Mommy and me classes, also known as “parent and me,” “parent and child,” or “caregiver and child” classes, are fun bonding experiences for you and your children. You pair up with your child to complete activities, sing songs, and learn new things together, and you get to meet other caregivers and children at the same time. There are many fun parent and child classes you can attend in and around the Plano area. Here are six of our favorites that you have to try.

Aqua-Tots

“Swimming August 2012” licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr by thomasrdotorg

Aqua-Tots is a fantastic swim school that offers group lessons for kids of all ages. The youngest little swimmers get to take class as Tadpoles, for babies 4 to 12 months. The next level up is Minnows, which is for tots ages 13 to 30 months. Both the Tadpoles and Minnows classes are parent and child classes, so you hold your baby in the pool and follow along with the instructor. During these classes, your child will develop breath control and infant self-rescue techniques, like rolling onto their back, floating on their back, and swimming to a pool’s edge. 

Another key benefit of these classes is that you, as the parent or caregiver, become more confident in handling your child in the water and better understand how to keep your child safe in a water emergency. 

The Plano location is located in Prestonwood Park at 6505 W. Park Blvd. Suite 220.

Golden Grip Gymnastics

Golden Grip Gymnastics offers tumbling and gymnastics classes to kids of all ages. One way to introduce your child to gymnastics and see if they like the activity is to take the Mommy and Me gymnastics class with them. These 45-minute classes are meant for children who are able to walk up to 3 years old. You and your little gymnast get to dance, practice basic tumbling techniques, and even get used to gymnastics equipment, including the balance beam, bars, and vault.

Golden Grip Gymnastics is located at 2320 Los Rios Blvd. Suite 106 in Plano.

Music Together

Music Together is a 45-minute class where you and your youngest join other parents and kids in learning music foundations like melody and rhythm as well as new songs. These classes are mixed-age, meaning you’ll be singing and dancing alongside infants and children as old as 5 years.

Music Together classes are a great way to introduce your children to music and get them interested in possibly pursuing it as a hobby or a creative passion. In addition, these classes also help your child develop fine and gross motor skills and a keen ear. What’s more, you can purchase Music Together CDs, songbooks, and other materials to keep practicing and having fun at home between classes.

You can take Music Together classes, both indoor and outdoor, at various local venues in the DFW area, but the closest location that offers these classes is Texas Dynamix Gymnastics in Plano. The address is 1901 Preston Park Blvd.

Kindermusik

Kindermusik is an internationally recognized infant and child music program, and you can take these classes with your little musicians in the Plano area. The Foundations, Level 1, and Level 2 classes are designed as parent and child classes where you and your child follow along with lessons. In the Foundations class, you and your infant (ages 0 to 18 months) learn new songs and fun musical rhymes, use back-and-forth vocal plays, and practice on age-appropriate instruments. 

The Level 1 class is for toddlers ages 1 and 2 years old, and it has you both using props like scarves and hoops, playing toddler-safe instruments, learning musical concepts like tempo, melody, and rhythm, and learning songs. The Level 2 class is for tots ages 18 months to 3 years old, and it is a little more high energy, with more movement and child-to-child interaction, instrument practice, and lessons on learning how to describe musical sounds, associate a picture with sound, and sing songs that challenge speaking abilities (in a good way!).

Other levels of classes still encourage parents to join in during a portion of the class, so no matter what class your child is taking, you still get to be a part of the fun. You can find Kindermusik classes at locations around the Plano area, including at the Heights Recreation Center in nearby Richardson and the Joe Farmer Rec Center in nearby Allen.

Dallas Museum of Art

Get creative with your toddler at the Dallas Museum of Art. Here you can take family classes and workshops that have you both learning to express yourself in unique ways with all sorts of media. Plus, the museum has classes for children of all ages. Art Babies is for kids 0 to 24 months old. Toddler Art is for kids ages 2 to 3 years old. Arturo’s Art & Me classes are meant for kids 3 to 5 years old. And the Family Workshops are for kids ages 6 to 12. The theme of each class varies, and class times and availability can vary month-to-month.

The Dallas Museum of Art is located at 1717 Harwood St. in Dallas.

Dallas Ballet Center

The Dallas Ballet Center offers a Mom & Tots class for kids 18 months to 3 years old. The classes train you and your toddler in basic ballet and dance techniques through games and activities. Some classes are even themed for the holidays and season in which you take them, making them that much more fun and engaging for the little ones. These classes promote balance, fine and gross motor skills, good posture, discipline, and a love of movement. They can also be a great introduction to ballet and dance overall, and you can determine whether your child might want to take more formal lessons in the future.

You’ll find the Dallas Ballet Center at 8530 Abrams Road Suite 608 in Dallas.

So there you have it, six parent and child classes in and around Plano, Texas. Did we miss any of your family’s favorite places for parent and child classes? If so, contact Crème de la Crème of Plano and let us know. We’ll be sure to add it to our list!