You may also like… Tuesday Playgroups here
Details are subject to change, please check directly with class providers for the latest updates, further info and booking requirements. There may be a waiting list for some activities.
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 11th Sep 2023
Multi-award winning classes with you and your baby’s needs and development in mind, packed with a variety of sounds, sights, music, dance, singing and more. Meet new parents and share ideas, experiences and memories together.
👉 1h sessions, booked termly.
For more info, visit @babysensorygateshead
Birth – 13 months
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
📆 Tuesdays, 10-10:45am (🐝Busy Bees) & 11:15am-12pm (🐛Caterpillar Club)
📌 Dunston Activity Centre, NE11 9SS
📅 Wednesdays, 10-10:45am (🐝Busy Bees) & 11:15am-12pm (🐛Caterpillar Club)
📌 Chowdene Family Hub, NE9 7TU
📆 Fridays, 10-10:45am (🐝Busy Bees) & 11:15am-12pm (🐛Caterpillar Club)
📌 Fellside Methodist Church, Whickham, NE16 5BJ
From 4th Sep 2023
Multi-sensory and multi-award winning classes! Welcoming and friendly sessions perfect for bonding with baby, with lots of sensory lights, music and dancing and explorative and messy play. A new theme each week with EYFS planned activities. Caterpillar Club includes a gentle multi sensory baby development activities and a relaxing massage. Busy Bees is highly interactive with a range of songs, activities and bright props.
👉 From £7 per 45 min session, booked termly.
For more info, visit @bloomgatesheadcentralandsouth
Caterpillars: 6 weeks-6 months | Busy Bees: 6-14 months
📅 Tuesdays, 10 – 11.15am
📌 Prince Consort Road, Gateshead, NE8 4JB
5th Sep-12th Dec 2023, term time only
Discover the gallery with your little ones, and support their early development in a fun and relaxed way. There’ll be stories, songs, treasure hunts around the gallery and fun creative activities. At each session you’ll make something to take home, using a wide range of art materials. Afterwards, families are welcome to enjoy a packed lunch in the gallery.
👉 £3 per participant (includes 1 adult place, additional adult tickets available to book).
For more info, visit @shipleyartgallery
Ages 2-5 years
– Pre-booking recommended, walk up places subject to availability. Sessions only run if enough people have pre-booked.
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
📆 Tuesdays, 4pm: Leap ’N Learn
📌 Marron Theatre Arts Centre, Blaydon, NE21 5AJ
Leap ’N Learn class for 18 months to 3 years with lots of music, props and fun. Range of classes for older dancers also available, including Ballet, Tap, Modern Jazz, Greek, National Dance, Musical Theatre, Singing and Drama. Dancers can take part in shows and IDTA exams.
👉 Free trial lesson available. For more info, visit @marrontheatrearts
18 months+
📆 Mondays, 4.15-5pm (Nursery Dance)
📆 Tuesdays, 4.15-5pm (Acro, Age 4+)
📆 Saturdays, 9-10am (Nursery Dance)
📌 Happy Feet Studios, High Heworth, NE10 9AJ
Nursery Dance Classes for ages 2.5 – 5 years, with a range of classes from 4+ and older children including Street, Ballet, Tap, Musical Theatre and Cheerleading. Our PAY AS YOU GO CLASSES are a great way to start your child’s dance passion!
👉 No need to book. Pay on the Day, no termly fees (free trial available)
For more info, visit @happyfeetdancene
📆 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
📅 Tues-Thurs & Sat-Sun
📌 Dauntless Fitness Blaydon, NE21 5NJ
A range of gymnastics classes and fitness classes from 18 months-18 years, including Toddlers Parent & Child gymnastics class with themes, songs, apparatus and bubbles. Moving on to Pre-School classes for children ready to attend without an adult, with a similar structure to the Toddlers class.
👉 From £7, booked monthly (trial session available).
For more info, visit @dauntlessgymnastics
Toddlers: 18 mths – 4yrs | Pre-School: 3 – 4yrs
*More info on casual unstructured Dauntless pre-school 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
📆 Tuesdays, 6 – 7pm
📌 Hertfordshire House Community Centre, Pelaw, NE10 0QY
Shotokan Karate class to improve self confidence, become fitter, learn self defence and meet new friends. Fully insured, licensed and DBS certified instructors with years of martial arts experience.
👉 £4. For more info, visit @SenseiJackKarate
Age 4+
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
From 11th 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 per pre-school session, booked termly (sibling discounts available).
For more info, visit @LittleMoversGateshead
Baby Movers: pre walkers | Little Movers: walking to 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
Babies and toddlers are given the freedom to move around at their own pace, to LEARN, DISCOVER, EXPLORE and CREATE. Messy play is important for development, with exciting sensory experiences that inspire curiosity, enhance learning, language and creativity, and improve fine and gross motor skills, co-ordination, body control and balance. The best part is we clean up the mess!
👉 From £6.75 per session, booked termly (sibling discount & single classes also available).
For more info, visit @splatgateshead
6 months-5 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)
📆 Mondays, 9.30am (Studio Mamma)
📆 Tuesdays, 7am / 10.15am / 11am (Mamma GT)
📆 Wednesdays, 9.30am (Buggy Mums)
📆 Thursdays, 7am / 10.15am / 11am (Mamma GT)
📌 Poise Performance Studio, Burnopfield
Autumn term from 19th Sep 2022
Exercise with your little ones, including walking, running and resistance exercises focussing on building strength and posture slowly after pregnancy. Also suitable during pregnancy from the 2nd trimester.
👉 £10 per session (discounts for block booking/membership).
For more info, visit @eljfitness
Suitable from approx 6 weeks postpartum when signed off by GP
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
