Are there any classes I can do with my 14 mo old dd??

[sugarbea]

I was put off mother and baby/ toddler groups when I had my DS 6 years ago. I didn't find it clique(y)??? like some people do but I couldn't stand most of the mums need to compete.. I actually saw a 5 month old baby fall flat on her nose because mummy was trying to show everyone how talullah can sit by herself. OR compare sleep patterns or eating habbits or baby wipes.

However I don't want my annoyance of all things yummy mummy to prevent dd playing with other babies her age. I saw something in the USA called gymboree that looked good but i'm not sure if they do anything like that where I live in London.

I know I sound really mean and i'm fully aware that sharing stories helps us all in a lot of ways and i've nothing against the mums that need that release but my DD has been through so much already I just want to have some fun with her..

Any ideas for classes would be greatly appreciated.

Gymboree does operate over here, look on their website to see if they are in your area

We do Tumble tots, music time,and a art and craft class ( your little girl might be a bit young for the art)

I hate mother and toddler groups and I can't really explain why! Although it does harden you for the school playground !

Hope you find something, oh and try typing in "things to do (adding the area you live in) into your browser and it should come up with something

We really enjoyed Kindermusik. Other music based classed include Rythmn Time and Jo Jingles.

What about Tatty Bumpkin yoga? We tried this at centreparcs onn holiday.

also birthlight might run toddler yoga aswell. www.birthlight.com

Check out your local gymnastics club as they might run toddler classes too.

Swimming lessons - we go to our local pool, but there are pribate orgnisatiosn like Water Babies.

DS is 2.5 now and we go to Rhythm Time on the day I don't work.

HAve a look at Tumble Tot and Action Kids too.

We also went to Mummy and Me pilates when he was tiny, run by local yoga studio.

Storytime at the library too.

thnaks everyone, will spend the day googling.

Looked up gymboree and it costs £40 a month for one 45 minute session a week! !!

There are several franchises around - Jo Jingles for example is a music based one. However you may find similar on offer at lower cost via Surestart Childrens' centre. Baby Swimming is another popular one offered by most public pools and leisure centres and many areas now have a Mum and Babes fitness/walking group.

tumble tots, sure start stay and plays and toy libraries that you can just hang out in, baby rhyme time in libraries, swimming also but as others hav aid, the waterbabies type franchises are very expensive so get on the council waiting lists.

Music with Mummy and Jollibabies are music class franchises for 6months to 4 years.

Local libraries do Rythym time and story time for preschoolers.

Some soft play areas have special sessions for pre-schoolers and have specific areas for babies.

Your HV should have a list of local activities, also local SureStart centre. Swimming and baby yoga were good for us. Birthlight do swimming as well as yoga, but also ask at your local pool.

My kids both loved tumble tots

Its not for everyone and i think as a franchise the quality depends on each area but we loved it

a big big vote for Gymboree here!!!

i have been taking dd since she was 13 months (now 19) and she loves it! the smile on her face when we get there.

as its organisd classes of an hour each is completely focussed on the toddlers and none of that unbearable mummy competitiveness or cliquey whispering in corners (or really really badly behaved toddlers hitting and kicking the smaller one!).

they do a sort of a gym type class with lots of climbing singing dancing and collecting balls/airshapes and such like which culminates in bubbles being blown.

they also do music classes which are fab. they get to play with a variety of instruments and lots of singing clapping to rythem and dancing.

just fab fab fab. yes for me its not an outing as such as there is no time for chat but for dd its the highlight of her week. we go twice a week and love it.

its also good physical activity (makes them tired) and good socialising with other toddlers (and bad behaviour such as hitting is not tolerated by the gymboree people).

apparently they do art classes too and dd is now old enough so am thinking of taking her to that too.