When I had my first child, I was dying to get out of the house and join a baby play group so I could meet some other mums with babies the same age. The solution? Kindermusik. It was the only mummy & me class in Gaborone. Suddenly I was meeting mums who provided me with some adult conversation after weeks of being home alone with a screaming infant.
At that time (early 2015) Kindermusik was the only option. If we were unable to make it to the Thursday morning class, that was it! There was nothing else for us to do for a whole week. As much as Little Lamb and I enjoyed the class (we still attend), we needed more options for activities and days of the week. I’ll admit, I was jealous of my friends overseas who were able to attend library story times, swimming classes, and baby sensory classes pretty much any day they wanted. I wasn’t the only mum who felt this way – and that’s how SensoBaby came about. But I digress.
Getting out of the house is just one of the many reasons to join a mummy and me baby play group. Here are a few others.
Enhance Your Baby’s Development
According to research the birth-to-three period is the fastest rate of brain development across the entire human life span, and social interaction boosts the speed and accuracy of learning at all ages.
When you go to a baby play group or class, your baby benefits from developmentally beneficial stimulation and social time. Talking, singing, reading, playing and exploring objects and physical space are the best ways to stimulate brain development. The teachers work hard to bring this sort of learning play to each class in imaginative and fun ways.
Your baby wouldn’t benefit as much if you (or a nanny/caregiver) weren’t there with her. Babies learn what is important to pay attention to by following the eye gaze of adults so they truly need a supportive adult to guide them through their learning.
The scheduled one-on-one time you and your baby have at a play group will help establish the bond you and your baby have. This bond prepares children to better handle stress throughout life.
The Mess Is Not In Your House
Here’s a very honest reason to do a baby class somewhere else: the mess is not in your house. Have you ever tried to clean glitter out of tile grout? Or seen how difficult it is to get paint off a baby after an innocent handprint?
At this age, it never is really about the end result, but about the sensory process. Babies as young as 4 months can benefit from art, sensory and messy play. That means getting down and dirty, throwing water or rice or oatmeal all over the place. Even at a class you may want to stop your child from making a mess but the teachers encourage it! Its a safe space to explore colours, textures, smells, and more.
Join a Baby Play Group To Socialise
Yes, you and your baby will spend quality one on one time together at a play class. But connecting with other mums at that class can be just as beneficial.
Motherhood can be very isolating. Everyone’s heard the statement, “It takes a village to raise a child”, but not everyone has a village these days. A village needs to include other mums with children the same age, not just your family or friends who may or may not have older kids.
Pregnant mums can attend baby play classes (or antenatal classes) as a way to start meeting others before their babies are both. This is a great way to warm up to motherhood and get to see and hold a newborn before yours comes along. Plus you’ll be able to bond with the other expectant mums to support each other through the whole process of birth and those tough few weeks of motherhood.
Yes, You Should Bother! 🙂
A baby play club or class isn’t just about fun and games with a baby. It is about nurturing yourself and your bond with your baby. Its a way for new mums to learn about parenting in a fun and safe environment. So go ahead and embrace the silliness of playing together publicly… you and your baby will both love it!
Click here to view the upcoming class and special event schedule at SensoBaby.