For most young families, time during the week is often a rush between work, school, cooking dinners, sport and carpooling, often squeezing out time for activities like playgroups.
A family playgroup at Goonawarra Neighbourhood House held on Saturdays has aimed to fix this and improve the accessibility to all families.
Established in response to feedback from local families, the weekend group is well attended, particularly by local dads who have since developed a great bond.
Local father Walter Van Zyl joined the ground in about the middle of 2023 and has two children he brings along to the group.
“A lot more people are working non regular hours nowadays and I feel like the Saturday mornings are accessible for us… It gives us flexibility,” he said.
“It’s really great, I can’t put into words how awesome it is to have the different dads there. Our experiences are different and we relate to things differently.”
One of the common interests in the group is the game Dungeons and Dragons, and Mr Van Zyl said the group talks about a range of topics.
“I’ve been playing [Dungeons and Dragons] for quite a few years, it’s super hard to find time now,” he said. “We talk about non-parent things as well.
“Rock up and say hi, play with your kids and… Just have a chat and adult conversation.”
The playgroup is free to attend and runs from about 9-11am. It will start back up on February 3.
Details: www.goonawarranh.com.au/whats-on/
Zoe Moffatt
