Children and Families

From the only outdoor messy play for young children in the area, to advice and support for parents, our fully trained families team at GL11 have a range of activities for children and families throughout the week.

  • Two children in the garden at GL11

    Adventure Play

    Join us on Thursdays after school in November and December for six weeks of outdoor, active, creative, screen-free fun for 5 - 11 year olds.

    Thursdays from 6 November - 11 December.

    3:45 - 5:45pm.

    £5 per session (includes a cooked meal and a drink).

    Booking required, please email kathredmond@gl11.org.uk or call 01453 548530.

  • Messy Mondays. Illustration of two hand prints.

    Messy Mondays

    Drop in and join us for creative, messy play for you and your little ones aged 0 - 4, every Monday morning.

    9:30am - 11:00am.

    £3.50 per family.

    No booking required, just drop in.

    Please note that we are not able to accommodate children older than 4 in this group.

  • Graphic of two heads, with speech bubbles inside. One speech bubble has lots of squiggles in and the other has different shapes.

    Peer to Peer Support Group for Parents with Neurodiverse Children

    Meet with other parents with neurodiverse children (no diagnosis needed) to share experiences, strategies and tips. Rest assured you are most welcome here, even if you have been made to feel unwelcome elsewhere.

    Mondays (term time only)

    1 - 2:30pm.

    Free (with free creche available for 0 - 4 year olds only).

    The support group is drop-in. To reserve a space in the creche please email kathredmond@gl11.org.uk.

  • Toddlers playing at a creche session.

    Free Creche Sessions at GL11

    We currently have free creche sessions for 0 - 4 year olds at GL11 on Monday afternoons, 1:00 - 2:45pm.

    Why not take advantage of our free creche to go shopping, attend a group at GL11, or just relax in the cafe with a hot drink and some cake, while children are safely at play with our fully trained families team, Kath, Kim and Lindsay.

    We also occasionally run one-off creche sessions to help parents participate in activities at GL11. Check out our Activities & Courses section for any specific details.

    There is a limit to creche numbers on any one day, so best to ring GL11 first on 01453 548530 just to double check on availability.

    Please note that we are not able to accommodate children older than 4 in the creche.

  • Illustration of children playing on a slide. Sharpness Parent/Toddler Group. Wednesday, 9:30 - 11:00am. Sharpness Village Hall £2 (term time only).

    Sharpness Parent and Toddler Group

    This friendly drop in group for 0 - 4 year olds is held in Sharpness Village Hall every Wednesday.

    Includes a snack, a drink, and a monthly Health Visitor session.

    9:30am - 11:00am.

    £3 per session.

    No booking required, just drop in.

    Runs term-time only.

    Please note that we are not able to accommodate children older than 4 in this group.

  • Shine! logo

    Shine Creative Therapy & Wellbeing Course

    Shine’s Creative Therapy & Wellbeing Course for mothers dealing with depression, anxiety, isolation or overwhelm covers a wide range of arts and coping strategies, giving mums a mindfulness toolbox.

    Local artists join us to run a variety of workshops, including crafts such as: felting, macrame, painting, slow-stitching, journalling and collage, jewellery making, poetry, and mosaics.

    We know from experience how effective creative therapy can be for people who are struggling, and it provides a vital distraction and calming tool for when mothers are feeling anxious or low. Each session, mums leave with something truly beautiful that they can feel proud to have created. Attending our sessions, mothers boost their confidence, share their worries and experiences with other mothers going through the same thing, and get some much-needed ‘me’ time, along with a hot cup of tea and someone to talk to.

    Wednesdays from 17 September to 10 December (no session 29 October).

    12:30 - 2:30pm.

    Free, with free creche for 0 - 4 year olds.

    To book, please email rebekah@shine-support.org.

  • Family Friday at GL11 Community Hub. A bee riding a bike.

    Family Fridays

    Drop in to our Family Fridays at GL11 to join other families with children aged 0 - 4 for playful activities and a delicious, freshly cooked lunch.

    Includes a monthly Health Visitor session and our Community Pantry is also open 10am - 12noon every week.

    9:30am - 12 noon.

    £3.50 per session (includes lunch for 2 adults and children, additional adults will need to pay £2.50 for lunch).

    No booking required, just drop in.

    Runs term-time only.

    Please note that we are not able to accommodate children older than 4 in this group.

  • Tooth Fairy Drop-In. Sept 12th. Introductions and lovely lunchboxes! Oct 10th. Toothbrushing advice. Nov 14th. Mouth cancer awareness. Dec 12th. How to manage dental emergencies.

    Tooth Fairy Drop In

    We know you can't wave a magic wand to make toothbrushing easy! Why not come and chat with Gemma, our resident Tooth Fairy, about tips for tooth care and oral hygiene?

    Second Friday of the month, 9:30 - 11:30am as part of Family Friday.

    No booking required.

  • Health visitor dates. At Family Friday: 12 Sept (10-11am), 10 Oct (10-11am), 14 Nov (10-11am), 12 Dec (10-11am). At Sharpness Parent & Toddler Group: 17 Sept (10-11am), 15 Oct (10-11am), 19 Nov (10-11am), 17 Dec (10-11am).

    Health Visitor Dates at GL11 and Sharpness

    We have a monthly Health Visitor session at both our weekly Family Friday sessions at GL11, and at our weekly Sharpness Parent & Toddler group in Sharpness Village Hall.

    No need to book. If you need to see a Health Visitor, just drop in and see us on one of these dates.

  • Dad Matters Gloucestershire

    Dad Matters Stay and Play

    Join a fun-filled Stay and Play session at GL11 Community Hub. A perfect opportunity for dads and their little ones (0-5 years) to connect, play, and make new friends.

    Second Saturday of every month.

    10am - 12pm.

    Click here to book.

    Please note, no session in December.

“I get my baby weighed every month with the Health Visitor at GL11, I then stay and play at Family Friday. I’ve met other mums with babies of similar age, and we meet up regularly outside of the group.”