Classes

Looking for a way to introduce your baby to the pool? Don’t want your toddler to be afraid of the water? Parent-child swim classes are a great way to help our NJ kids develop a love of swimming and instill confidence around the water. Most programs allow children as young as 6 months to begin classes, and teach comfort with water in a safe and age appropriate way. Yes, it's hard to don that bikini so soon after having baby, but the rewards for your child are well worth the sacrifice!

Scrapbooking is a wonderful hobby for those who love to collect mementos and look forward to creating new memories. Moms often create scrapbooks for their little ones. Just as fun as a sticker book (remember those?!), scrapbooks made for babies are intended to be enjoyed years later when your babies have their own babies someday! Every item inside a scrapbook—whether it’s baby’s hospital ID bracelet, or a snippet of hair from baby’s first haircut—tells a special story. Here are some boutiques and store in the Garden State that carry a plethora of colorful scrapbook items. Be sure to also enroll in a scrapbook class to improve your craft!

Now that the kids are back in school, it’s time to start driving them all over the place for swimming, soccer, and pogo-stick practice, or if your kid is artsy, ceramics, beading and sewing. A recent rise in the popularity of crafting — knitting, it’s not just for Great Aunt Bertha anymore — means many kids are a part of the trend and NJ has no shortage of captivating shops. Some are drop-ins, some are multi-week courses, and they aren’t cheap, but then neither are Junior’s sword-swallowing lessons.

When it comes to after school programs, one typically thinks of the YMCA or programs held in schools that offer the usual activities:  homework help, arts and crafts, movies, games, and on nice days, possibly a trip to the playground or a walk outside.  But if you dig a bit deeper into the world of after school, you can find some alternate and unique programs for your child.

So your little one has decided to become the next iCarly? Ready to jump on the Zack and Cody cruise ship? Before you run out to get head shots taken, why not enroll them in acting school and let them decide if the big screen is indeed where they’d like to be?  NJ offers a great assortment of studios, big and small, that’ll give your kids a taste of life on-stage.  If your child’s schedule is booked through the school year, don’t fret–most schools offer summer camp programs, too.  So roll out the red carpet, focus the spotlight, and let your star shine!