We are a well-resourced group offering many different types of play and interest, a snack area, a run-around area, arts and crafts and finishing up with a sing-song session giving plenty of opportunities to meet other toddlers and parents. We welcome children from 0 to 5 years of age along with their lovely mums, dads, grandparents and/or carers. Our play areas consist of:
a soft baby-play area
a
sand table
a construction area
a physical play area with a slide, trampoline and tunnels
a home play area
a music corner
a jigsaw puzzles table
a reading corner
an arts and crafts table
large Lego blocks
smaller Lego blocks
stickle bricks
a farm and zoo mat
a trucks & cars mat
dolls
dress up
ride on trucks, rockers and push-alongs, and
a run around area with balls, spots and basketball hoops. Our snack area provides a healthy array of fruit, cheese, pancakes, milk and water. We also have tea and coffee for parents with the option of something sweet to re-energize. We use the arts and crafts table to introduce the different seasons and events of the year (always option to suggestions). We tie these in with the singing session each week and big events such as Hallowe'en, Christmas, Easter and the Teddy Bear picnic are celebrated with decorations and themed snacks as well as through art and craft and singing. Not only is Torrent Tots a great place to bring children, but this is a great place to meet people and chat with other parents. Life as a parent can be challenging and patience–testing, and it is great to have this forum to come and chat with other parents to hear what other parents have tried, to get helpful suggestions from well-seasoned parents and more than anything else to realise that we are not alone in finding challenges in parenting. We find it especially reassuring for first-time mothers and those who haven't had much experience of children before becoming a parent to know that others are in the same boat. Once reassured and sometimes even equipped with more tactics, we can go back to the daily challenges with renewed vigour. Our tots feed into the pre-schools and schools in the surrounding area, including Lollipops, the primary schools in Donaghmore, Carland and Castlecaulfield, so this is a great way to get to know some familiar faces for the coming years. Pre-schoolers attending afternoon sessions can still come to our session and see their pals for even longer. Cost: a weekly cost of £2.50 per child, £1.50 for each additional child within a family, plus a annual registration fee of £5. This is to cover food, rent, heating, insurance, maintaining/replacing our stock, communications and large events. We also run a text service, twitter feed and page to keep people in touch. Where: the large hall in the Torrent Complex, Donaghmore
When: Tuesday mornings from 9:15 to 11:15 (come along after school drop-off)
Who: babies and toddlers from 0 to 5 years old and their lovely mums,dads,grandparents, carers
What: a stay-and-play facility for youngsters to have fun and socialise while developing motor and social skills
How: come along and try it out! Our committee is made up of volunteer parents who attend the session each week. We hold an AGM once a year and any other business is dealt with during the course of the weekly sessions. We try to get out for a few social occasions during the year to chat without interruptions from our darling little ones, so please feel free to join us anytime! Please note: this is not a supervised drop-in playgroup and accordingly each parent is responsible for their child's safety and behaviour.
