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Sorting and matching encourages children to be curious and investigate their world. They'll also be learning about things that are the same, similar or different - and discover that the same things can be sorted in different ways (e.g. size, colour, purpose, etc). 

The way that babies feel about themselves is influenced by their relationships with the important people in their life. Their self‑esteem and confidence are built through positive, loving and caring interactions with others – right from the very beginning, and long before they can talk.  This also gives them the secure base they need to explore their world and become a confident learner. 

Our four-minute 'What is Peep?' video shows Peep groups with families, babies and toddlers, and you'll hear from Peep practitioners and parents:

You can also see a shorter 2-minute version here: 'What is Peep? Two-minute snapshot video'

Peep groups are for parents and carers and their young children - some are for babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers (3-5) or young school-age children, while others are for mixed age children. 

In Peep groups, practitioners and families share ideas and simple, low-cost activities that support your child’s learning in everyday life - talking, singing, sharing books and playing together. They're also a great way to get to know other families.

As a parent or carer, your baby or child will already be learning so much from you, as you chat, play, sing, cuddle, and do all your usual day-to-day activities. Research shows that these things that you do together have a big impact on how children's brains develop in these early years, and on how they get on at school and in later life. 

By emphasising the importance of parents, it doesn't mean that it's your fault if things don't always turn out as you hoped! There are lots of influences and things going on in children's and our busy lives. It doesn't matter how you got on at school, or whether you're a stay-at-home parent/carer or you go out to work - you're just as important to your child. There's no such thing as a perfect parent - being a parent or carer is about enjoying the up times and helping each other through the down times, not about feeling guilty.

Peeple is a not-for-profit charity. We developed the Peep Learning Together Programme and the Peep Antenatal Programme, and we train practitioners from around the UK, Ireland and Australia. Contact your local children's or family centre or hub, nursery or family information service, to see if there are Peep sessions near you.

We share tips and ideas to support children's development on our social media pages -  @PeepleCentre on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Do join us there, or check out a few Peep tips here. You can also find some parents' experiences here.

'Finally I am folding up my stretchy songband professionally after starting my first Peep Group in 2003. Apart from ageing a wee bit, and making sure my grandchildren love a song, I have loved every bit of my adventure with the Peeple organisation that is now all grown up.

As an educational psychologist for almost 40 years, my challenge was always to help people see how practical experience and insight into early learning builds trusting relationships, confidence and a hunger for education. When I started my journey, education and psychology were in a very different place.

Early years and disability were always my passion. Peep helped me forge a new relationship with families. I found my Peep groups helped parents - who might be feeling temporarily lost and overwhelmed by the enormity of parenting - find solutions, through our joint experience, not my ‘expert’ knowledge. It was a very important lesson for me to work collaboratively to find solutions, and made me a better psychologist.

Through it all I have met wonderful people committed to making every single persons’ lot the best experience possible. There have been many changes for Peep along the way, some I have liked and some I have questioned!  Training, materials, delivery, research, to name just a few, have been scrutinised and developed. This has always been done with the unswerving knowledge that making a difference to parents, carers and families - together with those working in Early Years in their communities - is the only way forward in developing a literate, numerate and socially resilient society.

At this point I could wax lyrical about the funny experiences I have had, and am reminded I frequently did just that on my training courses. Recently my experience has been over the internet, which breaks down regularly around me, but to my surprise it is possible to connect with group leaders and infuse them with my passion for all that is Peep. I am in awe of the continuing ingenuity of practitioners to engage with the families around them and help spread the word and learning around child development in such an accessible way.

There have been many moments that have shown me the excitement that comes from recognising that an opportunity offered and modelled in an interaction has helped a child and parent know or do something more often. That helps everyone feel good about themselves and their achievements.  That smile, that understanding, that job well done gives immeasurable pleasure even when the world seems to be hard to negotiate. I know I have been a ‘good enough’ advocate for Peep and sometimes just managed to be the best I can be.

Keep using the best educational resource of things to do with children from 0 - 5 ever put together, that is the Peep Learning Together Programme - and spread the word.  Good luck, have fun and know you are making a difference. It has been a privilege to be a small part of what has been achieved.'

by Anne Littlefair, (retired) Peep Practitioner, Peep Trainer and Educational Psychologist 

Many thanks to Anne from all of us at Peeple, for all your amazing work with Peep families, your passion, your invaluable role as a critical friend and advocate, and for helping to train and inspire the next generation of Peep practitioners!

Thanks to Gillian Forbes (Highland Council Peep Co-ordinator) and Mairianne Nairn (Highland Council, Community Early Years Practitioner) for sharing their case study

"We offer a mixture of online and face-to-face Peep Antenatal sessions for expectant parents. Initially, we wanted to help support pregnant mums/families within the area during the pandemic, which we did with the support of Highland Council's Midwifery Development Officer and her team.  We adapted elements of the Peep Antenatal Programme so that we could deliver it flexibly online with families with wide‑ranging needs.  We received positive feedback from the parents and professionals involved in the pilot sessions, and it was agreed to continue offering sessions, particularly to families with additional support needs.

Once referrals are received from the midwifery teams, we make contact with each parent to introduce ourselves and the course, and answer any questions. Parents-to-be start the course around 26+ weeks of pregnancy.  We offer online and face-to-face groups. This enabled parents to get to know other parents-to-be, support each other, and integrate more into their community. Isolation was a particular issue for families during the pandemic, but becoming a new parent can be daunting at the best of times, and getting to know others in the same boat is invaluable.  

From our first involvement with the families we actively encouraged the pregnant mums to invite husbands/ partners or family members to join the sessions as a source of support.  During the 1-1 sessions and small groups we had several dads joining and engaging. We were conscious that the sessions had to offer lots of opportunity for discussion and for the parents to feel comfortable asking questions and sharing personal information. 

> Find out more about our 1-day Peep Antenatal training

course content

The Programme supports parents perinatally (i.e. before and after the birth) to reflect on their developing baby, tune in to their baby's feelings and behaviour and respond sensitively (known as reflective functioning). This helps parent-baby bonding and attachment, and reduces the risk to the early parent–baby relationship, helping to prevent isolation, anxiety and low-level depression.

All sessions are a mix of discussion, video clips, sharing of relevant research and advice, songs/rhymes and story sharing, all underpinned by the focus on reflective functioning.  After the initial phone conversation with the parent/s, we offer five group sessions of about an hour each, focusing on:

1. Getting to know each other
2. Supportive networks
3. Transition to parenthood
4. The developing brain, and emotional support
5. Baby states

Following these five sessions, we offer a reunion session once the babies are born.  Throughout the course we also signpost parents to other groups or provision within their local community.

outcomes and feedback

All families that attended our sessions kept in touch and let us know when baby was delivered.  Several of the families have continued to stay in touch with each other, creating WhatsApp groups and meeting up.  Having that social network in their own local community is vital for community engagement and maintaining positive mental health."

parents’ feedback

'I think it was very interesting and informative to learn about how to talk to our baby and what to do to communicate.  I didn’t think to read to them since I didn’t think they would understand but I definitely will be reading to them as early as possible.'

'I really enjoyed the course and will miss our weekly chats, however I’m delighted to have met some new people who will hopefully become lifelong friends, and Bump’s new friend group to grow up with.'

'All sessions were very positive and upbeat with some great ideas, we have been able to adapt to our own pregnancy and planning for the baby’s arrival.  I definitely felt the sessions boosted my confidence.'

'It has been great to meet other mums-to-be as Covid made it feel very isolating and alone, but knowing there are other mums experiencing the same things as me is very comforting.'

'The sessions felt relaxed and were supportive.'

'The discussion around bonding and communicating with your baby helped prepare me for my baby being in SCBU [Special Care Baby Unit]. By singing and talking to her, she was able to recognise my voice.'

referrers’/ midwives’ feedback

'I think every parent would benefit from this service as we cannot put a price on the wellbeing of the next generation.'

'The weekly update received following each session [with parents’ permission] is great, and I add this to their maternity notes.'

'My client thoroughly enjoyed the sessions - she stated she felt she was doing something practical to improve her parenting knowledge and skills, and that this was at a comfortable pace.' 

'My client was struggling with anxiety and social isolation due to the pandemic, she has been complimentary on the emotional support she has received from the Peep Co-ordinators.'

feedback from the Midwifery Development Officer

'The Antenatal Peep sessions have been universally welcomed and supported by all the Community Midwife Teams across the whole of Highland. It fits well within the GIRFEC framework (Getting it right for every child), and with families recommended for additional support at the Health Plan Indicator (HPI) wellbeing assessment around 16 weeks of pregnancy. 

The flexibility of the programme being delivered online or face to face, and either in a 1:1 or group format, has been most welcomed. The Antenatal Peep Programme helps maternity services reach parents who have been historically difficult to engage in more traditional parentcraft groups, such as young parents, parents in more remote areas, and parents who are isolated or have anxiety as well as those using substances.

The sessions fill an important gap in welcoming fathers to take an early and active role in developing loving and secure attachment through deeper understanding of how to connect with their unborn babies, and to consider some of the social and emotional aspects of transitioning to parenthood. The potential to connect with other parents albeit virtually was particularly vital during the Covid 19 pandemic. The classes are an important intervention in assisting with developing positive parent and infant mental health, and will complement the work that will be undertaken in Perinatal and Infant Mental Health teams.

Feedback from service users has been very positive. The topics covered were found to be fun and informative, often expanding on the basic knowledge they already had, at a pace and time that was suitable. The coping skills developed during the course proved to be very useful once the baby was born, and parents felt that they were able to understand their baby’s feelings more easily and figure how best to respond.'

• If you're an Antenatal Peep practitioner, log into the Antenatal Area for further delivery tips.
• Follow the link to find out more about the Peep Antenatal Programme and Training.

“I attended my local Peep group with my youngest child, when she started nursery.  I started going along so that I could help my child with her learning.  As we went along every week, I started to really enjoy the sessions and when I was asked if I’d like to do the Peep Progression Pathway accreditation, I decided to do Early Literacy.  I enjoyed this so much that I decided to complete the Early Maths accreditation at level 5. 

Going to Peep really helped my confidence to grow.  I was learning so many new things about child development that I realised that I would love to work with children in a school setting.  Before I could apply to work in school, I had to go to college to complete Core 3 in Maths, I was able to do this in 8 weeks.  Then I applied for a job as a learning assistant, and I am now working in the nursery class in my local primary school.  I absolutely love my job and wish that I had made the move sooner but without going to the Peep group I would never have been confident enough to do it! 

After the summer holidays I am hoping to continue my learning by completing an HNC in Early Learning and Childcare.” 

Stacey, Dumfries and Galloway, March 2021

> Find out more about Peep Progression Pathway accreditation for parents and carers

Children’s early STEM development grows from their natural curiosity and engagement in real-world experiences and play. These can be enhanced through interaction with adults who have the confidence to share the child’s interest, and can be extended still further with relevant knowledge, vocabulary and ideas.

We are thrilled to have been granted funding to create a new 'Exploring Together Programme' to support children's early STEM development.  The new content will adapt and add to the Peep Learning Together Programme.  The project has been funded by the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, for which the Mercers' Company is corporate trustee, and is part of the Company's Early Years Special Initiative.

partners

Our project will combine expertise from Peeple, the University of Oxford, the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) and Sheringham Nursery.  Sheringham Nursery heads the East London Research School.  The Research Schools Network is an initiative led by the Education Endowment Foundation to support the use of evidence to improve practice. 

project overview

The project is taking place from April 2021 to March 2024, and will include:

• developing an 8-week programme to upskill Early Years practitioners with the confidence, knowledge & skills to help parents encourage the foundations of STEM through everyday activities and interactions, and to support STEM skills in their settings,
• piloting and refining the programme with practitioners and parents from Sheringham Nursery research school in East London,
• training and supporting practitioners from the Sheringham Early Years hub to deliver the programme to families,
• a small Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) research study,
• developing and piloting an accredited unit for parents, to consolidate their learning from the programme and to equip them for further learning, volunteering and/or employment.

We hope that STEM will become something that more practitioners and parents are excited rather than anxious about.  Together we will help very young children from all walks of life embrace their inborn curiosity and fulfil their potential to become the scientists, engineers, mathematicians, programmers and inventors of the future.

Our Peep partnership organisation in Australia is Playgroup Victoria. They have an exclusive licence with us to train practitioners to use the Peep Learning Together Programme in Australia. 

Forthcoming dates for Peep training in Australia - click here to find out more or to book places via their website

Playgroups, both universal and targeted, are a key service for families with babies and young children in Australia. They promote play as central to children’s development and help parents to develop individual strengths, parenting skills and to integrate with their community.

Playgroup Victoria*, based in Melbourne, is a not-for-profit organisation committed to helping all Victorian families discover the benefits of playgroup. They advocate for the benefits of play for young children and provide support for communities and families wanting to start and run a playgroup. They gather evidence to influence policy makers of the vital role that playgroups play in creating and sustaining cohesive, supportive communities and in giving children the best possible start in life. 

In 2022-23 a hundred more Peep practitioners were trained. The Peep programme is now being used in every state and territory in Australia.

Claire Georgiou is Peep National Manager for Playgroup Victoria. Claire has several years’ experience in delivering the Learning Together Programme with families, and delivering Peep training to practitioners.

Danny Schwarz, CEO of Playgroup Victoria: "Playgroup Victoria welcomes the opportunity to become the Australian Licensee for the Peep Learning Together Programme. The values and purpose of Playgroup Victoria focus on the benefits derived by children's and parents’ participation in play-based experiential opportunities and learning. Our partnership with Peeple will have significant and positive impacts for the lives of Australian children and their families."

Dr Sally Smith, CEO of Peeple:  "Playgroup Victoria is the ideal custodian for the Peep Learning Together Programme in Australia. We have enjoyed a positive working relationship with them over the past three years, and established that the principles behind our organisations are beautifully aligned. We look forward to contributing to their development of Peep in Australia – and learning a great deal together in the process."

To find out more or to book Peep training in Australia, please contact: Claire Georgiou, Australia's Peep National Manager – email cgeorgiou@playgroup.org.au  or  tel  0488 600 190