Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're overthinking it. It's really more for you than them at that age.

good. What age does it start to matter?

K/1st grade with the exception of swimming. They don’t need lessons but need exposure to water by around 18 months to avoid developing a fear.

We started music classes at 11 months. DD is almost 15 months now and loves seeing the other babies each week, plus she likes to explore the instruments. She’s not in daycare, so it’s a great way for her to socialize.

I am looking at things for my soon-to-be 5 year old now. I myself started music lessons and ballet at around 6, which is kind of my target age for serious activities. I quit dance and switched to a sport at 10.

Your sister did that for her own sanity -- as someone who stayed home with my baby for a year, trust me Swim classes, etc. can be fun for them but they're largely about making other mom friends and getting out of the house.

I do think socialization was great for my daughter. She started daycare at a little over 1 year old. But didn't need extra classes to do that. Just do it if you want to.

Until 2.5-3 its all parallel play anyway. The baby doesn't care as long as they are doing a variety if things at home and getting outside time. We did no activities and no daycare (nanny) until 3. Parks, meet up with other moms and babies on weekends (pre covid), playgrounds, water table and sensory bins at home. Happy kiddo as far as i can tell. Shes 5 now and super social. Doing same with her toddler sister except that she gets the benefit of an older sibling too.

Our baby started swim lessons at 6M but that is her only “activity”. They’re very inexpensive through the county and so I don’t care if we miss a session or three. Swimming is particularly good for their development (per our pediatrician) and definitely results in good naps!

Anonymous wrote:I disagree that its "more for you." Kids who are one years old like being around other kids their age/size. If you child is not in daycare I think its great to have a little class or gathering where they can see other kids. DD was born summer of 2000 so has been entirely a pandemic baby. We did an outdoor music class this fall and she really liked being around other kids loved it.

I hear this so much, too, and it hasn't been my experience either. I suspect this, like a lot of parenting, is very kid dependent.

I disagree that its "more for you." Kids who are one years old like being around other kids their age/size. If you child is not in daycare I think its great to have a little class or gathering where they can see other kids. DD was born summer of 2000 so has been entirely a pandemic baby. We did an outdoor music class this fall and she really liked being around other kids loved it.

SAHM here. The activities are to get you out of the house and hopefully tire your kid out. Pick something you enjoy. DD started Little Gym at 18 months, which was great, because I learned games/activities to do at home. DD started mommy and me swim lessons at 18 months. That was fine in the summer, but it was a pain in the winter to change us out of wet swimsuits and dry our hair before going home. I stopped swim lessons then and picked them up again at age 4. Never did music classes because they didn’t interest me.

TBH, a lot of the activity places for very young kids have closed during the pandemic, so options may be limited.

I have been taking my babygirl to library story time since 2 months old, it's a free parent child class check your local library. Lots of nice free things. We took a free gymnastics class and I'd like her to do that if we can fit it in time/budget wise. She's 8 months now and we just started swimming to get ready for the summer.

You don't need to over schedule. We do a lot but I'm a SAHM and it's more so we have a schedule so the days don't all blend together.

If you have money to spend on extracurriculars for a baby, I recommend looking into gym membership with childcare. Life changing for you and they often have activities for kids and baby can see others which is hard during covid times.

16:13 above and just to add, when we got DD assessed by early intervention at 16 months, they asked how she acts around other kids (does she look at them when they cry, does she do or say anything). Little kids need to be around other kids to learn social cues etc.

You'll get a lot of people saying it's too early to worry about this.

I have a different perspective because my 2.5 year old does have challenges with social skills which we're currently working on with a therapist (don't want to get into specifics, sorry). I think 12 months is a great time to start activities. Kids this age are starting to learn about social interactions, even if they aren't engaging in them. Starting early, and being with them as a primary caregiver, may help them feel more comfortable being around other people. In my experience daycare is just one type of social situation that is very specific, and it is good to expose them to different environments, so I think additional activities are good. Maybe it doesn't even need to be a formal activity but going to the playground where there are other kids or storytime at the library (they are doing them outdoors I believe). Take them to the store with you. I think during the pandemic we were told to keep kids away from everything unless absolutely necessary, and I'm starting to realize that is not normal or okay.

Anonymous wrote:You're overthinking it. It's really more for you than them at that age.

good. What age does it start to matter?

You're overthinking it. It's really more for you than them at that age.

Hi all,

At what age should I start bringing my kid to activities? My sister had my niece in a music class by 1 years old, and swim class and a kid play gym membership by 15 months. My kid my or may not be in daycare. If you kid is in daycare did you still bring them to diff activiteis otuside of that? If they werent in daycare, did you as well? If so, at what age and where can you recommed in Northern VA for any good programs / places you enjoyed?

feel free to tell me if I am over thinking and none of this matters, too.