Baby & Toddler 

Our community is home to a variety of supportive baby and toddler groups designed to help you and your family thrive during those precious early years. 
 

Breastfeeding Network Derbyshire and BEARS Breastfeeding Support Across Amber Valley 

Email: derbyshire@breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk 
 
Location: The Brown Bear Coffee Shop, 34a Oxford Street, Ripley, Derbyshire DE5 3AP 
 
Date/time of group: One Monday per month 10-11.30am 
 
Cost to attend: There is no charge to attend and your first drink is free. 
Drop in at any point during our sessions and expect a warm welcome from our trained breastfeeding peer supporters. The sessions are free to attend, there’s no need to book. Bring along a concern to talk through with our volunteers or come to meet other local families. Everyone is welcome! 

 Marehay Methodist Church Stay & Play 

Main Contact Name: Pauline Fretwell (leader) Kath Brydon (Church contact) 
 
Tel: 07935 275522 (Pauline) 07974 949711 (Kath) 
 
Email: mwmethodist@outlook.com 
 
Location: Marehay Methodist Church, 202 Warmwells Lane, Marehay, Ripley, Derbyshire DE5 8JE 
 
Day/time of group: Wednesday during term time 9.30-11am 
 
Cost to attend: £2.50 per family 
 
Sensory play, ride on toys, family time, themed crafts, baby corner, peer support. Snacks and drinks, singing. We celebrate the important events in the Christian year with a themed craft and families take home chocolates, books, crafts etc. 

Rhyme Time Group (Derbyshire Libraries) 

Tel: 01629 532982 
 
Email: ripley.library@derbyshire.gov.uk 
 
Location: Ripley Library, 21 Grosvenor Road, Ripley, Derbyshire DE5 3JE 
 
Day/time of group: Tuesday morning (during term time) 10-10:30am 
 
Cost to attend: None 
Songs, stories and rhymes for pre-school children. All are welcome to just call in and attend with no need to book. 

Squeals on Wheels 

Tel: 01773 570011 
 
Email: enquiries@allsaintsripley.org.uk 
 
Location: All Saints Church, Church Street, Ripley, Derbyshire DE5 3BU 
 
Day/time of group: Monday morning in school term-time 9.15-11am 
 
Cost to attend: There is a small fee for each session. Please contact the church office for more details. 
Squeals on Wheels, or Squeals as it is more often known, is a happy and friendly group for parents and carers with babies or toddlers. It happens each Monday morning in school term-time from 9.15am-11am, run by a team from the church who have many years of experience between them. It is a great place for parents and carers to meet people in a similar situation to them and to make friends and allow the toddlers to make friends too. Most of the session is unstructured play time with a craft and puzzle tables, a baby area and lots of toys available, then there is organised singing and dancing and a Bible story told at the end of each session, with birthdays remembered and instruments to play. It is very much enjoyed by children and carers – you can bring children along from when they are very little until when they go off to nursery. There is a small fee for each session. Please contact the church office for more details, there may be a waiting list at certain times as we have to limit numbers, especially in view of COVID-19. 

Waingroves Methodist Church Stay & Play 

Main Contact Name: Pauline Fretwell 
 
Tel: 07935 275522 
 
Email: waingroveschurch@outlook.com 
 
Location: Waingroves Methodist Church Waingroves Road, Waingroves, Ripley, Derbyshire DE5 9TB 
 
Day/time of group: Wednesday (during term time) 1.15pm 
 
Cost to attend: £2.00 per family 
 
Carer and child group for 0-4 year olds. 

 Wildlings (formerly Ambergate & District Playgroup) 

Main Contact Name: Cate Bush 
 
Tel: 07474 762190 / 07713 287277 
 
Email: wildlings.derbyshire@gmail.com 
 
Location: The Methodist School Rooms, Devonshire Street, Ambergate, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 2GJ 
 
Day/time of group:  
Hall sessions - 9am-12pm, 12-3pm or 9am-3pm 
Outdoor sessions- 9am-3pm Breakfast club from 8am 
 
Cost to attend: please see website for more details 
 
 
Wildlings offers high quality childcare and education for children aged 2-5 in an environment rich in awe and wonder. We are unique in the local area, offering places in both our light and bright hall setting, and in our beautiful, ancient woodland setting. We have a strong team of dedicated, knowledgeable early years educators and teachers, who really care about children and believe in our unique ethos. We keep numbers of children low and have higher than required staff to child ratio, as a consequence our highly qualified and experienced team are able to effectively get to know, observe and assess every child. They are always on hand to enhance provision and extend children's learning and thinking, whilst giving children the freedom to manage their own challenges and build on what they already know. 

Yellow Daisies Stay & Play 

Main Contact Name: Mrs. V. Newey 
 
Tel: 01773 853358 
 
Email: vmnewey@talktalk.net / Yellowdaisies72@gmail.com 
 
Location: The Village Hall at Heage, School Lane, Heage, Derbyshire DE56 2AL 
 
Day/time of group: Every weekday morning except Thursday during term time 9-11am 
 
Cost to attend: £3.50 (Monday, Wednesday & Friday) £3.00 Tuesday (Messy Play) 
Snacks and drinks included 
We are a group for children from birth to school age who, together with their parent or carer, can begin the process of socialising and learning as they play in a safe and welcoming environment.