Why join a Mommy & Me Class?

Whether flying in outer space, going to the circus, playing in the park, dancing like the animals in the zoo, or growing a magical garden, each child will be captivated when they attend a Little Leapers class with River Oaks Dance. Grown-ups will be amazed at how useful each lesson is to their child’s development and love every second of class as they share many smiles and giggles with their little one. Joining a Mommy & Me class with your baby can be one of the most rewarding experiences for you and them! You’ll be running them around in school carpool and activities before you can say “taxi” but there are not many opportunities to take a class with your child. Take advantage of the short time before they are off to school and independent enough for their own classes.

Bond with your child

It’s like working out. Finding 30 minutes of uninterrupted time is not easy. That’s why a weekly class or appointment is key to making time for yourself a priority. It’s the same with your baby. Mommy and Me classes are designed to foster a connection between you and your child in a fun and engaging atmosphere where the focus is 100 percent on them and outside distractions are limited. It’s all about filling their cup! Mommy and Me classes offer you the chance to not just watch, but actively take part in your child’s growth and development. In our opinion, there’s no better feeling! 

Make new friends

Dancing together in a Mommy and Me class can be a great way for you and your child to make new friends. It’s a challenge to cultivate new mom friendships when you’re chasing a toddler around, but dance class brings the new friends to you. And the fun doesn’t have to stop after class. There are so many fun, kid-centered things to do in the River Oaks area. Grab your new dance friends and make a run to River Oaks Donuts, have a play date at Pumpkin Park or grab a coffee at Tiny Boxwoods while the kids play on the lawn. There’s a ton to do in the area just before it’s time to go home and take a nap!

Develop social skills

Little ones in dance class explore how to interact with other children their own age. Dance fosters social encounters, interaction and cooperation and children learn how to work within a group dynamic. Children learn to understand themselves in relation to others as the process evolves. Introducing your child to new people, sights and sounds in a safe place is key to developing social skills.

Develop mental and motor skills

Dance classes set the stage for mental and motor skill development in young children. You’ll notice from the very first class, your child is developing gross motor skills with movements like rocking from side to side, raising and lowering their arms, lifting and lower their legs, swaying, jumping and marching. If you look closely, you’ll also see fine motor skill development by opening and closing our hands, picking up small objects and sorting, scrunching and folding scarves and playing castanets. These actions help children begin to control the muscles in their fingers and require a great deal of concentration. At this age, children are learning more through movement than any other way. We have just the space for you to get started!

Understand classroom dynamics

Our most prepared students in our independent toddler classes are the ones that participated in Little Leapers Mommy & Me class. So much about being in a beginner ballet class is just learning how to be in class. Toddlers that participate in Mommy and Me class see their caregiver role model the expectation in class and they are ready to do things like listen to instructions from a teacher, wait their turn, share props with others and be a team with the students in the class. Parents are always amazed at how much their child has grown in these areas after a session or two of Little Leapers.

Now you know just some of the many benefits of our Mommy & Me class. But, just because our class is called Mommy & Me, doesn’t mean that dads, aunts, nannies and grannies can’t join the fun. The dancers love bringing their family and showing off their new class and their new friends. So, grab your tiny dancer and register for our next Little Leapers Mommy & Me session! See you at the studio!