A new mum attending Paint Pots House Creative Classes for the first time

The combination of heuristic play and acoustic music was a success. I’d found a teacher who told me that it was fine to let him take it all in from a distance if that’s what he wanted to do, and then remembered another who tried forcing him to do a forward roll at barely 10 months, despite his clear resistance. I’d found songs we could sing along to too, and shuddered remembering music so loud that my son was scared out of his wits. I’d found a place which smelt of lavender oil. Wafts of chemical detergent and squashed banana had become a distant memory.

At Paint Pots, I saw a passionate understanding about child development. The creative lessons were not only encouraging my child to be independent, they were also lessons for me as a parent. I could see just how capable he actually was, and learnt how to encourage his sweet nature with a calm, gentle approach. Surrounded by other children in the same developmental stage, he also began to socialise. It seems he had even found his first girlfriend!

For everyday challenges, I have adopted techniques and activities; I sing his favourite Paint Pots songs to calm during wriggly nappy changes, unsettled teething moments and to divert his attention away from impending tantrums.

As Taylan enters Toddlerdom, we happily continue our magical learning journey in the Paint Pots house. I’m relieved to have found the right source of enrichment to fill his precious early years with beautiful memories. ‘We’re going to Paint Pots!’ I say, whilst struggling to strap my rigid toddler into his buggy. His chocolate brown eyes light up and his body relaxes. ‘Aha!’ he exclaims, pointing towards the door.