Rhymetime

Rhymetime is a weekly drop-in session at Blacon Library, and it's one of those simple, steady things that's easy to overlook if you're not actively looking for it. It runs every Tuesday morning from 10:30 to 11:00, so if you've got a little one and a free hour mid-week, it's a straightforward place to land.

The session is built around songs, simple rhymes and plenty of actions, and it's aimed at babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. The whole thing is designed for the little ones to enjoy together, and there's a bit of a double win in that: they pick up early language and social skills while they're at it, and the format works as a friendly get-together for the children and their grown-ups. It's not a formal class with a syllabus to follow, but a lively half-hour of singing and moving around that works just as well for a baby as it does for a pre-schooler.

Because it's a drop-in, you don't need to book ahead or commit to a long course — you just turn up when it suits you. That makes it a decent option if your mornings are a bit unpredictable, as you can pop in one week and skip the next without any fuss. It's a low-pressure way to get out of the house with the kids and let them be around other children their own age.

Blacon Library is inside the Parade Enterprise Centre, at 14 The Parade in Chester, CH1 5HN. The session runs every Tuesday from 10:30am to 11am, and it's free to attend.