Story time at Sevenoaks Library

Story time at Sevenoaks Library has been running on Wednesday mornings at least since my five-year-old was a baby but I have never been. Until last week that is.

We huddled together with around ten other little ones and listened to stories and sang songs for half an hour. Orla mainly enjoyed taking books off the shelves.

The story-teller was lovely and very patient, the children absolutely loved it, and it's much calmer than the library's Thursday singing session.

If you have a little one under five you really must try it!

Story time - Wednesday - 11.15-11.45

Sevenoaks Library
Buckhurst Lane
Sevenoaks TN13 1LQ

Mum & Co - a NICE toddler group

Can't beat dressing up

I'm no real fan of toddler and baby groups - in fact they can send me into a spiral of dispair. They're normally noisy and chaotic, with children fighting over toys and mums seemingly oblivious.

But Mum & Co at St Nicholas' Church in Sevenoaks is the exception. With sessions on Wednesday morning and afternoon, Mum & Co is a little oasis of calm in a sea of crazy baby mornings.

Ok - first things first. It is not actually free (gasp). A £1 entry fee gives you unlimited tea and biscuits, and drinks for little ones. Money that isn't used for refreshments goes to St Nick's chosen charity.

The session is downstairs in the undercroft (there's a lift for pushchairs), and there is a really nice selection of toys. Orla went straight for the dressing up box - but we had fun with the little kitchen, farm animals and train track too.

Although the group is for children over one, there is a little area set aside for smaller babies. And I can't stress enough how much more relaxed and un-crazy this session is.

Everyone helped to tidy up and we finished off with some songs. And I left feeling decidedly less frazzled than I arrived. Just what you need from a morning out!

St Nicholas Church
Rectory Lane
Sevenoaks 
TN13 1JA

Mum & Co
Wednesday 9.45-11.30am and 1.45-3.30pm

Dad & Co
First Saturday of the month 9am - 10.30am

PS St Nick's has a great cafe that serves reasonably priced hot food and sandwiches in the undercroft too.

Maracas, tambourines . . . and the wheels on the bus

Quadrapop

On a damp and grey Thursday morning Orla and I headed off to the centre of Sevenoaks for a spot of singing.

We sneaked into the library late to find around 20 grown ups and their babies shaking maracas and singing nursery rhymes.

Baby Bounce and Rhyme used to be in the main part of the library, but it's now in the gallery upstairs. So everyone's singing skills are a little bit less on show than they were, and there's less chance of your tot getting lost among the books (happened to me more than once).

The volunteers that help to run the session look like they are really enjoying themselves, and there are lots of little instruments for the children to play with.

There was a bit of chatter towards the end as some of the grown ups and children (including mine!) got a bit restless. And the set-up could be a bit better - most of the adults sit on chairs in a circle while the little ones play in the middle.

But Orla loved it and even though she's far too little to join in the singing, she certainly made up for it with the shakers. And we got to sing some of our favourite songs, so Baby Bounce and Rhyme has definitely passed the no price tags test.


Baby Bounce & Rhyme 11 - 11.30am Thursday
Sevenoaks Library
Buckhurst Lane
Sevenoaks TN13 1LQ
Car parking 90p for one hour

More free singing sessions run throughout the area - check your local library and Children's Centre for more details.