In South Tyneside we want all dads and male carers to feel welcome and included in our Family Hubs.
All families are welcome to come along to our groups and activities and there are even some groups that are just for dads/male carers.
Our Learning with Play Dads Group is a playgroup for dads/male carers with children aged 0-4 years. The group enables dads to interact with other parents while spending quality time with their own children, where they can participate in a host of activities such as songs, rhymes, outdoor play, sensory, crafts and messy play.
“It’s great for building friendships,” were the words echoed by one South Tyneside dad as he discussed the impact our Dads Group has made on his daughter’s life.
Jason, father of Maddison, aged 18 months, said: “I enjoy being able to come to the group. It benefits me and Maddie because we get the encouragement to speak to other parents, other dads and we get to share similar interests.
“It’s helped with my confidence a lot, obviously seeing other dads, and getting out of the house. We do dads walks in the summer which has really nice to get out and see the nature. It is great for Maddie to get to see the outdoors as well.”
Moving forward, Jason is keen to see even more dads attend the group. “I would encourage other dads to join the group because it has been great to socialise.
“It is great for building friendships. It is great for the children’s development and for their health and growth for socialising with other children that are similar ages. If we ever need a helping hand like advice, the other dads give support when you need it.”
Reflecting on how our other groups have helped and supported him as a parent, Jason added: “They have all helped build knowledge. I was a first-time parent, single parent by myself and it’s helped get all the knowledge that I needed. I could ask questions; I did not feel ashamed and straight away everyone was easy to talk to and I felt comfortable.”
Find out where and when the group is running below:
- Bede Family Hub, every Monday, 4:00pm-5:00pm
- Riverside Family Hub, every Friday, 1:30pm-2:30pm
No booking is required for this group.
If you want to find out more about how we support dads or how you can get more involved, pop along to your local Family Hub.
