On an evening in Christchurch's city centre, around 35 men sit at tables covered not with beer glasses but with hair gel, brushes and spray bottles. They're fathers learning to style their kids' hair — one of the regular events run by the Christchurch Dads Stroller Club, a group that has quietly become one of the city's most welcoming communities for new parents.
The club was started by Burnside father-of-two Mattai Meafou after his son Arthur was born three years ago. He noticed plenty of meetups existed for mothers but almost nothing equivalent for dads, so with his wife Brittany he launched the club in March last year. Around 60 fathers turned up to the first gathering. The private Facebook group now counts 465 members, and about 25 dads show up for the stroller walks, pushing prams through the CBD to the evident amusement of passersby.
What began as monthly walks has grown fast. There are coffee catch-ups, yoga classes, mental health events and hair-styling workshops, with a "pints and periods" session on supporting kids through puberty in the works. Members also organise their own hikes and coffee outings through the group, and the online discussions range from the practical — swapping a balance bike for pedals, surviving a first flight with a toddler — to the raw. New dads post about struggling, and the responses are, by all accounts, overwhelmingly encouraging.
The stories behind the members say a lot. Fong Kittiputarapol, 28, found himself out of step with hospitality workmates still heading out for drinks, and joined after spotting the club on social media. Hearing other dads admit they felt unsure made him more confident as a father and partner. Brett McGlashan joined about eight months ago, attended a hair tutorial as his first event, and now styles his daughters' hair regularly before work. Even Meafou has benefited: when his daughter Nimaya was born, advice from a father of three on one of the walks helped settle his worry about dividing his love between two kids.
So why does this matter to travellers? If you're relocating to Christchurch, staying long-term, or visiting family in the city with young kids, this is the kind of grassroots group that can make a new place feel like home fast. It's free to join, most activities cost nothing, there's no strict age limit for children, and expectant fathers are welcome too. It's also a reminder of a broader travel truth: parent-focused communities exist in cities worldwide, and seeking one out — whether at home or abroad — is often the fastest route to local friends. For any dad visiting Christchurch with a pram and a free morning, a walk with 25 other bearded, braid-styling fathers might just beat a standard city tour.
The club's momentum shows no sign of slowing, and Meafou's surprise that anyone turned up at all has become its own success story. Dads, it turns out, really did want this — they just needed someone to start the walk.
