A playful Italian-language afternoon for wee ones and their caretakers.

Welcome to Koala Club! 🐨

Koala Club is Glasgow's heritage language playgroup for children growing up with multiple languages. A warm, welcoming space where little ones can hear, speak, and fall in love with a language that's part of who they are.

These are not classes, these are sessions led entirely in Italian, creating a naturally immersive environment where children can engage with the language through free play, nature, songs, arts & crafts and stories.

What to expect?

Each session is a relaxed, drop-in-style afternoon with a slightly more structured activity towards the last 30 minutes. This allows families to arrive when they can. There is no need to feel rushed or pressured to be there for a fixed start time.

A play leader will facilitate free play during the first 1.5 hours. There will be lots of toys and activities to suit different interests, such as pretend play, crafts, books and outdoor games (weather permitting). During this time, snacks for children and tea and coffee will be available.

We then arrange a "circle time" towards the end. Circle time will consist of songs, stories and some movement. We understand that some toddlers and children find sitting still a challenge, so we absolutely do not expect them to! Children are free to express themselves how they wish, the most important thing is that they have fun and they feel comfortable.

Please note that this is a stay-and-play session, and parents and carers are expected to remain with their children throughout the playgroup.

Who is it for?

The playgroup is aimed at pre-school aged children and babies who have Italian as a home language already.

We welcome older children too, so the whole family can join in! There will always be something new and interesting to discover at Koala Club, and we believe children of all ages can benefit from the experience.

We encourage adults to try their best to communicate in Italian, so that the children benefit from an immersive experience. We completely understand that not all family members may be equally confident in Italian but any effort is warmly appreciated. You are always welcome, regardless of your level, and it could be a great opportunity to practice!

Tickets

We operate a flexible, pay-what-you-can pricing model so that Koala Club remains accessible. Just one ticket is needed per family, you will be asked at booking stage how many children and adults are coming. Tickets include a snack for the children and coffee or tea for accompanying adults.

Every ticket directly funds the running of Koala Club sessions. Your contribution covers venue hire (we are proud to host at a registered charity, meaning your attendance supports not one but two good causes), staff costs, craft materials, toys, and a growing Italian language book collection, as well as complimentary coffee and refreshments for grown ups and snacks for the little ones. There is no private profit, and any surplus is reinvested entirely into our programme and community.

💛 Standard - £10 (Covers the cost of running the session, and allows us to re-invest a small amount into Koala Club.)

💚 Supporter - £14 (Everything in Standard, with a little more going back into Koala Club, helping us grow the sessions and offer subsidised or free places to families who need them.)

🩷 Community - £6 (A contribution towards the costs of running the session.)

Please note that an Eventbrite fee will be added during the booking process.

If the cost of a ticket is a barrier right now, reach out to us at hello@interweavecic.org.uk and we will try our best to reserve a space for you, as we don't want any family to miss out.

About the Venue

The Pollokshaws Community Hub and Garden at 132 Shawbridge Street is a charity and community-led venue in Pollokshaws. There is ample free on-street parking around the hub and there are excellent train and bus links to the venue. The venue is also wheelchair and pram accessible with a ramp entrance.

Pollokshaws Community Hub is a 2 or 3 minute walk from the Pollokshaws library and around a 10 minute walk from Pollok Park.

About The Interweave Initiative CIC

Koala Club is the first service from The Interweave Initiative CIC, a Glasgow-based social enterprise dedicated to celebrating and bringing together the city's multicultural communities.

Description supplied by the event organiser.