Location: Dun Laoghaire Evangelical Church,
Lower Glenageary Road
Times: Tuesdays from 10.30 to 12
Website: http://www.dec.ie/ministries/family-children
Prices: € 2 per session (voluntary contribution)
PROs: caring staff and volunteers, supervised play
CONs: Can't think of anything negative really...
Overall: ****
On Tuesday we went to check out Squeals on Wheels at Dun Laoghaire Evangelical Church, a toddler group that unlike the ones we've been to before, is run by the church itself (and of course a number of volunteers).
The church is based at Lower Glenageary Road, not far from the People's Park and the centre of Dun Laoghaire.
To my relief, they finally have taken off that terrible banner claiming that "There is hope...Dun Laoghaire Evangelical Church".
I guess, in a country full of Catholics it can easily be taken the wrong way (or perhaps the right one?!?). Anyway, thankfully it's gone now!
As I arrived (too early again), I received a warm welcome by Sally, the lady that runs the group, and her two volunteers Myrtle and 90-year-old (!) June who's in charge of tea and biscuits.
On that note I should mention that if you are planning to go there, you better give them a ring prior to your visit. Apparently, they don't always have enough space for everyone. Taken, that they put a lot of effort into getting to know everyone and supervising the children, it certainly sounds plausible. I also prefer small groups to completely crammed ones. My feeling, however, was that this can't be the only reason and perhaps they want to inspect their new arrivals before they decide, whether you can come regularly or not. I can be completely wrong though! And saying that, I don't want to put anyone off either.
Both of us were really comfortable and well looked after. On my previous visits to toddler groups, I sometimes felt that as a new girl it was quite hard to get talking to other parents. But this time, I didn't get that feeling at all and I don't think it was only due to the fact that I got talking to another newcomer.
The fact that this group is a religiously motivated one can seem strange at first when you aren't used to that sort of thing (i.e. the children's sing-along that mentions God). Thanks to their Christian motivation though, no one had to feel left out and I would definitely recommend Squeals on Wheels to you.
Aviva and I have definitely found the two toddler groups we feel most comfortable with :-).
Showing posts with label Toddler Groups. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toddler Groups. Show all posts
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
# 4 Dalkey Library Parent and Toddler Group
Location: Dalkey Library
Times: Fridays from 10.30 to 12.00
Prices: FREE
PROs: cosy atmosphere
CONs: not an ideal location for a toddler group
Overall: **
Hi folks! I'm sorry I kept you waiting for so long. It's so tough to get back into writing after a short break! However, the good news is that now I'm back with the latest toddler group review for you :-).
Today we skipped Barnardos to see what the Dalkey Library toddler group is like. As someone who isn't religious, libraries have always been the real places of refuge to me, open to everyone and providing shelter until closing time (as long as you have a library card). Just as in churches you have to be quiet, but unlike those, I always feel welcome and never intimidated.
I have been to Dalkey Library a number of times, whether I needed to study or just to rent a DVD, and was never disappointed in their services (They have quite an impressive selection of independent films for a local library).
The toddler group is on every Friday from 10.30 to 12.00 at the Young Children's Library section, which is done up very nicely. Dalkey Library also offers "Story Time" for older children from three years on. Both services are free of charge.
Trying not to sound too disappointed, I'd tend to describe the group as an open playroom rather than a toddler group. It is not run by anyone, the library simply provides the facilities including books and a few toys. I can imagine the library as a great location for older children to listen to stories. For toddlers, however, I don't think it's the best place to go to. Just like me, other parents seem to think the same and just didn't show up (and were possibly at Barnardos). I don't know if it's something to do with female intuition, but I was pretty lucky to have asked a friend to drop in. Or else, Aviva and I would have spent the first twenty minutes by ourselves. By the end there were four children in total and it just felt as if a couple of parents had randomly and independently from each other decided to bring their toddlers out for a walk to their local library.
In terms of literacy, I greatly approve of the idea of storytime and would definitely take Aviva there when she is older. For the moment, however, I better stick with what I know and won't skip another session at our regular toddler group.
Times: Fridays from 10.30 to 12.00
Prices: FREE
PROs: cosy atmosphere
CONs: not an ideal location for a toddler group
Overall: **
Hi folks! I'm sorry I kept you waiting for so long. It's so tough to get back into writing after a short break! However, the good news is that now I'm back with the latest toddler group review for you :-).
Today we skipped Barnardos to see what the Dalkey Library toddler group is like. As someone who isn't religious, libraries have always been the real places of refuge to me, open to everyone and providing shelter until closing time (as long as you have a library card). Just as in churches you have to be quiet, but unlike those, I always feel welcome and never intimidated.
I have been to Dalkey Library a number of times, whether I needed to study or just to rent a DVD, and was never disappointed in their services (They have quite an impressive selection of independent films for a local library).
The toddler group is on every Friday from 10.30 to 12.00 at the Young Children's Library section, which is done up very nicely. Dalkey Library also offers "Story Time" for older children from three years on. Both services are free of charge.
Trying not to sound too disappointed, I'd tend to describe the group as an open playroom rather than a toddler group. It is not run by anyone, the library simply provides the facilities including books and a few toys. I can imagine the library as a great location for older children to listen to stories. For toddlers, however, I don't think it's the best place to go to. Just like me, other parents seem to think the same and just didn't show up (and were possibly at Barnardos). I don't know if it's something to do with female intuition, but I was pretty lucky to have asked a friend to drop in. Or else, Aviva and I would have spent the first twenty minutes by ourselves. By the end there were four children in total and it just felt as if a couple of parents had randomly and independently from each other decided to bring their toddlers out for a walk to their local library.
In terms of literacy, I greatly approve of the idea of storytime and would definitely take Aviva there when she is older. For the moment, however, I better stick with what I know and won't skip another session at our regular toddler group.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
# 3 St. Patrick's Parent and Toddler Group, Dalkey
Location: Church of Ireland Hall, Dalkey
Times: Tuesdays from 10.30 to 12.00
Prices: € 2 per session (no other fees apply)
PROs: cheap, very commited volunteers
CONs: (Not sure..felt that I didn't belong perhaps)
Overall: *** and 1/2*
St. Patrick's Church in Dalkey belongs to the Church of Ireland, which by only 3 per cent is the second largest denomination after Catholicism in the Republic of Ireland according to the 2006 census.
So much for civics lessons though! Because that has nothing to do with the toddler group whatsoever.
The Church is located on an elevated site overlooking Dublin bay and because I don't have a car, I walked along the scenic route passing Bullock harbour. And although we've been living here for quite a while now, for a moment it felt like I was on holidays. Walking up the hill, we passed a number of builders, which Aviva correctly identified as "Bobs". First struggling to find the Church Hall, I soon realized that they are sharing the same building with St. Patrick's National School.
The toddler group itself is run by committed parents only and one session costs € 2 with no further charges applying. Included are also tea and biscuits. At the start we all sat in a circle singing nursery rhymes (including an introductory song) to get warmed up, which has a very nice touch to it. It also gives the toddler group a bit of structure.
Having introduced Aviva by collective singing "Aviva's wearing beige today, beige today, beige today. Aviva's wearing beige today, on a Tuesday morning", I felt a bit bad, as she was the only child misbehaving and not taking part. However, the free biscuits certainly made up for that ;-).
So, while Aviva obsessed over a changing mat instead of playing with toys, I got talking to another young Mom. Or at least I thought she was! It turned out she was a Swiss au pair and henceforward our conversation continued in German. With the Swiss being very accurate and into standards, I wasn't surprised when she told me that she's mainly here to get an internationally recognized CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English) and would soon go home.
Anyway, the toddler group! Overall it was a good experience and because it's so cheap and cheerful, I'm going to give it three and a half stars and a another go at some point. The only thing I felt was a bit of a letdown, is the fact that I didn't really get to talk to anyone and despite good efforts the athmosphere was kind of cold (But that's just me!).
You should definitely go and judge it for yourself :-).
Times: Tuesdays from 10.30 to 12.00
Prices: € 2 per session (no other fees apply)
PROs: cheap, very commited volunteers
CONs: (Not sure..felt that I didn't belong perhaps)
Overall: *** and 1/2*
St. Patrick's Church in Dalkey belongs to the Church of Ireland, which by only 3 per cent is the second largest denomination after Catholicism in the Republic of Ireland according to the 2006 census.
So much for civics lessons though! Because that has nothing to do with the toddler group whatsoever.
The Church is located on an elevated site overlooking Dublin bay and because I don't have a car, I walked along the scenic route passing Bullock harbour. And although we've been living here for quite a while now, for a moment it felt like I was on holidays. Walking up the hill, we passed a number of builders, which Aviva correctly identified as "Bobs". First struggling to find the Church Hall, I soon realized that they are sharing the same building with St. Patrick's National School.
The toddler group itself is run by committed parents only and one session costs € 2 with no further charges applying. Included are also tea and biscuits. At the start we all sat in a circle singing nursery rhymes (including an introductory song) to get warmed up, which has a very nice touch to it. It also gives the toddler group a bit of structure.
Having introduced Aviva by collective singing "Aviva's wearing beige today, beige today, beige today. Aviva's wearing beige today, on a Tuesday morning", I felt a bit bad, as she was the only child misbehaving and not taking part. However, the free biscuits certainly made up for that ;-).
So, while Aviva obsessed over a changing mat instead of playing with toys, I got talking to another young Mom. Or at least I thought she was! It turned out she was a Swiss au pair and henceforward our conversation continued in German. With the Swiss being very accurate and into standards, I wasn't surprised when she told me that she's mainly here to get an internationally recognized CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English) and would soon go home.
Anyway, the toddler group! Overall it was a good experience and because it's so cheap and cheerful, I'm going to give it three and a half stars and a another go at some point. The only thing I felt was a bit of a letdown, is the fact that I didn't really get to talk to anyone and despite good efforts the athmosphere was kind of cold (But that's just me!).
You should definitely go and judge it for yourself :-).
Saturday, January 28, 2012
# 2 Barnardos Parent & Toddler Group,Dun Laoghaire
Location: Barnardos Branch in Dun Laoghaire,
14 Tivoli Terrace South
Times: Fridays from 10.00 to 12.00
Prices: € 2 per session (€ 5 enrollment fee)
PROs: friendly staff, partly structured play, outdoor play area,
separate baby play area, reasonable price
CONs: crammed and chaotic
Overall: ****
A very warm welcome to my first official follower :-)! It's great to see that people are looking at my blog. You are aware though, that by doing so you make me feel EVEN MORE committed to it, don't you ;-)?
I'm trying not to be biassed as I have only been to two different toddler groups so far. But at a very reasonable € 2 per two-hour session I can tell you straight away that there probably isn't any better toddler group in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown (in terms of price/performance ratio). You have to pay a € 5 enrollment fee at your first visit but that's no big deal (Remember I had to pay € 7 at Cuidiu for only one session?).
The toddler group is run by a local branch of Barnardos, which is Ireland's leading children's charity. And they just have loads on! It really would go beyond the scope of this blog, so you should definitely check out their website.
At Dun Laoghaire's Barnardos branch they have different play areas, such as a water and sand area, a painting corner, an outdoor play area and also a separate baby play section. That's basically due to the fact that they also participate in the free pre-school scheme (ECCE), so they are used to accomodating for children.
Overall, they are a bit more structured than toddler groups run by volunteers. From 10 to 11 it's "Choice time", which just means that the toddlers choose activities by themselves. At eleven, small tooth-friendly snacks and drinks are provided by Barnardos ("Snack time"). From 11.15 it's "Outside time" and at ten to twelve before it's time to go home they sing together.
These are suggestions only and you do not have to comply with them. Your child is making the decisions for you anyway ;-).
To make a long story short, I am very happy with that toddler group. The staff are very friendly and committed and I'm already going there on a regular basis.
The only thing that I don't like is that it's always really crammed and chaotic (I know, that's a pretty big BUT). Yesterday, I tried to count the amount of infants running about. But it simply wasn't possible. And it's not just them. You also have to count in their parents and the members of staff... That doesn't leave you with much space.
However, given that it's so cheap I'm not surprised that many parents choose to go there and I would definitely recommend it to you.
As announced two days ago, tommorow I'm gonna tell you about Fun Fitness in Sandyford. So, stay tuned ;-)!
14 Tivoli Terrace South
Times: Fridays from 10.00 to 12.00
Prices: € 2 per session (€ 5 enrollment fee)
PROs: friendly staff, partly structured play, outdoor play area,
separate baby play area, reasonable price
CONs: crammed and chaotic
Overall: ****
A very warm welcome to my first official follower :-)! It's great to see that people are looking at my blog. You are aware though, that by doing so you make me feel EVEN MORE committed to it, don't you ;-)?
I'm trying not to be biassed as I have only been to two different toddler groups so far. But at a very reasonable € 2 per two-hour session I can tell you straight away that there probably isn't any better toddler group in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown (in terms of price/performance ratio). You have to pay a € 5 enrollment fee at your first visit but that's no big deal (Remember I had to pay € 7 at Cuidiu for only one session?).
The toddler group is run by a local branch of Barnardos, which is Ireland's leading children's charity. And they just have loads on! It really would go beyond the scope of this blog, so you should definitely check out their website.
At Dun Laoghaire's Barnardos branch they have different play areas, such as a water and sand area, a painting corner, an outdoor play area and also a separate baby play section. That's basically due to the fact that they also participate in the free pre-school scheme (ECCE), so they are used to accomodating for children.
Overall, they are a bit more structured than toddler groups run by volunteers. From 10 to 11 it's "Choice time", which just means that the toddlers choose activities by themselves. At eleven, small tooth-friendly snacks and drinks are provided by Barnardos ("Snack time"). From 11.15 it's "Outside time" and at ten to twelve before it's time to go home they sing together.
These are suggestions only and you do not have to comply with them. Your child is making the decisions for you anyway ;-).
To make a long story short, I am very happy with that toddler group. The staff are very friendly and committed and I'm already going there on a regular basis.
The only thing that I don't like is that it's always really crammed and chaotic (I know, that's a pretty big BUT). Yesterday, I tried to count the amount of infants running about. But it simply wasn't possible. And it's not just them. You also have to count in their parents and the members of staff... That doesn't leave you with much space.
However, given that it's so cheap I'm not surprised that many parents choose to go there and I would definitely recommend it to you.
As announced two days ago, tommorow I'm gonna tell you about Fun Fitness in Sandyford. So, stay tuned ;-)!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
# 1 Cuidiu Toddler Group Glenageary
Location: St. Paul's Church Hall Glenageary, Adelaide Road
Times: Wednesdays from 10.00 - 12.00
Prices: € 7 for Non-Members / € 4 for Cuidiu Members (€ 25 annual fee)
PROs: coffee or tea and biscuits included; spacious facilities,
separate baby play area
CONs: no structured play, no professional staff, quite expensive
Overall: ***
St. Paul's Church Hall, a lovely modern building with glass facade, is located at the corner of Adelaide road/Silchester road in Glenageary (just off the DART station).
The toddler group is run by Cuidiu (Irish for parenthood), which is a parent-to-parent support group run by volunteer parents and apparently a very conservative one (very into breastfeeding and that sort of thing). Nevermind.
As usual I arrived very early and must remember not to do so the next time as I had to help setting up the play area. At € 7 per session for Non-Cuidiu-Members the toddler group is quite dear, especially given the fact that there is no professional staff or structured play. Cuidiu, however, seems to be relatively popular as the place was soon filled with a good two dozens of toddlers and babies in all shapes and colours.
I like the idea of a separate baby play area and am also very fond of the tea /coffee and biscuits that are included in the price ;-).
Surprisingly enough I didn't see anyone I had met before, even though I thought I knew most new mothers in the local area. Just another evidence of Ireland's baby boom, I guess.
I got to talk to a very nice young mom at the same age as me and noticed once again that there are very few "young" mothers in my area. With the south of Dublin being a rather priviliged area, most first time mothers I met are in their midthirties, careerwise and financially sorted (and would soon be second time mothers).
Back to the toddlergroup though. Overall I enjoyed the experience and didn't feel that my money went to waste. Two hours is more than enough for a toddler to "socialize" (= fighting over toys) and with that in mind I will definitely give Cuidiu toddler group another go at some stage.
Tomorrow I'm gonna go to Barnardos toy library in Dun Laoghaire and will also share my thoughts on Fun Fitness Sandyford that I went to see today.
So, stay tuned ;-)!
Times: Wednesdays from 10.00 - 12.00
Prices: € 7 for Non-Members / € 4 for Cuidiu Members (€ 25 annual fee)
PROs: coffee or tea and biscuits included; spacious facilities,
separate baby play area
CONs: no structured play, no professional staff, quite expensive
Overall: ***
St. Paul's Church Hall, a lovely modern building with glass facade, is located at the corner of Adelaide road/Silchester road in Glenageary (just off the DART station).
The toddler group is run by Cuidiu (Irish for parenthood), which is a parent-to-parent support group run by volunteer parents and apparently a very conservative one (very into breastfeeding and that sort of thing). Nevermind.
As usual I arrived very early and must remember not to do so the next time as I had to help setting up the play area. At € 7 per session for Non-Cuidiu-Members the toddler group is quite dear, especially given the fact that there is no professional staff or structured play. Cuidiu, however, seems to be relatively popular as the place was soon filled with a good two dozens of toddlers and babies in all shapes and colours.
I like the idea of a separate baby play area and am also very fond of the tea /coffee and biscuits that are included in the price ;-).
Surprisingly enough I didn't see anyone I had met before, even though I thought I knew most new mothers in the local area. Just another evidence of Ireland's baby boom, I guess.
I got to talk to a very nice young mom at the same age as me and noticed once again that there are very few "young" mothers in my area. With the south of Dublin being a rather priviliged area, most first time mothers I met are in their midthirties, careerwise and financially sorted (and would soon be second time mothers).
Back to the toddlergroup though. Overall I enjoyed the experience and didn't feel that my money went to waste. Two hours is more than enough for a toddler to "socialize" (= fighting over toys) and with that in mind I will definitely give Cuidiu toddler group another go at some stage.
Tomorrow I'm gonna go to Barnardos toy library in Dun Laoghaire and will also share my thoughts on Fun Fitness Sandyford that I went to see today.
So, stay tuned ;-)!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Toddler Group Rating System
Hi folks :D,
I know you're all dying to find out how I got on at Cuidiu parent and toddler group in Glenageary today. But it's pretty late already and One Born every minute is on in 15 minutes ;-).
To keep the tension, let me first introduce you to my "toddler group rating system". As you will notice it's very straight forward.
* Would not recommend it at all
** Probably would not go a second time
*** Will definitely give it one more go
**** Could see myself coming here on a regular basis
***** Why on earth haven't I found out about this miraculous place earlier?
I know you're all dying to find out how I got on at Cuidiu parent and toddler group in Glenageary today. But it's pretty late already and One Born every minute is on in 15 minutes ;-).
To keep the tension, let me first introduce you to my "toddler group rating system". As you will notice it's very straight forward.
* Would not recommend it at all
** Probably would not go a second time
*** Will definitely give it one more go
**** Could see myself coming here on a regular basis
***** Why on earth haven't I found out about this miraculous place earlier?
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Toddler Group Alarm!
So, here I am: Tackling the challenge of finding a toddler group for Aviva. If we lived in Germany she'd almost certainly go to creche even if I was unemployed.
But, I don't think I'm telling you a secret if I say that childcare in Ireland is just ridiculously expensive. As far as I know prices for fulltime childcare start at € 800 a month. That's almost one parent's wages! In terms of childcare you either have to be very flexible and creative or simply better off than most people.
However, being a (temporary) stay at home mum in Ireland doesn't leave me much of a choice and I'm going to find a place where Aviva can meet other children. Plus, having lived here for a year and a half, I have met loads of lovely people, but I cannot say I have made friends or simply meet others on a regular basis.
So here it is: Tomorrow I am going to test Cuidiu parent and toddler group at St. Paul's Church Hall in Glenageary. At € 7 per two-hour session it's quite expensive. Let's see if it's worth it!
But, I don't think I'm telling you a secret if I say that childcare in Ireland is just ridiculously expensive. As far as I know prices for fulltime childcare start at € 800 a month. That's almost one parent's wages! In terms of childcare you either have to be very flexible and creative or simply better off than most people.
However, being a (temporary) stay at home mum in Ireland doesn't leave me much of a choice and I'm going to find a place where Aviva can meet other children. Plus, having lived here for a year and a half, I have met loads of lovely people, but I cannot say I have made friends or simply meet others on a regular basis.
So here it is: Tomorrow I am going to test Cuidiu parent and toddler group at St. Paul's Church Hall in Glenageary. At € 7 per two-hour session it's quite expensive. Let's see if it's worth it!
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