Little Gym - £20 for 45 min class is it worth it?

[ClaireJ23]

There is a Little Gym near where my parents live that I would like to take my eldest to but I just found out that the 45 min classes are £20.

Does anyone take their toddler to Little Gym classes? Are they worth it?

 

[MrsButterfly]

£20 per class?!? Or is that for a half term?

 

[jodilee6]

No idea what it is but I'd never pay £20 for 45 mins of anything!

 

[sparkle_1979]

We pay £21 per half hour for private swimming lessons but for a gym class I'd say it's rather high if it's a group thing

 

[emyandpotato]

No idea what it is but I'd never pay £20 for 45 mins of anything!

This. £5 per class is pretty standard I think but even that is kind of expensive considering it's £60 per term.

 

[FAB mama]

I've been looking into that kind of thing too. I'm in the US. We have Little Gym I think but I don't know the price. Gymboree is $65/month = one class a week. So about £38 I think a month? Anyway, I'd love to take my LO but don't know if we can really afford that much even. It was highly recommended though by some friends.

Oh and that cost includes some free play periods throughout the week and a discount at their clothing store.

 

[MrsButterfly]

If it is £20 per class I'd never pay it. I balked at waterbabies prices but that was £12.

 

[Pearls18]

Goodness no! I thought we were being robbed paying £8 per 45 minutes of Rugbytots, is it definitely £20 a class or maybe a month?

 

[bumpbear]

You're lucky you don't live in Manhattan where its $45 a class!

I take my LO as don't really have any other cheaper options.

Could you take a trial class and see if its worth the mark up? It may be worth the difference if they have better teachers, better equipment or smaller classes etc?

 

[Wriggley]

hell no!

my oldest goes to a local gymnastics class that follows British Gymnastics badges and he goes to swimming lessons (instruction with a max of 5 children). im not sure how much each class is but BOTH classes together come to £8.40 per week

 

[biglebowski]

My lo goes to a soft play / gymnastics class thats 3.50 a session and a swim lesson with 2 trained instructors in the pool for 4.20 a session. Im sorry but no way would I pay that for 1 session. We could get an annual pass to our safari park for 45 quid!!!

 

[Pearls18]

I don't think I would pay it even if it was a one on one session with an Olympic gold medalist....

 

[biglebowski]

I don't think I would pay it even if it was a one on one session with an Olympic gold medalist....

ha ha. My hubbys response was similar when I told him water babies prices!!

 

[Peardrop]

I take my son to Little Gym. We go to the one in Harpenden. I'm not sure which one you are talking about but for me its more like £15. (Have you factored in its for a semester rather than a term and there's a £20 yearly fee). Its extortionate but we weighed it up and, for us, its worth it.

The classes are in purpose built studios with great equipment - beam, asymmetric bars, an air track, boxes to jump off etc. The teachers are absolutely brilliant. If you miss a class (and let them know by 9.30 then you can make the class up at any other time.)

What you need to weigh up is what you are looking for in a class? For us, Ollie walked early but being quite podgy(!) was never a climber, very supple or acrobatic. He also isn't a risk taker. He has an end of July birthday so is young in the schoolyear. I also needed something that Dad or Grandparents could take him to. He's also a boy and needs to run and let off steam and 'was' not able to listen when he started at just before 2.

At almost 4 now, his confidence on the apparatus has grown. He is safe at swinging, balancing and climbing. Its a purely physical class. He's good at forward rolls and other balance moves. When he starts school he will be comfortable (despite being young) at PE etc and will recognise the equioment and the terms.

We trialled many kinds of classes from dance and singing classes, to tumble tots type of classes as well as drop in stuff and Little Gym met what we were looking for (in our area). It was purely physical. They could cope with our slightly 'wild' child with a short attention and slowly he grew into the class and with lots of patience on the staffs part he slowly learnt to listen and follow the class properly rather than run around. If there are challenging or shy etc behaviours, rather than ignoring them or getting irritated, another teacher joins the class to give 1-1 to whoever needs it which is great for the challenging child and not disruptive for the others . Its easy for parents/grandparents to accompany the kids as well and once they are 3 they go in by themselves.

Do a trial session and see how you feel. I hope that helps. It may not be worth the money for you or it could be what you are looking for.

 

[ClaireJ23]

Thanks for all the feedback. Yes, it is definitely £20 per session. A bit pricey. Might look into other options.

We've previously been members at Gymboree but doesn't have the convenience of location as this one does. Gymboree is £55 per month and includes weekly classes and as many open gym sessions as we like where we use their soft play facilities.