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Goat Goes to Playgroup
There's a commotion in the classroom as Goat and the other animals spend the day at playgroup. The musical instruments and the dressing up box are lots of fun, but – oh dear! – Goat gets into a muddle or two.
Even the smallest toddler will enjoy the wonderfully silly animal antics in this book – the ideal story for any child starting at, or already attending, a playgroup or kindergarten.
Trademark Julia Donaldson rhymes and rhythms are perfect to read aloud, and Nick Sharratt's mischievous and funny illustrations make the bright and playful Goat Goes to Playgroup a sure winner. Just right for toddlers!
Look out for more great Hippo Has a Hat, Animal Music, Toddle Waddle and Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose .
Even the smallest toddler will enjoy the wonderfully silly animal antics in this book – the ideal story for any child starting at, or already attending, a playgroup or kindergarten.
Trademark Julia Donaldson rhymes and rhythms are perfect to read aloud, and Nick Sharratt's mischievous and funny illustrations make the bright and playful Goat Goes to Playgroup a sure winner. Just right for toddlers!
Look out for more great Hippo Has a Hat, Animal Music, Toddle Waddle and Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose .
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Julia Donaldson
1,241 books2,015 followersGrowing up
I grew up in a tall Victorian London house with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. Mary and I would argue about which of us would marry him).
Mary and I were always creating imaginary characters and mimicking real ones, and I used to write shows and choreograph ballets for us. A wind-up gramophone wafted out Chopin waltzes.
I studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where I met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom I’m now married.
Busking and books
Before Malcolm and I had our three sons we used to go busking together and I would write special songs for each country; the best one was in Italian about pasta.
The busking led to a career in singing and songwriting, mainly for children’s television. I became an expert at writing to order on such subjects as guinea pigs, window-cleaning and horrible smells. “We want a song about throwing crumpled-up wrapping paper into the bin” was a typical request from the BBC.
I also continued to write “grown-up” songs and perform them in folk clubs and on the radio, and have recently released two CDs of these songs.
One of my television songs, A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published. Most children love acting and it’s a tremendous way to improve their reading.
My real breakthrough was THE GRUFFALO, again illustrated by Axel. We work separately - he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow - but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes.
I really enjoy writing verse, even though it can be fiendishly difficult. I used to memorise poems as a child and it means a lot to me when parents tell me their child can recite one of my books.
Funnily enough, I find it harder to write not in verse, though I feel I am now getting the hang of it! My novel THE GIANTS AND THE JONESES is going to be made into a film by the same team who made the Harry Potter movies, and I have written three books of stories about the anarchic PRINCESS MIRROR-BELLE who appears from the mirror and disrupts the life of an otherwise ordinary eight-year-old. I have just finished writing a novel for teenagers.
When I’m not writing I am often performing, at book festivals and in theatres. I really enjoy getting the children in the audience to help me act out the stories and sing the songs. When Malcolm can take time off from the hospital he and his guitar come too. and it feels as if we’ve come full circle - back to busking.
I grew up in a tall Victorian London house with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. Mary and I would argue about which of us would marry him).
Mary and I were always creating imaginary characters and mimicking real ones, and I used to write shows and choreograph ballets for us. A wind-up gramophone wafted out Chopin waltzes.
I studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where I met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom I’m now married.
Busking and books
Before Malcolm and I had our three sons we used to go busking together and I would write special songs for each country; the best one was in Italian about pasta.
The busking led to a career in singing and songwriting, mainly for children’s television. I became an expert at writing to order on such subjects as guinea pigs, window-cleaning and horrible smells. “We want a song about throwing crumpled-up wrapping paper into the bin” was a typical request from the BBC.
I also continued to write “grown-up” songs and perform them in folk clubs and on the radio, and have recently released two CDs of these songs.
One of my television songs, A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published. Most children love acting and it’s a tremendous way to improve their reading.
My real breakthrough was THE GRUFFALO, again illustrated by Axel. We work separately - he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow - but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes.
I really enjoy writing verse, even though it can be fiendishly difficult. I used to memorise poems as a child and it means a lot to me when parents tell me their child can recite one of my books.
Funnily enough, I find it harder to write not in verse, though I feel I am now getting the hang of it! My novel THE GIANTS AND THE JONESES is going to be made into a film by the same team who made the Harry Potter movies, and I have written three books of stories about the anarchic PRINCESS MIRROR-BELLE who appears from the mirror and disrupts the life of an otherwise ordinary eight-year-old. I have just finished writing a novel for teenagers.
When I’m not writing I am often performing, at book festivals and in theatres. I really enjoy getting the children in the audience to help me act out the stories and sing the songs. When Malcolm can take time off from the hospital he and his guitar come too. and it feels as if we’ve come full circle - back to busking.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 4, 2013
As the title suggests Goat goes to play group, where he has a series of accidents. I love Nick Sharrat's art, the rhyming couplets and the setting which would be instantly recognisable to the target age group. However, I'm left a little unsure about this book, as it's unclear to me wether he is intended as a cautionary figure, or a counter cultural role model, and the page on which he wets himself appears to be intended as a joke. It is entirely possible that I am over thinking this though. The rhymes really lend themselves to being read aloud and the colourful illustrations would catch children's attention, so I think it would work well as a story time book.
October 18, 2024
You never do find out if the goat is still wearing urine soaked tracksuit bottoms at the end, but this is surely playgroup malpractice and personally, I’d be investigating.
July 3, 2012
This delightful rhyming text captures exactly the sorts of activities that happen in (British-style) playgroups and also captures the likeness to the child who has yet to learn to conform to the playgroup expectations and experience. The book appears to be non judgemental, but the choice of (silly) goat as the one who is different implies that he should conform, and I'm not sure that we shouldn't place a higher value on individuality. The setting is spot on, but I find the use of a goat unsettling and the setting apart the child can't/won't conform equally uncomfortable.
June 27, 2013
This book really turned me off. If you want your child to "fit in", and "do as he's told" regardless of his well being, this book is for you.
If you can appreciate the joys and uniqueness each child has on their own, and that trying to fit them into little holes where they can conform to society is detrimental to them, I'd think you'd want to stay away from this book.
Being told "don't be silly", made to feel embarrassed to have wet himself, and page after page of material that really irked me.
If you can appreciate the joys and uniqueness each child has on their own, and that trying to fit them into little holes where they can conform to society is detrimental to them, I'd think you'd want to stay away from this book.
Being told "don't be silly", made to feel embarrassed to have wet himself, and page after page of material that really irked me.
March 6, 2013
My four year old's new favourite book...
June 7, 2014
The story is okay but the pictures are the best bit. My son relates it to his nursery school with hanging up the coats etc. the page where Goat wee's himself isn't really needed though!
September 10, 2015
My 3 year old loves the last page where all the parents pick up the kids. She will linger there for 5 minutes sometimes.
March 2, 2018
We go to playgroup, so this was a very relevant read, and we could relate to a lot of what happens! Julia Donaldson's rhyming text is as endearing as ever.
April 7, 2019
My two year old loves this one at the moment. Wants it reading over and over at bedtime.
October 21, 2019
The adventures of a goat who has a series of accidents during playgroup. Colourful illustrations to support the story.
November 5, 2019
It's increase curiosity about school...love the mess
January 2, 2025
We read lots of books today to try and keep George's spirits up cos he was just so fed up and sore 😭😭 this was deffo his favourite.
Not sure if it was the rhyming, my fabulous story telling or Nick Sharratt's gorge illustrations but either way we were both big fans and I would recommend to a friend x
Not sure if it was the rhyming, my fabulous story telling or Nick Sharratt's gorge illustrations but either way we were both big fans and I would recommend to a friend x
August 9, 2023
Fun book with lots of colour and simple words. Makes playgroup sound an enjoyable place to be. However, one moment in the story annoyed me; where the rest of children start circle time and interact, the goat has a play about, and this is deemed acceptable. Not ideal for behaviour I don’t suppose.
October 2, 2021
I read this as part of my Reading Wednesdays series the kids loved pointing out the animals.
February 18, 2022
Read this with kids at the preschool and they liked it and I thought it was fun too.
February 10, 2024
Sophia loved looking at the different characters and animals, and thinking about what she gets up to at nursery too! We also liked how Goat didn't stick to the rules or do things conventionally.
August 4, 2024
Donaldson Sons #16
Anthropomorphic yarn of animals at a playgroup.
Is this getting kids ready fro day care or school?
Anyway absurd average yarn.
Anthropomorphic yarn of animals at a playgroup.
Is this getting kids ready fro day care or school?
Anyway absurd average yarn.
September 4, 2026
We liked naming the animals and it was like our start of school too!
February 3, 2015
Great story for kids having trouble with mommy leaving while they are at daycare. Looks like there are lots of opportunity yes to us the pictures to talk about kids who are different too.
My son just picked it AGAIN from the library.
My son just picked it AGAIN from the library.
July 7, 2017
A great story that the kids love about starting school and all the fun things that they will do.
January 30, 2018
Fun but not amazing
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews