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Infant Storytime

AlishaMayAlishaMay
in Minnesota Babies

Hi ladies,

I was wondering if anybody knows of a good infant storytime in the Twin Cities area?  My girls are just short of 5 months, and love story time, and mom likes getting out of the house, and maybe even meeting a fellow mommy or two.  I've heard that The Red Balloon does one on Tuesdays and Saturdays, but I've also heard that they are really crowded and space is limited.  With two little ones on your own, we take up a lot of space with strollers and car seats etc. Any ideas?

TIA!

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Re: Infant Storytime

  • Melissa17Melissa17

    I didn't think the Red Balloon was nearly as crowded as Wild Rumpus.  I would go for it and see what you think. 

    Libraries are also good.  Some make you register, while others just allow you to show up.

    Barnes and Noble has story time as well.  If I recall, Pottery Barn Kids has one with a punch card and you get a "prize" (I heard a discount) if you attend so many.

    Have fun!

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  • Payne2B2008Payne2B2008 member

    I love the ones that are thru the Libraries are really good for all babies they have songs & stories.

    The ones at B&N are ok but not really good for the littles ones as they will read 2 stories then color pages, sometimes the stories are good for little one but sometimes the stories are better for 2 yr old plus. 

     Good luck we have been going for a year & love it 


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  • FannieRaeFannieRae
    I don't know where you live, but the Tues morning storytime at the Northtown library (part of the Anoka County library system) is awesome. It's a mix of stories, songs and getting the wiggles out. :)
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  • ElizabethDElizabethD

    I strongly recommend joining your local ECFE classes.  It's probably too late for this semester but they start up in January again.  You'll meet 14ish women near where you live with kids the exact same age.  You get parent/kid time, then mom's get to have some time without babes to connect, chat, etc.

    It's the only program like it in the nation and it's fantastic! It's birth to five years old so you can keep meeting new people.

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  • BeccaMarieBeccaMarie member
    imageElizabethD:

    I strongly recommend joining your local ECFE classes.  It's probably too late for this semester but they start up in January again.  You'll meet 14ish women near where you live with kids the exact same age.  You get parent/kid time, then mom's get to have some time without babes to connect, chat, etc.

    It's the only program like it in the nation and it's fantastic! It's birth to five years old so you can keep meeting new people.

    I know that some people love ECFE, but I would personally stick with free story time.

    I found ECFE a waste of time and money - it was a joke!  

    You play with your kid for the first part, then have circle time to sing songs (the only part I found remotely worth-while), have snack (I really don't feel the need to pay to eat snack) and then have 'parent discussion'.

    I can play with my DD at home for free.  The whole thing was WAY over-priced and the 'parent discussion' time consisted of us filling out journaling sheets (seriously, it was busy work like we were back in elementary school or something) and answering the leader's ridiculous questions.  (i.e. "What is your favorite color?"  - "purple"  - "Oh!  that means that you are outgoing/shy/friendly/fill in the blank").  With all the people that rave about it, I kept thinking that "it must get better" and I held out hope until the last class, but nope.  It stunk.     

    (and fwiw, there were no-where near 14 people in our class - 6 or 7 maybe?  And there were occasions that I was the only mom there - lots of dads) 

    IMHO, ECFE offers nothing special that you can't get for free someplace else.  (personally I would save the $300 bucks from ECFE and get a membership to the children's museum and hit up story-times like you were asking about) 

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  • ariel06ariel06 member
    imageBeccaMarie:
    imageElizabethD:

    I strongly recommend joining your local ECFE classes.  It's probably too late for this semester but they start up in January again.  You'll meet 14ish women near where you live with kids the exact same age.  You get parent/kid time, then mom's get to have some time without babes to connect, chat, etc.

    It's the only program like it in the nation and it's fantastic! It's birth to five years old so you can keep meeting new people.

    I know that some people love ECFE, but I would personally stick with free story time.

    I found ECFE a waste of time and money - it was a joke!  

    You play with your kid for the first part, then have circle time to sing songs (the only part I found remotely worth-while), have snack (I really don't feel the need to pay to eat snack) and then have 'parent discussion'.

    I can play with my DD at home for free.  The whole thing was WAY over-priced and the 'parent discussion' time consisted of us filling out journaling sheets (seriously, it was busy work like we were back in elementary school or something) and answering the leader's ridiculous questions.  (i.e. "What is your favorite color?"  - "purple"  - "Oh!  that means that you are outgoing/shy/friendly/fill in the blank").  With all the people that rave about it, I kept thinking that "it must get better" and I held out hope until the last class, but nope.  It stunk.     

    (and fwiw, there were no-where near 14 people in our class - 6 or 7 maybe?  And there were occasions that I was the only mom there - lots of dads) 

    IMHO, ECFE offers nothing special that you can't get for free someplace else.  (personally I would save the $300 bucks from ECFE and get a membership to the children's museum and hit up story-times like you were asking about) 

    Wow, you must have had a really bad teacher/group.  I'm in my 3rd year of it and while I'm not loving this years group as much as the last two it's still pretty good.  And the infant classes in my district are $35 for the semester, so only a couple bucks a class. 

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  • ilovebijouilovebijou member
    imageariel06:
    imageBeccaMarie:
    imageElizabethD:

    I strongly recommend joining your local ECFE classes.  It's probably too late for this semester but they start up in January again.  You'll meet 14ish women near where you live with kids the exact same age.  You get parent/kid time, then mom's get to have some time without babes to connect, chat, etc.

    It's the only program like it in the nation and it's fantastic! It's birth to five years old so you can keep meeting new people.

    I know that some people love ECFE, but I would personally stick with free story time.

    I found ECFE a waste of time and money - it was a joke!  

    You play with your kid for the first part, then have circle time to sing songs (the only part I found remotely worth-while), have snack (I really don't feel the need to pay to eat snack) and then have 'parent discussion'.

    I can play with my DD at home for free.  The whole thing was WAY over-priced and the 'parent discussion' time consisted of us filling out journaling sheets (seriously, it was busy work like we were back in elementary school or something) and answering the leader's ridiculous questions.  (i.e. "What is your favorite color?"  - "purple"  - "Oh!  that means that you are outgoing/shy/friendly/fill in the blank").  With all the people that rave about it, I kept thinking that "it must get better" and I held out hope until the last class, but nope.  It stunk.     

    (and fwiw, there were no-where near 14 people in our class - 6 or 7 maybe?  And there were occasions that I was the only mom there - lots of dads) 

    IMHO, ECFE offers nothing special that you can't get for free someplace else.  (personally I would save the $300 bucks from ECFE and get a membership to the children's museum and hit up story-times like you were asking about) 

    Wow, you must have had a really bad teacher/group.  I'm in my 3rd year of it and while I'm not loving this years group as much as the last two it's still pretty good.  And the infant classes in my district are $35 for the semester, so only a couple bucks a class. 

    This. I've had a really positive experience with our ecfe classes and have met other amazing moms that I wouldn't have met otherwise.


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  • katejane66katejane66 member
    I've been to the red balloon a few times and it does get very crowded (there is definately no room for car seats and people leave their strollers out front). With twins I would recommend ECFE (very inexpensive) or I hear the RV library has a great story time for infants. I beleive they only allow the first 15 in so it doesn't get so crowded. Also, Sara Waters (babyfuntime.com I think) does smaller groups in the basement of the Red Balloon for a fee. Check her website.
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