Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

Original poster

Baby Sensory

19 replies

DevonianMummy · 09/01/2014 22:09

Everyone seems to love Baby Sensory classes, but is there anyone else out there who think they're just a bit too much for young babies? DD and I tried our first class today, and I hadn't expected it to be so full on. The music was so loud the instructor had to shout over it, and the activities rushed on so quickly, with so much for the babies to take in. One of the activities had loads of almost strobey flashing lights, another didn't allow DD to experience the fun of having a bell round her ankle because the music was drowning out the sound she was making with it. Toys were given and then as soon as a baby would get engaged with one and start exploring it, taken away. Am I worrying needlessly? DD seemed to enjoy it a little - there were a couple of smiles - but other than that she just stared blankly and possetted a lot, which I've been taught is a sign of over-stimulation. She's a - usually bright and very alert - 4.5 months. Perhaps it might be more suitable when she's a few months older? What have been other mums' experiences? I really like the idea of Baby Sensory in theory but thought it would be a lot more gentle than it actually was.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ElphabaTheGreen · 09/01/2014 22:15

Totally with you. Some parts were good but the stimulation was way too much for the age of most babies who go - I took DS when he was around four months and most other babies there were around the same age, many younger. Lots of unfocused noise, songs that were way too fast for anyone to follow and shaking noisy, flashing things in tiny babies' faces. It's nothing to get worried about. Just save your money for something decent

ElphabaTheGreen · 09/01/2014 22:16

PS I went for several sessions and they never got any better.

Wishfulmakeupping · 09/01/2014 22:20

I take dd who is olde-11 months she's not been overly keen but from a young age she's always liked the reading/signing group at our local library which is free :)

working9while5 · 09/01/2014 22:32

I went to it when ds1 was 10 months and enjoyed it as a way of getting ideas for stuff at home and it wasn't too much. Great leader helped.

Mrsmummypenny · 09/01/2014 23:29

Yes! I started taking my DD when she was about5.5-6 months old. She's now 9 months and copes a bit better. I think she enjoys bits and she likes seeing the other babies. I was totally overwhelmed after some of the sessions. Yes, the space blanket does seem to interest the babies, but do we really need extra fabrics overhead, lights, bubbles and music, all at the same time? I needed a lie down afterwards! Still it gave me ideas of things I could do and adapt at home and I met some other mums who I now see outside of baby sensory.

TheDetective · 09/01/2014 23:38

You've been to shit baby sensory classes!

The ones I have been to are nothing like that at all . No music. Things placed out to explore at own pace. Activities suitably done etc.

DS outgrew it by 8 months. Sadly. Well, actually, he outmoved it crawling over all the other babies arghhhhh!.

Guess it depends on the class. And the child!

Try a different group.

Snowflakepie · 09/01/2014 23:46

I found baby sensory too much for DD and DS. The music and visual stuff together was hard for them, both needed it to be separate. Also it was very loud. You could always ask for it to be turned down, if that's an option? The other thing I found was that the activities moved on too fast. Both DC are thinkers, they like to watch and then try things on their own terms, and just don't like to be rushed with anything. Other children might be different.

We got on a lot better with baby signing - we go to Tiny Talk classes. DD is now 4 and was an amazing signer, which moved on to full sentences by 18 months. DS is only 6.5 months but is already signing 'milk' so clearly they find that particular skill appealing. Anything too noisy seems to bother them, and also I'm that way too. By all means give it a few sessions but if it doesn't suit them, look elsewhere. There are a lot of classes out there for babies.

KongKickeroo · 10/01/2014 13:06

I paid for two courses a fortune and really wish I hadn't bothered.

The activities are good for getting play ideas and the leader was lovely, but the structure of the classes was terrible. We had 15 mins of actual activities at the start, then a loooong "free play" break - upwards of 25 minutes (during which the NCT mothers chatted to people they knew in tight groups and ignored everyone else) - before another 10-15 mins of activities at the end. The classes were hugely overcrowded (23 tiny ones in my class) and seemed geared towards making the most money possible, and for the parents to socialise. It seems to be the "prestige" thing to do in our area. And yes it was very loud, made my ears hurt.

It would have been far better to have say 35 mins straight, with an option for free play at the end. All the babies were hysterical, over-stimulated and over-tired by the end.

If you've already pre-paid and don't want to lose your money, I found that going out for a quiet walk in the "free play" time helped get through the rest of it. Or often we just left after the first half. If you haven't handed over your money yet, look for other local classes in your area instead - we got on much better with small-group Rhythm Time, baby signing classes, etc.

Of course this is just my experience with classes in one area - I am sure they vary from place to place.

ElphabaTheGreen · 10/01/2014 14:57

TheDetective Did you go to the actual branded 'Baby Sensory' classes, which are a franchise, so should be the same wherever they're held, or did you go to a generic community-run group which described itself as 'baby sensory'? If the one you went to was quiet and well-paced, I have a feeling it was the latter rather than the franchise, noisy, over-priced, over-stimulating one.

oddjob10 · 10/01/2014 15:39

Same experience. Plenty of potentially good things, but way too much is squeezed in and the pace is too frantic. There needed to be a switch to some calmer, quieter activities among the many noisy, full-on stages. I have ever since called it Sensory Overload.
As a former teacher of language, though not so much to little ones, I was very disappointed in the lack of pedagogy.

TheDetective · 10/01/2014 20:22

I've never heard of that franchise . Ours are run by a a team of 2 women who subcontract to the childrens centre.

Bridezilla3521 · 10/01/2014 21:45

Agreed. I took my DD to a class and it was a load of rubbish. She was 3 months old at the time, and I found there wasn't really anything to do for her in terms of toys. There was one playmat she could go on and that was it. I've got a better playmat at home! There was also a playtime section for playing with toys that were homemade. Now, I know that toys are expensive and we all use things from home to entertain our LOs but please, using an empty milk carton filled with rice as a shaker and charging £6 a session for the privilege?! No thanks.

rockybalboa · 10/01/2014 21:50

I take my 6m DS to Baby Sensory where I live and it's not like that at all. Nice and relaxed, not fast paced, time in the middle to do whatever. I think he likes it!

brmummy42 · 19/06/2014 07:02

Hi..Ive just found this post and just wanted to add my opinion on Baby Sensory. I have two children now 5 and 2....and they both Loved Baby Sensory as did I. Every week was different and they were amazed (as was I) every week by the variety of activities. The start song is still one of their favourites and its amazing that they both still recognise it. I think the break in the middle of class was perfect, not only for the boys to have a wee break but for me to ( as a new mum I couldn't last an hour without a comfort break!!). The ideas to do things at home were great especially with my eldest and just having songs to sing and things to do. We tried lots of other activities but Baby Sensory stood out a mile and we tried some lo. Lcal free activities but were sooo busy and random that Id rather spend a bit of money and get something very worthwhile. Please don't let these comments put you off trying Baby Sensory, also make sure its actually Baby Sensory as Ive got a feeling some of them aren't....if I have another baby Ill definitely be going back....each to their own opinion, but had to add mine. L

Goldmandra · 19/06/2014 12:32

I took a childminded baby to a franchise baby sensory class and it was great. The music was quiet and there was lots of quiet play with the equipment and plenty of time for the babies to engage with and enjoy it. I really don't recognise the descriptions above.

I was also allowed one free session to see if the baby liked it before signing up for a course.

HellcatMomma · 19/06/2014 19:01

I'm so surprised about the bad experiences! I did Baby Sensory with my DS from 6 weeks to 14 months and it was the most amazing time ever. Fantastic music at a good level, really great activities, really good ideas for home as well as huge wow factor things that you just couldn't redo at home. I loved having that hour every week, where I knew I was with my DS with no distractions. I loved having a big play area with air beds and textures, pop up dens, activity tables ... All set up to explore. It's be really tough to get all that stuff up at home to allow baby to choose what they want to do, rather than force them to do what you can fit in at anyone time. Our teacher was incredible, great with the babies, always happy to help, informative and all the babies were fascinated with her. It was well worth the money, and I've done a lot of different classes! Baby Sensory is by far the best baby class out there, and I really think it helped my son to develop as well as helping us bond. It also seems to be the most well thought out and planned class I've done!

jaybirdsinginginthedeadofnight · 19/06/2014 19:53

Overall I find baby sensory classes good and both DD and DS enjoyed them. However from taking DD at around 3months old I didn't start taking DS until he was nearly 6 months old! I get the theory of why they should go from birth, but it is definitely appreciated (and feels like less of a waste of money) more when they are a little older. Our class leader is lovely and doesn't play music too loud or rush through anything although she does often run over time . Maybe it depends on whose running the class. DD will still (2.2) calm down for the 'say hello' song it's brilliant I have it on cd in the car

LovelyWeatherForDucks · 19/06/2014 21:36

I did them with DS at around 5 months....I considered them baby over-sensory classes...wayyyy too much excitement led to many meltdowns! The calmer, more repetitive rhyme time type classes were much better for us, much cheaper too.

Dizzy81 · 22/06/2014 23:07

I've not heard of these sessions. My local sure start centre has a sensory room which my lg loves, only downside is she can use it until she's one.

Flip