What to do? Swimming, Gymbaroo or Kindermusic

[Rainbowbrite]

I cant decied, which would you recommend as an activity for a 13month old? Just want to get her out doing stuff. Gets me out of the house too :yes:

[Oscar's mum]

I have only ever taken Ozzy to swimming and that was very stressful for both of us and he hated it!

So I picked Gymbaroo, it sounds more like it would tire bub out and you could get some rest too!

[zenifa]

Depends on what your baby likes to do - most places have a free first lesson, so I would try them all & see which one MJ enjoys the most - also it depends on your budget - my 10mth old DD goes swimming weekly and loves it - pool is indoor and heated, so we are continuing through winter!! Good luck choosing!!

[Chickadee]

We did Gymbaroo from around 1 to 2 years. I found it good not only for her, but that it helped me learn what she was capable of doing and how to help her to develop. I wouldn't have believed that she would be climbing ladders so soon! (in fact, she was slow compared to most kids there). They have open days from time to time, or just phone to ask if you can stop in and watch.

We started swimming at just over 2 years. DD loves it and I don't think has missed out by not starting earlier, although of course I wouldn't know for sure.

We haven't tried Kindermusik or any of the variations of it, though they now come to DD's daycare once a week. But apparently the early music is supposed to be great for bubs. There is some music & rhythm time in Gymbaroo.

[Adria]

My choice was for swimming. Mainly because i wanted her to be water safe. I started her at 5 months and she loves it. We go to a heated pool so its all year round. I did look into Gymbaroo but its was as expensive as swimming:(

[annb]

I do swimming and Kindermusik now with DS who is 18mths old. I did Gymbaroo when he was about 14wks old for 2 terms then gave up coz I didnt think he was getting any benefit and it got boring....we started again when he was 14mths old as Kindermusik didnt do classes till 18mths....Gymbaroo drove me mad at that age, all he wanted to do was climb on the ladders and run around....whenever it was mat time he sat still for about 10seconds then he was off so I spent the whole time running around after him. Yes the climbing was great and he is very confident on steps and in the park but I felt it was a waste of time/money when we could just go to the park ourselves!!! Kindermusick we have done for 1 term and so far so good, its lots more enteratining and more sociable for him, lots of different musical instruments to use and we also use hobby horses, hoops, balloons, even washing baskets!!

[JasmineLouise]

I would choose swimming. Simply because i think it a vital skill that could one day save their life. :yes:

[JnA]

We have done swimming since she was 5 months old, mainly for the water awareness and safety thing. (and I am a keen swimmer and can never remember *not* being able to swim)

I have just finished a term of Gymbaroo and didn't like it. Jade got bored and there was really nothing they were showing us that we didn't already do at home anyway. I thought it was too expensive for what we weren't getting out of it ;)

I have looked into Kindermusik, but next term it clashes with swimming and I would rather do that.

But, as you can see from other responses, it depends on your bub. I would go with the free lesson and try it out. I didn't do that with Gymbaroo and I wish I had have.. even still it was only one term.. no big deal really.

Good luck finding something suitable for both of you.

[OceBel]

i chose swimming because i see it as very important for a child to know. water safe and etc.

[sarah81]

I would probably choose Gymbaroo but the less expensive version. Community centres or kindergym run the same thing as gymbaroo but much cheaper. I have done both Gymbaroo and kindergym, the latter being just as good and much cheaper.

If i had less active children I may have chosen kindermusic.

[superbaby]

We have done both Gymbaroo and Kindermusik, but can't see us doing swimming yet as DS is still freaked out by water on the head! My DS loves Kindermusik, and loves the music/movement element of Gymbaroo but has never liked the equipment part much. This term (with all the extra winter bugs) we have decided to just do Kindermusik, as smaller classes, less sick kids to come in contact with. I think it depends on each child as to what might be best. You could just do one Gymbaroo and Kindermusik class to check them out. I know Gymbaroo don't offer a free trial class anymore but think Kindermusik does?

[Me]

I chose swimming along with many others due to the life-long safety benefits that kids get from it. I have been taking dd since she was 8 weeks old(too young in many peoples eyes) but at 5mths old she already knew to close her mouth and take a big breath before going under the water, as well as knowing to swim to the side and hold on - vitally important to me seeing as we have a pool at home.
Each to their own really. It also depends on if you want it to just be a social thing or to be more of a learning experience?

Good luck and enjoy!

[draught]

I have taken my girls to swimming lessons and took DD1 to gymboree (as it is in Qld - slightly different to gymbaroo.) Although I think that water awareness is good, swimming lessons don't create a safer environment for children around water until they are about 5, so not starting swimming is not going to harm their safety or water development. If you are looking for interaction with other adults and children all three are good - my suggestion would be to try gymboree while it is winter and then you can always give swimming a go in summertime!

[reddwarf]

I personally believe swimming to be the most important one. We live in Australia and a large part of our culture revolves around water (after all it is a HUGE island). I chose swimming as my children's early activity as I wanted them to be a bit water savvy IYKWIM? Both my kids weren't too fussed in the first few weeks but once they were used to it we couldn't stop them. Dd (7) went to a birthday party earlier this year and they got her to come out of the pool for the birthday cake and that was all :rolleyes: . And ds (2) races us to the pool to be first in after screaming his way through his first 3 lessons :rolleyes:

[vavavanny]

I take DS to swimming, gymbaroo and hey dee ho music (used to take him to kindermusik - but group crumbled)...

But if you cant take bubs to all three - swimming is certainly a lifesaving skill..

DS was 8 weeks old when he started Gymbaroo and Music and 6 months old when he started swimming. I have made great friendhips in all three activities and so has he. It's amazing, he looks forward to it.

Good luck :)

[vavavanny]

Must say, out of all three activities - Gymbaroo is probably my favorite.

DS seems to like them all though....

[Rhoxie]

I chose swimming because that is the one I found to be most fun and value for money at that age. However you can always mix and match.

Eg
Swimming during Terms 1 & 4 and Gymbaroo for terms 2 and 3.

Depending on where you live it also might help to have a look around for the non-name brand gym classes or music classes - ones where you can pop in and out with out signing up and costing yourself a fortune.

Our local council runs a toddler gym program which is $6 per class and our local PCYC (police and citizens Youth centre) also runs tiny tots gym for $5 per class both of them you turn up when it suits and if you don't go you don't pay.

For the music have a look around for council programs, library programs and playgroups. Most playgroups have a music, songs, nursery rhymes component and so do some council/library programs. (and both of these are far cheaper than kindermusik - library is usually free, playgroup around $2 per week and council programs usually free).
At that age nursery rhymes and simple songs (clapping the beat, recognising familiar tunes etc) are the key components of musical awareness & appreciation. (They also help with future maths and reading skills ;) ) .

[NutsyK]

Hi,

While I think all three are useful, if I could only choose one I'd choose Swimming. It could save their life one day.. you may think "well they won't be going swimming for the first few years" but you'd be amazed at the situations you'll be in that could require swimming skills.. such as going to a motel that has a pool, a friends place that has a pool, to the beach, to an area that has a lake nearby.

We will be doing 2 activities.. which is Swimming and Gymbaroo. Basically Saturdays will be our days that we do things like that with Patricia. I'm back at work full time so we can afford to do that sort of stuff now..

Sally

[TripleTime]

I can't stand kindermusic, gymberoo isn't far behind. Swimming it would be for us & living near the beach knowing how to swim is vital.

[mum2bubba]

I don't know as mine only does swimming, but maybe gymbaroo would be good.

[SorenLorensen]

swimming.

swimming is a life saving skill the other options are just not as important.