Britain might be in the middle of a credit crunch, but 80% of parents would rather spend less on new clothes or eating out than cutting back on pre-school activities.

A survey of 1,000 parents conducted by Talking Tots found that half of parents expect to increase spending on activities such as toddler classes, swimming and baby yoga next year. On average, parents spend £650 a year on preschool classes and activities, with 10% of parents spending more than £1,000 a year.

Tracey Park, co-founder of Talking Tots, says: There is no doubt families are feeling the effects of the credit crunch, but so far it seems toddlers are being spared from the cutbacks. Mums see toddler classes as a really important way to help children learn new skills, as well as providing an opportunity to socialise and make friends.