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Details are subject to change, and there may be a waiting list for some activities. Please check for the latest updates directly with providers.
From 11th Sep 2023
Grow + Play is a new baby and toddler playgroup inspired by the Montessori method for early education, with carefully planned activities to create a calm, engaging and child-centred environment.
Sessions are fun and engaging, encouraging children to investigate, experiment and learn through play, with educational activities, songs and stories to promote natural development. Sessions have a relaxed start, so it’s no problem to arrive after the start time. Children are given the freedom to decide which activities they want to try, and the adults take a hands-off observer/supporter role as they explore – and can enjoy unlimited free tea and coffee!
There are two stages in Grow + Play, with a group for Babies and for Toddlers. Younger siblings are also very welcome in the toddler group.
👉 £5-£6 per session, book here (50% discount for siblings)
Babies: birth to confidently walking | Toddlers: confidently walking to 5 years old.
Mumbler Discount!!
Use the code MUMBLER15 at checkout for 15% OFF
*1 use per customer
From 11th Sep 2023
Oodles of singing, dancing, sensory and arty activities to ignite your little ones imagination and introduce them to art!
From £7.50 per session, booked termly (sibling discounts available).
For more info, visit @ARTventurersNewcastle
Baby: from 6 months | Little: from 18 months | Family: mixed ages
📅 Mondays, 9.45 – 11.45am
📌 Raven Valley Gym Club, Metrocentre
📅 Tuesdays, 9.45 – 11.45am
📌 Ryton Community Centre
📅 Wednesdays, 9.45 – 11.45am
📌 Raven Valley Gym Club
📅 Thursdays, 9.45am – 12.30pm
📌 Raven Valley Gym Club
📅 Fridays, 9.45 – 11.45am
📌 Ryton Community Centre
From 4th Sep 2023
A movement, music and sensory play class focusing on learning through play – with sing-a-long songs, props, activities and music. There will be bubbles, ribbons, sensory materials, mirrors, musical instruments, play parachutes and much more! Babies welcome with older siblings in the MINI age classes.
👉 From £6.50 per 45 min session, booked termly (sibling discounts available).
For more info, visit @thebabyhubgateshead
Baby M+Ms: 6 weeks – 1 year/walking | Mini M+Ms: 1 year/walking – preschool
From 4th Sep 2023
Basketball-themed sessions focussing on developing the fundamental skills of balance, coordination, agility, movement and many more. Classes are led by experienced PE teachers with different activities every week.
👉 From £6 per session, booked termly.
For more info, visit @littleballersnewcastle
Suitable for confident walkers up to age 5
📆 Fridays, 9.30 – 11.30am
📆 Saturdays, 9 – 11.05am
📌 Dunston Activity Centre, NE11 9SS
From 4th Sep 2023
We teach award-winning pre-school dance classes to babies, toddlers and children. Our fully trained dance teachers create a fun, friendly environment where every little one is given a chance to shine.
👉 £7 per 30/35 min class, booked termly (3 week trial available for £20).
For more info, visit @babyballetnorthtyneside
Tots: 6-18 months | Tinies: 18 months – 3 Years | Movers: 3-4 years | Tappers: 3+ years | Groovers: 4.5-6 years
From 4th Sep 2023
Tappy Toes classes are welcoming, sociable, supportive and most importantly so much fun for children and parents! Our 30 minute sessions are suitable for boys and girls, with classes split into three age ranges. Classes follow EYFS guidance to support your child’s early years development, and involve sensory props, catchy tunes, action songs and basic dance movements, finishing with bubbles.
👉 £16.50 for 3 week trial, then half termly booking available.
For more info, visit @tappytoesgateshead
From 4th Sep 2023
Fun and funky dance classes for boys and girls, covering 16 dance styles from Hip Hop to Bollywood, Rave to Charleston and many more! Above all it’s about having lots of fun!
👉 From £5 per 45 min session, booked termly (selected trial/PAYG sessions available).
For more info, visit @diddidancesunderland
Approx 18 months (when steady on feet) – 5 years
📆 Mondays, 10am: Jitterbugs
📆 Wednesdays, 10am: Jitterbugs
📆 Fridays, 4.30 – 5pm: Diddi Dancers
📌 Rowlands Gill Scout Hut, NE39 2PD
📆 Wednesdays, 5.15 – 5.45pm: Diddi Dancers
📌 Blaydon Winlaton Family Hub, Gateshead
Parent & child dance sessions – Diddi Dancers: introduction to ballet, and Jitterbugs: songs and sensory props, including singing, dancing, hoops, pom poms, bean bags, instruments and more. Finishing with a fruit snack before playing with beams, tunnels, trampets and bubbles!
👉 From £4.50 per class. Contact 07534 667 913 to book.
Jitterbugs: toddlers. Diddi Dancers: 3-5 years
📆 Tuesdays
📌 9.30 – 11.05am @Springwell Village Hall, NE9 7RP
📌 5 – 5.45pm @Dunston Activity Centre, NE11 9SS
📆 Wednesdays
📌 9.30 – 10.15am @Blaydon Youth & Community Centre, NE21 5LU
📌 4.45 – 6.30pm @Whickham School, NE16 5AR
📆 Fridays
📌 4 – 5.35pm @Barley Mow Community Centre, Birtley, DH3 2AJ
📆 Saturdays
📌 9am – 12.15pm @Blaydon Youth and Community Centre, NE21 5LU
📌 9am – 12.20pm @Emmanuel College, Lobley Hill, NE11 0AN
📆 Sundays
📌 9am – 12.30pm @Cardinal Hume School, NE9 6RZ
📌 9am – 12.30pm @Whickham School, NE16 5AR
Teaching football in a fun, pressure-free environment, to give children a positive introduction to sport as a whole so they’re more likely to stay healthy and active throughout life.
👉 £27.99 per month, 45 min sessions (plus £24 registration fee, inc shirt & shorts).
For more info, visit @LittleKickersNorthEast
Little Kicks: 1½ to 2½ years | Junior: 2½ to 3½ | Mighty: 3½ years to 5th birthday | Mega: 5 years to 8th birthday
📅 Tues, Thurs & Friday, 10am – 12pm
📌 Hamsterley Mill, Rowlands Gill, NE39 1ND
From 16th June 2023
A creative and warm Parent & Child Group held in the Wild Woods, a wonderful setting where children and carers can explore, connect with nature through loose parts play, learn new skills, join in with nature crafts and become part of a very special community. As well as Forest School sessions for pre-school and ages 4+, the outdoor kindergarten childcare provision is rated outstanding by OFSTED.
👉 From £7.50 per session, booked termly (sibling discounts available).
For more info visit @conkerslife
All ages welcome
📆 Wednesdays, 2 – 2.45pm
📆 Fridays, 10 – 10.45am & 2 – 2.45pm
📆 Sundays, 12.15 – 1pm
📌 Station Lane, Birtley, DH3 1QT
Structured sessions starting with a warm up then onto the apparatus learning basic skills such as forward rolls, backward rolls, etc, followed by free play exploring larger equipment. Finishing with parachute play and bubbles.
👉 £5 per session, booked termly.
For more info, visit @Northern Hope Gymnastics Centre
Under 5 years
*More info on unstructured pre-school Stay & Play sessions can be found under Playgroups here
From 4th Sep 2023
Three stages of classes available from newborn to pre-school. Baby classes focus on bonding and confidence, with friendly puppet characters, props and parachutes and elements of yoga, massage and calming techniques. The fun-filled, highly interactive toddler class involves creative play, dance and movement all set to a soundtrack of remixed nursery rhymes, funky, original kids songs and familiar lullabies.
👉 From £6.50 per 45 min session, booked termly (trial session also available).
For more info, visit @abbyhartbeeps
Newborn to Sitting | Sitting to Toddling | Walkers to Pre-School
📆 Mondays, 5-6pm
📌 St John’s Church, Low Fell, NE95RD
📆 Wednesdays & Fridays, 5-6pm
📌 Gateshead International Stadium, NE10 0EF
All ages welcome, children and adults. Goju-Kai Karate classes taught by Sensei Blane Stamps, 2nd Dan Black belt. Club affiliated to the IKGA, EKF and WKF.
👉 £5 per class (first lesson free, and free Gi on joining club!).
For more info, visit @tyneandweargojukai
4+ years
From 18th Sep 2023
Three stages of classes: introducing little ones to movement through the use of song, play and sensory props, followed by fun classes for walkers with singing, dance and play, then ‘moving on up’ for ages 5+. A great way to meet other parents/carers.
👉 From £5.50 per 45 min session, booked termly.
For more info visit @Little Movers Chester Le Street and Durham North
Birth-crawling | Walking-4 years | 5-7 years
Baby Love
📆 Thursdays, 11.45am
📆 Fridays, 1.15pm
The Kids Are Alright!
📆 Thursdays, 9.45am & 1.15pm
📆 Fridays, 9.45am & 11.15am
📌 The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Gateshead Quays, NE8 2JR (previously Sage Gateshead)
From 28th Sep 2023
Fun, relaxing and high quality music making sessions with welcoming specialist musicians. Musical fun with singing songs, playing instruments, games and developing new musical skills. Sessions have a relaxed start (never worry about running late!) and some social time.
👉 £5 per 1h 15min session PAYG (£1 for any additional children/adults).
Booking recommended, for more info, visit @sagegateshead
Baby Love: 0-12 months | The Kids Are Alright! 0-5 years
From 11th Sep 2023
Relaxed fun Yoga sessions for children and parents to practice yoga and mindfulness, with stretches to music, song and rhyme with sensory props, moving on to a mixture of yoga, dance and gymnastic elements. Baby Developmental Massage classes to bond, connect, soothe and relax, using easy massage sequences to aid in the relief of common ailments such as sleeplessness, colic, constipation and digestion.
👉 From £6.75 per session, booked termly (trial classes also available).
For more info, visit @kalmalifeGheadwest
Massage: 6 weeks-6 months. Yoga: 6 weeks-crawling | crawling-3 years | 3-8 years
From 11th Sep 2023
Award-winning, multi-sensory and fun music classes for babies and toddlers, to enhance the development of your little one through music. Rhythm Time is the longest established provider of multi-sensory, fun and educational music classes for babies and toddlers. We are passionate about music and the amazing developmental benefits it has on young children.
👉 From £19.10 per month.
For more info, visit @RhythmTimeNewcastleTyneandWear
Babies (0 – 12 months) | Toddlers (approx 12 months – 3.5 years) | Family Class (0-3.5 years)
Rhymetime
📆 Mondays, 10am @Pelaw Library
📆 Tuesdays, 10am & 11am @Birtley Library
📆 Tuesdays, 2pm @Blaydon Library
📆 Wednesdays, 9.30am @Wrekenton Hub
📆 Fridays, 9.30am & 11am @Central Library*
📆 Fridays, 10.30am @Leam Lane Library
Storytime
📆 Wednesdays, 9.30am @Blaydon Library
📆 Wednesdays, 10.30am @Leam Lane Library*
📆 Wednesdays, 10.30am @Central Library
📆 Fridays, 10am @Pelaw Library*
📆 Fridays, 10.30am @Birtley Library*
From Sep 2023
Rhymetime sessions with songs, rhymes, rhythm and movement, and Storytime sessions with stories and activities for little ones and their grown ups.
👉 Free 30 min sessions. Places are limited, telephone booking recommended for sessions with ‘*’.
For more info, visit @gatesheadlibraries (or pick up a Gateshead Live brochure from your local library)
Suitable for under 5s
📅 Fridays, 10.15am (Toddler Folk) & 11.30am (Baby Folk)
📌 Ye Olde Cross, Ryton, NE40 3QP
From 1st Sep 2023
Classes are centred around promoting early speech and language skills through Makaton signing, singing, music and movement, story time and musical instruments. With simple songs that encourage repetition, play and following instructions, using Ready Steady Go games to help speech and language development. Sessions includes a snack time and free tea and coffee, and end with sensory free play, parachute, lights and bubbles.
👉 From £6.50 per family, 45 min sessions.
Baby Folk booked termly, Toddler Folk PAYG spaces available.
For more info, visit @Little Folk
Baby Folk: 6 weeks-1 year | Toddler Folk: 1 year+
Cooking fun for your little one! Your little one can make, bake and create as they release their inner chef. Ingredients and cooking tools supplied, along with a story, craft activity and cuppas for grown ups!
From £9.25 per session, booked termly (sibling discounts available).
For more info, visit @TinyTastersNewcastleGateshead
Toddler to pre-school
Cooking fun for your little one! Welcome to Tiny Tasters where your little one can make, bake and create as they release their inner chef. Ingredients and cooking tools supplied, along with a story, craft activity and cuppas for grown ups!
From £9.25 per session, booked termly (sibling discounts available).
For more info, visit @TinyTastersTyneValley
Toddler to pre-school | Top Tasters 4 years+
