Gymbor-WEEEEEEEEEE!

Arriving back in London last Sunday felt a little bit like we’d just come back from a great holiday and a tiny bit flat. I think it’s partly because I got used to being really busy, busy, busy with my Tabard business, what with all the sewing and sending off samples whereas this week it’s been more just waiting on answers – not nearly as fun! And of course we had SUCH fun at BeWILDerwood last week that it really did make us feel like we were holidaying. So it’s back to the daily grind and on with our real life; which actually isn’t all that bad it just involves an awful lot of washing, cleaning and paperwork and a lot less creativity but… Not long now till we off to Turkey so I really shouldn’t complain.

We’ve also done some catching up with friends since being back which is definitely good for Florence. She loves seeing her Grandparents but I think she does miss her lovely little pals and come to think of it, so do I! Before I had a baby I just went to work and came home again. If we went out in the evenings it was rarely close to home choosing instead to frequent the more popular and dare I say it ‘trendy’ areas of London such as Shoreditch and Camden. There was no way we knew anyone else in our area but thanks to my girl and the people we’ve met together at the brilliant Sure Start groups we’ve finally got to know the place where we live and it’s a great little area to be. We live within walking distance to four different Sure Start Centres so there’s pretty much something on daily – we’re very lucky. Sure Start was an absolute life line for me. If I hadn’t gone to that first Under Ones club and got talking to a lovely lady I now consider a great friend who introduced me to loads of other people then it could have been a very lonely period. Having a baby is the greatest thing in the world but without the sort of network Sure Start enables I’m sure it could also be very solitary. As for the children? Well, the benefit they’ve gained from having that interaction and at such a young age I can only think is invaluable. I find it hard to fathom how David Cameron can with one breath say that early education is the most important and with the next say he wants to make cuts to Sure start? Doesn’t he realise that the earliest education is given at these wonderful places? Anyhoo, we’ll all just have to keep our fingers crossed that Sure Start gets some more funding and stays open because I’m sure that without this service many children will surely miss out.

Speaking of early education, this brings me on to the review of the week. If you’re fortunate enough to be able to afford to do lovely things with your children without the aid of services such as Sure Start then I have to say Gymboree is a real treat! I got in contact with the closest franchise of Gymboree near us to find out more and they invited me over to Islington to enjoy a free trial in one of each of their classes; music, art and gym. (This is something offered to everyone as a try before you buy scenario, at every Gymboree across the land.) We rocked up yesterday morning through rush hour on the tube and just a little bit frazzled but as soon as we walked in to the art class our travel troubles were forgotten as we got thoroughly involved in contributing to the wall mural which was being attacked by 8 other little ones. I think it must have been quite liberating for my little girl to just be given a paint pot and a brush and shown the wall where she was to not avoid as per usual but splurge with paint. Usually messy play in our house involves an awful lot of “don’t draw there”, “NOT on yourself Florence!” and “Quick let’s wash it off” so to be able to paint in a room geared up completely was a lovely experience for her. We have of course done lots of messy play sessions in the past but there was something different about the way this was being played. Holly, who was taking the class sang everything and was really engaging, I think the children were quite enchanted by her and when it was time to sing bye, bye paints, no one complained or had a tantrum instead pied piper like helped clear up. Holly swiftly and efficiently moved onto the next lot of art work which was colouring in paper plates like sunshine and sticking bits of whatever you fancied out of her bag full of shiny and interesting papers. The theme for the class was ‘A sunny day in the park’ and as each little piece of art work came to a close, was cleared up with a song and moved onto the next it really did feel sunny and just as fun as a day in the park. By the time we got to the end of the class and our children were running in their bare feet (A pre requisite of all the classes to allow for traction and safe climbing) across first ink pads and then a paper pathway rolled out on the floor we were already fans of the Gymboree art classes and were looking forward to today where we were due to take part in both music and Gym.

So this morning Florence and I braved the Central Line in rush hour again, this time with the added bonus of London literally having the heavens open upon it and headed back up to Islington. Knowing where we were going meant I could just get my head down and push through the throngs of people all the while getting rained on. It’s a bit of a bother needing both hands to push a buggy leaving none free for an umbrella so by the time I arrived I looked like I’d just stepped out of the shower! We had music up first and as per the art class were met by a lovely lady called Jenny who had the most super voice and clearly loves to sing. Being the music class there was of course a lot more singing than the day before, however the same tone rang throughout all of the classes with the same simple tune to put things away and say good bye to them, a consistency which is nothing much but clearly defines the differences between Gymboree and other classes. This is about education as well as fun and it does it in a gentle but effective way. It’s a lovely atmosphere to be in with your child and I think it really does promote learning with them. If you’re a little shy yourself you may struggle as you are expected to join in with the children but for me, an ex stage school girl, it was thoroughly enjoyable! The music class’s theme was ‘Broadway’ so we had some well known tunes to sing along with, repeat back to and play along with jolly instruments. We danced and sang and really did have a great time and were sad to realise that the class had finished in what felt like 15 minutes but had in fact been almost an hour. Time flies when you’re having fun! We then rushed back up the road to Islington’s main Gymboree building where the gym class was about to begin. Just in case I wasn’t wet enough as I peeled back on my completely soaking denim jacked I got a fresh sprinkling in between classes to ensure for the second time in one day I managed to arrive completely and utterly drenched but hey ho…

Now when I was thinking about reviewing Gymboree and knew nothing about it other than the name, it was a gym class with soft play equipment that I had envisaged. The music and art classes were not the expected but this was more in line with my initial wonderings. With foamy and bouncy slides, rockers, balls and cubes to bounce over it was the picture I have had in my head for Gymboree and with a big space and lots of little added touches such as hanging balls and small and large tunnels it is just the sort of place Florence likes to be! Again we had a fab singing leader in Rachael who took the class from beginning to end with great enthusiasm. Some of the children stayed in the places they were meant to be and some of them ran freely but it didn’t seem to matter as all of them were getting something from it. This class seemed more like play whereas the other two were very definitely classes but either way; they are all beneficial in some respect. Again the class was over all too quickly and we were singing goodbye and having Gymbo stamps on each hand as we left the class and it felt a little sad that we won’t be doing this every week as I do see real benefit to these classes! The children who were members clearly knew the routine, had learned things from having been there and enjoyed it, as did Florence. I think, for us, the fact that we live a tube and a train ride away from our nearest class makes it just that little bit too inaccessible but should there be a class that becomes available within a closer area then it’s something I would certainly consider. Is it something I couldn’t do with my child on my own or with friends? Well, perhaps not but it’s a lot less hard work having someone take the class and still just as fun for both you and your child. Gymboree have classes nationwide but prices differ from area to area. In Islington classes start at £.8.08 and there is a joining fee which is reduced by signing up after a free trial. They also host parties and offer an open gym facility to their members who can be of any age between birth and 5. To find out more information or a class near you visit their website www.gymboree-uk.com Gymboree say they are the experts in early childhood development and with over 33 years experience I have no contradiction.