About playgroup
Playgroups are for babies, toddlers and preschoolers and their parents or caregivers. They are low cost, run by the families attending and usually local.54,000 children from 40,000 families go to playgroup in metropolitan and country Victoria each week.
Playgroup-aged children are going through a stage of rapid brain and skill development. Playgroup encourages that development because at playgroup, babies are offered play experiences to stimulate their senses, toddlers practise their developing physical, intellectual and language skills, and preschool children practise social skills – important preparation for kindergarten and school.
Playgroup can be a lifeline to parents of babies, todders and preschoolers who might not have any other opportunity to get to know local parents going through similar experiences.
Find an explanation about what playgroup is in English, Amharic, Dinka, Somali, Sudanese Arabic, Tigrinan, Chinese, Chin, Karen, Macedonian, Turkish and Vietnamese here.
About us
Playgroup Victoria has been helping families join, start and run playgroups in Victoria since 1974 via telephone, publications, DVDs, this website, and training offered throughout Victoria and by correspondence.
Find out more here.
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 Intergenerational Playgroup Project
Playgroup
Victoria has partnered with the National Ageing Research Institute and
Barwon Health to develop the Intergenerational Playgroup Project. This
20-week pilot project aims to engage aged care residents at Barwon
Health’s Percy Baxter Lodges in North Geelong with local families by
providing a positive environment in a playgroup setting. The playgroup
is facilitated by an activities officer from Percy Baxter Lodges and an
early childhood worker from the City of Greater Geelong. Find out more here.
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Vacancies at playgroups
It's that time of the year. More and more playgroups are now placing notices on the Playgroup noticeboard
seeking new families and advertising times available at their
playgroups for new sessions. Interested in being part of a playgroup
focussed on organic gardening and sustainability issues? To have your
playgroup vacancies added to the noticeboard please email denise@playgroup.org.au.on.
Playgrouper and 2010 Year of Healthy Choices calendar
Playgrouper magazine is out now and with it
comes a 2010 Year of Healthy Choices calendar with not 12 but 14 months
of events, healthy snack suggestions, play activities and things to
make from recycled materials to use at playgroup and at home.
In Playgrouper we explore how parents are rushing their
children through childhood, explain why children need to take risks
when they play, cover the journey of one playgroup from being a
supported playgroup to a community playgroup, offer some healthy
choices for snacktime and look at just what's going on when children
play with small toy cars. There's lots more.
This is the last ever issue of Playgrouper magazine. From
May, Playgroup Victoria joins Playgroup NSW, Playgroup Qld, Playgroup
SA, Playgroup WA, Playgroup Tasmania, Playgroup NT and Playgroup ACT in
a national magazine, Totline.
Volunteers available to help at playgroup
Volunteer Services is run by Warrnambool City Council
for the south west region of Victoria to recruit volunteers to help
organisations and community groups deliver their programs and services.
For many playgroups, an extra pair of hands would be welcome to help
set up, clean up and help with activities. If you are interested in
finding a volunteer or two to help you run your playgroup please
contact Ruth Henshall on 5559 4914 or email rhenshall@warrnambool.vic.gov.au.
Playgroups in bushfire risk areas
Playgroup Victoria recommends that playgroups in bushfire risk areas
become familiar with CFA bushfire preparedness, survival plan
suggestions and scale of fire danger ratings, and have a clear
understanding of their venue's emergency plans. Read more.
No price increase in Playgroup Victoria membership fee
Playgroup Victoria membership will remain the same for the next 12 months. Family Membership is still $25, concession $15. Please note: Family Membership is now based on point in time (i.e. 12 months from date of joining or renewing) and earlybird rates no longer apply. Find out more about membership here.
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Corporate partners
  
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Members now have access to the Members login. Username: playgroup. Password: book.
PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE NOT YET ABLE TO ACCEPT MEMBERSHIP PAYMENTS ONLINE. Find all forms required to renew or join here.
 Member login
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