I have a soon to be 3 yr old daughter, she will be 3 in May, I am looking for organized activities, preferably sports, to start her in. She doesn't belong to any daycare or preschool, my work schedule allows me to take care of her for the most part and I have Grandma's help on the days that I work. I am a single mom so we are together all the time. I wanted to start to prime her for preschool and get her into interacting with other kids her age who are not family members. Any suggestions would be great or any other ideas are also welcome.
I have my 2.5 year old in Gymboree Play and Music. He LOVES it. My 5.5 year old son was in it when he was younger. They are located all over the place. Good place for kids to interact if they desire.
Bay Island Gymnastics near the Oakland/Alameda border is a great gym. My god daughter has been going there for 2 + years. My adult nephew taught there for 10 + years. West Coast Dance in Alameda is a great studio for dance. My nephew has danced there for 10+ years and my god daughter has been there for several months. They both love it.
If San Ramon works better for you, Diable Gymnastics is also a great gym for gymnastics.
Both gyms have good classes for mommy and me, and beyond. Great for all skill levels. My nephew now works at Diablo.
Best of luck to you,
N.
Alameda
try HARD www.haywardrec.org/brochure.html
both of my girls have done gymnastics through them and loved it. my oldest has done dance and is about to do soccer too. there's a music class i've heard is pretty good too. :)
hope that helps.
Not sure where you live but check out your city's Park and Rec Department. My daughter takes a soccer class and gym class=she started about 2 years.
There are also businesses like Little Gym and MyGym that offer classes.
Have fun!
Hi A.,
I used to take my 2 yr old to a few organized classes We started going to Music Together offered in Milpitas community center by Harmony makers. She still likes it and she is going to be 3.5 soon. She also goes to parent and me soccer class for 2.5 - 4 yr old. You may be able to get information about some classes like these from your local library. Hope this helps.
I am not sure where you live, but I signed my 2 yr old up for soccer at Lil' Kickers, in San Ramon on Old Crow Canyon Rd. They have a few different times each week to choose from. He really loves it and I love that he is learning a sport and interacting so wonderfully with the other kids his age. They are teaching the kids gradually and it is not strict with the rules of the game. They start at 18 months and go through 5 or 6. Each age group learns a little more until they are officially playing games. It really is wonderful and I am so glad I signed him up. When my daughter turns 18 months I plan on signing her up as well. Good Luck!
Jen
I just enrolled my three yr. old in swim lessons and she loves it.
Try Lil' Kickers at the SportsBladium in Alameda. They offer 50 minute classes- supposed to be focused on soccer (but include a lot of interactive activities- bubbles, parachute in the class). I have my 20 month old enrolled and he has attended 3 classes so far. He talks about it all week long. It took him a couple of classes to catch on to the class and now loves it. The parents participate at the 20 month old age. The classes go for 11 or 12 weeks (1x/week). They offer classes during the weekday, as well as the weekends. You can find them online.
Hi A.,
I don't know where you live, but towns like Pleasanton offer classes for kids via their Parks and Community Services Dept. Last year, my then 3-year-old daughter did "track and field" and it was a lot of fun. They also have soccer (and Sat. classes). I found the soccer was not very team-focused, it was more kids and parents doing the same skills, but then again that may be the case for all classes at that age. There's also a group called Pleasanton Mothers Club. If you enroll, you can join a play group of moms with other kids the same age as yours -- that's a great way to establish the weekly social hour. I hope that helps and good luck to you! J.
Hi,
Most cities have their own Community classes and activities for young children. You could look up your local City government's website for a link to this (usually related to City Park and Recreational services). At 3 years old, most cities offer swim (in the summer only), soccer, dance, singing...and some even have pre-school (which can be hard to get in, so it's good to research that now and know when the forms are due...). Have fun.
Hi A.,
There are many neighborhood activities that she can join, with or without you. Take a look at the seasonal activity directory for your city/community. They usually get mailed to you in the Fall and Spring. Classes and activities are discounted for residents. Or you can take a look online on the city websites (.org sites). There are loads for her to do - sports like swimming, soccer, dance, ice skating in the winter, martial arts, etc. Even yoga for moms and babies. You'll even find classes/playdates where you can meet other parents and she can make new friends. Local parishes sometimes have playdates as well. Good luck!
