What Modern Baby Groups Should Actually Feel Like
Walk into most baby groups in Worthing, Brighton, or anywhere across the UK, and you'll find a familiar formula:
Church hall or community centre. Instant coffee in polystyrene cups. Mats on the floor covered in primary-colored plastic toys. Thirty to fifty parents and children creating controlled chaos. Perhaps some toe-curling singing. Maybe a craft table with dried-out markers. Staff who are lovely but overstretched. An atmosphere that is not restorative.
The space is designed for crawling and toddling, with parents folding themselves onto floors or perching on child-sized chairs.
These environments communicate a clear message. Now you are a parent, your job is to facilitate your child's experience.
Your own comfort, your own needs, your own personhood—these are secondary. Perhaps irrelevant.
Mothers & fathers, this is not OK!
What Baby Groups Should Actually Feel Like
Walking In Should Feel Like a Big Old Exhale
The first few seconds matter. You should feel welcomed, not tolerated. The environment should communicate: we've been expecting you; we've thought about your experience; you belong here.
This means someone greets you warmly - ideally by name after your first visit. They remember you, they know you, they care about you.
The Environment Should Restore, Not Deplete
Modern baby groups should be designed with adult nervous systems in mind. Not just child-proofed corners and toy rotations, but thoughtful environments that help parents feel less frazzled. And yes, we mean coffee. GOOD, proper coffee.
Activities Should Serve Both Generations
Yes, children need engagement. But the revolution in baby groups is recognising that parents need more than ‘supervision duty.’
Imagine sessions where children have age-appropriate activities that are genuinely engaging but there’s creative activities for adults too. Journaling prompts while babies babble and adult colouring. Things that give you access to flow states and remind you you're a person with creative capacity.
This isn't revolutionary. It's just recognising that parents - like all humans need outlets beyond caregiving. The focus should be on community building, not curriculum delivery. Less "today we're working on fine motor skills through pasta threading" and more "today we're creating space for parents to connect while children explore materials that happen to support their development."
You Should Leave Feeling More Yourself, Not Less
This is the ultimate test of whether a baby group is working: How do you feel when you leave?
Questions to Ask Before Joining Any Baby Group:
"How do you support parent wellbeing, specifically?”
"What's your approach to creating community, not just providing activities?"
"What size are your sessions?"
"How do you create space for parents to connect with each other?"
"Tell me about the coffee."
Looking for baby groups in Worthing or Brighton that actually prioritise your wellbeing? Honey House offers weekly meet-ups in lifestyle venues where proper coffee, genuine community, and your mental health matter as much as your child's development. View our timetable and discover what baby groups should actually feel like.