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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask what baby classes you would recommend?

49 replies

Wingingthiswholething · 06/08/2019 18:39

Currently deciding between doing a term of swimming, and a term of sensory. Sensory is well a well known franchise, swimming is not. Unfortunately the cheaper sensory classes near me are awkward to get to.

As much as I'd like to do as many classes as I can, I can't afford to. So which did you prefer? Swimming is more expensive and classes are half the length. Not such a big price difference that I would be majorly put off considering.

Sorry to post in AIBU but would appreciate the traffic.

OP posts:

Rarfy · 06/08/2019 18:41

Do they do a rhythm time near you? I think that's great. Pricey but not ridiculous like swimming lessons.

We've not done a swimming lesson but I have took dd and tbh I'm not sure how much they would learn at such a young age. Probably just splashing around in the water is enough.

museumum · 06/08/2019 18:44

I really really loved baby swimming. But not everybody does.

user1493413286 · 06/08/2019 18:45

I loved swimming with my baby more than baby sensory. Not that there was anything wrong with baby sensory but just preferred swimming

Alwaysonarecce · 06/08/2019 18:48

We did swimming classes for our DS when he was too tiny - 9 weeks, and he hated it. Expensive too. We went four times and gave up. I agree - splashing about is enough at that age. Baby sensory type things are ok, babies enjoy the textures and lights etc, but I’d see it more as what you will enjoy and get you out and about as it can be isolating with a baby at first. Honestly, walking in the woods and looking at leaves together is just as stimulating for a baby. I say this because I felt I had to go to lots of classes, or justify it when I didn’t. Which is nonsense!

Teddyreddy · 06/08/2019 18:52

I think it depends on the baby, its age and the individual teacher. DC hated baby sensory as a small baby - it over stimulated him and made him scream. We tried again when he was about 9 months old and he enjoyed it. Does sensory still offer a free trial class?

With swimming, we did council classes at our local pool which were cheap but unimaginative and a bit boring. When I went back to work and we needed Saturday classes we swapped to private classes. The difference in the two was amazing - much more variety which kept both my and DC's interest going, and we really enjoyed it. Do you know anyone who's done the swimming classes, or do they do taster sessions?

hormonesorDHbeingadick · 06/08/2019 18:53

Does your local council do baby swimming or you could take him to the pool yourself.

elizzza · 06/08/2019 18:55

In my opinion all baby classes under 1 as a waste of money. If you’re doing it to expose the baby to new things, just take them to a public pool that has a kids pool (go weekdays during term time so it’ll be quieter), or set up some sensory stuff in your own living room (fairy lights, a plastic bottle filled with water and glitter, some coloured material or tissue paper, crinkly foil etc).

If it’s because you want to get out and meet/see other parents, look for baby groups (my local children’s centre does them on a drop in basis for £1.50 and you get a cup of tea) or lots of libraries do free sing time/story time sessions.

Obviously it depends what’s available near you - I live in a city so I’m aware there’s a lot available here, but when I’ve visited my parents in a smallish town in the north west I found a lot of free or cheap drop in options.

museumum · 06/08/2019 19:09

For those who say just go swimming yourself with them - that’s perfectly fine if that’s what you prefer or can afford but it’s really not the same. At our baby swimming we sang loads of songs and used loads of toys and did all kinds of exercises with blowing bubbles and things that I would never do in a public pool. My ds loved it and since then associated pools with fun.

cakesandphotos · 06/08/2019 19:18

I take DS to our local leisure centre for swimming lessons. £6.50 a lesson compared to £14 for the franchise ones. We did singing babies too. It can get expensive. Are there any toddler groups or does your local children's centre have a sensory room?

riotlady · 06/08/2019 19:23

I liked the sensory/singing type stuff (we did Hartbeeps, if that’s an option near you) and found it better for chatting to other parents

FinnBalorsAbs · 06/08/2019 19:23

We did baby swimming, baby sensory and sing and sign at various times. Baby swimming was the one we did the longest and the one we both loved the best.

hammeringinmyhead · 06/08/2019 19:27

I've done all sorts. Depends on the age of the baby. I didn't much enjoy Hartbeeps or Adventure Babies as DS was 4 to 5 months and a bit young. We started Sing and Sign at 6 months and Baby Sensory at 7 months, both of which he loves (now 9 months). He loves music, the variety of toys and noseying at other mums and babies. Friends with babies his age all gave up on swimming lessons and now just take them to free swim, partly because of all the hassle of changing you both alone for half an hour.

BeanBag7 · 06/08/2019 19:38

Dont see the point of baby swimming. It's so expensive and the babies are too small to actually learn to swim. Yeah it might give them confidence in the water but you could do that by taking them by yourself for half an hour a week, at probably less than half the cost.
My friends daughter did swimming frkm 8 weeks until she was 18 months. My daughter never did swimming. You wouldnt tell the difference between them in a pool. Save your money for proper swimming lessons when they are 4 or 5.

I also thought baby sensory was a big waste of money but at least it's a way to meet other parents. We liked baby music classes (music bugs is our local one) and baby sign language from about 6 months onwards.

Peccary · 06/08/2019 19:43

My baby hated sensory, I'd definitely see if you can try before committing. She loved swimming but I just took her to a baby session at the local baths where they got lots of toys out. The class she liked best under 1 was a music one

Celebelly · 06/08/2019 19:45

We really love Tiny Talk, baby sign language classes. Local libraries often do free song and story sessions too.

Celebelly · 06/08/2019 19:48

Also we are midway through swimming but we won't do another block. Horrendously expensive for 30 mins in pool and everything can be done in normal pool, plus the whole thing is a faff. You can google to get ideas of what to do with them in the pool and do it yourself for a fraction of the price.

Propertyofhood · 06/08/2019 19:50

I LOVED baby sensory with my DS - the lady doing it had just set up her franchise and was so lovely and enthusiastic. I still have such fond memories of 'say hello to the suuuun' now

By the time I took my second, someone else was doing it and she wasn't as good and it just wasn't the same (or maybe it's because it was my PFB!)

I would recommend Baby Sensory though.

Swimming... Meh, seems like so much hassle and so expensive and I don't know if it actually helps their swimming long term?

hopelessatthinkingupusernames · 06/08/2019 19:52

I did both with my two and really liked both. If you can only afford one I’d say go for sensory. You can only do that till they are 1 then you can do swimming then. Also look at the council pools. Our lessons are £16 a month, significantly cheaper than the other class I looked at that was £11 a lesson!

JADS · 06/08/2019 20:00

Honestly, neither! I did both with ds1. Completely pointless looking back. With ds2, we pottered a lot and went to a church group once a week which cost the grand total of £1.50. That was fab!

Smurf123 · 06/08/2019 20:14

I did baby sensory when ds was smsller and he did enjoy it but he also often slept or fed through it. It was good for me getting out of the house and getting to chat with other mums though... And the say hello to the sun song... Even still and he is now 17 months old if I play that song when he is tired, grumpy / in the middle of a screaming tantrum he stops instantly and calms listening to it.. Don't need it so much anymore but still have it in the car for longer journeys.
I only recently started swimming lessons after easter and he loves them now and they definitely tire him out for a good nap after!

Pepperstripe · 06/08/2019 20:16

My baby loves swimming. Sensory, I'm still questioning how much he likes it. It might start to get better now he's older.

Celebelly · 06/08/2019 20:16

Oh we also did some baby sensory but I found it a bit, I don't know, sort of soulless (possibly the franchise nature of it and the fact the classes are huge. Tiny Talk is a franchise too but the class is small and it's a better format), plus it's a long class and a lot of stimulation. Shorter classes and then time for socialising or free play at the end work better for us. And there are much cheaper classes that are better IMO. Although it's worth doing the free trial they offer to get ideas for home.

Original poster

Wingingthiswholething · 06/08/2019 20:36

Sorry for the delayed reply, appreciate everyone's input.

We have been to some 'summer specials' at sensory and although DD is very little she did seem to enjoy it. Lots of smiling and wiggling about.

The swimming company I have looked at is £70 for 7 sessions vs £160 for 10 with water babies. They also give you a full refund if LO doesn't enjoy the first session.

I really want to do something we will both enjoy. I also want some cute pool photos but don't think public pools would allow that.

Unfortunately all the children's centres near us have been closed so can't go to those. Council pools nearby aren't heated either.

There is a community baby group which is free to attend, for a cup of tea, singing and to meet mums. We go to that.

I guess I really want to go out and do fun stuff with DD that she seems to like, but that is also fun for me. We have really enjoyed the sensory we have been to but I felt a bit isolated as everyone else knew each other already.

OP posts:

Original poster

Wingingthiswholething · 06/08/2019 20:37

We have done baby massage but other than the above mentioned, there's not a lot else near me.

OP posts:

growlingbear · 06/08/2019 20:40

Music was the best. They loved it.
Next was baby massage. Loads of great moves for helping with colic or wind.

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