activities/classes/lessons for a 3 year old?

[caedmyn]

DD's gramma spends a ton of money on Christmas gifts, and is always looking for suggestions. DD doesn't really need any clothes, and she definitely doesn't need any more toys, so I thought maybe I'd suggest that her grammy get her some sort of lessons or classes. What would be good for a 3 year old? I can't think of anything except tumbling classes. She loves artsy stuff--do they do classes for that sort of thing for young kids? FWIW DD is very shy and clingy in new situations so that's kind of a concern with trying to pick an activity.

[mamatoakd]

Depends on what is offered near you. In my area, the options are almost endless! If your dd is shy, a mommy and me music class might be fun.... The YMCA generally offers mommy and me gymnastics classes (my girls loved them!).

[caedmyn]

There's not a YMCA near here I don't know if mommy & me classes would work unless they mostly involve sitting down since I'll have the baby with me, too.

[4Marmalade]

The only thing my 3-1/2 year old is taking right now is swimming lessons. She's been taking them for a couple of years now but she absolutely loves going every week. We used to do a music class that she enjoyed but then went through a "shy" period and didn't want to go any longer. If we had some sort of free gymnastics thing around here I think she might be interested in that.

[friendly fire]

kindermusik

[Erica09M]

Originally Posted by friendly fire

kindermusik

This would be my suggestion as well. I have a 3 year old and I've been looking into doing kindermusik with her, but since I'm a full-time student and my husband works a lot, it's a little more challenging to find the time. Once classes are over, I think we're going to go ahead with it.

[Sierra]

ds is taking a Montessori class at a local homeschool center. We've done swim lessons in the past (I even did mom-and-me swimming with ds when dfd was only six months...put dfd on my hip in this waterproof front/hip carrier I had from One Step Ahead). The art museum near us has great art classes, and I believe some may start at three but I am not sure. Where we used to live, there was a children's museum that started offering classes to kids at three. We did babygym and tot gym through our ciy parks and recreation department for a while in our old city, but ds wasn't to into them and our new city doesn't seem to have such a parks and rec department that offers classes.

[caedmyn]

Originally Posted by friendly fire

kindermusik

What is kindermusik?

[aprildawn]

My 3.5 yr old takes dance at a studio near our house. It's a combo tap and ballet class. She loves it. It's actually Mother's Day Out from 9:30-11:00 and dance from 11:00-12:00 on Wednesdays. She can't wait to go each week.

[wannabe]

Mine does gym and swimming. Both have options for early three year olds to have mother inclusive classes or independent ones.

[jmo]

My 3yo takes gymnastics and is starting ballet after the holidays. She's pretty shy too and we did a mommy and me gymnastics class for several sessions and she's just now doing the "big kid" class without me.

[Nautical]

I would suggest checking the community boards of Craigslist.org. In our area there are toddler art classes. Perhaps there is something like this in your area as well.

[Norasmomma]

Could you find a mom and tot yoga class? My DD(2) and I just did one, but she is a complete extrovert, so she wanted to lead the class. It really was just too slow and not enough action for her. Today Dh saw her watching Sesame Street and they were at a karate class and she was doing the moves...much more her thing. I may talk to the local Tae Kwon Do school to see if she could do a class there, because she would love that. She'd also love tumbling, yoga was too umm, boring for her. I didn't really enjoy it because she just would start freaking out about 15 minutes into a 30 minute class. All the other kids liked it, but my DD is exponentially more active than most kiddos who were in the class.

[Sotevenn]

I did a toddler/preschooler mom & me dance/music class w/dd & carried the baby in a sling/moby while we danced & sang. Both of them loved it, the baby slept thru most of the class.

[mamadebug]

We did art and gymnastics through parks and rec, as well as swimming and music (not through parks and rec). Check with parks and rec in your area - I know ours offers science, karate, mini sports and lots others for kids as young as 3, and either requiring parent participation or where parents can sit in the room and watch (dance type classes). My DS loves going to classes, and while I really enjoy doing them with him, I love that I get a break from thinking up the activity and cleaning up after it. A lot of moms bring younger babies and wear them in a carrier.

[flapjack]

We do drama, and it's been fantastic for Skye's self-confidence; she's also quite shy in new social situations.

[boatbaby]

What about a museum or aquarium membership? Or an outing you can do together? My step-dad got DS and I tickets for the local pirate boat ride which he LOVED. And his uncle got him a horse drawn carriage ride to do with me during x-mas lights season.

[aylaelise]

If I had the funds i would take part in the local nature conservatory classes for preschool age

[LittleBlessings]

My preschooler loves swimming lessons and im thinking about gymnastics

[haleyelianasmom]

My 3 year old daughter takes creative dance and creative tap. It's great because at our studio it is very fun-based. She LOVES the story-based dances (as in "we're going to the beach! everyone lay on your beach towel on put on some sunscreen! ooh, it's hot, let's jump in the water!" etc. ) I teach it, too, and the kids really have a fun time. Just make sure you find the right studio because there are other studios out there that expect a lot from the kids it seems (standing still and doing dance steps in a straight line with no music or story or imagination to go with it). See if you can get a complimentary first lesson or observe before signing up.

ETA: We also used to do open gym at a gymnastics center. She was 2 and very shy, but we stayed with her and she could do whatever she felt comfortable with, which by the end she was climbing the climbing wall by herself, swinging on the rings, jumping in the pit, jumping on the trampoline and tumble track, doing the balance beam (with a little help)... it was a lot of fun! We loved it there, but we moved and haven't found an open gym quite as good here.

Also, some horse stables offer riding lessons for kids as young as 3. I've heard that some places start violin lessons at 3, but I'm not sure how that works. Sounds interesting though, assuming it's fun, not high-pressure.