It’s nice to mix up the monotony of my daughter’s daily social outings with something a little different. That’s where Gymboree Play and Music has helped fill the gap. Yes, it looks like a glorified indoor play space—but there’s so much more happening in every class.
Zero to Three states that, “by age three, roughly 85% of the brain’s core structure is formed1.”
What happens during this time matters! The park is great for self-guided independence, socializing, and exploration. The library fits the need for routine with story time led by an adult. Gymboree Play and Music classes are a great next step in the progression to starting preschool. Classes are structured like a fun play date. There’s a teacher and activities that build confidence, motor skills, and cognitive growth. Or more simply put, your child practices skills like making friends. They learn climbing and jumping. They also remember new things and figure out how stuff works. All of this happens in a safe, mindfully designed space.
Gymboree Play and Music’s Legacy
“Welcome, welcome everyone. Now it’s time to have some fun.”
Gymboree Play and Music was founded by Joan Barnes in 1976.2 She was inspired by her experience as a new mom searching for a community. She wanted a space where both parents and children could connect, play, and grow together.
Today, our local Gymboree Play and Music Oakland and other locations worldwide continue that mission. They create safe, engaging environments for children. These environments help children from birth to age five develop essential skills through play.
The Free Class Experience
While it’s great to try before you buy, it’s important to keep expectations flexible. My daughter spent most of her first visit observing in a frozen physical state. She was taking in the new EVERYTHING—new environment, new play space, new people (both toddlers and adults), and new experience.
If your child is hesitant, let them lead the way in exploring the class. Once she was a little more acclimated, my daughter still didn’t sit and follow every activity. But through repetition comes learning and discovery.
After 3+ months, she participated more and more. Toddlers can be fickle—some days she concentrated, other days she didn’t, and that was okay with me.
12+ months later, she practically ran the class. She understood and executed every activity, sang every song, and made new friends. It was so amazing to watch the progression unfold.
I say this in the spirit of encouragement—don’t give up if your child doesn’t immediately respond to the program. Give it a try for a few months and see what happens.
Gymboree Play and Music Class Cadence
The scaffolding structure of a Gymboree Play and Music class is part of what makes it so special. Toddlers thrive on routine, and Gymboree Play and Music incorporates consistency while also introducing new challenges each session. Here’s are some of the learnings you’re little one will take away from each class.
- Themes: Up and Down, Shapes, Animals to name just a few. Simple and fun concepts for little one’s to easily understand.
- Parachute Time: “Come on everybody it’s parachute time, parachute time, parachute time. Come on everybody it’s parachute time, here at Gymboree.” Encourages rhythm, teamwork, and communication to move together.
- Catching Bubbles: “There are bubbles in the air, there are bubbles everywhere.” A beloved favorite, helping with hand-eye coordination and sheer joy. (Special shout-out to “Bubble Oodles,” Gymboree Play & Music’s magical solution. It allows bubbles to be stable enough to catch on a finger—or in a little one’s hair! It’s the best.)
- Routine: Supports preschool preparation.
- Social Skills & Friendships: Parallel play, sharing, and simple social interactions build early friendships. Not just for the kids—parents connect too! Some of our Gymboree Play and Music friends ended up going to preschool with us, making the transition easier. It was so nice to know a family when starting at a new place.
Fun Fact: Gymboree Play & Music apparatuses were developed by Jay Beckwith, one of the “fathers of the modern playground.” Every literal step of each structure was designed to support your child’s ability to learn through play.3
Sweet Spot: 10 to 30 Months
All three of my children LOVE Gymboree Play and Music. Although the classes welcome children up to age five, I’ve found that the sweet spot is between 10 months and 30 months. This spans from those first wobbly steps to the confident strides of an active toddler. This is when everything starts to click and their development blooms: The routine becomes familiar. The play-scape is mastered. Friendships form.
It’s also when boredom sets in from the predictability. This is a telltale sign your little one is growing up. They need something new.
As my toddler daughter grew, she needed more challenges. Preschool prep programs are a great next step, helping with early concepts like object permanence and brief separations from caregivers. I’ll be away for a little bit, but—I will be back! Unfortunately, our location did not offer Preschool Steps or School Skills. A location near you might offer these options, so we moved on. My two older sons stopped around this age as well.
“Bye bye Gymbo. Bye bye friends. Bye bye everyone, we’ll see you all next time.”
Why Gymboree Play and Music Oakland?
If you’re in the Oakland area, consider Gymboree Play and Music Oakland. It’s a welcoming, structured-yet-flexible play environment and a fantastic option. It offers all the benefits of play-based learning. It also provides parents and children a space to connect, explore, and grow together.
Say, “hi” to teachers Leah and Muna—they were our favorites! Both were so good at keeping a class’s attention and making sure every little one was included in an activity. My daughter always asked to hold Teacher Leah’s hand when she would balance a walk across the cherished air log, Teacher Leah always obliged. Teacher Muna has a beautiful singing voice for Music class. Both also made sure my daughter’s request for Gymbo stamps (and stickers) at the end of each class were provided. These small gestures make all the difference.
Studies like the Abecedarian Project4 and Perry Preschool Project5 show that investing early in childhood education leads to long-term benefits. So next time you’re looking to mix up your toddler’s routine, check out a class. You might just find it becomes a favorite part of your weekly schedule—just like it did for us!
TL;DR for Gymboree Play and Music:
- The free class is a great trial, but patience is key—kids warm up at their own pace. Give it a try— it will become the highlight of your week!
- Class routines include parachute play, bubble-catching, climbing structures, and social interaction—all designed by early childhood experts.
- More than a playdate, Gymboree Play and Music helps with routine, confidence, motor skills, and social-emotional learning (SEL). If you’re in Oakland, Gymboree Play and Music is a fantastic option—say hi to teachers Muna and Leah.
Keep the adventure going and discover other family escapades.
Disclosure: This is not an ad. There are no affiliate links. It’s just a brand we really love and wanted share.
Sources
1 Zero to Three is a non-profit organization. It focuses on promoting the healthy development of babies and toddlers from birth to three years old.
4 The Abecedarian Project is a long-running scientific study. It investigates the long-term benefits of high-quality early childhood education for children. The study particularly focuses on how early intervention can positively impact their development across cognitive, social, and emotional areas. There is a strong emphasis on language skills. It is considered one of the most well-cited studies in the field of early childhood education research.
5 The Perry Preschool Project was a landmark study conducted from 1962 to 1967. The study looked at the effects of high-quality early childhood education on children. It primarily focused on 3 and 4-year-olds who were considered at-risk for school failure. The project found significant positive impacts on their educational attainment, employment, and overall life outcomes. These outcomes include reduced crime rates and teenage pregnancy. This demonstrates the long-term benefits of early childhood intervention.