Italian-speaking playgroup for preschoolers

[ClaireClaire]

Hello, just wondering if there are any other families locally trying to raise their children bilingual English + Italian. There are a few of us trying to get a little group together and are looking for others to join!

We would like to start a very informal Italian-speaking playgroup for children of pre-school age. We would aim to start by doing just a very short organised activity with the kids (10 mins - and that's ambitious!), and then let them play while we have a coffee (!), and then finish up with a song or two.

We're going to meet at the Horniman in the conservatory next Tuesday at 2pm, and any Italian-speaking mums or dads are very welcome to come along with kids/babies to join us. Feel free to drop in, and/or pm me to chat more.

Thanks

Claire

[sanity girl]

Fantastic -sounds great - my daughter is 3.5 years old and english/italian - currently reluctant to speak italian although she understands it well and goes to an italian nursery school 3 days a week. I would love to encourage her italian so we will come along on Tuesday (I am english and her dad italian, but i speak fluent italian)

Molly

edited to add that I really wasn't thinking when I replied and my second baby is due next tuesday,but if he/she hasn't come by then we will still try to come!

[bee74]

Wonderful! I have a 20 month old who speaks very little but more Italian than English. A bit young for the group, but would love to join. Except he wakes from his nap at 3 at the moment so won't get there till about 3.30... any chance of doing it a bit later (selfish!)?

[ClaireClaire]

Hello sanity girl and bee74, great to hear from you both. Sanity girl, we will look out for you on Tuesday, and assume you will be easy to spot! Bee74 - I am not sure about starting later... I'll pm you about this. Would love to meet both of you even if you're not able to come this Tuesday. We're also thinking about some other child-friendly activities in Italian, e.g. an Italian storytime session on a Saturday morning .... will let you know more as and when!

Btw, I am not Italian myself, really just a wannabe :-) But I lived in Bologna for a few years and speak ok, and am trying to speak it to my kids in the hope that they can eventually speak it to a reasonable level as a second language. But I'm in touch with quite a few other mums who are native speakers.

I'll pm you both as well

Claire

[bee74]

yes, I am up for all activities in Italian (my first lang.)! I just need to be at home during my son's nap times as it is the only time I have to do work and that's normally 12.30-2.30/3.

Keep me posted.

[Sanne Panne]

Sounds lovely but doesn't work with nap time here either. I'm Dutch, husband is Italian and we're raising our kids English-Dutch for now (long story...) but I like the idea of Italian exposure (I'm fairly fluent so could get away with acting as the Italian parent). Will keep an eye on this thread in case something is organised at a different time of day in the future.

[ClaireClaire]

Hello again,

Time changed to 3pm as that seems to suit people better!

So we will be in the Horniman conservatory this Tuesday 10th August at 3pm.

Not sure how it will all work out - when my friends and I have tried to get our kids to play games or do little activities in Italian, they usually just laugh in our faces and chase each other round the house. We thought that if we could change environment, and introduce some new people, they might be more likely to pay attention .... we'll see!! We shouldn't have too high expectations though. Worst case scenario we get to have a coffee and make some new friends :-)

Claire

[bee74]

Tuesday 10th August?!

I wonder if you mean today Tuesday 14th September otherwise I am very confused....

[ClaireClaire]

Oh dear, so sorry everyone, I don't know what month I am in! Yes, I mean today = Tueday 14th September.

hope to see some of you there and sorry again per la confusione

Claire x

[5imon]

hi there. our baby is due in october. mum is italian, dad is inglese, pero' nonna non parla inglese so we want to raise the bambina as bilingual. we've probably missed the first session, but we'd love to participate going forward and to hear others' experiences with raising bilingual babies

[gigglesworthy]

Probably not appropriate to put here but - felt compelled to do so! My son was enormously lucky to have attended an Italian Day Nursery - sorry not local to here - but in Stockwell. I've had to take him out as we have now moved to East Dulwich and the journey is just too much every day. So the reason for my post is to say if anyone needs to the details of a really, really excellent Italian Nursery (in stockwell) please do message me. I highly recommend it and my son was incredibly happy there. Hope OK I added this to your thread....

[sanity girl]

Yes, my daughter goes to that nursery - it's excellent. Here's the website Italian Day Nursery

[ClaireClaire]

Hello all,

Just a quick note to say that it was lovely to meet you both last Tuesday, sanity girl and bee74. I know you won't be able to make it next week, but Cinzia and I will still plan to be there in case any one else would like to come along. Hopefully we can make it a regular thing.

So that's Horniman conservatory at 3pm next Tuesday.

I should point out to any one else who's interested in coming along that we weren't very successful in getting the kids to speak in Italian to each other! They just raced around totally ignoring us, as they usually do... :-) But hey, it's work in progress.

And great to get the info about the scuola materna near Stockwell. Thanks sanity girl and gigglesworthy.

Claire

[love4life]

Hello, we live in Forest Hill, hope you don't mind our intrusion in the ED forum :)

My son is 4, he speaks both English and Italian. I am sure he would love to speak Italian with new little friends.

Are you going to meet again next week? if so, please let us know, we would be happy to join you all

[PucciBlu]

Hi, I'm Italian and have a 6 months and half daughter, Isabella. We live in Crystal Palace but would love to join next time you are meeting if that's ok :)

It would be nice to meet more bilingual families......

Cheers

Laura

[ClaireClaire]

Hello love4life and PucciBlu

Thanks for your messages, and yes we are planning to meet next week - hopefully it will be a regular thing.

Horniman conservatory at 3pm next Tuesday.

Please send me a PM with your mobile numbers, and if there is any change I'll contact you!

Ciao ciao

Claire x

[ClaireClaire]

Ciao a tutti

just a reminder to any Italian-speakers with little kids re

tomorrow Tuesday at the Horniman conservatory at 3pm

Claire

M:0758 4485391

[ClaireClaire]

Ciao again,

Apologies to anyone who was planning to come along this afternoon but our meetup this afternoon is cancelled. I have sent text messages to people whose mobile numbers I have, I hope others see this update online in time.

We'll try again next week, and hope everyone is over their illnesses by then!

Claire x

[tallgirl]

As your children get older, St Francesca Cabrini Primary school (Catholic school, top of Forest Hill Rd) has after school Italian lessons (I think from age 5) and from year 3 all children learn it as part of their daily curriculum