The Wise Baby
The Wise Baby - The Definitive Baby Blog
There are countless reasons for you to join a class with your babe! Depending on the activity can help develop gross motor skills, they can help develop speech, they are good for socializing (for baby and mama) and so on. We have been taking classes with Harrison since he was about 4 months old. I am constantly researching the best age to take classes with H (Cannot wait for T-Ball next summer!!!!). I rounded up some popular activities for babies and toddlers by age. What activities are you excited to try with your babe?
Photo courtesy of Bubbles Academy (http://www.bubblesacademy.com), one of our favorite Chicago places!
Here are some things to consider before choosing a class:
- Consider naps/sleep schedules: This should be your first consideration. If the best teacher offers the most amazing class right smack in the middle of nap time and all your besties are signed up, c’est la vie! It’s not worth it!
- Kids all develop differently. Always call the facility and see what developmental cues your kiddo should show before starting the class. Some kids walk at 9 months and others at 18 months. There is a wide gap, so don’t just follow the age recommendations.
- Age range: I would suggest picking a location that offers classes for narrow age groups, for example, a class geared for 0-4 months opposed to 6 months – 2 years. The class should be geared for your child’s developmental age. Also, when you have your first infant, even a 6 month old can be a threatening germ-ridden monster crawling over to grab your precious angel on the face and infect it with a runny nose (check out this post on keeping your little one germ free)!
- Make up policy: Babies get sick/sleep in/wake up early/vacations/etc. There always seems to be something when it comes to getting to a classon time. Make sure to know the make up policy wherever you sign up. Most places understand that things come up and are super flexible!
-Cost: Activities add up quickly. I cannot imagine what it’s like when you have multiple children, oye. One way to keep costs down is to take community center or park district classes instead of private facility classes. Our Chicago park district offers hundreds (if not thousands) of great class options for every age and they are a fraction of the cost of other places. It may take a little more research to find out the good classes, and more effort to get into them, but if you have the patience these classes are often just as good and much less expensive!
Types of Activities:
Music Class (0 +months):
This is usually the first class kiddos start with. The biggest consideration before signing up is to make sure your infants immunity is okay for socializing. (Harrison was premature and we were advised against going to public places for several months). Most places are very diligent about sanitizing any shakers or other props. Take a tour or sit in on a class and make sure you are comfortable with their sanitation system.
Instruments (3/3.5 years):
After all those music classes, your kiddo may be interested in making some of their own music! I spoke to our local music school and they suggested taking a class introducing your child to all musical instruments. From there, you can see which instrument they enjoy most. This is an interesting article on how to pick the right instrument for your child (who knew). The biggest consideration for deciding when to sign up for a lesson is your child’s attention span, and at the toddler age this is a wide spectrum.
Swimming (6 Months):
Most programs start mom and tot swim classes at 6 months and some as young as 4 months. Classes require a one on one parent child ratio, so if you have twins, you will need two adults! This is a very popular class for tots and parents to enjoy together, but it’s just for fun! Most of these classes do not offer any pool safety instruction (for that check out this Today Show story on Infant Swimming Resource). The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends your child be 4 years old before starting formal swim lessons, taking your 6 month old to swimming will not increase their chances of being a better or faster swimmer. But if you just want to have a good old time with your baby these classes are a blast!
Soccer (18 Months):
This is a great first sport to do with your walker. Classes usually start around the 18 month mark, however, I suggest waiting until your kiddo has gotten steady on their feet. Harrison didn’t walk until 17 months and would not have been ready for class at 18 months. Soccer is great for improving motor skills by practicing walking backwards, balance by lifting one foot off the ground to tap the ball, and running. Our class provided uniforms which helps kids feel like they are part of a team too. A great first mommy and me sport activity!
Baseball (2 Years):
The classes are offered as young as two years old at our local program. When I called them to sign Harrison up, the instructor said that 2.5 years was the best age to start because thats when it “clicks” for them. Until then, we will be practicing at home with our own T-Ball Set
Dance (18 Months):
At the younger ages (18 Months -2.5 years) most places I found only offer mom and tot classes. At the toddler age, kiddos can learn to move in different ways to different types of music. They are also learning to follow directions from their teacher and socializing with peers. Pre Ballet doesn’t begin until 4 years old, which is when a child’s attention span is developed enough to follow instructions. Traditional ballet classes don’t begin until 8 years old when bones are developed enough.
Gymnastics (18 Months):
Once your kiddo is walking you can do gymnastics. Most programs I found were open play type of classes until 2.5/3 years. However, in the two different programs we have done, the instructors were always great at setting up a great learning environment. They made different obstacle courses, taught Harrison how to do a roll over and to hang from bars. There was also very closely monitored trampoline play. It’s a lot of work on the parent side (expect to jump into the foam pit with your babe), but the instructors are great at helping you get the most out of the equipment. This was probably my husbands favorite activity to do with Harrison.
Language ( 1 Year):
It is never too early to start taking a language class! The traditional language schools offer classes for kids as young as one. The classes for toddlers involves singing in another language, arts and snack time. We tried this with Harrison around 18 months and it seemed a bit advanced for him. I think a language school setting is great for kids a bit older, 2 years and up. Our local music schools offer music class in different languages which seems like a better setting for one year olds. These classes you can start as young as you like too!
Art Classes (15 Months):
This is another class where your kiddo should be walking first. There is a lot of sensory stimulation going on and it takes some kiddos a little longer to get there. We took art when Harrison was 18 months and he was just not into it. He didn’t have the attention span and strongly disliked getting paint on himself and touching new and different textures. Only recently did he get into drawing at home and playing with play dough so I would be interested in trying the class now. We have lots of friends that have been into coloring from around their first birthdays though, so definitely take cues from your kiddo. And expect that BOTH of you will get messy!
Cooking Classes (2 Years):
Around two is the perfect age to take a cooking class. For one, a toddlers dexterity is developed enough to use simple cooking utensils. This is also the age when otherwise great eaters, may become a little picky. Getting kids cooking is a great way to educate get them on what’s going into their bodies. There are also many reports that if your child is involved in the cooking process, they are more likely to eat what they made. Cooking classes are great for getting picky eaters to eat more variety and to encourage healthy eating in general.
Martial Arts: (3-4 Years):
Most studios take Kids at age 4 years old, and some take kids as young as 3 years old. There are many benefits to taking a martial arts class, check out this Parenting article on it. At the young ages there is less focus on teaching the perfect kick or punch and more about self control and to respect their elders. What toddler doesn’t need help with that?
What activities have you tried or do you plan to try with your little one?
Baby & Toddler Activities
Lisa