To help create a safe, supportive and fun city for children of Wolverhampton to grow up in.

We do this by delivering play across the city in partnership with other great organisations who share the same values such as other CICs and charities, community centres, gardening and allotment groups and schools and nurseries , creating and delivering Pay As You Feel stay and play sessions and distributing Play at Home Packs to families across the city.

Our exploratory play opportunities are unique in the city and aim to empower parents and caregivers with ideas, skills, take-home resources and confidence to continue play and support development long after our sessions.

Watch our video…

Our Aims

ONE
To facilitate varied, open-ended and carefully scaffolded play opportunities to support development and independence of children under 7 and primarily those under 5, in our city.

TWO
To create a caring and cohesive community in our hometown – helping reduce feelings of isolation of caregivers of young children by providing safe, friendly, welcoming and diverse opportunities to enable valuable stories to be shared.

THREE
To empower caregivers of young children to support their knowledge of children’s development to help create lifelong impacts for little ones’ lives in our city.

2018-2019

We began playing in pilot play sessions in February 2019, talking with caregivers and listening to what’s important for play for young children in Wolverhampton.

We continue to listen and share stories by delivering a range of carefully developed early years stay and play sessions in community locations and schools across the city. Spaces have included Gatis Community Space, The Light House, Wednesfield Community Centre and All Saints Community Centre. Wherever possible, sessions are Pay As You Feel or subsidised by funding to create accessible play opportunities.

2019-2020

We became a Community Interest Company in July 2020 and opened our online shop with Play at Home resources and gifts to help strengthen the organisation and further our investment into accessible play across the city, particularly in this challenging time. Our Covid-19 response has included Play at Home Packs Project and outdoor play sessions in parks and community gardens throughout Wolverhampton.

2020 – 2021

werIn May 2021 we made our first new additions to the team since founding, recruiting to two new Play Explorer roles to support administration and play sessions.

Reflecting our organisation’s ethos, both Play Explorers were local beneficiaries who attended sessions and were able to contribute new expertise to the development of Wolves Play Café while building skills in early years development and business management. In May 2021 we also piloted a community of volunteer Play Tester Families, a team of local beneficiaries who help shape our future activities and direction through evaluation of current and planned sessions and products.

2022 – 2023

We were so grateful to secure funding for our popular sessions including Wolves in the Woods and Play in the Park, and continue partnership working with Boundary Way Allotments and Gatis Community Space.

New collaborative opportunities were explored with the University of Wolverhampton’s Early Years Department, the Care Leavers’ Team at City of Wolverhampton Council and The Haven, Women’s Refuge. We were thrilled to be invited onto the School of Social Entrepreneurs Trade Up Programme, and from this launched our Parties, Groups and relaunch of a cafe offer. Our team had 6 beneficiaries in paid roles shaping our work.

2023 – 2024

We were delighted to secure 3 years’ funding from National Lottery Communities Fund ‘Reaching Communities’ to invest in our satellite Pay As You Feel play programme and the team to deliver these playful places, with fun and friendly faces.

We took part in Social Enterprise Boost Fund and Locality programmes to further strengthen our cafe offer. The team grew to 8 as we engaged with over 2400 young children in our city and over 1800 of their caregivers through 2023-2024 alone. We had an amazing and reflective time as we marked our 5th birthday in February 2024 with 2 playful celebrations across the city including sharing stories and smiles with old and new play friends, play partners and the Mayor of Wolverhampton.

…and beyond!

We are working towards a permanent base for Wolves Play Cafe and want to learn along the way with everyone so we can keep creating a fun and friendly place for children and caregivers of Wolverhampton to enjoy.

If you have any ideas or would like to support and help build the organisation in any way please get in touch, we’d love to talk to you!