There is nothing like the bond between a mother and child. When your little one is still just a baby (newborn to two and a half years old), this is prime time to form that special relationship. And there are plenty of Mommy & Me classes to choose from in and around New York City.
Check out the Rock-A-Baby class (2-18 months) at the 14th Street Y for an introduction to rhythm, melody and harmony. Three musicians play an interactive show featuring classical, rock, pop and blues via different weekly themes. 14streety.org
Don those baby berets and head to 74th St. MAGIC for their Enchanting Artists class (15-18 months). Each thematic class includes painting, drawing or collage. Music also plays a part, along with finger plays and singing. Each class concludes with storytime. 74magic.com
92Y has a plethora of family classes for you and your youngster. Check out Little Explorers (10-13 months) which introduces your infant to age-appropriate toys and teaches them how to safely climb equipment. 92y.org
Shake your groove thing with ABC Do-Re-ME!. They offer a super-fun “Boogey Baby” class for moms and newborns (8 weeks-walkers) to dance to Lady Gaga, Madonna and the Beatles and learn new dance steps. abcdoreme.com
For future thespians, head to the Broadway Babies class (4-12 months) at Applause NYC. Each week, babies are introduced to a new Broadway show where mommies and tots can sing along. Crazy costumes and props are part of the fun, along with musical instruments. applauseny.com
Who doesn’t want a furry friend? The Art Farm in the City has a Rock, Smock and Animals class for infants as young as 14 months. Each animal adventure includes an “Animal of the Week” complemented by music, crafts and an indoor petting zoo! theartfarms.org
Kids swim programs like Water Babies (4-18 months) at Asphalt Green are the perfect way to get your baby comfortable with the water. The heated pool allows your tot to kick, play, splash and float with ease. asphaltgreen.org
Baby Fingers offers Baby/Toddler American Sign Language classes (newborn-15 months), which dives right into ASL via songs and play. To take home, a weekly vocab assignment is also given out to parents to ensure family fluency. mybabyfingers.com
Located at Perry School in the West Village, Baby Moves NYC offers a variety of mommy & me classes. The Toddler Dance and Pre-Ballet class (18 months-3 years) begins to teach babies the fundamental of dance. babymovesnyc.com
Losing the baby weight can be hard—especially mustering up the motivation to do it. Caribou Baby in Brooklyn has the perfect solution with their Baby Boot Camp! Bring your newborn along and get back into shape with Pilates, yoga and core exercises. cariboubaby.com
Get your young one interested in sports at an early age. Chelsea Piers offers a Little Athletes Class (6 months-4 years) that boasts age-appropriate activities used to stimulate social and physical development. Kiddos get free access to the Little Athletes Exploration Center, an incredible indoor play area. chelseapiers.com
Storytime for Tiny People (0-4 years) by Child’s Play NY meets on Tuesdays at Dean Street—a family-friendly café—in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Interactive storytelling, singing and theater games abound. deanstreetbrooklyn.com
Creative Play for Kids focuses on music and offers several classes according to age. Check out the Non-Mobile Babies class (3-6 months) for a chance to dance the day away! Weekly handouts are also provided in order to keep up the movement at home. creativeplayforkids.com
Roll around with your little one at the Baby Gym & Music class (6-12 months) through Discovery Programs. Early childhood gymnastics teachers lead in exercises and stretches designed just for your baby—families can even bounce on the trampoline while listening to music. Songs with actions are also taught to encourage dance and movement. discoveryprograms.com
The Mommy & Me program (newborn-5 years) at Downtown Babies Inc. is a great experience for both mother and child. The class combines education with music, and focuses on topics such as feelings, sharing and pretending. downtownbabies.com
Introducing music to kids at a very young age lies at the core of Eastside Westside Music Together’s mission. Their Babies Class (3-6 months) does just that, along with teaching parents about music development in infants. You can also learn at-home musical activities to do with your baby. eswsmusictogether.com
Gymboree Play & Music offers wonderful (and messy!) Family Art Classes (18 months-5 years). These interactive mommy & me experiences offer sculpting with clay, painting and designing your family tree. gymboreeclasses.com
Rumble and tumble at Gymtime, where you can enroll your child in Tiny Tot Fitness (7-18 months). This movement program, which also includes sign language, is held in the custom-designed mini-gym and promotes fitness and motor skills. gymtime.net
Hands On! specializes in an age-appropriate, instrument-based curriculum for children. Infants, along with mommies, get a crash course in music through story, movement and instrument exploration. Don’t forget the hand puppets! handson4music.com
Starfish Swimmers (6 months-3 years) at Imagine Swimming is a great way to introduce your little fish to the water with music-based classes, with the goal of fostering social and physical growth. imagineswimming.com
Join The JCC in Manhattan for their Young Families classes (prenatal-4 years). The offerings, depending on your child’s age, can include anything from swimming and art to music and science. Pre-nursery programs are also available. jccmanhattan.org
Teeny Tumblers (6-14 months) at Jodi’s Gym is a great way for your child to explore movement. Singing, clapping, music, tumbling and moving fill this 40-minute class. jodisgym.com
Babies love to kick. So why not enroll in a Kick & Play (12-24 months) class? Pre-soccer skills are taught, along with music and dancing. It’s a great way to introduce your little one to a popular sport—and is sure to have them exhausted by the end! kickandplay.com
Yogi mamas will love the Mom & Baby Yoga class (6 weeks-new walkers) at Karma Kids Yoga. Yoga and play is combined to form a stronger bond between you and your baby—all while engaging in calming time and challenging postures. Moves are taught to promote growing muscles, aid digestion and better sleeping patterns. Dads are welcome, too! karmakidsyoga.com
Chelsea’s Kids at Work programming provides various classes in art, music and dance. Sun Sessions Babies (0-13 months) is a time for you and your newborn to enjoy the outdoors with a guitarist, baby-friendly instruments and “storysongs”. Classes held indoors on very hot days. kidsatworknyc.com
The goal at Kidville is to inspire happy kids and happy families. They do just that with their Wee Wiggle GiggleTM class (4-12 months). Books and toys are provided, and infants even get an introductory sign language segment. Each class ends with one of Kidville’s resident musicians leading in song and dance. kidville.com
Baby massages offered at Maternal Massage and More are a great way to bond with your newborn. The benefits of infant massage are vast: relieves gas and colic issues, promotes restful sleep and strengthens the immune system. Both mum and babe win! maternalmassageandmore.com
On Wednesdays and Thursdays this summer, children’s music favorite Moey’s Music Party will offer great Mommy & Me classes in Central Park. Moey’s energy-filled mornings feature singing, dancing, puppets, phonics and musical fairytales. Classes are divided into specific age groups. moeysmusicparty.com
Music and sign language unite for the Crawler Rock & Sign class (5-13 months) at Moon Soup. Studies show that learning American Sign Language as a baby enhances language development and reduces frustration when learning to speak—a great way to begin communicating with your infant. moonsoup.net
Música Para Mí offers musical Spanish classes for mommies and their little niños (5 months-3.5 years). It’s best to begin teaching kids a second language as soon as possible, so get your bilingual on and learn alongside them! musicaparami.com
Get your little bundle of joy in the habit of being active from the start. Head to My Gym for their Little Bundles class (6 weeks-6 months). To enhance musical understanding, babies swing, exercise, dance and listen to songs. Each class includes a parent discussion forum. my-gym.com
Infant Milestones (2-5 months) at New York Kids Club focuses on enhancing natural patterns of development in your newborn. Activities include music, movement, massage, songs and tummy time. Calming and energizing infant techniques are taught to parents, as well. nykidsclub.com
Located on the Upper West Side since 1986, Poppyseed is primarily a “Mommy and Me” program, which includes lots of music, arts and crafts, a mini-gym, toys galore, story-time, and dancing. Classes for babies to two-year-olds, accompanied by a parent or caregiver, meet 2-3 times a week for 2 hours. A wonderful preparation program for nursery school drop-off, Poppyseed helps children and adults get to know each other in a warm and welcoming environment. poppyseedprenursery.com
Grab your little rug rat, and head to Rug Bug! The instructors (who welcome both mommies and daddies) lead the class (newborn-5 years) in a unique, environmentally focused music program. To add to the fun, parents will learn how to construct their own green toys and obtain advice on baby sign language and massages. rugbugny.com
The McBurney branch of the YMCA has a great Toddling Around program (1.5-2.5 years). With a focus on improving social, emotion and cognitive growth, this is a supportive learning environment for both moms and tots. Activities include circle time, singing, parachute play, puppets and bubbles. ymcanyc.org
Don’t miss our New York Baby Show on the weekend of May 19 and 20 at Pier 92 in NYC! For details and to purchase tickets, visit newyorkbabyshow.com.
