From Wednesday 08 January, Cast is launching a brand-new parent and toddler group, Toddle Time!
Fun, creative and interactive, Toddle Time is a weekly play session for children aged 18 months – 3 years and their grownups. It’s open to parents, carers and grandparents, and is the perfect activity to spend enjoyable quality time with your little one, where together you’ll play, learn songs and take part in creative activities that use your imaginations. The sessions are often themed around a story, a season or an idea, such as “a day at the seaside” or “The Rainbow Fish”. At the end of the session, enjoy squash and biscuits with other toddlers.
Sessions will be led by experienced artists, who’ll make you feel welcome and provide the support and encouragement needed for you to get the most out of the session. The sessions will involve creative play, movement, music and singing to stimulate turn-taking, kindness and listening; encouraging independent choice and decision-making. We use repetition, structure and familiarity to give all children a voice and build self-esteem. Children are supported to develop the skills needed to thrive. You don’t need any previous experience of being creative, you just need to come along and join in the fun!
These types of creative opportunities help to encourage young children’s curiosity, creativity and imagination, and support the development of communication skills.
Sarah Clough, Head of Participation at Cast, said:
We’re so excited to introduce Toddle Time – yet another way in which we will be welcoming Doncaster’s youngest residents into our theatre, helping them and their families to have a magical time. Whether it’s by coming to join in a creative activity or watching a show on our stages, at Cast we are delighted when families and young children come to visit, and Toddle Time is a great way to come and get involved. We can’t wait to see you!
In addition to Toddle Time, Cast continues to offer Hello Baby, a weekly creative session for parents and babies aged under 18 months. Both Hello Baby and Toddle Time are part of Tuneful Chatter, a partnership made up of Cast, darts – Doncaster’s participatory arts organisation – and Doncaster Council’s Early Years Intervention and Prevention service. It’s supported by funding from Arts Council England’s Place Partnerships Programme and supported by Doncaster Council. The funding is supporting a three-year project with Doncaster’s 0–5-year-olds and their families who have been hit the hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sessions start Wednesday 08 January at 1:30pm. Tickets are £6 per session, or prebook a half-term block for £4 per session. Book with Cast’s box office over the phone on 01302 303959, in person or online here.
