Gymboree Play & Learn or My Gym?

[essnce629]

Anyone take both before? Which did you like better?

We went to a free Gymboree Play & Learn class last week and DS2 liked it. We have a free My Gym class next week. We did a Gymboree music class too, but DS2 just started crawling and pulling up so he's more into being on the move so I think a music class would be better when he's a little older. He's 10 months.

I think My Gym may be a tad cheaper than Gymboree and I think their free play times are included with their fees. I think with Gymboree you have to pay a small fee ($5 or $6) for the free play times unless you pay for the more expensive membership (which we wouldn't).

[jerigirl]

We did Gymboree from 3-18 months and then moved to My Gym. At about 18 months I started feeling that the equipment at Gymboree was becoming too small for DS who was a big climber and very active. Our My Gym has bigger climbing structures etc. I can't really compare the younger classes at My Gym since we didn't attend them. The specific teacher and the staff at each location really set the tone IMO. I would definitely try both free classes and just see what you like. I know during the summers they sometimes let you (or used to anyway) attend unlimited classes with one enrollment. That might be something to consider.

[AnnieW625]

We did My Gym when DD was 2 and it just wasn't a great fit for her. She had already been to couple of birthday parties there so she knew the routine of that you sat in the circle and then you got to go and play. I was constantly chasing her around and it got old after a while. One thing I didn't care for was the time of the class DD was in (6:15-7:15 on a Thursday night, WTF? Granted I know they want to accomodate working parents, but they easily could've switched the cardio class to later for the older kids) and that her class was for kids from 23 mos. to 3/1/2. We also went on Saturday mornings and it was really full. I would've much preferred a weeknight 5 pm class and one that only had 2 yr olds. FWIW (as I see you are in LA and that could really be anywhere!) we went to the My Gym in Long Beach.

If I don't do a city class with DD we'll most likely try Gymboree with #2 as it's much closer to our house and we'll be able to walk there.

[edurnemk]

We did the first 5 levels of Gymboree, and I'm now on the search for something else for DS who is 26 months old. We loved Gymboree! At least until around 20 months, after that I feel he's not that into the class itself, just climbing all over. He still loves to go, though.

At our Gymboree the open-gym (free play time) was available to everyone enrolled. In fact I think there was only one type of membership, the thing you could vary was the enrollment period (I always did 12 weeks, and kept re-enrolling)


The specific teacher and the staff at each location really set the tone IMO.

This is definitely true!

[maydaymommy]

I was VERY happy with our My Gym class - and I checked them all out - My Gym, Gymboree, Little Gym. I think for little babies Gymboree may be good, but from the almost walking stage thru nearly 3, I love My Gym.

What impressed me was the cleanliness and how hard the teachers worked during the class hanging up swings and getting out equiptment. I really liked the way it was arranged differently each week.