Tumble tots - any opinions?

[DebL]

Any one have any comments about Tumble tots or Gym Babes. I am thinking about taking DD to a gymbabes session, but at £4 per session it seems expensive. Is it worth it? Also wondered what other active baby classes are available?

thanks

My nephew used to go to tumble tots, progressing to a gym club when he was old enough, and loved it. If anything it has made him over confident. Not sure how much it cost though - £4 does seem a bit OTT.

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They do free trial classes so you can try it out

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DS1 enjoyed it immensely (we went until he was about 16 months) and then I stood there and thought "Why on earth am I teaching my child to climb ladders??".

Mine both love Tumble tots. It seems to give them confidence and got us out with the same regulars. As it is indoors you don't need to worry about the rain, cold, what has been dropped in the park... Also all the children in the class are about the same age and are less likely to dominate the younger ones, something I think happens in the park around here.

I wasn't so keen on Tumbletots - I did take my DS for a 6 week course, he was just under one at the time, but thought it was quite expensive .. might be better for slightly older children though.

we didn't like Tumble Tots (that is dd and I!). Didn't get any free trial classes at ours - had to pay £8 up front for two weeks (even tho' I explained we were going away the following wk and wouldn't be there), and were given a pack of stuff. I suppose they vary from place to place, but ours was held at a local church hall. All apparatus was on hard wooden floor - some had a mat at the end of apparatus, but none as you were going along - consequently when dd fell off the ladder she was wlking along, she got a bit of a shock!
Main reason we didn't go for it tho', was the fact it was so regimented (and again, this probably varies place to place). we all had to start at the beginning, and work our way round in one direction. Consequently, a gaggle of agitated two yr olds queuing for the first piece of apparatus, with every other piece in the room free. We got told off for going in the wrong direction too! Dd likes to run around with free abandon (usually with something on her head), not even necessarily going on the equipment, just going round it. Now take her to our local gymnasium club, which gets loads of stuff out, and lets the kids go mad.

Didnt like Tts either. The women running my group just sat in the corner and chatted, never came over with suggestions for ds (he was at the crawling stage). ~I left after one term. Then I tried again when ds was 2.5 but he still didnt enjoy it so we quit. Imo the park is more fun and cheaper. There again, if you have a good leader it would probably make all the difference.

DD loves Gymbabes. We pay £3.50 a session, term time only. She has been going since she was 6 months old - she is now 13 months. You can get a free session if you buy papmers active fit nappies - at the moment anyway.

At DD's class it lasts 45 minutes. To start with we send a few minutes doing warm up massages and an action song, then the children go on all the equipment. At this age there is no set routine, it is child led. There are balancing bars, climbing equipment, see-saws, trampoline, places to do rollie-pollies, balls and bean bags, tubes to crawl through, and lots more other toys and push alongs. At the end of the session we then sit down in a circle again and have a quieter,calming action song. Then at the end the children get a sticker each - or maybe do 'happy birthday' if required.

Tumble Tot classes are more structured with less sitting down bits. There is more emphasis on the equipment.

DD loves it so much. When she first started she couldn't crawl properly but still gots lots of confidence and enjoyment from it. As she got more and more mobile she has gained even more. At 10 months she was a stable walker, great at climbing and knows to come down backwards. As we don't have stairs at home this is good for her to have learnt. She looks forward to every session. As soon as she puts her gym babes t-shirt on she is leading me out of the front door ready!

By the way, you also pay £15 a year membership which includes your t-shirt, the Right Start magazine 4 times a year, and other bits and pieces.

We find it worth every penny.

bunny2 - agree about the leader. Our leader is great as are the assistants. They are fully engaged with the children at all times, and clearly love helping the children with the activities.

God I loved Tumbletots as the women running it looked after the children full-on and it was the mums who could sit in the corner and have a chat (except for the circle time when we had to all sing songs). We went for 3 years, right up to the age for Gymbobs.

Oh forgot! Also we were not charged for sessions we didn't/couldn't attend.

I went (gymbabes) before DD could crawl, and found it a bit pointless. A friend (who may well post on here sooner or later) carried on going, cause her DD seemed to enjoy it - but poor thing got a nasty illness a couple of days after attending every class - and she felt the coincidence was too much. She has stopped going and has been well ever since. She also felt the equipment was mucky and not cleaned. I would suggest it is better however, for your toddlers. I do think it's quite expensive and our class insists on whole terms being paid for up front, plus the yearly subscription fee.

Our babes get a lot more from our local playgroup (75p and as much tea as you can drink!)

Must admit didn't go to gymbabes but started at the next level up which is "confident walker" in my dd's case 15 months.

Yes, we pay termly up front too BUT if you can't attend and you let the leader know (we all have her mobile number) she will carry it over 'till next term - so you pay less next time.