Playgroup Registration is a Playgroup Victoria membership offering, available to help promote and provide support for your playgroup. Playgroup Registration comes with a range of benefits to support your playgroup including: insurance, advertising options, posters, templates, a bush play set-up guide, play resources and more!

PLAYGROUP REGISTRATION BENEFITS INCLUDES:

• Public Liability and Property Insurance for Not-for-Profit Community Playgroups. Public Liability insurance is your playgroup’s protection if your playgroup is found be legally responsible for personal injury to a third party or damage to their property.
• The option to advertise on one of our most visited web pages, Find a Playgroup
• Access to The Playgroup Toolkit, home to the best playgroup tools and resources
• Downloadable activity booklets with topics that include Nature Play, Music Play, Creative Play and more
• Access to our play ideas library, with over 100 downloadable activity sheets
• Monthly e-Newsletters filled with the latest playgroup news, event opportunities, articles, interviews and resources
• Access to the Wild Things Bush Play Setup Guide, a downloadable guide to all things bush play
• Special offers from our partners and opportunities at exclusive playgroup events

Register your new playgroup HERE

Playgroup Registration with Playgroup Victoria currently costs $50 for 12 months.

Register a new group HERE
Renew an existing playgroup here

Yes. If your playgroup has up-to-date Playgroup Registration with Playgroup Victoria, we can assist you with Auspicing.

Please contact us HERE for further information.

No, we don’t offer refunds for Playgroup Registration.

Your playgroups financial contribution via the Playgroup Registration membership fee helps us to distribute resources, create special events, maintain our support online and over the phone, assist families to participate and make the most of playgroup opportunities. If you are experiencing financial hardship and would like to discuss a partial refund or extension of your membership due to unforeseen circumstances, please contact us directly and we will do our utmost to assist you. Please contact us directly: membership@playgroup.org.au

The primary or secondary contact of the playgroup can put in a request to edit their playgroup details via their playgroup portal.

Login to your playgroup portal via our website. Click on the purple Edit Your Playgroup Details button and fill in the form. Once you have submitted the form, it will go through to our membership team for review.

Please allow up to 3 working days for changes to appear. Alternatively, you can contact our membership team via email with any edits: membership@playgroup.org.au

We have lots of options for advertising your playgroup! When your register your playgroup with us, make sure you click the option to be part of our Find a Playgroup page. This is our most visited page and enables people to search and find your group.  We also love to feature local playgroups on our social media, enabling more families to participate in playgroup and for playgroups to grow. If you would like us to showcase your group, simply ensure your registration is up-to-date and complete our form HERE.

 We also suggest that you join our closed Facebook community group. Here you can post and share about your playgroup. Click HERE to join our Wonderful World of Playgroup private group on Facebook.

Insurance for Registered Playgroups – Quick Facts:

• Playgroup Victoria provides insurance for Not-for-Profit Community Playgroups
• A playgroup must have up-to-date registration with Playgroup Victoria
• Playgroup Victoria insurance does not cover playgroups running as a business/for profit
• Any claims made are individually assessed and processed by the insurance provider, not Playgroup Victoria
• Where a playgroup facilitator is receiving funds from a community playgroup to run the group – paid facilitator insurance can be provided
• A Paid Facilitator who is employed by a business and being paid a wage would not be included in the Playgroup Victoria facilitator cover. Their employer would need to provide appropriate Work Cover.

What insurance is included in my playgroup registration? 

• Property and Third-Party Insurance - this includes cover for damage to equipment or property used within a registered playgroup session.
• VMIA Public and Products Liability – this covers a playgroup leader of a registered group being sued for negligence.

*Please note: The insurer assesses each claim on its individual case. Playgroup Victoria cannot pre-empt the outcome of any potential claim. Conditions will apply on all claims and final coverage will be up to the insurer. Playgroup Victoria has no part in the final decision on what will or won’t be covered on a claim.

For more information about Playgroup Registration insurance visit our Insurance FAQS page HERE.

It is highly recommended that any adult attending the playgroup without a child present should have a Working with Children Check.

A Working with Children Check is not required for a parent, carer or guardian if they are attending the playgroup with their child.

Some venues (for example schools or early years centres) will require every adult/participant to have a Working with Children Check.

Learn more HERE.

As the Playgroup Victoria logo represents the peak body for playgroups across the state, this logo is used in a professional capacity by Playgroup Victoria. If your playgroup is registered with Playgroup Victoria, you will have access to a suite of promotional resources, including editable posters, social media assets, information sheets and flyers.

We encourage playgroup leaders to create their own logo that best represents their playgroup. Platforms such as Canva are a free and easy tool to help you create your own visual identity.  

Yes, there are many paid facilitators helping to run playgroups throughout Victoria. To generate this income, you may have a term fee, a gold coin donation or you might partner with a local organisation. There is also the option to have sponsors who donate to your playgroup. 

Please see our insurance FAQS for more information about paid facilitator insurance.

We encourage all families to take out a free Family Membership with Playgroup Victoria. Family Membership creates opportunities for families to connect, meet new people, share experiences, attend events, find support and unearth inspiring resources to learn, develop and play. Not only does Family Membership benefit individual families providing a network and support base, Family Membership is incredibly important for the overall running of playgroups across Victoria. It allows Playgroup Victoria to gather an idea of how many families are attending playgroup. This assists in our reporting and aids support for playgroups. The more broadly we can illustrate attendance and participation, the greater our ability to establish funding, partnerships and support, helping to maintain the health of playgroups now and into the future.

Yes. You will receive an email from Microsoft, walking you through the sign-up process. Once you have created your account, you’re all set!

Rest assured, this is not spam. We have chosen the Microsoft platform to ensure your details are kept safe. The email from Microsoft is inviting you to login to our new system. The email will look similar to the image below:

All resources can be found in your playgroup portal. Login HERE.

You can access all activity booklets from your playgroup portal. Login HERE.

A playgroup is a group of parents or caregivers with their babies, toddlers and preschool children who get together regularly for play and social interaction. Each parent or caregiver is responsible for the children they bring to playgroup. Playgroups vary according to the needs of their families. 

• Parents, caregivers and their young children aged from birth to school age 
• Held in the community in halls, churches, scout halls, homes, kindergartens, primary schools, neighbourhood houses or wherever it is convenient for their members 
• Not for profit 
• Lots of fun for children as they learn through play and interaction with other children and adults 
• Supportive environments for parents and caregivers to share ideas and information 
• Based in a community creating a sense of cooperation among local families 
• Planned, organised and run by members 
• Sometimes organised around a particular common interest such as baby, non-english speaking, special needs, Montessori, father, grandparent, intergenerational 

Playgroup is fun! At playgroup you get to meet other people going through similar experiences, ease the isolation that can come with caring for young children and find out about local community, health and support services. It also provides reprieve from the daily grind, parents- you can have a cup of tea and unwind while your children play in a safe space. Playgroups bring young children, parents, families and communities together to learn and develop through informal play activities and social interaction. Playgroups help parents and caregivers build social and support networks that encourage and assist them in their valuable parenting role. Playgroup is here to help families to have fun, relax and to build friendships that last beyond playgroup.  

Yes. A parent or carer needs to be present throughout the duration of a playgroup session and is responsible for their child/ren.

Any children aged 0-5 can join playgroup. Often, it is good to have a range of ages at playgroup, so that they can learn from one another.  

Visit our Find a Playgroup website page and locate a playgroup near you. Call, email or message the group to find out more information about coming along to a session. Can’t find a group that suits you? Contact us and we can assist you in finding a group.

We also suggest that you join our closed Facebook community group. Here you can connect with other playgroupers around Victoria. Click here to join our Wonderful World of Playgroup private group on Facebook.

All playgroups are unique and the members of that group are free to make it whatever they would like it to be!

Some playgroups have a structured routine: an activity, snack time, free play, story time and a song. Other playgroups can be more casual and may have different activities, nature play, excursions to the zoo or museum, or simply spend time together at home. 

Sometimes playgroups are organised around particular common interests. Some examples include nature, bush or outdoor based, Dads, Montessori or Steiner, language, religion or culture-based, baby or first-time parents, grandparents or intergenerational, messy play.

Playgroups are for everyone and are a tremendous platform for supporting families with children with additional needs. Click here to learn more.

Playgroup Victoria supports the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia’s recommendations that all children should be immunised, unless there is a clear medical reason why this should not occur. Playgroups are not legislated in relation to this. Playgroups are about families working together for the safety and wellbeing of all parents, caregivers and children. Playgroup Victoria encourages playgroups to adopt policies that welcome and include all families, as well as ensuring the health and safety for families attending playgroup. 

Download Playgroup Victoria’s full statement about immunisation HERE 

Playgroup Victoria supports the Federal and State Government’s work in rolling out the Covid-19 vaccinations. We encourage anyone who is eligible and can, to get vaccinated. 

Read Playgroup Victoria’s full statement HERE.  

 Click HERE For more information and updates regarding Covid-19 and playgroups.  

All playgroups charge different amounts depending on their needs. Many community playgroups are not-for-profit and rely on volunteers, donations and grants. You may want to run an audit of your costs and determine how much money you need to maintain a healthy financial situation. Some playgroups ask for a small donation to contribute to things such as morning tea. Some playgroups have a term fee to cover venue costs, supplies and resources.

Are you a registered playgroup? Registering your playgroup with Playgroup Victoria comes with a range of benefits to support your group such as resources, play ideas and support- this might save your group some money along the way. Playgroup Registration is $50 for 12 months from date of purchase. Register HERE.

Reach out and connect with your local community. Contact your local council, maternal child health service, sporting clubs, schools, local businesses and community centres. Ask if they know of any available spaces where you playgroup could meet. They could put a notice in their monthly newsletter, on their social pages or notice boards to let your community know that your playgroup is looking for a venue.

Put a call out on social media. You could join your local community page and enquire or post on The Wonderful World of Playgroup, our online Facebook community group.

We are also here to help! Contact us HERE. 

Playgroup is intergenerational by nature, involving multiple generations. There are grandparent specific playgroups. There are also playgroups that run in partnership with aged care facilities. When bringing young children and older people together to learn, play and connect it is best to develop a plan to ensure the health and wellbeing of all involved. Mapping out a guide for your group, considering things such as whether your venue is safe with easy access, do you have insurance, do you need volunteer support, do you need to speak with an aged care provider, is the space comfortable for all abilities- these are all good things to address before beginning your intergenerational group. You could also think about the types of activities you can enjoy as a group, that help to share skills, stories and experiences.

It is good to gather some of the playgroup together and ask what they hope to gain from the experience. From there, you could jot down an engaging outline for your hopes for the group and outline some guidelines that are important to you.

We encourage you to speak with our Playgroup Development and Support Team for further information. Contact us HERE.

The first step is to contact the school directly. It is best to come up with a plan of what you hope to bring to life at your playgroup and why you would like to be connected with the local school. Reach out and connect with our Playgroup Development and support team for further information – contact us HERE.