To ask what baby classes you would recommend?

[Wingingthiswholething]

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.

[Userzzzzz]

Swimming was the best thing we did. We went every week and at 3 my little one is now swimming and loves it. We also really liked sing and sign if there is one of those near you? Mine was signing by around 9m and it made so much difference to her communication.

Everyone did sensory near me with baby no.1 but no-one I know has bothered for baby no.2. It really depends on what your group is like. Mine was full of really clique nct groups and the half hour break was painful. I also found it was just a bit too frantic for my baby. I remember one week they had paddling pools out and all the babies were having a lovely time splashing but they were whipped away to do the next thing after about 3 minutes. They would have all been happier staying put and enjoying it.

[Wingingthiswholething]

it is easier to make friends when fully clothed!

This is a really valid point I hadn't considered!!

I think for now we will go with sensory - She enjoyed it last week, particular the bubbles, lights, and instruments. When people start asking about Christmas I might suggest money towards swimming for her so we aren't paying quite as much ourselves/looking for somewhere to put quite as many toys! She will still be young then.

[PickettBowtruckles]

Swimming is brilliant - we started when DD was only 5 weeks and she’s now 7 months and due to start her third term after the summer holidays. I wouldn’t have thought to do the majority of what we do in classes. Already we can say ‘hold on’ and she’ll hold on to a bar at the side of the pool and hold herself above water independently, and will close her eyes and hold her breath upon the given instruction before she goes underwater. As she was so little when we started she’s never hated it and associates the water with lots of fun. It is an expensive class but it’s the best thing we’ve done with her.

[BikeRunSki]

I lived baby swimming,but we just went to the PAYG classes run by the local council pool, which were significantly cheaper than the private lessons/franchises. I have always been a confident swimmer, and DS now is too.

I’m not sure babies really care about classes. I found that iwrbt to them more fir my benefit than the dc’s. They gave me structure and adult company, and we made some friends. IME, taking a child swimming is a valuable experience for the child, it’s a very different sensation to what they usually have, but I also took my babies/children swimming outside of lessons a lot too.

I have limited experience of baby sensory. We did one term, back when we still had a Surestart Centre. It ok, DS largely poo’ed then fell asleep, but I made friends that I still see 11 years later. It is easier to make friends when fully clothed!

[MRex]

You can try lots of free classes on Hoop app etc. It's worth doing to make sure you like the specific teacher.

I don't think anything before 6 months is worthwhile as the babies don't notice much of what's going on. Music class has been best for DS and I, very friendly and he's loved it. I haven't tried swimming with him yet, leaving that until 3 at least, the babies don't actually learn to swim so we might as well wait to do it when he's old enough to learn something. It's worth checking that the class time can align reasonably with your nap time, trying to take a baby to a class when they're knackered or having to wake them for class makes it all rather pointless.

[pandarific]

Swimming is a pain but worth it - my baby LOVES it, been going since he was tiny and at 9 months he's now trying to doggy paddle and doesn't bat an eyelid at being dunked etc. It's lovely seeing them get more confident in the water.

I'd personally rather pay for that as it's worth it, and then find a normal free or cheap baby group as well if possible.

[Keewee27]

Monkey music is fabulous! Ds2 (aged 4) has just 'graduated'. He's got so much out of it and really loves music now. He wants to learn the guitar when he's old enough. Ds1 quite enjoyed it too.
Took ds1 to swimming classes at our local leisure centre from when he was about 3 months old until he was about 1. I don't think he really got anything out of them so we stopped. We started classes again when he was 5 (he's 7 now) and showing more interest. He loves swimming now and has made excellent progress.
Ds2 started the same classes at 3 1/2 and is doing well too. I never took him to classes as a baby but we've always gone swimming as a family. He enjoys swimming as much as his brother. He was a water birth and so water never seems to have been an issue for him, don't know if that's made any difference....
He asked if he had a swimming pool 'noodle' with him when he was born!!!
I'd say music, sensory or classes of that type are better for young babies and start swimming when they're a little older. I definitely think swimming is an important skill to have jut they need to be happy and confident /comfortable in the water too.

[Wingingthiswholething]

Have done and really enjoyed baby massage.

Think we have a Hartbeeps nearby but it's a bit of an awkward place to get to. Have decided to swim as a family on weekends and see how we go. Will do sensory as it's something for us both that way (gets me out and being more social).

[Isittheend]

Baby massage was excellent for all 3 of mine. Helped with sleep, trapped wind etc.

[hammeringinmyhead]

I also walk for hours now and get coffee, have also joined National Trust for about the same as a baby class, but DS being a November baby meant that for the first 6 months of his life it was dark when he got up and dark mid-afternoon with some below-freezing days. Anyone reading thinking of signing up to a class from say Sep-Dec will have some wet/cold weather guaranteed activities.

[PerfectPeony2]

Oh god this reminds me- I had a crier and I wish I’d done less to start with!

We did waterbabies from 8 weeks (I felt like I should be ‘out of the house’). She cried the whole time and it was so stressful getting her/ me changed and in the pool on time.

Saying that, it did give us confidence to take her ourselves. We just did the first term and got a cute underwater photo.

We’ve signed up again recently now she is 13 months.

Other than that rhyme time, children’s centre, local groups. Absolutely love Hartbeeps if that’s in your area you should definitely book on.

[Stravapalava]

Out of swimming and sensory, I'd do sensory. They get more out of swimming as they get older, whereas sensory is something that is good for specifically babies.

Is there a Jo Jingles class near you? That was my favourite class of them all (and we did a lot!!)

[nervousFTM]

Swimming, my baby loves it. She's been going since she was 2/3 months - now 11. I like having the confidence for her to be in the water too, especially when off on holiday.

[LittleOne61]

I did lots of different classes - hartbeeps, baby sensory, yoga, swimming, sing and sign, rhythm time and finally realised that I much preferred going for a big long walk and then using the money to have a lunch out or coffee and cake out!

I wasted so much money on expensive classes that I was constantly rushing to that baby slept through or that I fed her through. She was far too young to be socialising etc.

All of the classes were great though but I do wish I'd done less sometimes!

[iamloading]

We did Hartbeeps which my little one loved. She hated swimming despite my best efforts. Sensory is ok but I didn't like the "free play" in the middle which is essentially the same toys every week...

[annikin]

Hated baby swimming. Still convinced it gave my DD her water phobia (thankfully now overcome), in a freezing pool, ended up getting a refund. Loved sing and sign...

[MaryShelley1818]

DS absolutely loved Baby Sensory! He went every single week from being 4wks old until he was one. He learnt so much there and still enjoys the music now at 20mths!
Swimming we prefer to do on a weekend as a family, we don’t go every week but he really loves it and enjoys splashing around, much easier to do with 2 of you to help get changed. He’ll do proper swimming lessons when he’s old enough but at this age find we can do the swimming ourselves but wouldn’t have been able to replicate the Sensory Classes easily.

[Muddlingalongalone]

TinyTalk was my favourite but in my experience it's very dependent on the instructor/group. Didn't enjoy sing and sign so much with dd2.
Monkey Music is hugely popular round here.
I kinda liked baby groups in church halls etc with a few toys on the floor a bit of craft, a snack table and sitting round drink in tea meeting new people the best without forced fun!

[OverthinkingThis]

I thought baby swimming was great, DS loved it which helped! I think until babies are sitting up by themselves a lot of the sensory/music ones are a little bit pointless apart from to keep you sane by getting you out of the house.
We did Hartbeeps when DS was 6-9 months and both loved it. Sing and sign was a good class but we didn't follow through with the signs enough at home so DS didn't pick any up.

[AmIRightOrAMeringue]

Have a look at booking into a local hotel with a pool to see how your daughter likes it. It will be expensive but will give you a good idea how she likes it. Also have you been in the baby pools of the local council pools? They are usually a lot warmer than the main pool

I would also post for ideas on your local area Facebook/ parents site or do searches for classes to see previous posts. A lot of smaller independent businesses have awful or no websites (the ones that arent franchises) but decent facebook pages - its just finding them. They are often cheaper than the branded ones. Once your baby is older they might like playgroup and stay and play type things rather than structured classes.

Also look at your local library, some do baby classes

[DappledThings]

I really liked Sing and Sign

[Noodledoodledoo]

I did a lot, mainly to get me out of the house. Please if you go to a structured class don't talk over the whole session, in the past 5 years this seems to have been on the increase and it is so rude to the people running the class - I am glad I am now about to stop them as i am likely to snap at the rudeness!!

Sensory - hated it, activities were good but the 30 mins free play was a waste of time, also the mums at my group were seriously cliquey and refused to speak to anyone other than who they came with even a hello!

Jojingles - loved - the one class I have done with both my children, and they beg to go to.

Swimming another one they both love and still go to.

Sing and Sign, did with one not the other - was good but nothing amazing.

If you want to meet other mums stay and play local groups are your best bet. Not structured ones - see comment above.

Messy play sessions my two loved.

Hartbeeps I wasn't keen, gave out loads of stuff and then sang one song then took it off them, my 2 year old was quite upset as they were almost teasing her with things - at other classes they have stuff for 2 or 3 songs so it didn't feel quite so frenetic!

[Snowoctopus]

I can highly recommend Birthlight baby yoga. We loved that from 2 months to 2 years old!
Also the free song time sessions at our library.

[welshweasel]

We did sensory and swimming. Sensory was great for meeting people and was vaguely enjoyable too. Swimming is less sociable and more of a faff but both my kids loved it from a very early age. It’s the only baby group I carried on for more than one term with either child. My eldest is now 3 and nearly at the end of waterbabies. He can swim a width unaided and has so much confidence in the water.

[growlingbear]

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