If you have stumbled upon this post whilst searching for baby groups in Slough, I am so sorry to say that most groups and activities have had to stop due to Covid. I know it must be hard if you are a new mum to not have anywhere to take your baby, but please hang on in there. I am happy to say that some places have reopened and I have written an updated 2021 post here.  You can also have a look at the places listed in this post, and keep an eye out for when they will reopen.

There are lots of activities and things to do for babies and toddlers in Slough. Since I started taking Lily out to baby and toddler groups, I thought I’d put together a list of groups and activities in Central Slough and what I honestly thought of each one. Hopefully local mums will find this useful.

MONDAY:
10.30am – 11am: Story and Music Time – The Curve (off Slough High Street) – FREE
This is at Slough’s new library in the childrens library on the first floor. Lily loves it, there is so much light flooding in from the windows that it’s nice and bright here. There’s some seating around the edges, or you can sit on the floor, there’s a large childrens rug in the centre. Two library members of staff take the session, they read one story and then play songs to singalong with from their music player. There are coloured scarves to use with the songs. It’s mostly toddlers here, but a quite a few young babies too. Lily loves watching the toddlers jumping around and dancing. You can put your baby down on the rug, but just be careful with the toddlers and the mums chasing after their toddlers, make sure no one steps on your baby!

MONDAY:
9.30am – 11am: Mum and Tots Group – St Mary’s Church, Church Street SL1 1PJ – £1
I had been taking Tyler to this group since we moved here. It costs £1 and there’s loads of toys to play with, you can have a cup of tea and biscuits and then there are songs at the end. There is an area specially for babies on one side, with baby mats and toys. It’s a great place to meet other mums too. I started taking Lily every Monday after she started crawling, she prefers playing with toys and other children to the library. She especially likes the cars and the ball pit!

MONDAY:
9.30am – 11am and 1pm – 2.30pm: Baby Group – Chalvey Grove Children’s Centre, SL1 2TE – 50p per person
I went to this a couple of times with Lily. There’s no need to book, you just turn up. It’s set in a room where you sit in a circle on the floor with the other mums to chat, and there’s some rattles for the babies to play with. Even though it’s a big room, the area set up for the mums and babies to sit is a bit cramped, and Lily didn’t really enjoy it, being in a squashed space. I felt like it was paying £1 to chat to other mums, I didn’t really get much out of it. (EDIT – this was in 2016, it may have improved since then)

MONDAY:
10am – 12pm Mum’s Zone – Yoga for mums and pre-walking babies – Monksfield Way Children’s Centre, Britwell – £2
“an opportunity to participate in some gentle yoga and to socialise and gain new information and wellbeing support, suitable for pre-walking babies” For enquiries or to register your interest please call 01628 472851 or 01753 578691

TUESDAY:
10am – 11am Messy Play at The Curve Library – FREE
This is free, there’s painting and playdoh – I wrote a full review here, it is run by HomeStart now.

TUESDAY:
9.30am – 11am: Stay and Play – Elliman Avenue Children’s Centre, Elliman Avenue SL2 5BA – 50p per person
This is a stay and play session that you have a book a place at by phone on the day, as they can only fit around 10 children in. You call from 8.45am on 01753 896688. It’s a room that’s like a nursery with lots of toys and activities for children, with a little child-size loo inside too. There’s an outside area with outdoor toys, Little Tikes cars, water play tables. For babies, they have set up an area inside with cushions, baby rattles and the like. At the end of the session, the toddlers have fruit and water and then a story is read to all the children.

TUESDAY:
10am – 11.15am: Tuesday Break – Slough Baptist Church, Windsor Road
I haven’t been but I have heard mums love this one as it’s one where the children are looked after in a creche, but the parents get to chat in another room while there’s a different talk each week – hence it’s a ‘break’. There are two separate creches, one for under 2s and the other for 2s and over.

TUESDAY:
9.30am – 11am: Baby and Toddler Group – Yew Tree Road Children’s Centre, SL1 2AR – Book a place on 01753 527571. I haven’t actually attended this one, so I can’t comment on how it is, but other mums have recommended it.

WEDNESDAY:
10.30am – 11am: Story and Music Time – The Curve (off Slough High Street) – FREE
The same as Monday’s session, but way more busier. I think this one is more popular as it’s followed by a free Lego session for pre-school children at 11.15am.

WEDNESDAY:
11.15am – 12pm: Duplo at The Curve – FREE
Forget Legoland, just come here! It’s free and there is SOOOO much duplo to play with. It is in the children’s libraty and I wrote about it here.

WEDNESDAY:
10am – 11.30am: Trinity Tots, Trinity Church, 106 Windsor Road – £1
This group is run by Bernie and it’s brilliant. Costs £1 to cover refreshments – tea, coffee, cake, biscuits, popcorn – lots of toys for the kids to play with and an interactive singing session at the end. They also do Halloween, Christmas, Spring and Summer parties, there is a real community feel here.

WEDNESDAY:
11am – 11.30am: Story and Music Time – Wexham Road Children’s Centre and Library (behind Iqra Primary School, off Wexham Road SL2 5JW) – FREE
This is the same as the music time at The Curve but in a more intimate setting so more suitable for young babies as you don’t have to worry about your baby being trampled on. But, it is in what seems to be someone’s office, a very small window-less room with 8 chairs set in a circle. As there are only 8 mums, it’s very quiet. The atmosphere is completely different to the Curve sessions. I think this should be in a different room personally, somewhere where there are colours and toys and kids chairs. It’s all a bit clinical so I’m not sure about this one!

THURSDAY:
10am – 12pm: Mum and Tots Group – The Salvation Army, Stoke Road, SL2 5BW £1.50
This group is inside a carpeted room that has recently had a makeover done by Azko Nobel with a gorgeous mural – it’s so colourful! There are a variety of toys for the children to play with, cars, dolls pushchairs, little tikes cars, walkers, baby toys. Chairs are placed along the walls for the mums to sit and chat with other mums. At the end of the session, tables and little chairs are set up for toddlers to have fruit and snacks, while the mums have tea and biscuits. Then they all sit on a mat to sing songs. I found the ladies who run the group very welcoming. The only thing is if you have a really young baby, they are on your lap the whole time, as you can’t really lie a baby down on the carpet.

FRIDAY:
10-15am – 11.45am: Coffee Pot  Club – Slough Baptist Church, Windsor Road – £1
A very popular playgroup, with a real community feel. Lots of toys, great selection of cakes and snacks, tea, coffee, and a singing session at the end. They sometimes even have a giant soft play ball pit here.

FRIDAY:
10am – 12pm Mum’s Zone – Yoga for mums and pre-walking babies – Penn Road Children’s Centre, Manor Park – £2
“an opportunity to participate in some gentle yoga and to socialise and gain new information and wellbeing support, suitable for pre-walking babies” For enquiries or to register your interest please call 01628 472851 or 01753 574420

2pm – 2.30pm: Story and Music Time – The Curve (off Slough High Street) – FREE
Same as the Monday and Wednesday session if you prefer an afternoon one.

The choice of activities at Slough’s Children’s Centre has vastly improved since I first wrote this post in 2016. You can have a look at all the activities here, and you will need to book to attend, I think because they need to keep the group sizes small.

The other activities I liked to take Lily to was the Soft Play at Salt Hill Activity Centre (£3.50), the Mum and Toddler sessions at Jump In (£8), Soft Play at Burnham Park Hall as well as going to coffee shops for a babycino (they are free at most places with an adult drink), little train trips to Windsor, walks in Black Park

If you know of any other baby/toddler activities in the Slough or surrounding area, please do let me know in the comments. And if you are not from the area, I’d still love to hear where you take your baby in your area.

Sabrina x