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Here’s a breakdown of the difference between Community Playgroups and Supported Playgroups

Community Playgroups

• these are the “traditional” form of playgroup: they are run by parents/caregivers (volunteers) rather than paid facilitators
• they are typically open to all families in the community (0-5 yrs children) and do not have strong eligibility restrictions
• often meet weekly (or on a regular basis) for around 2 hours in venues like community halls, libraries, homes, parks
• usually self-managed: families decide the activities and run the group with minimal external professional support
• these groups focus on providing a friendly, informal space: children can play, parents/caregivers can meet, build networks and support one another. They are self-managed and the families decide on the activities and run the group with minimal external professional support
• they may charge a small fee to cover venue hire, resources and kitchen supplies) and are often supported by their state/territory Playgroup organisation for affiliation, resources, insurance etc

Community playgroups are for:

• families who just want to drop into a casual playgroup, meet other families, engage in child-led play and socialise
• no special criteria; broadly inclusive
• good for families who are comfortable organising with peers and want the social/child development benefits of playgroups

Supported Playgroups

• these are playgroups that are facilitated by a paid or trained professional (early childhood educator or facilitator) rather than volunteer led
• they are designed to support families who have additional needs, vulnerabilities or barriers, such as socially isolated families, young parents, culturally and linguistically diverse families, Indigenous families, families with children with developmental delays
• they often have planned activities, a more structured program, and often the facilitator helps link families to other services or supports in the community. Through the playgroup, families may be connected to parenting supports, early intervention, health/child development services
• they may be time-limited (e.g. run for a period, school term or semester or continuous depending on the model
• they are often funded by government/community organisations; may have more resources, may have eligibility criteria

Supported playgroups are for:

• families who may find it harder to participate in a regular community playgroup for various reasons (language barriers, social isolation, children with extra needs, culturally specific groups, etc)
• families seeking not just play and socialising but also extra support, connection and possible links to additional services

Please refer to the timetable below for a complete list of Community and Supported Playgroups available through Playgroup NT.

Full Playgroup Timetable October 2025

Palmerston

Rural Areas

Alice Springs

Remote NT