The Hilldene Centre
ENTRY
from £1.50
WHERE
Southampton
What it’s like
A community centre timetable packed with baby classes, pre-school dance and music, Brownies, youth theatre and table tennis through the week.
This is less one activity and more a weekly grid of them, all run out of the same community centre. Babies and toddlers get Jiggy Wrigglers of a morning and baby yoga and massage, pre-schoolers have Music Bugs and a Dance out loud ballet class that turns up on almost every day of the week at a different time, and once they're a bit older there's a children's ballet class, Brownies of an evening, and Prop Box Youth Theatre for the 6 to 18s running three hours at a stretch.
Nothing here is a big one-off day out, it is a term-time routine you slot into, which suits families after a regular weekly thing more than a Saturday treat. Dance out loud alone runs Monday through Sunday at different times, so there is usually a slot that fits round nap times or school pickup, and Table Tennis has both a pay-and-play afternoon session and a proper annual membership if your child gets keen.
Prices are the sort of thing you barely notice: Pilates is £6 a go, the Social Club is £2.50, and table tennis membership is £10 a year with £1.50 a session on top. Nothing is going to bust a half-term budget here, which is probably the best thing to say about it.
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
It depends on the class. Pilates is £6 a session, table tennis is £1.50 a go with a £10 annual membership, and the Social Club is £2.50.
Do we need to book ahead?
There's no booking link listed, so it looks like a turn-up-for-the-timetabled-class setup rather than an online booking system.
What's on for babies and toddlers?
Jiggy Wrigglers runs mid-morning, there's baby yoga and massage, and Music Bugs is a short 40-minute pre-school music session.
Is there anything for older children?
Prop Box Youth Theatre covers ages 6 to 18 and runs a long three-hour evening session. Brownies also meets there of an evening.
What days does Dance out loud run?
Every day of the week, at a different time each day, from a Monday teatime slot through to Sunday morning.
Can my child just try table tennis once?
Yes, there's a pay-and-play afternoon session at £1.50, or you can commit to the £10 annual membership if they want to keep going.
How long are the sessions?
It varies a lot. Music Bugs is 40 minutes, table tennis pay-and-play runs two hours, and Prop Box Youth Theatre runs a full three hours.
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