Tumble Tots Kids Activities Bournville

What it’s like

Structured climb-and-balance classes for babies through to age 7, with a parent joining in for the younger groups.

This is a proper class, not a soft play drop-in. Babies get tummy time and sensory play with textures and lights, toddlers work through brightly coloured climbing and balancing equipment with a parent right beside them, and by the time they hit school age they're doing it solo in the Tumble Tots or Gymbobs groups while you watch from the side. There's circle time too, with action songs and rhymes for language, so it's not all climbing frames.

Sessions are short and sharp: 45 minutes for Tumble Tots, 60 for Gymbobs, and they're firm about arriving on time so your child isn't dropped into the middle of something already underway. The parent involvement changes as they grow. From six months to age three you're in there working with your own child, holding the back of their t-shirt rather than their hands so they can actually use their balance. From three up to school age and into Gymbobs, they do it themselves and you stay on site rather than in the room.

A few rules are worth knowing before you turn up. No food or drink in the classroom, so any snack needs to happen in the waiting area or outside, before or after. Bare feet only, and that goes for parents in heels too. Phones and photos aren't really on either, since other people's children end up in shot, so if you want a record of the session you'll be relying on memory rather than your camera roll. If you're bringing a sibling who isn't in the class, they have to stay off the equipment for insurance reasons, so pack a colouring book or something quiet to keep them occupied.

Joining properly means a £29 annual membership on top of whatever the local class fee is, and that's what covers the personal accident insurance if your child comes more than once. It gets you the yellow t-shirt and a membership pack posted out, plus it works at any Tumble Tots centre in the country if you're travelling or move house.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

Babies from 6 months up to age 7, with parents joining in until age 3

• Bare feet required for kids and parents, so no heels
• No food or drink in the classroom, eat before or after outside the room
• Membership is compulsory if attending more than once, as it includes accident insurance
• Younger siblings can be worn in a carrier so you can still join in fully

Plan your visit

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