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Playgroup WA: other parents, one morning a week, and a free first visit

Playgroup WA lists hundreds of local playgroups for babies to five-year-olds and their carers. Try one free, then it's usually under $5 a week plus $35 a year, with insurance included.

A dad, a mum and a grandmother sit on a rug in a sunny community hall while toddlers play with wooden blocks, a play kitchen and picture books

Most of what parents learn about keeping a toddler safe, they learn from another parent. The mum who says "check the blind cords" while the kids pull books off a shelf. The dad who shows you the cupboard lock that actually works. The grandmother who has seen a lot of grapes go down the wrong way.

A playgroup puts you in that room once a week. Playgroup WA helps you find one near you, and your first visit is a free trial.

Find a playgroup near you

What it is

A playgroup is a group of parents, grandparents and carers who meet regularly with their babies and young children so the children can play and the adults can talk. Groups meet in community centres, schools and libraries across Perth and regional WA. Each one is run by volunteers, so each one is a little different.

Playgroup WA is the not-for-profit that has supported these groups since 1972. It keeps the search tool, insures the groups and their families, and sends development officers to help groups run well.

Who it is for

Children from birth to five, and the adult who looks after them. That adult can be a parent, a grandparent or a nanny.

Some groups have a focus. When you search, you can filter by session type, including:

What it costs

Your first session is a free trial, and you can try more than one group before choosing.

Once you join:

  1. Your group's own fee. Each playgroup sets it to cover the hall and supplies. Most in WA charge less than $5 a week.
  2. Playgroup WA membership. $35 a year per family, or $15 with a concession. One membership covers all your children up to five and every adult who brings them, at as many playgroups as you like.

Membership includes public liability, personal accident and property insurance. It only covers everyone when every family and the playgroup itself are registered with Playgroup WA, so it's worth joining.

Where the safety part comes in

A playgroup is not a safety course. It is the place where safety advice gets passed around, checked against real life, and remembered.

It is also an easy way to bring the experts to you. Kidsafe WA runs a free one-hour Keeping Kids Safe workshop for parent groups of under-fives, and a playgroup is exactly the kind of group it is made for. Ask your coordinator to book it.

How to join, step by step

  1. Open Find a playgroup and type your suburb or postcode. It shows groups within 20 kilometres. Or search by session type.
  2. Pick a group and click its enquiry button. Fill in the short form.
  3. The group's coordinator gets in touch to arrange your free trial session.
  4. Go along. If it isn't the right fit, try another.
  5. When you find your group, join Playgroup WA so you and your children are covered by the insurance.

Can't find one, or not sure where to start? Call the Playgroup WA hotline on 1800 171 882 or (08) 9228 8088, or email hotline@playgroupwa.com.au. They help families find a group and pass on referrals.

Find a playgroup near you

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