Ticknall Life, Derbyshire

Ticknall Toddlers is a non-profit organisation for under fives. We are dedicated to providing a fun environment for all the children (and adults) who attend. It's all about getting little people to play and have fun after all. We use our range of toys, equipment and apparatus to give the children an interesting and varied experience every time they come. There is a vast range of equipment we use which is used in rotation so the little monkeys do something different every time.

We have;

• Jigsaw Puzzles, play-doh and other educational toys
• Lego, Megablock and other 'building' toys
• Farm animals and toys
• Car and train tracks
• Dressing up box
• Hopscotch set
• A Wendy House which all the kids love
• Kids cooker and tea party sets
• Plenty of 'ride-on' toys, buggies and prams
• Painting and ink stamping
• Crepe paper and gluing
• Climbing frame and slide and 'balance' track
• Ball pool
• Musical Instruments (very noisy!)
• Space hoppers and beach balls
• A reading corner with lots of different books

The session is not formal and kids play freely with each other and the Mums and Dads. We try to make tidying up time as much fun as possible and use the play mats for 'magic carpet rides'.

The session is divided informally into two halves with a break at 11am. We sit all the children at a big table for a drink and a snack. The children can have juice or water with raisens, biscuits or sometimes cake if there is a birthday to celebrate! Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided for Mums and Dads.

Where?

Ticknall Toddlers takes place at Ticknall Village Hall, Ingleby Lane, Ticknall on Wednesday and Thursday mornings, 10am to noon. There is a large car park so we never have any parking problems! The group gets a little disrupted during school holidays or if other events take priority over the hall (like elections).

How much?

£2.50 for parent and child + 50p per extra child over 6 months. We may also do some outdoor sessions during the summer. If we do, the price goes up to £3.50 because the Village Hall charges us £10 to do so.

The Toddlers Team

You are probably wondering about the dynamic organisation behind Ticknall Toddlers, and how we achieve so much. Or maybe you were not. Anyway, this is what happens:

The group is totally voluntary, run on Wednesday and Thursday mornings at the Village Hall, between 10am and midday. There is a small active core of Mums who take it in turns to organise the hall before each session, then pack up afterwards - more volunteers are always welcome!

The sessions are free play with a short break halfway through for tea, coffee, biscuits and snack (for the parents and the children of course!) We do a summer party and themed sessions for Hallowe'en, Christmas Easter and during the Summer with extra activities.

A parent and child session is £2.50 + 50p per extra child. This helps meet the costs of the hall, drinks and biscuits, insurances and new equipment.

We always welcome new Mums to the group and love to see new friends join the fun.

Committee

We take care of the group by means of a committee - our current members are:

• Carol Betteridge
• Katy Dodson
• Nicky Lamb
• Emma Ricketts

We don't follow a formal set of meetings, after all this is a toddler group, not the government! We meet when we have issues that need dealing with - usually at The Wheel around 8pm. These include reviewing the group finances and discussing party ideas or fundraising plans.

The finances of the group are overseen by the committee to make sure that any surpluses are ploughed back into toys and equipment and adequate reserves are kept.

Join Us!

We do need more people involved so if you would like to help, please get in touch. Many hands make light work after all! You can do so by following the CONTACT >> TODDLER GROUP link on the main menu where there are phone numbers and a link to the group website.

Registered Charity: Ticknall Under Fives, No. 1020093