If you’re looking for a fun and sociable group for babies and toddlers in Medway or Kent, then Bub Club Baby and Toddler Group in Rochester is the group for you!
Bub Club is a baby and toddler group for 0-5 year old children based in Rochester, which aims to support parents and guardians with a fun space full of child-led creativity and messy play to let your baby or toddler explore and socialise in a safe environment. Parents can enjoy chatting and getting to know other parents at the same time – this definitely isn’t a ‘mum group’… dads are welcome and plentyful too!
Bub Club baby and toddler group is based in Rochester. You’ll find them in Room 11 in the Rochester Community Hub on the High Street. Use the postcode ME1 1EW to find your way.
If you’re driving, there’s plenty of car parks to choose from in Rochester. Around the corner from the venue you’ve got a short stay car park – Blue Boar Lane, ME1 1PD. You can also park in the train station which is a very short walk away – Corporation Street, ME1 1NH.
If you’re using public transport, Rochester train station is a very short (less than 5 minutes) walk away, or there’s plenty of bus access – the Rochester Community Hub (Stop N) is the closest bus stop.
Bub club costs £7 per session which includes one adult and one child. Additional adult and sibling tickets can be bought for half the price – £3.50 each.
Bub club is bookable in single, drop in sessions only – not a term bulk booking in sight! This means you’re not tied in and don’t have to commit to a full term of classes or pay a large expense up front: you can pick and choose what themes you’re interested or what days you can make. This is a huge plus for me, as personally I cannot stand the commitment, and find this turns something that should be fun into a stressful ordeal.
Bub club currently has two classes per week – Monday and Wednesday at 10am. Keep an eye out for special seasonal classes such as Halloween and Christmas classes too!
Myself, my partner, Arthur (my two and a half year old toddler) and Ada (my newborn baby) attended bub club baby and toddler group in Rochester on Wednesday 29th September.
We parked at our usual spot in Corporation Street (the train station car park!) and walked up to the Rochester Community Hub. It was easy to find and exactly where Google Maps directed us to, so things were off to a great start! Bub club was hosted in Room 11 which was easy to find – upon entering the community hub you simply go up the main stairs straight ahead and it’s the first room on the right. Ada was in her Uppababy pram, so we took the lift, which was well signposted down the corridor to the left of the stairs.
When we arrived there were some families already there, with the children getting stuck in to some of the activities already. There was a nice, friendly atmosphere and plenty of space to pop your belongings down and park the prams.
Holly, the founder of bub club, had set up different activities – this week’s theme was ‘flower power’, so she had a ‘grow your own cress’ tuff tray (little pots, cotton wool, soil, cress seeds, utensils etc), a water table with flower building, a messy play tuff tray using rice, lentils, chocolate mud and other taste safe sensory bases, a baby area with plenty of sensory toys, a painting set up complete with flower and leaf stamps and stencils, and a tree themed activity table. There was plenty to do with each station never becoming overcrowded despite a good amount of families present.
Arthur was immediately attracted to the sensory rice – we do lots of sensory rainbow rice set ups ourself at home, so this is something he is familiar with and enjoys. He enjoyed watching another child play in the liquid mud but wasn’t too keen on it himself this time! The water table was another popular choice – Arthur loved pouring the watering can and the other children seemed to love the water table too. Holly had laid towels down on top of the mat, so there was no worries about slip hazards.
I was pleased to see the arts and crafts in the form of a painting station – a lot of toddler groups I find are either messy play, sensory play or arts and crafts, but bub club had it all! Arthur enjoys painting, although I think he preferred painting the animals on the mat more than the paper itself. There were some great additions to the painting set up I hadn’t tried with him at home – such as using cookie cutters and stamps to make marks, and cutting toilet rolls to create flower patterns. This is one of the reasons I love attending classes like this – it’s great for ideas and activities you don’t do at home.
Although Ada was a little young for it, the padded baby area was a lovely addition – there were lots of sensory toys such as balls, scarves and sensory mats as well as more baby aged toys. I can’t wait to go back when Ada is old enough to enjoy the class too.
The best part of attending a messy play group? You don’t have to tidy up! Let your child make as much mess as they want (within reason – try not to get it up the walls!!) and Holly will clean it all up for you afterwards – thanks Holly! Don’t forget to pack some baby wipes and a spare change of clothes, though.
The most important part: did my toddler have fun and would I recommend bub club baby and toddler group in Rochester ? YES! I would highly recommend to all.
PS – If you visit off the back of my recommendation, please tag me in your photos on Instagram and use the hashtag #JodetopiaInKent
Are you looking for other baby and toddler classes in Kent? Check out all of my baby and toddler group reviews or why not try Musical Bumps in Castle Hill?
