Classes for Parents and Toddlers in Geelong: What's On and How to Choose
If you're home with a baby or toddler, a weekly class does two jobs at once. It gives your little one somewhere new to explore, and it gives you a reason to leave the house, a few familiar faces and an hour that isn't just laundry.
Geelong has more options than most parents realise, from drop-in library sessions to swim, music and movement classes. Here's what we found, with details checked against each provider's own website. Times and terms change, so always confirm with them before you go.
Tiny Circus at CircArts, Grovedale
We'll start with ours, because it's the one we know best. Tiny Circus is a parent-assisted circus class for babies and toddlers at our studio on Lewalan Street in Grovedale. Classes run for 50 minutes on weekday mornings, with a maximum of 8 little ones.
Classes are grouped by stage:
Babies and Early Movers (9 to 18 months): reaching, crawling, pulling up to stand, first gentle swings, songs and sensory play on soft mats
Toddlers (18 months to 3 years): obstacle courses, balancing, jumping, rolling and low aerial swings
Mixed Ages (9 months to 4 years): for families bringing siblings at different stages
Tiny Explorers (3 to 4 years): the step towards independence, where parents stay in the room but step back
Equipment stays low, mats stay thick and nothing is forced. Plenty of toddlers spend their first class watching, and that's part of learning too. If you've searched for toddler circus activities in Grovedale, this is it. There's a baby change table on site, and you can try three classes with our $55 Starter Pass before you commit.
Mums and bubs classes in Geelong
There are two quite different things people mean by "mums and bubs".
The first is a class for your baby, where you join in. Tiny Circus, library sessions and swim all fit here.
The second is a class for you, with your baby alongside. Our Mums and Bubs sessions combine gentle parent and bub movement, sensory circus play with scarves, soft hoops and ribbons, and core and postnatal strength work. No fitness or flexibility is needed, and dads and other carers are welcome. Many Geelong gyms, Pilates and yoga studios also run their own versions.
Whichever you choose, check in with your GP or a women's health physio before you start exercising after birth, and look for an instructor who asks about your recovery. A good postnatal class is about feeling stronger, more energetic and more connected, not about "bouncing back".
Library sessions: Baby Time, Toddler Time and Story Time
Geelong Regional Libraries run three early years sessions across the region:
Baby Time: songs and rhymes for babies and their carers
Toddler Time: for toddlers on the move
Preschool Story Time: stories for three and four year olds
Branches include Armstrong Creek, Waurn Ponds, Belmont, Geelong West, Torquay, Ocean Grove and the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre. Bookings aren't needed for these sessions, so you can just drop in. If you're after "rhyme time" in Geelong, Baby Time is the one to look for.
Swimming with your baby
The council's swim program, Webstar's, runs First Splash sessions for babies aged 3 to 12 months, with one parent or carer in the water with each baby. It runs at Leisurelink, Norlane ARC, Splashdown and the Bellarine Aquatic & Sports Centre, and formal lessons through Webstar's Swim School start from 6 months. Days and times vary by centre.
Music classes for toddlers
Let's Make Music! (Geelong Youth Choir). A music class for 1 to 4 year olds and the adults who care for them, with singing, dancing, instruments, rhymes and games. It runs on Wednesday mornings during school terms at All Saints' Anglican Parish Hall in Newtown.
Don't forget Baby Time at the library, which is music in its simplest form: songs and rhymes, sung together.
Movement classes for babies and toddlers
GymbaROO Geelong, Belmont. GymbaROO runs parent and child classes from birth to 5 years at the Barwon Valley Activity Centre, with an obstacle course and group time in each class.
Tiny Circus, Grovedale. As above, with obstacle courses, balancing, rolling and low aerial swings set up for little bodies.
Australia's physical activity guidelines suggest toddlers aged 1 to 2 get at least 180 minutes of physical activity a day, including energetic play, spread across the day. A class won't cover all of that, but it gives you new ideas to take home.
Playgroups and new parent groups
Museum Explorers, National Wool Museum. An educator-designed playgroup for children aged 0 to 5 with stories, songs, art and play among the museum's collection. It runs in blocks, so check the current dates.
Playgroups. The City of Greater Geelong lists playgroups across the region. Supported playgroups are free and run by trained facilitators, usually weekly in school terms. Community playgroups are run by parents.
First Time Parent Groups. Run through the council's Maternal and Child Health service, these groups are free and families are usually invited when their baby is between 8 weeks and 4 months old.
How to choose the right class
A few questions make the choice easier:
What time suits your baby? A class that clashes with nap time rarely works, however good it is.
Do you want a class for them, for you, or both? That's the big difference between a baby class and a mums and bubs fitness class.
How far is it? Ten minutes from home beats forty minutes across town, every week.
Can you try before you commit? Look for a trial, a casual class or a short starter offer.
Is the group small? In a small class, the teacher learns your child's name and how they like to join in.
Frequently asked questions
What age can my baby start a parent and toddler class?
It depends on the class. Library Baby Time welcomes young babies, Webstar's First Splash starts at 3 months, and Tiny Circus starts at 9 months. Crawlers are very welcome in Tiny Circus.
Do I need to be fit to do a mums and bubs class?
Not for ours. No fitness or flexibility is needed. Do get clearance from your GP or a women's health physio before starting any postnatal exercise.
What should we wear to Tiny Circus?
Comfortable clothes you can both move in, with no jewellery or zips that could catch on equipment.
Are there free or low-cost toddler activities in Geelong?
Yes. Supported playgroups are free, and parks like the Botanic Gardens and Eastern Beach cost nothing. Library Baby Time, Toddler Time and Preschool Story Time are drop-in sessions with no booking needed.
Come and play with us
If you'd like a weekly morning that's just for you and your little one, come and try Tiny Circus in Grovedale. Message us with your child's age and we'll suggest the right class.