When my eldest daughter was about 1 1/2 years old I discovered Gymboree.  Not the clothing store, although they are related.  No, what I am referring to is a creative outlet for children 6 months to preschool age.  They do offer programs for children past preschool age…but seeing she was in school by then I didn’t really see the point.

We always had her enrolled in the Gymboree gym class but we also switched turns between having her in an art class and music class as well.  The gym class is cute and fun and includes parent participation.  The instructors sing, blow bubbles, and have little noise makers that grab the children’s attention.  There is time with a parachute and every week a theme is involved.  There are plenty of things for the children to climb, jump, or crawl threw.  And the children may pretend to be mail carriers, firemen, or even frogs, and spiders.

The cost is only $50 per month and the classes run for about an hour once a week.  Our daughters loved it!  I found that Gymboree is a small close knit community of parents and is a great way to network and make new friends.  My husband and I even ended up becoming good friends with the owner of the local Gymboree that we attended.  Even his children participated in the programs.

Gymboree is a great was to socialize young children as well as give them something to look forward to and an outlet for their little balls of energy.  Our daughter would always ask if it were Gymboree day yet.

So I say Hip hip hooray!  It’s a Gymboree day!