Tots Just Wanna Have Fun

I must admit I’m a little jealous and feel a bit left out this September. Most of my friends are posting “first day of school” pics on Facebook and buying fun school supplies. My little one is still too young for all of that. I keep trying to remind myself that children grow up too fast and we really just need to enjoy every phase they go through. So, with that philosophy in mind, I decided to research some toddler activities.

My daughter is 18 months and does not go to daycare. She spends the day at home and we’re realizing that while she’s not quite ready for school, she is ready to socialize with other kids. One of the advantages of living in an urban environment is that there are countless options for toddler activities. Wanting to find something that wasn’t too expensive or lengthy, I did some research and found many choices.

Music classes are the obvious first step in getting a one-year-old to integrate into the community. There are many choices out there but one of my favorite institutions in D.C. is the Levine School of Music. Their music classes start as early as 4 months with “Building Blocks for Babies” or “Music Class for Toddlers” is great for 1-2 year olds. Levine is a solid and reputable school and would be a great place to continue a musical education into elementary and even high school.

Another big hit in the toddler music scene is MusiKids. The “Sixteenth Notes" class starts at just 3 months old although your tot will probably sail on through and join the “Quarter Notes” team!

One of my new favorite D.C. additions is the Princess Mhoon Dance Institute. Located in Palisades, they believe even the littlest person can learn to dance and offer dance classes for kids as young as two!

Have a thespian instead of a singer? Imagination Stage, in Bethesda, has a class called “You and Me” that caters to the one to three-year-old crowd. Props and theatre tools are used to stimulate the senses and encourage the development of social and motor skills.

If some of these private establishments are cost prohibitive to your family, look into recreation centers. The Kalorama Recreation Center has a Tiny Tot Arts and Craft class and the Chevy Chase Community Center has gymnastics classes for kids as young as two.

Be sure to research schools, and community centers in your neighborhood, too. Many of them have after school or weekend classes for toddlers. 

Most of these programmes require caretaker participation but, fear not working moms, many of them have Saturday slots as well as late afternoon sessions so you can attend with your bundles of energetic joy.