During the period of the Coronavirus pandemic, Mudiad Meithrin is contributing to Welsh language activity in the home by providing open sessions under the banner of ’Clwb Cylch’ (#ClwbCylch) for children of nursery age and their parents via digital platforms.

Particular emphasis will be placed on children from families where Welsh is not spoken at home.

A live session will be held every morning at 10.00 based on the experience of a fun-filled session held at the usual Cylch Meithrin with an experienced Cylch Meithrin leader, using the content of Mudiad Meithrin’s language immersion scheme, ‘Croesi’r Bont’ and Mudiad Meithrin’s CPD training department, Academi. The daily sessions will be 20 minutes long, and each week will have a different theme.

The purpose of a ’Clwb Cylch’ is to support families, and entertain children in an open and dynamic way. We’re responding to some concerns that children will not hear the usual language heard during the Cylch Meithrin sessions during the pandemic, and provide practical support to non-Welsh speaking parents.

Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies, Chief Executive of Mudiad Meithrin, said:

“The aim of ’Clwb Cylch’ is to try and recreate some of the fun and excitement of the Cylch Meithrin for children who are either missing out on provision at the moment or who are preparing to attend the Cylch in due course. This will also enrich the existing ’Welsh for Kids’ offer aimed at parents and carers as they introduce the Welsh language to their children.”

The first session of Clwb Cylch will be on the Mudiad Meithrin Facebook page on Monday 1 June at 10.00 am. All the sessions will be featured on Mudiad’s digital platforms (Facebook / MudiadMeithrin, Twitter @MudiadMeithrin) as well as on a new section on the Mudiad website www.meithrin.cymru/welshhome/

Here is a list of the leaders who will be hosting the sessions on specific days:

Monday: Wendy Phillips – Cylch Meithrin Crymych

Tuesday: Sophie Allen - Cylch Meithrin Cwmbrân

Wednesday: Emma Healy - Cylch Meithrin Llanllyfni

Thursday: Rachael Duddle - Cylch Meithrin Bae Cinmel

Friday: Emma Monroe - Cylch Meithrin Gwdihw, Brynithel

The above will form part Mudiad Meithrin’s ‘Welsh at Home Week’ as the Gwyl Dewin a Doti Digidol (Dewin and Doti Digital Festival) will be held on all the Mudiad’s digital platforms with children’s entertainer Martyn Geraint at 2.00 each afternoon from 1 - 5 June.