How families make connections at Grand Central play group

Grand Central hosted a group of mothers, fathers and children at the Making Rainbows sensory play group.

HARD AT WORK PLAYING: Enjoying Making Rainbows sensory playtime at Grand Central are ( from left ) Krystal, Parker and Hunter Williams with Wendy Wallen and her grandson Harry Gehrke. The group gives mums, grandparents and young children a fun place to play and socialise. Picture: Michael Nolan

Grand Central hosted a group of mothers, fathers and children at the Making Rainbows sensory play group.

The families sang, danced and laughed through a series of games and songs.

Krystal, Parker and Hunter Williams

We usually go to Making Rainbows and swimming classes on Thursday, but generally we just play around. We go the park, play outside, do some gardening. Parker really likes to help me cook.

Now that we have two kids I try to get to as many of these types of things as possible, it gets Parker out and about and playing with other kids.

It is a good place to meet other mums. You tend to have a bit of chit-chat while the kids play and after a while you become Facebook friends. There are mums from our swimming classes that I catch up with every now and then for play dates and park dates.

It is very helpful, it gives you a place to socialise, especially if you are not at work and it gives your child a chance to watch and learn from other kids.

I have a friend with a kid who is not quite talking yet and we can trade advice, because Parker just went through all that. It helps to meet other parents in similar situations which stops you for worrying as much, when your kids are not doing what is considered the norm.

The parenting advice I would share is that every day is different, and I tell myself we will get through the tough spots.

Parker had bad reflux and the first six months were hell, but once he started eating solids, he came good. He is good toddler, but I am dreading the terrible threes.

I grew up in Perth and we moved to Helidon about nine years ago when my family inherited a farm, then I moved up to Toowoomba when I got married. It was a bit of a shock moving from city living, in Perth, to a farm in another state but I really like Toowoomba. Everything is close, you do not have to drive very far to get anywhere.

I would not move back, but I do miss the sunsets over the oceans. They were very romantic.

Wendy Wallen and Harry Gehrke

This was the first time my grandson Harry and I have been to one of these classes.

Harry and I usually go to the park and play on the swings, but he seems to really enjoy music, so we are doing more of those sort of activities.

My daughter thought Making Rainbows would be good for Harry and he absolutely loved it. He is a wonderful little grandkid. He is always bubbly, happy and dancing.

It is great to bring him to these things because he is an only child at the moment.

There is a little brother or sister on the way, but it is lovely to watch him mix with other children.

I live in the Lockyer Valley and Harry lives in Toowoomba. Once a week, when his mum goes to work, we spend the day together, we usually go the park and play on the swings or have a picnic in his parent's horse paddock.

I loved all the games we played and all the musical props, we had a guitar, we played with a big parachute. We had a great time dancing and singing.

I got up and had a dance and a sing as well. You have got to embrace the play.

Originally published as How families make connections at Grand Central play group