Class Descriptions
Choose a class by clicking one of the links below or feel free to browse through them all by scrolling down.
Pregnancy Yoga
Mums and Babies Yoga
Sing-A-Long A Song For Fun
Percussion
Touchy, Feely, Messy!
French – Les ateliers des petits
I ♥ Art
Ballet
Introducing two new classes from Plasticine Candles & Soup Creative Contemporary Dance for Children:
Nurturing Danceways
Tiny Dancers
Ages: For women 12 weeks along up to 40 weeks; no children allowed
Duration: 45 minutes
Capacity: 16
This class will assist pregnant women in flowing with the physical and emotional changes experienced during the course of pregnancy. Throughout pregnancy, yoga is used to strengthen, tone and relax the body, creating more space for the baby to develop without difficulty. Through breathing exercises, the class will prepare soon-to-be mums’ muscles for the birthing process. Such breathing exercises will also prove helpful to women in relaxing the body and mind during what can often by an overwhelming first few months of motherhood.
Please note that while yoga mats will be provided, students are more than welcome to bring their own.
Ages: 6 weeks – 9 months
Duration: 45 minutes
Capacity: 16
The session provides a fun, relaxed, and nurturing environment in which mums and babies can interact. Focusing on post-natal practice for mums, the class concentrates on posture and pelvic floor awareness, building strength and stamina, releasing areas such as the neck, shoulders, and back, and breathing and relaxation techniques. Mums will also learn basic baby massage.
Please note that while yoga mats will be provided, mums are more than welcome to bring their own.
Ages: 3 months – 4 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Capacity: 16
Led by Jojo, this class is all about fun for you and your little ones. Oomphalos’ resident children’s entertainer engages babies and toddlers with songs, stories, puppets, balls, bubbles, a parachute and oodles of fun. Join in with instruments and singing.
Ages: 9 months – 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Capacity: 12
In an explorative and unstructured manner, Ben engages toddlers by introducing them to a variety of percussion instruments from around the world. With their own percussion instrument in hand, children have the opportunity to discover new sounds, rhythms and beats. Because the class focuses on repetition, it serves to enhance both cognitive and memory skills.
Ages: 11 months to 3 years, accompanied by parent/carer
Duration: 30 minutes
Capacity: 12
Aware that the sense of touch provides stimulation as well as plays a pivotal role in the development of a child, Nadia provides opportunities for little ones to experiment and be creative using the sense of touch. With materials such as mud, sand, paint, fabrics, and a variety of food, toddlers are able to explore textures and do one of the things little ones do best – make a mess!
French – Les ateliers des petits
Ages: 18 months – 4 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Capacity: 10
Adapted to the language development of this age group, this class in association with the renowned Club Petit Pierrot includes fun activities such as art, puppets, and educational toys. Through a structured routine which allows them to feel at ease and confident interacting in French, toddlers will learn songs, rhymes and dances, all the while being exposed to another culture.
Ages: 2 ½ years – 5 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Capacity: 12
With a background in painting and sculpture, Karen is uniquely qualified to teach this class which serves as a starting point for toddlers to develop their creativity and imagination by way of learning about and imitating the style of a different artist each week, including Picasso, Van Gogh and Matisse. Karen focuses on using art – primarily painting – to improve motor and cognitive skills, concentration, and hand-eye coordination, as well as enhance toddlers’ sensory awareness and build their self esteem.
Ballet
Ages: Please see below
Duration: 30 minutes
Capacity: 10
Tiptoes (ages 18 months – 2½ years)
Taught by Ayumi Hikasa, toddlers will learn to walk in different ways with their full foot and on tiptoes, imitating the way that animals such as penguins, bears and cats might move and finding a walk to mimic it. Ayumi will explore different ways of using arms, both in abstract forms and in mimicking animals, butterflies, and birds. Toddlers will learn rhythm by repeating simple sequences by clapping back rhythms and moving to familiar tunes such as nursery rhymes. The aim of the class is to start developing awareness of musical movement through simple musical and rhythmical exercises. Parents and carers are encouraged to participate with their toddlers in the class until the toddler is comfortable on his/her own.
Twinkle toes (ages 2½ – 3½ years)
Further developing the skills learned in the Tiptoes class, toddlers now participate independently. Ayumi brings toddlers closer to formal dancing steps, introducing the basic positions used in ballet both with feet and arms. Toddlers continue to develop rhythmic skills by way of marching, hopping and skipping, as well as using their own imaginations to explore the movements. This is not a formalised ballet class, and it is very important that the toddlers have fun whilst developing new skills, using their imaginations and playing out roles.
Cygnets (ages 3½ – 4½ years)
Approaching a formalised ballet class, Miss Ayumi introduces more of the basic forms and exercises within ballet as well as the French terminology, including simple pliés and battement tendus. Toddlers will also sharpen their memory skills by learning short routines using rhythm and steps. Using their ever-growing confidence, Miss Ayumi encourages toddlers within this class to remember and perform short routines, both in groups and individually.
Please note that the ballet instructor requires all toddlers to wear a uniform. Girls are required to wear a pale pink leotard, tights, skirt and ballet shoes, and boys a white t-shirt with black or navy cycle pants, white socks and black ballet shoes.
Ballet uniforms are available at John Lewis, H&M, Marks & Spencer, and Gandolfi. Ayumi recommends Freed of London on St. Martin’s Lane in Covent Garden. She also recommends online ballet shops Porselli and Royal Academy of Dance Enterprises, including the following specific uniform pieces:
Leotard
Tights
Skirt
Boys’ shorts
Girls’ socks
Boys’ socks
CAPEZIO Daisy
SANSHA Tutu
SANSHA Satin tutu
Boys’ shoes
Ages: from approximately 5/6 months to 2 years (baby must have strong neck control and be able to sit)
Duration: 30 minutes
Capacity: 12
Joasia Tapson brings a specialised and diverse dance practise to this holistic-based, engaging dance class for both baby/toddler and parent/carer. Developed by Dance pioneer Veronica Sherborne, where ‘play’, self-expression and trust are fundamental themes, Joasia mirrors these principles in her class. The class will focus on warming up and stretching together, learning about spatial awareness, dancing to an upbeat and fun dance routine which increases little ones’ coordination and musicality development, and becoming familiar with basic dance terminology.
Parents/carers are kindly asked to participate during the whole class.
Ages: 2 years to 5 years, accompanied by parent/carer
Duration: 40 minutes
Capacity: 12
A fantastically lively dance class offering children an exciting movement vocabulary, a chance to develop their inner creativity and to learn the fundamentals of contemporary dance technique. This energetic class embodies a variety of different dance styles, music genres and rhythms. Children are encouraged to embark on imaginary physical journeys based around different themes such as the seasons, musical instruments, animals in the wild and going to the toy shop. Joasia Tapson enhances toddlers’ dance skills by including directional levels and pathways, rolling and falling, flying, galloping and jumping, twisting and turning. Children’s concentration and stamina are strengthened and the cooperative nature of a group dance class helps to further develop interpersonal relationship skills, grow confidence and form new, lasting friendships!
Parents/carers are kindly asked to participate during the whole class.
