There are dozens of quality parent & me classes in and around New York City. There are music classes, movement classes, gym classes, yoga classes, swim classes, art classes, etc. As a parent, it is difficult to figure out and select which classes are the best fit for you and your child. As a stay at home dad, I highly recommend taking a few classes during the week with your child. There are so many benefits for your child including enhanced social interaction skills, using fine-motor skills, and bonding with you. Plenty of benefits for the parents as well – learn some great parenting best practices by talking about your latest challenges with the other parents & provide some structure to your day.
How do you figure out which parent & me classes are right for you? Most dads and parents I speak to take classes that their friends are taking, go by word of mouth, or select the class based on cost. I use those options to help me select a class as well. However, I use another powerful option before I am willing to fork over the cash for a class…signing up and taking a free trial class. Most music and gym classes that I have checked out offer free demo or trial classes. By taking a trial class, I am able to see if the class is the right fit for my son. I have taken some free trial classes that I really enjoyed, like the Early Ear, but my son was upset and fussy the whole time. This class might be better suited for us next year when Jake might appreciate learning more about musical instruments.
Gymboree Play & Music offers free trial classes as well – this place was a great fit for Jake & I, and we have been members for the last few seasons. I enjoy that we can take a gym class and then stay after class for open gym time. Eastside-Westside Music Together is another talented company that offers free trial classes. Baby Fingers, sign language, offers free trial classes as does the Liittle Gym of the UWS… & the list goes on and on.
Please share some of the classes that you have enjoyed that offer trial classes. In summary, take advantage & sign up for a free demo or trial class this summer, and check out the various Parent & Me classes that are offered around NYC. You will be glad you did!
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