can it find here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/305355704775814), which we’re enormously proud of. We are all very much looking forward to celebrating our first term running and the achievements we’ve made so far at our Xmas party on 14th December, with Santa himself coming to toast our success!