oooo Soft Play IN & AROUND RCT oooo
 Monster Madness - Gelli 
01443 442230
Gelli Industrial Estate, Gelli, Pentre, Mid Glamorgan, CF41 7UW
The Rhondda Autism Support Group hold play sessions at Monster Madness on alternate Wednesdays from 7 - 8.30pm.
These are open to non-members and provide autistic children with exclusive access to the play facilities whilst their accompanying parents/carers socialise.
Siblings are also welcome.
There is a small charge for the play sessions.
For more information about these sessions, please contact Mandy Dickinson on 01443 440811
 Rumble in the Jungle - Clydach 
01443 433033
Cambrian Industrial Park, Clydach Vale
Themed children's adventure and soft play centre.
Parent and toddler group. Discounted entry for disabled children.
A new sensory room aimed at disabled children has just opened at Rumble in the Jungle.
Furthermore, on Tuesday mornings from 10-11am (term time only) the play centre is open exclusively to disabled children.
 Merlin's Castle - Pontyclun 
01443 228111
Ely Valley Industrial Estate, Pontyclun
Indoor play centre.
Parent and toddler sessions.
Merlin's Castle are happy to run sessions specifically for disabled children if a demand is demonstrated for this.
 Shine - Dowlais, Merthyr 
01685 383333
Indoor play centre and family cafe.
Shine are happy to run sessions specifically for disabled children and to provide concessions for disabled children if a demand is demonstrated for this.
RCT Leisure Centres - Hawthorn and Llantwit Fardre
01443 843406 or 01443 201722 respectively
Soft play facilities.
Kidzz Fun - Ystrad Mynach
01443 815544
Adventure Land - Merthyr
01443 692001
Click here for more details
Kids Cove - Caerphilly
02920 863333
Unit 2, Crossways Retail Park, Caerphilly, CF83 3NL
Jump - Cardiff
02920 747300
Parc Ty Glas, Llanishen, Cardiff, CF14 5DU
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* Please note that (with the exception of RCT leisure centres) these are private organisations and this does not constitute any form of recommendation *
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For information about other play opportunities in RCT, please contact the Family Information Service on 0800 180 4151
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Glyncornel Sensory Room
A new sensory room has been constructed on the site of Glyncornel Young People’s Centre in Llwynypia, Rhondda.
Examples of equipment in the Glyncornel sensory room are:
Large multi-coloured bubble tube
Coloured slide wall projector
Multi-coloured fibre optics
Several large comfy cushions
Ultra violet light and toys that respond
Chimes and other tranquil sounds
Mirror ball
and more…
The sensory room is now available for use. Advance booking is required. To book the sensory room, please call Glyncornel on 01443 420940
Use of the sensory room is currently free of charge; a small charge may be introduced at some time in the future.
Glyncornel Young Peoples Centre
Nant y Gwyddon Road
Llwynipia
CF40 2JF
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Hosted by Youth Music, Bongo Club is a new online resource for music making, aimed primarily at children aged 0 to 5. The Bongo Club website is full of information and inspiration for parents and practitioners about involving children in making music, including expert advice, useful resources, games, as well as parents’ own experiences of using music with their children. The website provides ideas on where to start; for example, musical instruments can be made from household objects, a fun activity in itself and an inexpensive way to get children interested in making music at home.
The rationale behind Bongo Club is that, for young children in particular, music can enhance personal, social and educational development. By engaging in music making with your child, you are providing them with a way of expressing themselves, encouraging their creativity and improving their self-confidence. Music is fun and can help your child to learn in your own home. Specifically, music making can develop young children’s language, communication, maths, listening, concentration, and social skills, providing them with a head start when they begin full-time education.
 
Remember that you don’t need any special musical ability to start enjoying music with your child. In fact, learning together can become a great new way of bonding with your child. The website includes a ‘Print and Paint’ section that features printable drawings for your child to colour in and also has its own discussion forum. Furthermore, in the practitioners section of the website, you can access various songs and other musical resources to help you to get started.
For further information, please visit the website at www.bongoclub.org.uk Alternatively, further information can be requested by telephoning The National Foundation for Youth Music on 020 7902 1060 or by writing to The National Foundation for Youth Music, One America Street, London, SE1 0NE.
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 Twinkle Twinkle Singing Stars
Twinkle Twinkle Singing Stars is a music class for children aged from 3 months to 4 years and their parents. Classes run in the Aberdare area (details below) and encourage the development of children’s skills using music and language. Sessions involve communicating with children through singing, and consist of traditional nursery rhymes, action songs, body identification rhymes, counting songs and using instruments.
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Tuesdays
Coliseum Aberdare
Baby (3 months to walking) 9.30am to 10.30am
Toddler (walking to school age) 10.30am to 11.30am
Thursdays
Abercynon Sports Centre
Baby (3 months to walking) 10.00am to 11.00am
Toddler (walking to school age) 11.00am to 12noon
Aberdare Sports Centre
Baby (3 months to walking) 1.00pm to 2.00pm
Toddler (walking to school age) 2.00pm to 3.00pm
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The first session costs £2, after which you can become a member in order to attend further sessions. Membership costs £15 per year. Membership includes a t-shirt, musical instrument, book, CD and insurance. After joining, sessions cost £2.75 per class (if paid termly) or you can pay as you go at £3.25 per session.
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Ygsol Hen Felin Parent & Toddler Support Group
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Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council's Children's Information Service provides free, impartial information and advice to families, carers and professionals about childcare services and resources that are available to children within the county.
The service provides a free phone helpline for anyone seeking information about childcare and services, which is open between 9.00am and 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and between 9.00am and 4.30pm on Friday. An answerphone is available to leave messages after hours. The number is as follows:
FREEPHONE: 0800 180 4151
The service provides information about play groups, summer play schemes, parent support groups, out of school clubs, day nurseries and child minders in your area. An extremely useful free information pack, containing booklets such as ‘Choosing Childcare’ and ‘Over the top behaviours in the under tens’, can be requested by calling the free phone helpline. The ‘Choosing Childcare’ booklet and other leaflets can also be downloaded directly from the website at :
The children’s information service also provides information about tax credits for childcare (included in the information pack) and services offered by local and national support organisations for children and young people. They produce a newsletter twice a year, the latest of which can be viewed on their website.
To find out more about what is available in your area or to request a free information pack, please call the freephone helpline, visit the website by clicking on the heading above or email the Children’s Information Service at:
childinfoserv@rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk
Click here to Search for Childcare in RCT
Playgroups
Registered Education Providers
Day Nurseries
Parent and Toddler groups
Childminders
Play Schemes
Out of School Groups
Click the above picture to view the 'Choosing Childcare' booklet
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The Toy Library is a service that lends toys, as a public library does with books. It started as part of the Surestart government initiative and is a free service.
Toy librarians are available to assist parents/carers with choosing toys that are best suited to the age and developmental stage of their child, allowing a range of toys to be tried out without buying them. Toys included in the library are selected to promote children’s development and to make learning fun. A wide range of sensory toys has recently been purchased for disabled children, for example, sensation blocks, switch lights and an animal sound pack. These sensory toys are situated at the Rhydyfelin toy library, but can be requested at the other locations.
The Toy Library operates from these three fixed bases:
Rhondda – Ynyscynon Early Years Centre
Cynon – Hirwaun Primary School
Taf – Rhydyfelin Integrated Children’s Centre
Toys can be borrowed by families or carers living in Rhondda Cynon Taf, by toddler groups, parent support groups, playgroups, nurseries and by professionals who work with children.
A CD-ROM that contains a catalogue of the toys can be requested from the Toy Library. Alternatively, you can search for many of the toys on the Toy Library website at:
For more information about the toy library, please contact:
Jayne Bergin or Rachel Bosanko on 01443 424908
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ooo...Play Links...ooo
Featuring a wide range of indoor and outdoor play ideas for children aged 0 to 6 years, catering for imaginative, active and creative play.
A colourful site featuring lots of ideas for family activities in your area.
oooooo @ @ @ oooooo
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