Bowling with Babies celebrates successful roll-out in Ocean Grove

A BOWLING program which combined socialising among infants as well as new parents has finally concluded after months of postponements on the Bellarine.

Bowling with Babies’ five-week program run by Bowls Victoria concluded its course in Ocean Grove on December 16 after being postponed following its first session in mid-August.

The program saw families across various generations from mums and dads to grandparents, great grandparents and bubs coming together to participate in a range of bowling activities.

Bowling with Babies in Ocean Grove was made possible by several different organisations such as Ocean Grove Bowling Club who offered its venue as a space for the initiative, Bellarine Community Health, Leisure Networks, and the Ocean Grove Toy Library.

The program was a huge success according to Health Communities Planner Karen Crockford from Bellarine Community Health.

“Due to the success of the program, it is likely it will continue in 2022 and furthermore, some of the participants are keen to be involved in the community and barefoot bowls sessions at the club over the holiday season,” Ms Crockford said.

There was plenty for all ages, bowls for mums, dads and bubs, toys from the Ocean Grove Toy Library were available for the children to play, colouring in activities and plenty of space for the toddlers that just wanted to explore.

“One of the participants arrived with her four-week-old baby Rupert and said it was her first time out of the house since bub was born,” Ms Crockford added.

“We were very fortunate on the final week of the program, to have four generations of the one family attend.

“The program was also supported by the fabulous Bowling Club volunteers who were there to welcome the participants and entertain the bubs whilst the mums had a roll.”

Mia Goldsmith was one of the parents who took part in the last month’s program, stating her primary motivations were to get out a meet other parents in the community, while also spending some quality bonding time with her daughter Sienna.

“It was great to talk to other parents about things like commonalities in the community and planning future outings together as a group, like for instance, a group of us are going to the zoo at some stage in January,” Ms Goldsmith said.

“It was just a fantastic opportunity to connect in a face-to-face mode of bowling following all the lockdowns and rough patches this group has had.”

For more information on Bowls Victoria’s Bowling with Babies program head to www.bowlsvic.org.au/bowling-with-babies.