Canberra children missed out on opportunities to develop physical and social skills during the pandemic – but Reconnect Playgroups, funded by the ACT Government, are helping with early development and socialisation.

The playgroups, delivered by ACT Playgroups, are run in Gungahlin, Gilmore, and Scullin, for two hours every week for 10 weeks. The program focuses on physical and social development, including gross and fine motor skills, and offers a range of activities for children and parents to do together. It is open to families who had children during COVID, or who are now pregnant.

Carley Jones, executive officer for ACT Playgroups, said children’s physical skills and social skills had not developed as well as their peers’. These playgroups were the first time many parents accessed services; their children had only had parents and extended families for the first year or two of their lives.

During the pandemic, health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said, many parents had not been able to go to play groups or learn from early childhood educators how to support their children in active play (important for physical and brain development); they had not had face-to-face connection with other parents; and their children had not played with other kids during this time.

“We really recognise that particularly young children who were born or were very young during the COVID period, where people were locked down and staying at home, have really lost that ability to have that connection during those really early years,” Ms Stephen-Smith said. “[We want] to ensure that parents and young children have that opportunity to get together, to play, to connect with others, but also for parents to get the support that they need.”

Lily Marlin, an early childhood educator, is one of those parents. She said the playgroup improved her son Harry’s socialisation and confidence.

Having her first baby during COVID was “a unique experience”, Ms Marlin said. She had not been able to join new parent groups, or socialise with other parents – and Zoom parenting classes were “definitely not the same thing”.

“It’s really nice to find this playgroup a couple of years later, to talk with other parents about their experiences,” Ms Marlin said.

When pregnant with her second child, bringing Harry to playgroup to see and interact with other babies and children helped prepare him for being a big brother, Ms Marlin said. Meeting other adults, such as the educator, Ravi, allowed him to build good relationships and be ready for school.

“It’s really good to come each week and see all the different activities that Ravi sets up for the children,” Ms Marlin said. “It’s given me lots of ideas at home for things to do with him, with craft and building and playdough.”

The ACT Government has provided $126,000 through the 2022‑2024 Focus on Supporting Children and Families Healthy Canberra Grants. The program supports the goals of the government’s Best Start for Canberra’s Children: The First 1,000 Days Strategy – an important time for brain development and motor skills, and for learning how to socialise, Ms Stephen-Smith said.