Finding acitivites to do with your baby and toddler can sometimes be difficult. There’s so much out there, what should you try?
Here’s a list of activities broken down into different types. Look for what sort of activity you want and scroll through to find what you’re looking for, or something new to try.
If you want to visit the activity’s website or Facebook page, just click on the name and it’ll take you there.
*Disclaimer: The information provided here is accurate when added. We recommend you contact the service provider to ensure details are correct.
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Art/Messy Play
At the Creation Station, you can find many different arts and crafts classes to suit all ages. Children can explore their creativity in a fun and playful manner. Check out the website to find out more about what you can expect at one of the classes and find a class near you.
Mess play at it’s best! All the fun of messy play with none of the mess for parents to deal with. A Mess Around Messy Play session provides a multi-sensory, messy play experiences for babies aged 6 months (or sitting unaided) to 5 years old. The sessions are special as everyone is welcome to join in including older siblings up to the age of 10, who can participate in the Big Kids Create and Make Corner at our weekend and school holiday sessions. With play sessions arranged all over Lanarkshire, check out the website to see what’s coming near you and book your place.
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Baby Signing
Baby signing is a wonderful tool in helping ease frustration in babies and toddlers as they can communicate with their hands long before they can speak. Learn baby singing in a fun environment with lots of singing, sensory play, and not to mention, Jessie Cat. A favourite with babies, toddlers and parents. Contact Amanda for more info.
Tel: 07816 223774
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BookBug sessions are a fun mix of stories, singing and rhymes. They are the perfect introduction to reading and are loved by babies, toddlers and parents. Run by the Scottish Book Trust, you can find Bookbug sessions throughout Scotland. Visit your local library or local authority website for details of your nearest Bookbug Session. You can find a list of all the Local Authority areas in Scotland which run Bookbug Sessions and Gaelic Bookbug Sessions on the Scottish Book Trust Website.
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Music, Singing and Movement
ACE is South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture’s programme of Arts, Culture and Exercise activities for children. Check out the ACE timetable for all the current ACE activities. These activities are split into different age groups as follows:
0-18 months: 12 weeks onwards (parent/guardian involvement)
18 months – 3 years (parents/guardians are required to stay for these classes)
3 – 5 years: 3 years old to 5 years old (pre-school)
P1-P3: 5 years old to 7 years old
P4-P7: 8 years old to 12 years old
S1-S4: 12 years old to 15 years old
Jenny, Amanda and their team run Baby Sensory classes in Lanarkshire and South Glasgow. The Award Winning Baby Development classes are held weekly in Clarkston, Hamilton, Carluke, East Kilbride, Uddingston, Strathaven, Airdrie and Motherwell. Check out their websites for more information and to book onto a class.
Tel: 07715664306
Nicola and Giggles the Boogie Beat monkey invite you and your child on an imaginary adventure. The classes are designed for children aged from 6 months to 5 years. Through the use of puppets, instruments and illustrations, imagination is used to leap into a make-believe land of fairy tales and traditional stories. Classes use a mix of music, dance and role-play to express yourself. Contact Nicola to find out more.
Tel: 07465 225 229
Babyballet® dance classes allow babies from 6 months to children 6 years to enjoy the physical and social benefits of ballet, song and dance in a safe, caring, positive and informal environment. Classes can build children’s confidence and social skills, as well as develop basic ballet technique, coordination, musicality, balance, posture and rhythm. Classes are run in Glasgow as well as North and South Lanarkshire. Contact them either by calling the number below or checking our their Facebook page to find out more.
Tel: 07449 310580
Want to try something unique with your baby, toddler, or pre-school child? Try this fun where they can try swinging in a hammock and posing on a trapeze with their carer. Grown-ups get a chance to get back in shape and learn some circus skills. Check out their website by clicking on the name to find out more.
Gymboree Play & Music classes offer children 0-5 the opportunity to play and learn using a combination of music, movement, props, imaginary play and custom-designed and patented apparatus. There are many different classes designed for the stage your baby is at, allowing them t continue to enjoy classes as they grow. Contact the centre to find out more.
Tel: 07866 488 710
Hartbeeps classes are set to a soundtrack of original songs, remixed nursery rhymes and lullabies. Classes take you and your little one on a sound journey and bring the story to life. With classes suitable for different ages, birth to school, there’s no reason not to give this fun class a try. Contact your local Hartbeeps teacher to find out more.
Tel: 07914 023 928
Join Gillian and the Jo Jingles mascot Jo for some fun with music, singing and movement classes. There are classes for babies from 3 months to children 5 years old. Gillian runs classes in Newton Mearns, Giffnock, Strathaven, Clarkston, East Kilbride and Hamilton. Contact her to find out more and book a place.
Little Tiger Cubs is a great exercise programme for children 3-5 years old. The physical and spiritual conditioning offered by Taekwon-Do training will help your child prepare for the challenges they will meet throughout their life and equip them with the necessary skills to deal with many of the negative aspects of life that they may encounter, such as bullying and negative peer pressure. Check out their website to find a class near you.
At Music Makers and Shakers, classes are filled with music and action songs. Classes are held in Hamilton, Uddingston, Rutherglen, Baillieston, Bellshill, Carluke, Airdrie, Coatbridge Larkhall and East Kilbride. Check out the website or Facebook page for more info.
Tel: 07853 226014
Classes are based on a traditional cèilidh, combining songs, stories/rhymes and of course cèilidh dancing. A fantastic cultural experience for all. With classes in North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire and Glasgow, there’s bound to be a class near you. Check out the website or Facebook page for more info.
Tel: 07463131393
Jenny, Amanda and their team run Toddler Sense classes in Lanarkshire and South Glasgow. The Award Winning Toddler classes are held weekly in Clarkston, Hamilton, Carluke, East Kilbride, Uddingston, Strathaven, Airdrie and Motherwell. Check out their website for more information and to book onto a class.
Tel: 07715664306
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Massage
Jo is a trained midwife who left the labour ward to spend time raising her children. Jo’s passion for babies and supporting families led her to train in baby and toddler massage, baby and toddler, prenatal yoga, and antenatal education. Classes currently run in Strathaven but will be expanding shortly. Please contact Jo for more information.
Tel: 07795 820006
YogaBellies is more than just preparing expectant mums for birth. Some teachers offer massage and baby and toddler yoga classes too. To find out more about YogaBellies classes in Lanarkshire, contact Alison Frame (Alison Frame YogaBellies).
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Swimming
Swimming is a fantastic activity for little people and their grown-ups. Water confidence at a young age is so important. Whether you opt for classes at your local council pool or private companies, it’s a personal decision.
Swimming classes for babies and toddlers 6 to 18 months. Please see the website for further details and locations of the classes nearest to you.
Babies have a real affinity with water, and because they’ve spent 9 months floating in the womb, being in warm water feels much more familiar to them than being on dry land. However, this early confidence usually diminishes with time, and can even turn to fear. That’s one of the main reasons why we believe in starting them young. But we never swim a baby against their wishes, and we always incorporate lots of bonding, fun and socialising so you can be sure that a Water Baby is a happy baby. Check out the website to find a class near you.
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Yoga
Jo is a trained midwife who left the labour ward to spend time raising her children. Jo’s passion for babies and supporting families led her to train in baby and toddler massage, baby and toddler, prenatal yoga, and antenatal education. Classes currently run in Strathaven but will be expanding shortly. Please contact Jo for more information.
Tel: 07795 820006
YogaBellies is more than just preparing expectant mums for birth. Some teachers offer massage and baby and toddler yoga classes too. To find out more about YogaBellies classes in Lanarkshire, contact Alison Frame (Alison Frame YogaBellies).
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Baby and Toddler Groups
Baby and Toddler groups tend to be an important part of life with a baby and toddler. It is often a time where parents can socialise with each other while babies and toddlers play. There are so many groups, that to list each one individually is not possible right now.
Your Health Visitor is usually a good source of knowledge about what groups are local to you. Another resource to check out is Support for Play and Eary Learning in Education in Lanarkshire (SPELL). SPELL have compiled a list of baby and toddler groups, as well as playgroups, all over Lanarkshire. Click on what type of group you are looking for it will take you to the right list.
The Parent Cafe in Cambuslang and Rutherglen hosts a baby group and a separate follow-on group. Both groups are highly valued by parents/carers. Please check out the website to find out more.
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Stay and Play
Stay and Play is a fun and stimulating environment where children (aged 0-3) and their parents and carers can come along and have fun engaging in developmentally appropriate activities which help to improve the child’s personal, social and emotional skills.
Like Baby and Toddler Groups and Playgroups, Stay and Play sessions are popping up everywhere. Below are a few popular ones in and around South Lanarkshire. Click on the name, and it’ll take you to more information about the sessions.
If you attend one that isn’t on the list, fill in the contact form below. Other parents will be grateful for more suggestions.
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