Community
Matilda’s Shepparton is ready to paint the town with a splash of colour
A welcoming new “village” for new families has recently opened its doors to introduce a world of colour to Shepparton.
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Matilda’s Shepparton hosted its first art and craft classes on Friday, March 28, and is now officially open for business at MEAC in Mooroopna.
The structured classes offer parents and children a chance to bond while participating in fun, educational activities made to help boost child development.
Sessions also give parents the opportunity to meet other like-minded parents in an alternative environment for children to learn and play.
“Matilda’s was born from the idea that our local region caters well to school-aged children and above. However, I feel like it lacks activities for the younger demographic,” Matilda’s Shepparton owner Carla Crawford said.
“My broader focus is to help focus on the parents, and make parenthood easier for them. Once they gain the help they need, they are better able to support their child’s development.”
When Matilda was born in 2023, Ms Crawford found herself navigating uncharted waters few in her circle could fully understand.
To the young mum, motherhood quickly became an “incredibly isolating experience”.
“None of our friends had kids yet, and Matilda was the first grandchild born in my family,” she said.
“I drifted apart from a lot of my old friends because we were in different seasons of life, and all of my family was working on weekdays while I was at home, bored and lonely.
“Making new friends is not one of my many talents, so I would sit at home at night, rehearsing questions to ask certain mothers at playgroup in an attempt to start a conversation, only to not be able to find the courage the next morning.
“Thankfully, I have now managed to make a few great friends along the way, but I will never forget how lonely that first year was for me.”
Early in her journey of parenthood, Ms Crawford began to notice how few activities there were for young children and new families, and she found herself constantly wishing that Shepparton had more.
And instead of stopping there, Ms Crawford decided to take matters into her own hands.
Jotting down ideas on her phone led to brainstorming, and brainstorming quickly led to a rough business plan to make her dream a reality.
And before she knew it, the wheels had started turning.
“Things spiralled from here, and all of a sudden, we had our accountant friend running numbers for us to see if it was actually feasible, social media pages were growing each and every day and I was signing the room hire forms at the community centre,” Ms Crawford said.
“When I was doing my market research, I stumbled upon ‘The state of Greater Shepparton’s Children Report’ and my jaw was honestly on the floor reading the statistics.
“Our families desperately need more support and help with their children’s development, and I hope to slowly chip away at creating more and more programs to help these statistics on an upward trajectory.”
At the start of every class, each child will have their own designated spot, complete with the materials they’ll need for the day’s activities.
“We will have some boppy music playing to create a fun, welcoming environment,” Ms Crawford said.
“There will be chairs around the outside and coffee for parents, so you can have a seat and socialise with other parents while your children are having a blast.
“We also provide a corner with toys for any siblings that have been dragged along, or for the students to have some time out and moments of relaxation if needed.”
And while classes are led by a facilitator, parents are required to attend and supervise their little ones at all times, just in case they need a familiar helping hand.
By the end of the year, Ms Crawford hopes to have all sort of activities up and running, including:
- More classes — science classes, cooking classes, baby sensory classes, music and movement classes, daddy-daughter ballet, etc.
- Information sessions on the necessities of parenting — cloth nappies, paediatric first aid, etc.
- Lots of incursions — African drumming workshop, butterfly adventures, reptile talks, Aboriginal cultural incursions, Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure Show, etc.
- And many new groups — new mum groups and new dad groups
Each week, Matilda’s Shepparton aims to include at least one special keepsake craft project for parents to take home and cherish for years to come.
After Easter, on April 26, Saturday classes will begin, to accommodate those that can’t make it to Friday classes.
“I have really been loving doing this, it’s ignited a forgotten passion inside me,” Ms Crawford said.
“It’s a ‘no willpower needed’ kind of business venture because I am just so excited every day to do the work, and I just feel beyond happy that I have found something like this to make me feel like me again, after losing myself a little when I became a mum.
“We want to make these classes as inclusive as possible for everyone, so if you’re on the fence about booking, or are unable to come but would like to, please send us a message!”
Don’t be afraid to get creative and check out Matilda’s Shepparton today.
Registration is required to sign up for classes.
To book or check the schedule, visit the website at matildasshepparton.squarespace.com/