Do you live in Sydenham?

[mrsbee]

I work 5 days a week so don't really know the local baby/ toddler activites.

But think a meet up would be great as I haven't had chance to meet many other mums in the area. Once it has warmed up and the parks are less muddy....

[sugarmouse]

We moved from Denmark Hill to Sydenham about 3 1/2 years ago and have never regretted it. Our son is at St Bartholomew's school on The Peak and we're really happy with that too. We love Sydenham Wells park (zip slide and water sprinklers in the summer!) and the whole row of shops near Forest Hill with the old fashioned sweet shop Sugar Mountain. Transport links good too - children travel free on the Overground (or Ginger Line as we call it) so we often head up to Canary Wharf at the weekend.

Top tip - the houses at the top end of Sydenham (around Sydenham Park Road and Peak Hill) are only about a 10 min walk to Forest Hill library and swimming pool - much closer to Forest Hill than half the houses in the Forest Hill postcode. Half the price too! You can buy a nice semi-detatched for about ?400k - ?500. Not cheap but cheaper than East Dulwich!!!

[verds]

Woo-hoo! One week until we leave sunny ED for Sydenham and all this makes me very excited. When I was looking to buy, I did find that nice 3-bed houses rarely came up so move quick if you see one and bear in mind you may end up in a bidding war.

We went trick or treating round all the local shops and the high street had a great atmosphere, I also like Wells Park with its sprinklers and That's Amore restaurant, where the owner sings - I think he made it to Eurovision once.

[se22newmum]

Thankyou all! Would love recommendations on toddler groups and the like if anyoen has any. Very excited that we are joining such a lovely sounding community!!

[JulieW]

Hi all,

We live in ED but like so many of you we can't afford to buy there. We have put an offer on a house close to Alexandra Infant school and it has been accepted so hopefully we will be moving to the area this Spring so keen to meet people there! We have 2 young children, one is 9 months and the other 3 year-old. Would anybody have recommendations for nurseries? Not sure we will be able to leave our kids in their ED nursery as it might be a bit of a treck to drive them there and back and go to work...it looks like the Penge area is changing for the best. House prices are actually getting quite high now! We had to go into a bidding war to get ours!

[Beagle]

JulieW, have pm'd you.

Re baby/toddler groups in Penge area generally.

I have one in preschool and an 8th month old so not as frequent an attendee of baby groups this time round, however would recommend as follows:

Little Fishes,St johns church, Penge High Street Monday 9.30 - 11am. ?2 for family. Good space and nice group. Term time only.

The library on MAple road, has sing a long nursery rhymes on Thursday mornings, 10am. Small space. They are moving to bigger premises in the summer, but nice children's space and they make a real effort. First Wednesday of every month they open specially from 10 to 11 30 for a childrens themed creative story and make and do time.

Beckenham library down next to beckenham spa and the Buzz zone also good

Community vision on oakfield road has some good groups, messy play Fridays from 10am, but can get really busy and full before 10 as is a good space and facility. They do baby weighing and health visitor stuff as well during the week so a very useful facility.

Sydenham library did close but has reopened I believe although I am not familiar with timetable or what is available.

As mentioned above the Buzz handy for wet days. Gambados has been shut since Christmas due to storm damage. Cafe deli nene in beckenham handy as has coffee and play area.

Great parks in the area, cator, Crystal palace, MAyou, Alexender Rec, Croydon park road. If it is dry we are in a park.

Hope this helps.

C

[Mellors]

This fab website lists all the groups in the area by day, and has info on other resources:

http://se26kids.com/

[miga]

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