Seeking outdoor classes for toddler
Hello parents,
im looking for outdoor group activities and classes for my 16 month old toddler, being it music, swimming, reading etc. we live in north Berkeley. Are there any recommendations?
also, are there any baby gyms other than Gymboree in town that the toddlers can go to?
will appreciate hints.
thanks!
Apr 9, 2023
Parent Replies
Playzone in Oakland is awesome and easy to get to. It’s a newer small business opened by a parent who wanted an indoor gym for their child.
We started enjoying outdoor toddler music classes around that age. We did Music Together in Live Oak Park and Jon’s School of Music at Totland and at Arlington Park in El Cerrito, but they both have several locations.
The North Branch Library has storytime on the lawn on Wednesday mornings, weather permitting (not sure whether this is moving back inside). There are usually lots of kids who go to storytime and also to the playground at King Park, just down Hopkins, before or after.
As for gyms, the parent/child Bear Cubs 1 level gymnastics classes at UC Recreation are great. Consistently fun and engaging for the kids, and they definitely helped my daughter’s motor development and coordination. At one point we left the Bay Area and put her in one of the nationally franchised children’s gyms instead, and she didn’t get nearly as much out of it.
I believe Cal Recreation also offers popular parent/toddler swim classes at Strawberry Canyon Pool, but we haven’t taken them ourselves.