Guest post coming from me today so here’s a short intro to myself and the kid – Rachel: mummy to my little lad who is two years old, living in Glasgow and having great fun exploring the city through the eyes of a wee one.

We’ve been meaning to check out the outdoor playgroup in the Children’s Wood, North Kelvin Meadow for ages, but bad weather, bugs, awkward nap times etc. have always gotten in the way. However, this week the stars aligned and we made it, and boy am I glad we made the effort to go along!

This kind of playgroup is perfect for my little dude – he NEVER wants to be indoors! His favourite words are ‘park’, ‘tree’, ‘garden’, ‘outside’…you get the idea.

childrens-wood-playgroup-kelvinside-meadow

The Setup

The group takes place in the Children’s Wood which is part of North Kelvin Meadow, off Kelbourne Street (near Queen Margaret Drive). There’s loads of room to explore with dens, ropes to swing on, some push along trucks and diggers, plenty of spades, forks and trowels, a mud kitchen and a big tarpaulin to sit on for activities and snack time.

It started off with free play while everyone arrived. We had a good explore and the little lad was beside himself when we came across a cat and a squirrel! We then had some structured activities but the group is nice and relaxed and is run by other parents and carers so if your little one would prefer to roam around then that’s absolutely fine (my wee one falls in to this category as he has the attention span of a two year old – go figure!). He enjoyed running around the meadow and hiding under all the trees, but also periodically came back to the group to join in. He especially loved the ‘bug hunt’ where he had to dig for toy mini beasts hidden in the compost.

childrens-wood-playgroup-digging

At around 11am there is snack time and the group leaders provided carrot and celery sticks, hummus, cream cheese, raisins, grapes and crackers – all the stuff he really enjoys which was perfect.

We headed off for nap time at about 11.30, so we missed the mask making, but it looked like it was going to be fun! If they have time, they also do a music session at the end.

The Details

The group meets every Wednesday and selected Fridays from 10am-12noon and everyone is welcome. The trees provide a good amount of cover, but if the weather is bad then they build a shelter meaning that the group can still go ahead come rain or shine. Activities can be enjoyed by little ones of all ages – there was a good mix of kids when we were there, from little babies up to around 3 or 4 years of age.

The Cost

£1 per family which goes towards, snacks, toys/equipment and their Scottish Pre-School Play Association membership

Tips

1. Check their Facebook page for updates to make sure that the group is on before leaving.

2. Make sure you and your little one have appropriate clothing – I’d recommend wellies and depending on weather, waterproofs. They have some great advice on what to wear here.

3. Bring a drink for your child as this isn’t provided

The Verdict

This is a lovely, welcoming, informal group of parents, carers and children who meet to learn and have fun outside. It’s perfect for encouraging your children to enjoy nature and make new friends. Outdoorsy little ones will absolutely love it! My little lad had a blast and I could relax knowing that I didn’t have to wrangle with him to stay indoors when all he wants to do is make a break for it!

The Children’s Wood playgroup takes place on Wednesday mornings from 10am until noon. It is located in North Kelvin Meadow, on Kelbourne Street in the West End (just off Queen Margaret Drive).