The Duchess of Cambridge makes fruit kebabs with toddlers on visit to parental support group in south London
The Duchess of Cambridge made fruit kebabs with toddlers during a visit to a parental support project in south London.
Kate, 40, could be seen smiling as she joined a cooking workshop run by mental health charity PACT in Southwark on Tuesday.
The duchess said she wished she had been able to join a similar group after giving birth to her first child, Prince George, adding she would have “learned a lot”.
PACT – Parents and Communities Together – aims to combat isolation and loneliness by providing access to health and social services to parents in hard-to-reach communities.
The duchess, who has previously championed research into early childhood, met mothers and children to learn about the challenges they’re facing.
She spoke about the importance of creating a “holistic” system to ensure isolated new mothers and their children do not “fall through the cracks”.
PACT runs educational “Parent University” courses for expectant mothers or those with new-born babies.
Visitor Simonetta Guerra told Kate how the course educated parents about the influence a child’s early years has on shaping brain development and the importance of letting them play.
“As a new mum I would have liked that,” the duchess said. “I think I would have learned a lot. The importance of play.”
She added: “What’s so fantastic is seeing the amazing work that’s going on here. That support you’re providing is amazing. The science backs it up.”
Kate helped two-year-old Jonathan – who was wearing a smart shirt and celebrating his birthday – chop up his banana.
His grandmother Grace told her that the sessions featured “a lot of children and many, many toys”.
“Has it helped your relationship with him?” Kate asked, breaking off to say “Good job” to the youngster who was eating nicely.
Going to shake the hand of one mother, she laughed: “Sorry, now I’ve got a sticky hand,” before pulling a face of amazement at Zoe, a nearby one-year-old, who was busy eating strawberries.
“I can see why everyone likes it here,” Kate added.
Kate watched children climbing up a frame to go down a slide, and accepted a “cup of tea”, full of kinetic sand, from a boy called George – the same name as her eldest.
Playing along, she took her mask off for a pretend sip before saying thank you and passing it back to him.
The duchess spent time with Laura Barber, mother of two-year-old Rebecca, who talked about mental health and the challenges of parenting in isolation.
Ms Barber said: “She said if she had had something like this, she would have appreciated it too.”
MumSpace playgroups are free weekly sessions organised by PACT to allow mothers to share the ups and downs of parenting.
Kate, who has set up the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, focuses much of her charity work on early childhood and how it affects outcomes in later life.
