I did all the classes with DD when she was an infant- weekly mommy & me yoga from about 3 months on, swimming starting at 6 months, music around 9 or 10 months.
I did a few yoga classes with DS around 2 months, then decided I preferred to hire a sitter so I could go on my own. I haven't done much else with him due to laziness and feeling stretched thin between work and my older child. This fall, I'm going to try to take him to music classes because my schedule is clearing up a little and I think he'll enjoy it. He will be about 13 months old.
We started mommy and me swimming at about 7 months. Dd loved it. We also tried gymnastics/tumbling around 2. Dd hated it, but it think it was because the teacher was awful.
We did little gym at 15 months. I think now that we've been, I would start after they learn to walk (it's expensive for a baby to crawl around.
We started swimming when that session ended.
Not sure if we are going to find another swimming class or go to little gym. Swimming actually ends in 2 more weeks so I guess I better figure it out.
I might look at the swim school ilikedonuts goes too. I think the classes we do now are a million times cheaper but we get like nothing out of it. Maybe I can get lurknomore to come so we can get together weekly
I think C is going to at least do a couple months of LG this fall. We have 8 (yes 8 between both girls) make ups so I'm going to have Em use them and we need a kid enrolled to use them.
With J he was 2. He had music class and activities as part of daycare so I didn't think it was necessary.
Since the kids are now home with my mom we started the girls around 6.5 mos (and J) in Music Together. All 3 kids do that class every week. J also does swim lessons. The girls will start swim lessons in the fall at about 18mos.
I also plan to enroll the girls in Little Gym or some other activity during the week while J is at preschool. It's just to get them out of the house and interacting with other kids and something to do.
We started music around 5-6 months. She has always enjoyed it, and now at 12m participates more, plays the instruments, claps along etc.
We took her to a trial MyGym class around 10m and decided to wait until this winter to pick that up regularly. Now that she is walking more, it is on my radar and we may sign up after summer is over.
We haven't done swim yet, but will probably do that next summer of not before.
Post by thebreakfastclub on Jul 26, 2015 9:31:51 GMT -5
We will do swim in the coming year, as DS is turning 3 this winter. I pay a little extra for him to do Kinder Music at daycare. If I was home, we would do more.
I thought about doing Kindermusik or Gymboree classes this summer, but I thought C was too little to get much out of them (6-9 mos). We'll do something next summer, if only for the social interaction.
I'm 95% sure we're going to change swim lessons. If they can accommodate both my old girls in semi private lessons with my friends boys at the same time it's done. Merida...we had the same experience but I didn't realize until this summer. DD1 has been in less expensive lessons for 3.5 years but only tested into level 2/5 for camp. And I saw the test sheet. Out of 12 things shed never even done 8 of them! I like the fact that that it is a business and know several people with better experiences there. We could do the little ones together. DD3 would love it!!
I was going to say no classes, but a poster above reminded me that we also did stroller strides at 8 months. It was rough. She hated being cooped up in the stroller for longer than 35 minutes. I'd see the other babies and toddlers especially sitting there gnawing on Cheerios and bagels while mine was struggling so hard to get out and it made me upset. I wouldn't go back, it wasn't for us even though I really wanted it to be.
These days I load DD in the Tula and we mall walk. She enjoys that a million times more.
DD did library story time starting at nine months. First paid activity was a Stroller Strides type class when she was about 18 months. Then she did a Mommy and Me ballet class when she was three.
DS did Music Together when he was 12-15 months.
There are so many fun toddler classes around here, I wish I could do more with them but it would add up fast.
We started Musikgarten at about 2 months or so. It was somewhere to go and something to do. Dd did seem to enjoy it, she was colicky and the music/activity calmed her in the beginning. I met lots of mom friends through it. My breastfeeding group was full of duds.
We started swim class at 8 months but it was very play based, just to introduce them to the water. I would have started some sort of structured class sooner but I'm a little lazy so we haven't done one yet. Plus I like having weekends and Mondays to do whatever
Post by luv2rn4fun on Jul 26, 2015 11:00:23 GMT -5
C is starting swim lessons tomorrow at 7 1/2 months. We have also done baby story time at the library a couple of times and will go more frequently once swim is done.
ETA: Thanks to this thread we will be doing Kindermusik starting in Sept (I never knew this even existed so thank you!)!
Post by crazycakes on Jul 26, 2015 13:54:22 GMT -5
We did Gymboree classes around 6 months. I liked it, but it was more for me than for DD. In the winter I just wanted to get out of the house. We took a break over the summer, then started gymnastics around 18 months. She looooves gymnastics. It's mostly jumping on the trampoline, stretching, etc. she's just over 2 now and will sometimes do the exercises at home. "Mommy! Somersault!" It's cute.
We tried swim lessons this summer, but DD was not a fan. We have a neighborhood pool and we go almost daily. She's used to playing and splashing so when they would ask us to do synchronized activities she would just scream that she wanted to get out or go underwater. We may try again next year.
When did you think was old enough for swim? My gym starts at 6 months and DS likes the water, but 6 seemed early. TIA!
I mean I'm no expert but I feel like 2/2.5 would've maybe been good to start? I'd love to hear what arch01 thinks
Honestly, if you have no experience with a young child in the water, 6 months is fine in a parent/child class. A good class teaches you how to teach your kid basic skills and water safety.
On their own, I don't recommend kids start group or private swim lessons til they're potty trained. Potty trained=greater understanding of how their body works. I don't teach kids under the age of 3 in private lessons though-that's just me personally. There are very few instructors around here that will teach <3.