MUMS & TOTS NEWSLETTER
July 2004

WELCOME to a very short newsletter to tide you over
the summer. A big ‘HELLO’ to all newcomers to Warsaw.  We
would like to welcome you all and hope you will be very happy
here and make lots of new friends through Mums & Tots.

MUMS AND TOTS GENERAL INFO      

Mondays – All tots up to 3 years – The group meets at different houses between 1000 hrs-1200 hrs on a voluntary basis. 

Tuesdays

Kangurek Play Centre in the Old Paper Mill, Konstancin from 10am As well as your children being able to run around and let off some steam, part of the morning is also dedicated to a singing circle and arts & crafts where they can show off their artistic talents!  (Coordinator: Lindsey Wislocki 847-8774 or 0608-477563).  The play centre charges 12zl for the morning (for Mums & Tots members) or you can purchase a discount card costing 100zl for 10 sessions.

Stonoga Play Centre, ul. Zielona, Piaseczno from 10.30am. A break-away group of recent Mums and Tots graduates (three years plus) has started meeting at Stonoga from about 10.30-12.30 on Tuesdays. 8zl for the session. Everyone welcome but due to the advanced age of the children the play is a bit more robust than at Kangurek.

Throughout the summer and if the weather is fine a group will also meet at playgrounds in and around Warsaw – check the schedule for this month’s venue.

Baby Music for babies up to 18 months (or so) every 2 weeks at 10am in different mum’s houses – see schedule.

Thursdays - Mini music takes place in different houses between 1000-1200 hrs on a voluntary basis.

Fridays – For mums-to-be and babies under 18 months.  It takes place at different houses between 1000-1200 hrs. (Coordinator: Carina Borin Percy - Phone 702 0895 or 0508 261768).

Use the schedule printed at the end of the newsletter for the above groups in conjunction with your contact list. (Please email postmaster@mumsandtots.com if you need a new contact list at any time.

Mums’ (and Dads’) nights out
These are monthly socials to give us the chance

to get together without babies & children.

The next Dad’s night is Tuesday 20^th July at the Cinnamon Bar.

Please email Chris Bull tjcdbull@ul.it.pl if you can make it.

Tracey will e-mail everyone in due course about the next

Mums’ night out. The website will also keep you

informed. www.mumsandtots.com !

Throughout the summer we will continue to meet but there may be less people about because of the number of people away on holiday. There are also a lot of families who are here in Warsaw but who have older children to entertain so will not be attending the usual Mums and Tots events. Either way – we hope to see you flood back in September!

Bumps & Babies

Carina Borin Percy has kindly agreed to take over as organiser of the Bumps-and-Babies section of Mums & Tots. Very many thanks to Christine who has done a great job.

For bumps and babies related issues Carina's details are:-

Carina Borin Percy - Phone 702 0895 or 0508 261768 - email carinaborin@hotmail.com

Mums & Tots Group

We are now urgently seeking a new co-ordinator for the group. I (Prew) will be leaving Warsaw in the next few months and would really like to hand over to someone soon. Ola will also be 3 next week so will officially graduate from the group then! The job can be what you want to make of it – you can surround yourself with willing helpers (and there are lots of them!) and you can be as involved or as distanced as you like with all the individual groups. What is essential is a first point of contact for newcomers – a sort of “welcoming-mum” who can put new members in touch with others. This person will probably be the one who keeps the membership list up to date and send emails to everyone. If you have access to a computer (essential), are happy to speak on the phone, and are remotely organized then you can do the job. Remember – this is not a job-for-life. Your child too will be graduating from the group before you know it! Most of us are in Warsaw for a relatively short time and will be moving on so stability is also not a prerequisite of the job.

Please, please, think about it! Phone or email to discuss 0602 451955 or bowtell@poczta.neostrada.pl
ENGLISH SPEAKING PRESCHOOLS AND KINDERGARTENS

There has been a rush of publicity from the various English speaking nursery schools who are all keen that you should consider sending your child to them as a first step on the education road. Listed below are the top most used places by Mums & Tots members and take children from about 2 years (some require the child to be potty trained). There is a report which Leigh Black Irvin did for us some time ago which you can get hold of on the website ( http://www.mumsandtots.com/Nursery%20schools.htm ) – but better still would be to actually go and visit the schools once term has started again in September so you can see the kids in action.

The British School - ul. Dabrowskiego 84/90, MOKOTOW
Telephone 646-4666, website www.britishschool.waw.ids.pl.

Montessori Schools - there are now several. Listed below are just 3.
i) ul. Badowska 19, SIELCE (near Lazienki Park), Telephone 851-6893;
ii) Przy Parku 5, Osiedle Kampinos, Lipkow, (on the edge of Kampinos Forest - near Izabelina) Telephone 604 406 955
iii) ul. Krolewicza Jakuba 36, WILANOW, Telephone 842 2481 or 0501 031261

Child’s Play – ul. Kosiarzy 21C, WILANOW
Telephone 642-0751, website www.childsplay.com.pl.

The English Playhouse – ul. Plycwianska 14A, MOKOTOW
Telephone 0604464333 or email office@theenglishplayhouse.com, website www.theenglishplayhouse.com
(Recently relocated to spacious house “under the ski jump” off ul. Idzikowskiego)

The International Preschool of Warsaw – ul. Zawrat 14, MOKOTOW
Telephone 843-0964, website www.zawrat-international-preschool.com

Pooh Corner – ul Tukana 2d, PYRY
Telephone 648-1605, website www.poohcorner.pl
(Now under new management)

Stonoga Preschool – ul. Zielona 9 and ul. Zielona 17a, PIASECZNO
Telephone 756 22 13, website www.stonogapreschool.com.
(New teacher now secured for next term)

I hope I haven’t left anyone out. If you have experience of a nursery school here in Warsaw and would like to write a bit about it please send it to Bianca or Laura and we will try and get some more information together.

Please note inclusion of an advert in this newsletter does not imply endorsement of goods or service by Mums & Tots

Nanny required

I am urgently looking for a loving, gentle, energetic person to care for my 5 month old son. I must start work Aug. 3 and I would need someone from 7:30-4:30, Monday-Friday. There would be some light housekeeping as well. If you speak English it would be a help, but not essential. Experience with infants would also be great. We live close to Auchan in Jozefos³aw-Piaseczno area. If interested, please call 711-2562 or 0605-684-765

Baby equipment for sale - Call Barbara 501 100 754
i) Buggy Board- LASCAL-www.lascal.se

Platform for toddlers fixed to back of pushchair or pram. Brand new-never used. 

Fits most models. 350pln

ii) Twin Jet -INGLESINA -fold away pram/pushchair. blue and yellow check,

Excellent condition. 4 position seats -side by side, 650pln

iii) MACLAREN push chair -not telescopic/fold away but fits in car boot.  Blue red,

patterned, strong shopping basket.  350 pln

iv) 2 white plastic easy care, IKEA high chairs. 56 pln each

v) Pine wooden, circular VOX playpen, 6 x 70cm hexagonal sides -134 m diameter.

170 pln.

And finally…

Goodbye and good luck to Wendy & Megan who have returned to England and Bente & Luna who are now in Zurich. 

The next newsletter will come out mid-August. Any contributions should be sent to Bianca at BandB@inicia.es or to Laura on spindlers@neostrada.pl

Baby Group (Fridays 10am – 12pm)

(Organiser Carina – carinaborin@hotmail.com)

16^th July Celia – Saska Kepa

23^rd July Kate S - Mokotow

30^th July Celia P – Saska Kepa

6^th Aug Lisa M – Wilanow

13^th Aug Carina B – Konstancin

20^th Aug Barbara K – Zoliborz

27^th Aug Celia P – Saska Kepa

Toddler Group (Mondays 10am -12pm)
(Organiser Sarah Brett - brett@globster.pl)

19^th July Joanna - Ursynow

26^th July Tracey – Konstancin

2^nd Aug Laura – Mokotow

9^th Aug Tracey - Konstancin

16^th Aug Christine – Sluzew

23^rd Aug Sarah – Konstancin

30^th Aug Melissa - Stegny

Baby Music (Tuesdays 10am – 12pm)

8^th & 22^nd June Helen – Mokotow

6^th July Catherine Q – Centrum

20^th July Nathalie – Wilanow

Outdoor playgrounds (Tuesdays 10.30am – 12.30pm)

(Stonoga or Kangurek indoor play centres if wet or too hot to be outside)

July Playground at the end of ul. Sycylijska and ul. Sardinska in Stegny

August Playground on ul. Odynca, Mokotow. (Park cars on Ursynowska)

Mini Music (Thursdays 10am – 12pm)

(Organiser Prew Bowtell - bowtell@poczta.neostrada.pl)

15^th, 22^nd & 29th July Suzanne – Powsin

5^th Aug Aga S-R

12^th & 19^th Aug Lisa

26^th Aug TBA

For full details on all the events organised by Mums & Tots take a look at the website www.mumsandtots.com