Under Abu Dhabi’s scorching summer sun, keeping the kids entertained (and away from the DVD player) is not always the easiest thing in the world. And with nurseries often costing enough to warrant a second mortgage, a group of mum’s have come up with their own idea to help toddlers, and their parents, get through the terrible twos.
Creative play might sound like a fun way to spend an afternoon with the littl’uns, but blink and the walls/carpet/family dog is their canvas. As Laura, one of the founders of the Toddler Activity Group, puts it, ‘Who wants all that paint and mess in their own house?’
Which is where this group comes in. Run by a committee of five mums, the non profit-making organisation was launched on October 3, with the aim of giving parents a helping hand. We met two of the mums – Rachel Roberts and Laura Kerslake – to find out about the inspiration behind it.
‘In Abu Dhabi, the climate means you’re often stuck indoors,’ says Rachel. ‘When kids hit the terrible twos, they need a bit more structure and creative play opportunities. We were inspired to set up the group because the kids were getting bored, but we didn’t want to send them to nursery just yet. We also found nursery very costly – up to Dhs7,000 per term in some cases – and the parents don’t get to stay with them. We didn’t want to miss out on any part of them growing up – we wanted to get involved.’
So what separates it from the usual playgroups? ‘We found that a lot of the playgroups were unstructured, with no limit on numbers and quite a wide mix of ages,’ explains Laura. ‘When you get a four-year-old in the same group as a one-year-old, it often doesn’t work too well!
The idea behind the Toddler Activity Group was to create a place where parents can come for an hour and a half and help each other out – do their bit, but also get a chance to catch up and share the workload.
And, no, before you get too excited, it’s not a chance to dump the kids and run. The sessions consist of four ‘work stations’, with activities such as messy play, creative play, painting, sculpting and reading, where kids get to choose and parents get to put in the time. ‘Each parent must put in 15 minutes’ work at one of the stations, but after that, they’re free to gossip,’ says Rachel. ‘Because, let’s face it, if there are parents involved there has to be some time put aside to gossip!’
The mums also hope the wide choice of activities will help the kids engage. ‘They’re not going to be herded into activities,’ says Laura. ‘It wouldn’t work.’ Rachel agrees: ‘All little boys seem to have some form of attention deficit disorder! You can’t force them to do something they really don’t want to do, so there’s some choice, but also structure. We’re providing opportunities for kids to socialise with other children, and engage with arts and books.’
With the first session booked up, the idea is already proving a hit, but only time will tell whether it will go the distance. However, the mums are confident. ‘There’s no other group like it in the city,’ says Rachel. ‘I feel we offer the best of both worlds – a chance to get involved with activities and just have fun – but also get a bit of a break, to have some time to relax and chat with other parents without it breaking the bank.’
Get involved
• The group is held at St Andrew’s Community Hall, off Airport Road, on Sundays and Tuesdays from 9.30am until 11am, but book ahead. Each group allows up to 25 kids – and the first class is already full.
• The group is for toddlers aged from 2-3 years, although younger siblings are also welcome.
• The group runs for 90 minutes, with the first hour dedicated to crafts, reading and free play, and the final half-hour to snack time and a singalong.
Dhs20 per session. To book, call Laura on 050 328 9950, or Rachel on 050 491 1041
