Yesterday we ran our first PLAY Live Baby session especially designed for babies born during the Covid-19 restrictions.

In the last year around 600,000 babies have been born in England alone and have spent their whole lives in lockdown. The impact of lockdown on some babies wellbeing and development will last a long time. Many new parents are missing out on vital early years support.

PLAY Live Baby was created in response to feedback from participants of our original PLAY Live sessions (for under 5s). Overwhelming numbers of new parents, with babies born under the Covid-19 restrictions, were attending PLAY Live to fulfil their needs at a time when all other support networks are largely unavailable. We felt these parents needed something specifically tailored towards their babies’ needs and abilities. So PLAY Live Baby was conceived.

We love the toddler play sessions, but it was really great to have a session more tailored to the babies! Thank you so much – sessions like this are a godsend for lockdown babies

PLAY Live Baby participant

PLAY Live Baby offers a ‘live’ experience using Zoom. These live sessions provide much needed interaction and connection with others as well as play inspiration to help with bonding, attachment and babies development.

It feels soooooo good to be part of something with other carers and babies at such a strange time. Thank you so much! Also, this is my third child and without doubt the most fun and lovely baby session I’ve ever attended! Learning lots of new things that will help my little person developmentally.

PLAY Live Baby participant

“It was really great to get some playing inspiration and a boost of play confidence with a pandemic baby who otherwise hasn’t had many chances for communal play”

PLAY Live parent

These sessions are led by Annabel Newfield, an early years movement and play specialist who has worked on the Early Years Programme at the Whitworth for 10 years. Annabel uses a combination of movement, music and play to stimulate babies and aid their develop.

Before each session a list of suggested materials is sent out that parents/ carers can gather together and bring along to a session. These materials are always simple everyday objects that can be found around the house that encourage open ended, heuristic play. Objects include things like a large blanket, wooden spoons, kitchen utensils, fairy lights or torches, simple things that will stimulate babies’ senses and allow them to explore the world around them.

An incredible 120 babies plus their parents/ carers participated in the first session showing a real need for something like this. Lots of parents/ carers commenting on feeling ‘part of something special‘, that they are ‘doing it together, even though they are apart‘ (PLAY Live participant) helping to alleviate feelings of loneliness during such isolating times.

Wonderful session – thank you! Pace and ideas you have shared have been great. Feeling part of something very special xxx

PLAY Live Baby participant

Thank you so much. we both loved it. It’s our first class together and it was so lovely to be a part of something so special

PLAY Live Baby participant

Hosting these sessions online has allowed us to extend our reach beyond Greater Manchester with parents/ carers from across the UK joining in the sessions, opening up the Whitworth and its collections even when the building itself is closed.

Hello from Dublin! 🙂 Thanks so much we had so much fun – having a pandemic baby we’ve done lots of Zoom sessions but this one kept my 11-month-old interested for the entire class which is fantastic! We also have lots of new ideas for play at home. 🙂 Will definitely be joining in again! Thank you for making our morning.

PLAY Live Baby participant

We’re joining in from London. So nice to see other parents and babies, feels much less isolating!

PLAY Live Baby

If you’d like to join a PLAY Live or PLAY Live Baby session then visit the Early Years section of the Whitworth’s website for upcoming dates and details of how to book. Or, if you’d like any more information then you can e.mail lucy.turner@manchester.ac.uk.