Express & Star

Sisters launch new children's play centre in Stourbridge

A new children's play and learning centre has opened in Stourbridge – launched by two sisters.

Published
Jenny Peacock and Claire Hayes, with Sophie Barnwell, four, and Chloe Barnwell, 16 months, at the Bridge House, in New Road, which opened recently

The Bridge House opened its doors to families in New Road on in April and offers classes and activities for children and parents.

The centre, which is for children under five, has been opened by sister team Claire Hayes, 36, and Jenny Peacock, 27, who previously worked as a paediatric occupational therapist and paediatric speech and language therapist respectively.

Bridge House offers families to chance to play, learn, develop and relax – with classes and activities including craft and sensory play workshops, baby massage and baby yoga.

Claire and Jenny will also launching their own classes – developed and written by themselves. Tots Tales sessions will be themed around a different book each week – and will encourage early engagement with literacy. The sessions are high energy and packed with play to encourage the many aspects of a child's development.

There is also a cafe and a child-friendly salon at the venue. The main activity room and workshop room is also available to hire, dependant on availability.

Claire said: "The centre is predominantly for children under five. We have had lots of positive feedback since we opened on Monday.

"My sister and I have started it up together as we wanted to do something ourselves. We had previously run mobile children development classes for three years.

"We are hoping it is a one-stop shop for everything for families. Parents can go to the cafe – and we also have a salon that offers children's hair cuts and pamper sessions for adults.

"We thought the area was kind of lacking something like this. I have got two children myself and this is the kind of thing I wanted when I was on maternity leave and my children were younger.

"Somewhere that's for soft play, classes for their development. It is something I wanted as a mother.

"Our background has always been in child development and we have written and developed some of the classes ourselves."

For more information, visit atthebridgehouse.com