Jan 27, 2006

Parenting Tip: Try Those Free Classes

In my area, there are several Gymboree knock-offs, as well as a real Gymboree location. Earlier this week, Alex and I attended a free trial class at My Gym, which claims to be "The Worldwide Leader In Children's Fitness." The class was for "Waddlers," or crawling and newly walking babies.

It started with a "warm-up" in which parents moved the babies' arms and legs. Most of the 45-minute session was unstructured, so the babies could do what they wanted. At various points in the class, the instructors set up apparatus for swinging, balancing and rolling. The babies were also free to climb on the various mats, jump on the trampoline, or play with any available toy.

I thought Alex would love it because there would be a huge room for him explore and things to climb on, but he surprised me by not really enjoying it much at all. We had a similar experience with Kindermusik as well.

Obviously, as parents we want to encourage our children to grow and learn and develop, but I'm finding that the growth and development seems to happen at each individual baby's pace, regardless of whether the baby's in daycare, spends all day with mommy, or attends various classes. I think that when he's older, Alex might actually enjoy a class like My Gym.

Every place I've called offers a one-time free session, so before you spend money on a series of classes, attend a trial class to see if your child really enjoys it.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My four year old went to MyGym from 18 mos until he was about 3 and a half. We loved it and it was a great way for him to learn balance and playing with others. Although each child develops at varous rates, classes like these can definately help and shows parents what they can work on at home. A+++