Groups
These groups are for parents and other carers who have children aged 5 or under. Our groups are welcoming and very informal.
Family Groups
Home-Start Mid & West Suffolk run family groups for parents and other carers who have children aged 5 or under. Our groups are welcoming and very informal. Our sessions are run as drop ins so feel free to stay as long as you like.
How much does it cost?
Free (but donations towards refreshments are welcome)
Treasure Basket Workshops
Would you like to discover how treasure baskets can support your baby's learning and development?
Home-Start invites you to join us for a three week programme of workshops where parents/carers and their
babies can explore and learn together in a relaxed setting.
Various venues, dates and times around the area. Hopefully one that will suit you so please check below for more details
Story Sack Workshops
Story sacks help to provide a fun and interactive story telling experience, through reading and
play with puppets, props and story based activities.
A great way to provide early literacy skills and encourage self expression and imagination for years to come.
Join us for 2 interactive story telling sessions using story sacks.
Various venues, dates and times around the area. Hopefully one that will suit you so please check below for more details
ASD Parents Support Groups
ASD Parent Support groups are drop in sessions for parents and carers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. These sessions provide you with the chance to chat with one another gaining support in a relaxed environment. These sessions run during term time only and children are more than welcome to come along.
Various venues, dates and times around the area. Hopefully one that will suit you so please check below for more details
We wouild recommend you find out more about The Suffolk Parent Carer Network. They are a voluntary organisation of parents and carers of children and young people with additional needs and/or disabilities in Suffolk who aim to be a voice to inform service providers of the needs of disabled children, young people and their families.
Chill Chat And Play Group
For Mums to be and babies up to 12 months
Monday 10.00 - 11.30 at Brandon Methodist Church, 69 London Road, IP27 0DL
Lakenheath Family Group
Please come along and join in the fun. We always have lots of different toys and activities for
babies and older children.
Part of the morning will include music and story time, a shared snack and an activity such as
cooking or craft.
There is plenty of time for a hot drink and a chat for the adults and an opportunity for the
children to explore and play with the activities we set out each week.
There will be a choice of inside and outside play.
Monday 10.00 - 12.00 at Lakenheath Methodist Church, Back Street, IP27 9HF
Worlingworth Family Group
A drop in group, no need to book.
Open term time and selected opening during school holidays. On-site free parking.
A very large hall where we have ride on cars and bikes as well as messy play, play dough, role play kitchen, baby area, arts and crafts and regular cookery activities.
Each session will include a song/storytime. New and exciting outdoor play equipment and a quiet garden provide wonderful outside play opportunities.
We work closely with the local primary school and we hold a termly session at the school nursery that families are welcome to attend.
Also links to Charlotte's Wood, a forest school at Wilby. Families offered regular opportunity to take part in family forest school sessions there.
Monday 10 - 12 at Worlingworth Community Centre, Shop Street IP13 7HX
Turner's Tots Playgroup
Come along and join the fun, stay for a drink and chat. Your children will be able to enjoy play activities. Make some new family friends. Everyone is welcome!
We will offer a range of different activities each week including messy play, arts and crafts, small world, construction, baby area, story area, music and much more. Fun for all ages
Monday 1pm - 2.30pm at Turner Hall, Church Lane, Newmarket CB8 0HL
Bury St Edmunds First Steps Group
A large hall set up with a range of activities for children and adults to enjoy together. Each session will include making something,
messy play/ play dough, ride on toys, and a selection from the following - garage and cars, train set, play cooker, dolls and prams, musical instruments etc.
There is an area set aside for babies to explore sensory toys and relax with parents. Children sit down to share a healthy snack together whilst we ensure parents
have a hot drink and can make their own toast for themselves and the children.
The session always ends with a story and a sing song and the chance to play along from the instrument box!
Tuesdays 10 - 11.30 term time and selected opening in the school holidays at Anselm Centre, Anselm Avenue, Mildenhall Estate.
(Parking on the road outside the venue)
Bury St Edmunds ASD Parent's Support Group
A drop in session for parents and carers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. A chance to chat and relax. Children Welcome!
Every first Monday of each month 10.00am to 12.00pm at Bury St Edmunds Library, Sergeants Walk, St Andrews Street North. IP33 ITZ
Jumping Beans Stradbroke Group
A Free, friendly, fun drop-in play session for children 0-5 years old and their parents or carers.
Tuesdays 10am - 11am at Stradbroke Library, Court House, Queens Street IP21 5HG.
Honington Family group
This is a drop in session open term time and with selected opening in the school holidays.
A meeting room allows parents to sit and have a chat and also join in with the various activities set up each week.
There is a range of baby toys, treasure baskets and sensory items for the babies whilst the older children can join in with the
craft of the day or play with the other activities selected for that morning - cars/ dolls/ trains/ farm set.
There is a shared snack for the children whilst adults can get a hot drink if they like.
The morning always finishes with a singing time.
The group has become so successful we have appeared in the local paper!
Wednesday 10-11.30 at the Station Church on the corner of St Edmunds Gate.
(Car park at the venue)
Honington Little Gems Group
For bumps and babies 0 to 12 months. Babies exploring the world around them. Songs and rhymes, messy play.
Every first Friday of each month 10.00am to 11.30pm at St Edmunds Church Hall RAF Honington
Wattisham Group
Wattisham Home-Start Family Group is every Thursday afternoon 1pm-3pm. It's free, friendly with fun drop in play sessions for children 0-5 years old and their parents or carers. This Group is funded by The Royal British Legion
We currently send our group co-ordinator to groups on the base to help run activities.
These groups are open to all local families with activities for children aged 0-5 years old, there is a small charge to cover refreshment costs at Little Monsters.
There is car parking close to the centre. The community centre has a large indoor hall, conservatory area and newly opened outside play area with climbing
frame and pirate ship! Home-Start provide messy play and cookery as well as a craft to Little monsters.
These groups also have a range of toys and soft play equipment including resources for babies.
Haverhill Group
Fab Family Fun for children aged 0-5 and their parent or carer.
Come along and join the fun. Stay for songs and snacks your children will be able to
enjoy play activities. Make some new family friends
We will be offering a range of activities and crafts each week, such as
Messy play, School readiness, Role play, Small world, Stories and imagination,
Songs and rhymes and Sensory play
Thursdays 1pm - 2.30pm at the Cartwheels Childrens Centre Haverhill CB9 8NF
Stowmarket Family Group
A drop in group, no need to book. Open term time and selected opening during school holidays.
On-site free parking. The group operates in a lovely building overlooking the gardens of Red Gables.
The conservatory is an area set aside for our younger children with baby toys and floor coverings for our babies as well as comfy seating for parents
and then our main room allows messy play, arts and crafts and cookery activities.
We can also go outside to play on the lawn in front of the main building and explore the wooded area known as
The Spinney where we have our bug hotel. This is a friendly group where we guarantee a cup of tea and a chat for parents,
toast and fruit at snacktime and some fun and exciting play activities for the children.
NEW FOR 2019 - Join DanceEast Artist Lizzie Hawes with your little one for 8 weekly creative dance sessions as part of the Homestart programme every Friday starting 25 January between 10.30 and 11.00. (not half-term) Lizzie will take you through an immersive session that involves lots of colourful props, music and dance to support and develop your child's coordination, balance and motor skills. It is great way to further bond with your little one and have fun together in a safe environment. Classes are appropriate for parents/carers and their young children from 3 months to 5 years (older children are welcome too). There is no charge for these sessions. Alternative activities will also be available in the conservatory.
Friday 10am - 12 noon at Redwoods in the grounds of Red Gables, Ipswich Road, Stowmarket IP14 1BE
Needham Market ASD Parent's Support Group
A drop in session for parents and carers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. A chance to chat and relax. Children Welcome!
Every Third Tuesday of each month 9.30am to 11.30am at Robins Children's Centre, Bosmere Primary School Quinton Road Needham Market IP6 8BP
Stowmarket ASD Parent's Support Group
A drop in session for parents and carers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. A chance to chat and relax. Children Welcome!
Every second Monday of each month 10.00am to 12.00pm at Sunshine Children's Centre, Hillside, Stowmarket IP14 2BD
Dads and Kids Breakfast Club
Free drop in session for Dads and other male carers plus their children aged 0-5 years and older brothers and sisters welcome to come too.
Breakfast bar operates during the morning - bacon butties, cereals, toast, fruit, yogurts for both children and adults to enjoy together.
We are able to use the childrens centre soft play room that includes a ball pool. This is very popular with the children as is the outdoor play area with ride on cars,
bikes, play house and we also can access the garden area for digging and watering plants etc.
Each month there is a different theme at the group and the children usually
get the opportunity to make something to take home. Also baby area and resources for the littlest children in the main play room.
Second Saturday of each month at Acorns Childrens Centre, Violet Hill in Stowmarket. 9.30 - 11.30.