toddler classes-waste of money or worth the cost?

[knem]

Tumble tots or gymboree type classes- waste of money or worth the cost? Any advice please for an anxious first time mum x

[etta166]

I'm not sure that there is an answer to that question. I think that the pricier ones that you have to sign up to for a fixed number of weeks are a waste of money (because you lose out if you have to miss a week or two, and they are expensive to begin with) but I like taking my children to drop-in classes like Tumble at Albrighton and soft play at Peckham and Brixton.

Obviously, many people think that the classes are great or they wouldn't still exist. It also depends on age and personality of the child.

[nunheadmum]

Sometimes classes are as much about parents getting out and meeting other parents while the kids are doing something fun. I met some good friends through classes we did. Those where you sign up tend to mean you meet the same parents each week.

It's not the only way to meet folk but it's one aspect of the classes.

[Mrs TP]

I did monkey music for a while with my daughter prob from when she 18mths to almost 3yrs. First term I wasn't too sure but she really got into it, liked the routine, learning to sit down and take turns (of a fashion), re-inforced basic learning that we were doing informally with her such as colours, animals, weather. They always had a theme and she was exposed to different positive things and a diff range of songs, dances.

She is now 4 and we went to a party with an entertainer recently who did similar action song type stuff. My daughter was straight in there copying everything - I joked with one of the other mums (also a monkey music mum) that all that money had not been in vain!

All these classes are on the pricey side. Depending on your child will depend on which class they like. Most classes will do a free / reduced price trial. Children do well at them and without them. There is no right or wrong.

Defo on the plus side it got my daughter used to an adult giving instructions who was not me or other relative in an informal teacher role. She had to take turns, tidy up a little - just putting instruments / props away. All good skills for pre-school and school. However, I don't think she would have suffered without it.

[Fuschia]

Sing and sign is worth signing up for

Apart from that I would stuck to the horniman, one o clock clubs, children's centres, libraries, book start ...

[Fuschia]

Ah sorry, see you said toddler

Sing and sign Prob not relevant

Book start, children's centres will have regular attendees

[canela]

all depends on your budget really. if you can fund them easily then pick one or two you really like. otherwise, there are so many freebies around. i think they are more useful in the winter obviously. and depends on the kid. my eldest always preferred just going to the park, but my youngest liked some group activities.

[MichelleT]

My little boy did really enjoy gymboree, but it was bloody expensive! He never really joined in but loved the climbing and is still very confident, has no fear of heights.

[Otta]

Tippee Toes was a God send for my daughters. But it's annoying when loads of mum's just chat through it.

[oimissus]

drop in classes like Tippee Toes are great, but commiting to blocks of classes does feel like a waste of money - with the amount of illness we've had this year I would have lost money hand over fist, and that's on top of paying for nursery days that haven't been used (illness/bank hols/nursery closed for Easter). And now I'm working 3 days a week, I want to keep my 2 days with Miss Oi free and flexible. Though I do think she'd love a gym or dance class. Hum . . .

[susyp]

i liked the toddler classes as they gave me a structure, and weren't too big and manic like some of the drop ins can be (i like them too though!) . I think they had a big effect on how much i enjoyed looking after my daughter. Gymboree in particular (in a different area) was an absolutely life saver for me as I had very active toddler - although I had to suspend it over the winter as she got so many tummy bugs from all the soft mats. I didn;t really meet people or chat but it was just nice to be around other people, and I loved watching how my daughter responded to everything. I think it made my days very varied to be doing several classes - I did gymboree, a music class, and later a balls class and a couple of arty ones.

Around here they have messy church sessions which are arty sessions - I've never been as I didn;t see them til recently but they sound quite a good fun thing to do also - not sure if there are any in E Dulwich.

Once she got to 2/3 years old we frequented lots of playgrounds - at least one a day !!!

basically i used to do things morning and afternoon. It kept me sane to plan out my week! (but I'm a bit like that!)>

susypx

also just my opinion but i thought gymboree was miles better than tumble tots - gymboree is fun and relaxed and you get play sessions, but tumble tots is very structured and they can't just do what they want which my daughter was absolutely not up for as a toddler!!

[minder]

Tummy bugs from all the soft mats?

[susyp]

3 bad tummy bugs in 2 months while going about 3 times a week, we stopped going and the bugs completely stopped - and they said lots of people had done the same thing. Little hands, in mouths, on the mats, back on the mats again, back in the mouths again! Just not possible to keep those places completely germ free. That winter we just went to playgrounds and avoided other children, we'd had enough of it all! Was that 1-2 age - seems quite a germ prone age!

susypx

[WorkingMummy]

Fuschia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sing and sign is worth signing up for

> Apart from that I would stuck to the horniman, one

> o clock clubs, children's centres, libraries,

> book start ...

Agree completely. Although would add "Music for Little People" (which used to be held in Goose Green community centre, not sure if still going on) is also good quality and therefore good value for money.

Sing and sign is the best, however. All three of mine have done it and it is so useful as it really does enable them to communicate with you from a very early age. My 10 month old looks so proud whenever he makes the milk sign and often gives himself a round of applause for doing it!

Everything else, I am really surprised how hit and miss it is. My first nanny sorted out a routine full of classes for my first baby and I was paying a fortune for it all. Then she was sick for a couple of weeks and I took over. Most of the classes seemed to start late, end early, be taken up in part by chat between the mums (which would have been fine had the class been free) and the content - to be honest - was nothing you can't get for free from a wide range of Sure Start/Sally Army type play groups.

[WorkingMummy]

Sorry, just caught on, thanks to Fuschia, to this being about toddler classes.

Although if you stay on at Sing and Sign they do teach phonetics, with the British Sign Language signs for the letters, to children up to two years. Which is very good.