C'est Magnifique!
A French Playgroup
Bilingual Playgroup Creates Belonging and Connection for French-Speaking Families
“I am the only one at home who speaks French. This was perfect.”
First-time mum Lorena found the French playgroup online, eager to connect with other French speakers, alongside her young son.
Les Petits Potes Playgroup which means “The Little Mates” in French, was founded with the intention to create connections and friendships for the families’ little people, yet it has evolved to so much more.
“Bonjour!” say the parents as they meet at the playgroup. Conversation is quickly in full flight as they launch into a French exchange.
The space has been an important bridge between cultures. It has allowed families to keep close to their heritage and identity, while their children forge a strong connection with the French language and make friends.
Lorena grew up bilingual. Her dad is French and her mum is Peruvian. She now speaks to her son in French and Spanish.
Lorena spent equal time in both Peru and France growing up. She did not think it was anything out of the ordinary until her teenage years, when her friends came over and were surprised to hear her speaking French with her father. For Lorena, it was natural, with both her parents traversing languages.
That is what helped Lorena become fully bilingual.
She studied in France and then worked in Peru after university. Now she said, she can work or live in France and any French speaking countries like Canada or parts of Africa.
With a natural inclination to embrace different cultures and languages, Lorena met and married her husband who is from Melbourne and has a Greek background, further adding to the variety of sounds and expressions in her orbit.
“I have those possibilities and that is the beauty of it. I want those opportunities for my son, too. I want the world to be open to him.”
Many of the parents at Les Petits Potes playgroup first came to Australia while travelling or for a work experience, yet they have stayed, enjoying the lifestyle and seeing new opportunities.
The world travelers say that they love Melbourne and what it has to offer.
Nevertheless, there is a strong pull to converse with their children in their native tongue and to pass on their cultural heritage.
“The language allows them to connect with their extended family, their grandparents and their cousins,” said mum Céline.
From a distance, the words that they share are ever important.
“Even though we do Facetime, it’s not the same as speaking the language in person. That is where our playgroup helps with their fluency.”
Céline’s family have been living in Australia for 13 years and there are times when she wishes to reach for certain words, to express her meaning.
“My English is not perfect and sometimes I feel frustrated because I can’t express exactly what I want to say. When I talk to the other mums at playgroup, we can really express ourselves and share our primary language.”
“I hoped that my son would speak French while playing with the other kids but sometimes they only speak in English,” she laughs.
Céline enjoys spending time with the other French-speaking mums each week. She also loves the sense of belonging that she feels here, sharing experiences with other families.
“We know that every Thursday we go to playgroup. It is a big change to become a mum, but the playgroup has been amazing for meeting other parents in a similar situation.”
“In France we don’t have these kinds of groups, so I have found it hugely beneficial. We can feel lonely after giving birth and I thought, ‘Ahh it’s an amazing thing to be part of’.”
Céline has enjoyed the possibilities that have awoken in her since moving to Melbourne from Montpellier in the south of France.
“It has opened my mind living here. I enjoy discovering Melbourne, it is very multicultural. There is always something to do. It is great to see all the different festivals and to be part of the beautiful community .”
Bach-Lan, originally from the south of France as well, had a role in starting the playgroup in the latter stages of 2025.
“The initial idea for the playgroup centered around the children, creating an opportunity for them to make friends and speak French so that they keep up with our native language but the playgroup has exceeded our expectations and grown into so much more.”
Bach-Lan said that she can see the positive impact it is having on the children. What more is the positive impact it has had on the mums and their families.
“I know that each mum appreciates coming to this playgroup for the time spent together. Friendships have developed amongst the mums and we are starting to see each other more and more, including outside of the playgroup.”
Vy, who has been a driving force in getting the playgroup up and running, helped form this playgroup. She did not grow up speaking French at home but was introduced to it first in high school and had travelled to France for two months in high school.
“I spent so much time learning the language and I made a lot of valuable friendships. I wanted to keep practicing the language.”
Vy grew up in Australia and has a Vietnamese background. She draws on a range of cultural influences and is eager to share and pass on the French language to her daughter. Even though her French is not perfect, the mums have always been very encouraging, not only towards the children but also the adults.
Really though, she said starting and being part of this playgroup, was about building meaningful connections and forming a community.
“It’s great for children's cognition but it is so much more than just language. It’s interactive for the mums and I have enjoyed seeing a different point of view, learning what it is like to raise a child as a French mum, compared to my own culture, which is part Vietnamese.”
“We always have a good laugh on a Thursday, so it is really good. We do catch up with each other outside of the playgroup and I think it creates a sense of community. I can message any of the mums if I need to and generally we always have a really good laugh.”
The French playgroup tries to be inclusive and sometimes holds weekend gatherings for parents who are unable to meet during the week.
“Over the weekend we had a little bit of a gathering. So many people said, ‘Oh this is great. Please do another one’. I think everyone just likes having that connection.”
Vy and Bach-Lan have had the enthusiasm to create those connections locally. Additional support came from the Great Start playgroup program they have been part of.
The initiative by Playgroup Victoria has supported the group to establish, providing mentoring, resources and a monetary donation.
The families have found a great place to meet in Keilor. The space is shared with other local playgroups and as such, is already set-up with colourful toys and equipment, with a roomy outdoor area and playground.
“Playgroup Victoria has been great with us,” said Vy. “They have been very supportive, whenever we need help they are there for us.”
The group has brought in French storybooks and resources that the Great Start grant has allowed them to purchase.
“The money itself has been great as we have been able to get a music player, so we can incorporate the language. Most things we play in our car are English but it really becomes that space here where the language is heard, that’s normal and it builds confidence.”
The group has invested in promotions, allowing more families to find them.
“Being able to use French in Australia or Victoria, where there are not a lot of opportunities, really creates a sense of connection for French mums, being so far away from home,” said Vy.
“The group does not only welcome French speaking mothers but has mothers from Colombia and Italy whose family has a connection to the French language. It is fantastic to see the promotion of the French language in the community.”
While Bach-lan does admit that she misses so much from her homeland, she is happy with the life she has made here.
“We have opportunities and the future looks quite bright in Australia.”
“We can see the playgroup lasting for a while and we just hope it keeps growing with more families. We want more families to know they have a playgroup here. People are very friendly and it is flexible. We welcome new families to join us. We are happy to have everyone here.”
Standing beside Bach-Lan, Vy speaks of the importance of the mums being together.
“Building connections with families has been fantastic. I have made a friend out of it,” she smiles as she hugs Bach-Lan.
Early parenthood brings so much change. Here, families find great comfort both in the language and culture they share. More importantly, a part of who they are and their history is passed on to the next generation.
Mum Lorena remembers that when she first came to Les Petits Potes French Playgroup, she was asked what her accent was because it didn’t sound like any part of France.
“I said, ‘It’s because I don’t actually have an accent. I have my own accent which comes from being bilingual.’”
Lorena is so grateful for the childhood she had, experiencing a cross-culture of languages.
“My parents always tried to keep our home cultures alive in us. That is how you fall in love with them.”
Long may the children of Les Petits Potes playgroup enjoy the bilingual wonders of the world, shared lovingly with their parents, their playgroup and the families they come to know.
Reach out and Join Les Petits Potes Playgroup
Email: lespetitspotesplaygroup@gmail.com
Article by Sinead Halliday
Photography Courtesy of Les Petits Potes and Mylie Nauendorf