“It is like a whole new identity for yourself. You have to kind of put yourself out there and know that everyone probably felt the same way at some point when it was their first time, their first child.”

The change the comes with parenthood can take the wind out of the sails for a time or steer you in a different direction, one that you did not expect. A series of large changes happening all at once. That is why the regularity of playgroup each week provides a sturdy base. With that comes reassurance. Guidance. Comfort. Mutual understanding.

That is exactly what Emily and Zoe endeavoured to generate when they started Enjoy Music and Play Playgroup.

Both Mums wanted to create an opportunity for parents and families to connect and build relationships, without an economic impact.

The quality of our lives, our wellbeing, are hugely dependent on the quality of our relationships. Both philosophers and scientists have laid focus on this area of human existence. We are social creatures.

“The biggest thing is relationships and connection,” said playgroup leader Emily. “A lot of mums talk about how lonely it is or how hard it is to find spaces to connect, particularly if your mums group wasn’t great.”

Emily and Zoe had attended local storytimes and the like with their children, but Emily said that once that was over, they just went home and felt like the opportunity to forge deeper relationships with others was lost in the movement from A to B.

“I think how much mums want to connect. It does take a village, whether that is someone to hold your baby while you do something else, or someone to talk to whose child is at a similar stage. Sometimes, as a mum you can feel a bit bogged down in that stage and it’s really nice to have other things on.”

Emily is a teacher by trade and has developed inspired session plans for the entire year for the playgroup. Each week a different theme is showcased and explored: transport, farm animals, birds, space, the human body and more. With craft, sensory play, story time and songs to match.

Emily, with her educational experience, and Zoe, with her engineering experience make a great team.

“These two girls are amazing,” said Robyn who brings her granddaughter each week.

“This is the best playgroup I have ever been to and I have three kids and I’ve never been to one as good in all my life. They have a different theme every week. The kids just love it.”

Another relationship enhancing part of the group is indeed this: the intergenerational confluence. “Because I’m a gran, meeting all these young girls, they don’t ignore you, they engage with you and they ask me questions about ‘When your kids were little, what did you do and what didn’t you do’. It’s all changed,” said Robyn.

Robyn enjoys seeing her granddaughter make friends, she loves the time they spend together and is especially appreciative of the play space and activities throughout winter.

“It’s fantastic.”

“My daughter said, ‘I wish I could take her myself’ but they have a mortgage and she has to work so I am just really lucky as a grandma that I get to do things like this.”

Alongside playgroup leaders Emily and Zoe, a team has come together of seven volunteers to support the playgroup that continues to grow exponentially. Beginning with 12 attendees one day a week, to anywhere between 40-65 people on a Tuesday and on a Thursday.

“We can occasionally have 120 people come through in a week,” said Emily.

The team helpers take the pressure off each individual, greeting every person who walks through the door and making them feel welcome.

“They are so friendly and accommodating,” said Mum Leonie. “They understand that you might get a bit nervous or anxious and they will greet you on your first session and buddy you up with someone. Before you know it you will see familiar faces each week and then- it’s just about getting your confidence up because it is hard to meet new people when you are a grown adult and most of my friends, they are at work now so when you come to a new place it is just human nature to be a bit nervous about it but pretty soon you get over that and realise how welcoming everyone is.”

Leonie has been attending playgroup since her newborn was six weeks old. Initially when her friend invited her along, she thought it was far too early, yet she quickly realised that the experience was hugely beneficial for herself, as well as her son. Leonie finds herself saving any questions she has for playgroup, seeking out reassurance and advice.

“When the opportunities for mother group all finishes, you feel like you have so much more you want to know and pick peoples brains about so coming here and chatting to other mums and getting their input and ideas.”

Leonie, like many of the other parents here, are amazed by the developmental leaps their child takes. “You feel like you have just mastered one stage and they are onto the next.”

“I think coming to playgroup is exciting because, although he is not an infant anymore, you can see how they as they get older, all the experiences you can have together.”

Leonie understands how challenging it can be to attend a new group for the first time but encourages newcomers to contact the facilitators first.

“I’ve put him on the mats and chatted to the other mums and you just realise that there are lots of other people who live around you, that you realise that there is a village around.”

Zoe talks about the community and consistency she has found at this playgroup:

“It’s like our own little family as well. Our kids are growing up and they know all the parents like aunties and uncles.”

Zoe hopes that mums who perhaps didn’t feel lucky with their mums group can meet people here and build a sense of community for the children as they grow up.

The parents and carers watch the children’s confidence grow alongside their abilities. The variety of playgroup sessions provides opportunities to see how the children are interacting with one another.

“You might do your regular routine with them but here you get to watch them play and see how they are going with their crafts and messy play,” said Zoe.

“Here you get to see, ‘Oh they are sharing really well’ or ‘We could work on that’.

Cristina, a volunteer member of the group has put her hand up to be the playgroup barista on Thursdays, kindly taking down the coffee orders.

Cristina said that she quickly became friends with Emily and Zoe. From there she was brought along on the team to help out when she can.

One standout part of the experience for Cristina is how happy the playgroup makes her son. “He loves it, he feels really comfortable in the space. He knows, it is very familiar. He loves doing all the activities each week.”

Together the group watch the children grow and develop before their very eyes. On this particular day, they celebrate a playgroup attendee’s upcoming birthday with a candle and song. The little girl is quite starstruck, but as many of the children here are known to do, they carry the experiences with them, well after the session is finished, happily regaling their parents with their feelings for long after.

To anyone who is hesitant to make that first step to join a playgroup, Emily encourages families to just try it.

“There are so many benefits, for your child but also you. Building relationships is really important. It’s less isolating and I think playgroups are a great, usually, cost effective way of doing that.”

It is a great mix of ages, activities and room to explore, experiment and express oneself. The educational aspect is there, an undercurrent, propelling the children on each time they attend.

For Leonie, her son has been immersed in this playful space since he was only weeks old. She now watches her 16-month-old son crawl around. He absorbs the goings on, with full sensory awareness.

“The biggest thing I thought was that he is too young to come but they cater for all ages with the play mats and resources. I guess the message is, don’t think that you have to wait until a certain age or something, just come along, even if it is just for yourself at first to chat to other mums.”

“The sense of community is nice and once you start coming it is something in your week that you can look forward to,” said Leonie.

Connect and be part of the Enjoy Music and Play Playgroup Community

 Article by Sinead Halliday
Photography by Mylie Nauendorf