Baby
classes:
- Are a great way to introduce some structure to your baby’s weekly schedule.
- Encourage you to get out and about with your baby on a regular basis.
- Are a good way to meet other parents who are like minded. It’s nice to be able to discuss baby-related issues with people who you know are going through the same things as you are.
- Are great for giving you ideas of activities to do at home.
Here
are some ideas for baby classes which are available to parents. I have attended
each of these classes.
Baby Massage
Baby
massage courses are usually offered by either the Health Visiting team at
medical centres or by infant massage instructors. It is probably most suitable for
babies from 8 weeks old to pre-crawling age. We were invited to attend the 6
week course which was run by the health visitor at our local doctor’s surgery
and each session lasted for 45 minutes. We were shown the massage techniques
and built upon the different massage strokes for different parts of the body
each week, beginning in week 1 with just the legs, moving on to the tummy and
chest in week 2, followed by the rest of the body. Baby massage is said to help
with sleeping, to strengthen the immune system, help reduce colic and
constipation and improve skin texture. I think this is dependent on you doing
the massage not just in class, but also at home on a regular basis (this takes
some practice as there is no instructor to guide you!). The sessions were
enjoyable for us both (if he didn’t fall asleep during the session!) and it was
a lovely bonding experience.
Mummy’s verdict (out of 5)
Cost
(FREE)
Ease
of doing it at home
Enjoyment
Baby Yoga
Local
Baby Yoga classes are quite easy to find on Google. We attended classes at a
local children’s centre and the sessions lasted 1 hour each. In our group, babies could attend from 6
weeks old and the oldest baby was 6 months old. This class is probably more
suitable for younger babies as you will be lifting and swinging the baby a lot
which can get quite tiring! The classes involved gentle yoga stretches for the
baby which were intertwined with lovely songs and traditional nursery rhymes
(activities involved flying babies around singing ‘Zoom zoom zoom, we’re flying
to the moon’, or marching round as a group to ‘The Grand old Duke of York’
along with gentle dry massage). It also provided mums with gentle postnatal
exercise(nothing too strenuous!) . When I attended the classes, I really
enjoyed re-learning all the nursery rhymes which I hadn’t sung since I was a
child myself! At the end of the classes there
was a relaxation session for mummy and baby to enjoy a cuddle with soothing
music and bubbles which they were all fascinated by. All the exercises
were linked to a song or nursery rhyme so it was easy to remember them at home.
Mummy’s verdict (out of 5)
Cost
(£24 for 6 sessions)
Ease
of doing it at home
Enjoyment
Baby Sensory
Baby
Sensory is a franchise with classes which run at locations across the UK. We
signed up for the classes when Little One was 3 months old after a friend raved
about the Baby Sensory classes she had started. We went along to try out the
free taster session and we enjoyed it so much that I decided I just had to sign
up for the block of 10 sessions and make it a regular fixture in our week. Each
week has a different theme and we always look forward to seeing what surprises Becci
has in store for us to enjoy! Little One is able to experience a huge array of
activities to stimulate the senses including singing, sign language, lots of
original and traditional songs, rhymes, bubble machines, feathers, twinkly
lights, parachute games, smelly scent bags, flashing light balls, splish splash
mats, paddling pools, balls to roll on, musical instruments, windchimes and so
much more! These sensory activities give Little One the opportunity to take
part in group activities using resources I would not have access to myself. He
enjoys the sessions even more now that he is able to sit up and watch all the
hubbub of activity going on and it is a great opportunity for him to see and
communicate with other babies (although one of the downsides is the large size
of the group). At the end of the sessions, Little One is always ready for a nice
long nap and I go home with a wealth of ideas for sensory activities to try
with him (especially the simple ideas which you can repeat yourself with
everyday objects or by getting in tune with your creative side!). Baby Sensory
is definitely a highlight of our week and it is one of my favourite organised
groups that we attend.
Mummy’s verdict (out of 5)
Cost (£55 for 10 sessions)
Ease of doing it at home
Enjoyment
Rhythm Time
At 5
months, Little One was already a member of several baby groups, plus a weekly
participant at an NCT meet up with his baby pals. So when my friend told me
about Rhythm Time, my initial reaction was ‘I’m not sure if we can fit in yet
another class!’ but she was very enthusiastic and as a Music graduate I felt I
should definitely give Little One the opportunity to try out a specific baby
music group because I know how beneficial music is to babies. But was it worth
the money and was it worth the hour round trip to get there? YES! Along with
Baby Sensory, Rhythm Time is my favourite organised baby activity in the week
and from the response I get from Little One, I think it is also one of his
favourites too. The group is small and intimate (around 8 parents and 8 babies)
and there’s always a really friendly atmosphere about the room. Sessions are
roughly 30 minutes and run according to school terms. The activities within the
session are all based around a circle and ‘call and response’ singing forms the
basis of most activities. ‘Rat-a-Tat’ the rabbit puppet helps to lead the songs
and games and babies love the constant interaction with him. Our sessions
involve the use of a fabric sensory parachute and we sing scales and rounds
while wafting this up in the air or passing it round the circle. The songs are
really easy to remember and I end up singing them for the rest of the day! Babies get the opportunity to explore different percussion instruments as well,
and this helps them develop their strength and coordination skills. They also
get the chance to listen not only to classical music but also everyday sounds
such as steam trains and farm animal sounds. The group singing will help
develop your baby’s memory and language skills. Each session we attend ends
with a relaxation session (very similar to the end of the Baby Yoga session)
where babies lay on a blanket, listen to ‘Oh Danny Boy’ and watch bubbles float
around the room. Little One is absolutely mesmerised by this! I can't sing the praises of Rhythm Time enough!
Mummy’s verdict (out of 5)
Cost (Approx £4.50 a session)
Ease of doing it at home
Enjoyment
So,
is it worth attending baby classes? In my opinion, YES! I find it useful having
that element of structure to my week. I find the ideas and activities inspire
me to want to do even more fun things with him at home. Each baby is very
different but I definitely find Little One is more content when he has had a
trip out and had a change of scenery to home. I also feel better for getting
out and about as well. We don’t attend a class every day (some days we will go
for a nice walk and look at the ducks) but we aim to go to a couple
of classes each week. It’s a great opportunity to meet other parents and be
able to talk about baby-related stuff. It’s also a great way for your baby to
develop their social skills. My Little One is the youngest in our extended family by
around 20 years so it’s nice for him to meet other babies his age. The cost of
such classes can escalate quite easily, but do look out for free classes on
offer at your local Children’s Centre as there are some fantastic groups and sessions available.
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