Gymbor-ing

Is it just me, or is anyone else underwhelmed by the play classes offered by a particular, rather cost-prohibitive, children's retailer?  Madeline and I received a gift certificate for a month of free classes back at a FamousBabies film we saw months ago, so I enrolled her for January. The classes just don't seem to amuse her that much.  Perhaps I overstimulate her at home, but the body-awareness activities don't get her excited, and I sing to her plenty during the day (and the songs are a little less cheesy).  The one thing that she does seem to like is the big colourful parachute and the cool pop-resistant bubbles. Anyway, our last free class is on Thursday, and I don't think I'm going to rush to pay to continue with these classes.  I think they're about $13 each, and that's a lot of money for 45 minutes, no?

Comments

[Jaime]

I wouldn't be all that inclined to pay that much for pretty much any class. We get alot out of playgroup at the Ontario Early Years Center and it's free!! The other thing we love doing is going swimming! That is fantastic you do some wonderful things at home, and you got to playgroup too right?

[Sarcastic Journalist]

i don't get those classes. I could never bring myself to pay that money for someone else to help me play with my kid.

[Helen]

Sometimes I think that our society places too much emphasis on "teaching" our children stuff, when they should just be using their imagination to play on their own. (I'm not referring to regular school or swimming lessons or soccer practice, but the more 'out-of-the-ordinary' stuff that's out there). $13 an hour to be taught how to play with your child? Ludicrous. Laura, I'm sure the quality time that you spend with Madeline is worth more than any structured class out there.

[rf]

Somewhere around 20-24 months she will LOVE the gymbor.... program, but it will still be damn expensive. At here age I imagine that you are right, she is very stimulated and therefore the class is a waste.

Parks and Rec departments across the country have mommy and me classes and a fraction of the cost, if not free, they also have more active gym classes for the 20-24 month ones.
It's awesome that you are keeping her so busy and trying these things out.