OT- Have any of you taken Gymboree classes with your little ones?

[Tink561]

I signed up for a free trial class of the Music 1 at the local Gymboree Play & Music for my little Gracie and me. She just turned a year old.

Any opinions? Thanks!

 

[tanyaandallie]

We have never done the music class, but I have done the play class with both of my kids. They both really enjoyed the classes.

 

[dreamalittledream]

I have done them a few times and they are really good. It gives you an organized way to interact with your baby and meet othere mommies. I had our 3 yd old's party there. it was nice for that age.

 

[nettii]

We did it and it was awsome the instructors are great and its a nice time with your kids!

 

[kinntj]

I did this when my DD was 15 months and up. This was a time we moved to California and we didn't know anyone, so we wanted to get "out" and meet people. I met some great ladies and one that lived on my street. DD had a blast and then we quit when we moved back to Michigan. Now it's too far away to justify taking the kids there. They have gymnastics, soccer and skating closer.

Great teachers and organized play that my DD loved! She looked forward to going every time. You learn how to do more play activities with your child that you would never think to do on your own. I took many things we learned at Gymboree and did those at home that we could and had fun.

It's a great experience and one that I recommend.

Good luck!

 

[Tink561]

Thank you all! I'm very excited about trying the class. My daughter loves music and it's amazing how China matched us with her. My dh and all three sons are very musical too.

 

[Eyore4Ever149]

We just did the gymboree level II (6 months and up) I think the locations have a lot to do with how good a program it is. There aren't a lot of people at ours and there were never more than 4 kids in the class and non of us connected more than to have cordial friendly conversation during class.

It was fun to have a place to take my baby, to have her do things she should be doing for her age group, challenge her in other areas, see other babies and create ideas of what we can do at home.
Im contemplating doing Baby Signs with her, but they sure are expensive. $200 for a 7 week class (yes materials included)


I wanted to add that I found some of the songs to be repetitive almost dumb- I thought it would be more creative with the songs we sang during class, but again it was a small location.

 

[homedad]

I did it with both kids and it was pretty good. Only real complaint was the mom's not happy having a stay at home dad in the class. I got comments like why are u here? I come here to get away from my husband etc. So be nice to the dad's.

 

[amarberry]

My DD has been in various Gymboree classes for over a year and a half (she's almost 30 mo. old, she started around 11 mo.). We've done play, music, and art. I was least impressed with the music classes, but this might be because we have done other music classes (Kindermusik). The art class that she is currently in is great! I also think that the play classes are a lot of fun for her. I'm sure that the teachers have a lot to do with your experience. We are very lucky to have some incredible teachers at our Gymboree. She has taken a lot of classes over the last couple of years and I have been most happiest with Gymboree.

 

[lucky1]

I did it with both kids and it was pretty good. Only real complaint was the mom's not happy having a stay at home dad in the class. I got comments like why are u here? I come here to get away from my husband etc. So be nice to the dad's.

Wow... so sorry you got those comments. DH took our DD and all the Moms were so excited to have a SAHD in their classes. Of course he use to hate it when they complained about their DH's.


We took Music, Art and play at Gymboree for about 2 years. It was really a great social time for DD as she got older and she really like the music alot. We even sing some of the songs 2 years later. I found it much more relaxed than Kindermusic. I would have to say that Gymboree really depends on the owners of the franchise and the teachers they hire. Give it a try, it is good way to bond. We took advantange of every open Gym play that they had.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Gymborre is very good around here for 2 year olds that are a bit too young for preschool, and need something to do for the winter. I did it with both my girls around that age, maybe from 18mnth to 3 years old.

In winter in cold climates it can be great.

We get dads in ours all the time. Along with grandparents and other caregivers too. What a strange comment for someone to make.

I belong to a local mom's club. A married dad, but the father was the primary caregiver wanted to join (and the mother would too, but the father was around during the week more for the activities.) We had to vote to let him, and then if we voted yes we might get suspended from the head national mom's club. I thought this was so dumb I voted yes for the guy to come, even if he didn't want to. I like to buck authority, at least when they are being dumb. My Dh does stuff with the kids all the time. I don't see why parent and kid activities should be mom's only. Always be nice to dad's. I think it is great when I see a dad out with kids.

 

[Tink561]

My DD has been in various Gymboree classes for over a year and a half (she's almost 30 mo. old, she started around 11 mo.). We've done play, music, and art. I was least impressed with the music classes, but this might be because we have done other music classes (Kindermusik). The art class that she is currently in is great! I also think that the play classes are a lot of fun for her. I'm sure that the teachers have a lot to do with your experience. We are very lucky to have some incredible teachers at our Gymboree. She has taken a lot of classes over the last couple of years and I have been most happiest with Gymboree.

Do they play music at all during the classes or have background music going? What do they do in the play class?

 

[Tink561]

I did it with both kids and it was pretty good. Only real complaint was the mom's not happy having a stay at home dad in the class. I got comments like why are u here? I come here to get away from my husband etc. So be nice to the dad's.

That's really sad! I think it would be great to see a dad with his child doing something like this.

 

[amarberry]

Do they play music at all during the classes or have background music going? What do they do in the play class?

The play class is really fun. I got my DD involved when she was around 11 months because she wasn't a very physical child . She didn't crawl until almost 11 months and didn't walk until 15 months. I thought that she needed an environment that would encourage her to move. They level off the kids by age and each level is a little different. However, they all start with a few minutes of circle time followed by free play on the equipment. There is a different theme every couple of weeks, so throughout the free play the teacher will facilitate little activities to go along with the theme. After free play, there is parachute time where there is some songs, bubbles, dances, and "Gymbo the clown" comes out to play. As for music, there is always music on in the background and several regular songs. See if your local Gymboree will let you preview both the music and the play class. I know if you sign up for two classes that you get a discount.

As for the art class and music, some weeks music is involved (like painting to music) and sometimes it isn't. The art class is a little more geared towards kids 18 mo. and up.

 

[Juliet25]

The Gymboree classes were great when my DD was a toddler. She was so active and needed an outlet for her energy. The classes were a bit expensive, though. We got just as much out of the $5 "open gym" they had 3 days a week.

<sniff, sniff> I'm a little nostalgic

 

[monorailsilver]

I took my oldest dd when she was 18 mo until she was 3.

She loved it.

I hated the price & where I went was in a foo-foo town & most of the moms were in their little cliique which meant I was not part of it. I did find a few of the un cliquey moms were nice to talk to.

Incidently, one of the cliquey moms ended up going to the same gymnastics place with her dd & there she was an uncliquey mom since she didn't have her posse there rotfl: ) so she had to talk to me since I was the only one she knew.

But yes my dd loved it, we did gym. I didn't take my ds who is 3 & I don't plan on taknig my 10 mo old because it is expensive & we have a town playgroup that is a fraction of the price & closer to my house.

There was always one dad in my class too. I thought it was great he took his dd to the class & guess what he wasn't in the clique either so I talked to him.

My dh grumbled the first time I had him go but hey, I had an OB appt for baby #2 & I didn't want my oldest to miss class (I even made him take her while I was in the hospital after I had my ds). He actually enjoyed it & liked seeing her run around since he works FT he doesn't get that opportunity so yes be kind to the dads that take the kids they are just as part of that child's growing up as the moms are.

Now my dh is good about taking the kids to places. He doesn't care if he is the only dad & sometimes my friends get a little jealous that he is more involved then their dh's at times.