Cheviots Children’s Centre

A day off from work, means so much more now. Disappointingly it doesn’t involve a lie in, or a lazy day centred around myself, reading books & magazine, catching up on TV or going shopping. But fortunately, a chance for me to spend some quality time with Reuben & Archie. Although on this occasion just some quality time with Archie to give Daddy a well earned rest. I decided on Monday past, to take him to Cheviot’s Children’s Centre which is a real gem hidden down a cul-de-sac, in Enfield. The main aim of this centre is to promote the inclusion of disabled children into mainstream children’s activities.

They run several activities during the course of the week and Archie’s Dad, Reuben (who looks after him on a full-time basis) takes him there every Monday morning from 10-11.30am. When i arrived, the queue to enter was lengthening, always a sign of a popular activity and with only 25 children allowed in, we were one of those lucky enough to enjoy all that Cheviot’s had to offer. The centre is spacious and divided up into several differing areas. Outdoor play with plenty trikes and scooters, an outdoor sensory garden with drums and chimes galore. Indoors, a soft play room, sensory room, dressing up & imaginative play with cookers, kitchens and a lovely book corner. Both Archie & I had a fantastic time and bumped into a couple of Mums and their little one’s that we had made friends with during the course of pregnancy and in the year after they were born. At 11am, its snack time. Rice cakes, pineapple, grapes and strawberries are on offer along with water and juices all centred around long tables with chairs to accommodate for every age. It’s 11.15am and rhyme time, all done with Makaton. So nice to see Archie sitting with the other children and using signs he has learned from us as well as from the baby sign course he did when he was only 6 months. Wheels on the bus, twinkle twinkle and incey wincey spider were all welcomed and signed teamed with a beautiful big smile from my happy baby boy. I am happy to know that every Monday, he manages to go here and what a great way to start a Monday morning!