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D.C. Area Babies
I'm gonna say it: I think I hate kiddie classes
We took DD to her first "Little Gym" class over the weekend. I find the whole experience a little ridiculous. I think it's overpriced. The little song they sing after every activity is annoying. The other parents seem weird. The whole experience was incredibly cheesy.
That's all.
Am I the only one that feels this way?
I feel like I want to get DD into something more "real"... if that makes sense. It seems like such a waste to pay a zillion dollars a week to do stuff that I could easily do with her at home (aside from the socialization with other kids part of it...).
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Re: I'm gonna say it: I think I hate kiddie classes
I hate it for other reasons. When we tried it DS was a wild kid. He wouldn't sit for longer than 2 minutes so the whole time I was chasing him around.
Are oyu a SAHM? Have you looked into moms day out programs or part time childcare. That way your DD could get the social aspect....and you could get some free time
I could never warm to them, either. I was too busy attending to DD to socialize much with other parents, so I never got anything out of them. She seemed to have fun, but like you said, they can be pricey. I'll save that money for when my kids are older and will actually appreciate (and remember) the activities we'll spend $$$ on.
We stuck with classes at the Y (cheaper, but that was in Massachusetts), swimming lessons, random programs at the library, and weekend outings (none of which really gave her the direct socialization aspect, but they were mentally or physically stimulating). The MoCo Parks & Rec department always has stuff that looks interesting...maybe your town/county offers stuff? I never followed through because they often interfere with DD's soccer or preschool schedule, and for a while I had a baby at home whose naps (and my sanity) took priority.
I haven't done any of the Little Gym type classes. I can understand how you might feel that way though based on how you described it though.
I am taking DD to swim lessons which I have enjoyed thus far. Maybe I like it because I feel like she's sort of learning a skill like you mentioned. Montgomery county has a ton of good classes for kids which may be cheaper than the Little Gym. The swim class was $50 for 6 classes. So, that might be an option for you in the future. If you want, I can dig up the link.
But I do understand how you feel. I did a swim class with DD at the YMCA which was lame. We went in circles in the pool while singing weird songs. I guess that's why I only went to one class. It wasn't my thing.
I took M to a kids "yoga" class once. Yoga is in quotes, because there was no traditional yoga involved. It was mostly songs and some movement type stuff. I thought it was fine, and probably a good way for kids not in daycare or preschool to socialize, but probably not worth $12 for a 30-minute class. I'm pretty sure he already does very similar things at daycare.
FWIW I've heard really good things about this place for gymnastics: https://www.dynamitegc.com/. I think this is a "real" gymnastics place.
Dude, I have no interest in Little Gym. None. It doesn't appeal to me. Maybe in the winter or something, but right now I'd rather take C to the park or on a hike or to play with friends/cousins (all free!).
A friend recently asked me if I wanted to sign C up for soccer. SOCCER? He is two years old. He can't walk across the room without bending down to pick up a dog toy and then forgetting what he was doing in the first place. And I can just see his teen years being overscheduled with sports and teams and clubs, why commit myself to that now?
I went to one of their open houses. It's a nice facility and it's definitely a real gym. I know they offer classes for little ones. I need to look up their classes again for when DD finishes her swim class. I bet she'd really enjoy it.
We have been taking DD to MyGym for a long time and luckily, there is one short circle time in the beginning that has one song. Otherwise, it is run and around and play on the equipment and do some gymnastic-type stations with the teachers.
However, DD is now a little bored with the whole thing so we are moving on to real gymnastics in a month. I know she does not have the patience for any other type of group activity like story time or music class or anything non-physical.
I did Gymboree with my older daughter. Fortunately there were actually a great group of moms in that particular class. We kept up with it from the time my daughter was 3 months, until her 1st birthday.... we also had her birthday party there. At about that point she started to get bored with the class, so we tried out My Gym....... hated it. They scheduled her first class in with the age group above her and I spent the entire time dodging her from being trampled and jumped on.
I tried with Gymboree again (at a different location however) with my younger daughter and it was such a bizarre and terrible experience. The perkiness and repetitiveness drove me mad. My daughter probably enjoyed it, but I counted the minutes, until the day when I could take it no longer.
I agree, I tried a free one when DD was about 18mo old and it wasn't for us. I told myself after her 3rd bday (next week!) I'll sign her up for something. Right now we are in swimming. I am thinking tae kwon do or something like that. DS is so active I want to put him in gymnastics but real gymnastics not this let's-all-sit-around-in-a-circle and sing crap.
I haven't done Little Gym, but we did a class at JW Tumbles (same idea) last winter and I thought it was a total rip off. I just went to the free one and Warner was definitely kind of bored and the moms were all very cliquey and I couldn't believe how much the classes cost for a whole "semester".
However, I signed him up for a music and movement class at Mobu Kids (Falls Church)--we went all summer and it was actually really, really fun. Warner loves music and singing and they got to try out all kinds of fun little instruments. And for whatever reason the moms were just a lot nicer...although in fairness I did know one mom there already. It was a little pricey, too, but IMO it was totally worth the money.
I also have to add that I just find it hard to commit to something every single week for such a long time!
Maggie took Little Gym classes and loved them. It was really great for her to work on the jumping and balance etc. I also liked the way they didn't make any kid do things. My DH hated them, for him they were too repetitious and after one class he was bored. Personally I am also the type who can listen to the same song for 25 min in the car if that is what the kids want, for some reason repetition just doesn't bother me in the slightest.
We took a weekend class and I really never talked to the other parents since I was always chasing after Maggie or getting to take turns (more like making sure she got her turn since she would just stand there and let the other kids butt in front). I think it was good when she was younger and it was harder for her to follow a more structured class setting.
Now I have them both at Hill's Gymnastics in Gaithersburg. Maggie has been going for about 2 years off and on and loves it. Molly is currently in the youngest Tumble Tots class where you go in with parents (Maggie now does it with just a teacher). For Molly I really want her to learn to follow new directions (I think at daycare she follows out of habit). Also DH likes it better because it is more gymnastics and a wider range of activities - there is only one song at the end. Molly can also use the strength building since she has low tone and is always just a bit extra behind physically than others her age.
We don't do it every season (they have summer, fall, winter and spring sessions) depending on our schedules and how often we thing we can go every Sat. They are slightly cheaper than Little Gym which is nice. The teachers have all been great with the kids. They also have open gym sessions if you just want to go and have the kids check out the facility - also great for tiring them out.
DD's Godmother - my BFF (who was a competitive gymnast growing up, and was a gym coach all through college) is dyyyyying for my DD to go to Hill's Gymnastics. You know, she's convinced that DD will turn into their 4th Olympian... haha. Too bad that, in his dreams, DH has already secured her a spot on the future Olympic soccer team.
BFF was just asking me yesterday when I'm going to sign her up at a "real" gym since she's 2.5 now.
How do the open gym sessions work? Are there like roving instructors for the little ones? Or, is it a thing where I take her and just play around?
DD's Godmother - my BFF (who was a competitive gymnast growing up, and was a gym coach all through college) is dyyyyying for my DD to go to Hill's Gymnastics. You know, she's convinced that DD will turn into their 4th Olympian... haha. Too bad that, in his dreams, DH has already secured her a spot on the future Olympic soccer team.
BFF was just asking me yesterday when I'm going to sign her up at a "real" gym since she's 2.5 now.
How do the open gym sessions work? Are there like roving instructors for the little ones? Or, is it a thing where I take her and just play around?
I take DS to Musik Garten (basically broke off from the creator of Kinder Musik). It's 30-45 minutes and in our area, my friend that teaches it charges 100 for the "semester."
I like it because it's like a real music class teaching vocalization throughout the program.
But I can imagine that not all classes would be enjoyable. There have even been a few unpleasant experiences at Musik Garten - mainly with kids melting down, including my own.
You have to take them through everything during the open gym session but I think they have a try it out free once type thing. You can also just sign her up closer to the end of the session (Thanksgiving for the current one). Then you just pay for a few sessions and see if you like it. After a few sessions she may be ready for the by herself class like Maggie is in and then you get to just watch her do her thing.
DD #1's first class was a music/movement class at Wolf Trap after she turned two yrs old. Wish you were closer, because I know geographically that doesn't make sense for you, but the teaching artists there are "real" people (I used to work there) and are all highly trained in developmentally appropriate arts activities for kids. Not cheap - but really, are any of these classes cheap? - but totally worth it IMO. She was a little over 2 yrs old when we did that class. We decided any classes before our kids were about two were really designed more as "activities" and more for the parents to socialize - which is fine of course - but like someone said - I have limited time with my kids on the weekends, I like to spend it in certain ways.
Then we tried swimming class this year with her (she's 4 1/2) through the county rec dept. For several reasons it didn't work out, but we know what to do differently next time. So I got my $ refunded and now she's in ballet/tap class through the county. She loves it. Ten weeks and the price is right. However - I know with Fairfax County classes in general it's hit or miss with the instructors.
My other two kids are not in any classes. Though DD #2 is 2 1/2 we haven't done any classes for her. If we do, it'll be Wolf Trap.
And frankly we don't have any big plans to do bunches of classes with the kids. First of all we have three kids, so that can add up, and second of all, I figure I spend $1000/mo/each for the girls to be in a preschool that we/they love, and they're getting all sorts of experiences there - do they really need a whole bunch of extra classes? Swimming (like pp said, life skill) and the arts (predictable) are the two I'm willing to pay for.