Gymboree Play & Music

This place is AWESOME!
As a nanny, I’ve been taking the little boy I watch to Play & Learn classes for 7 months (he started at 17 months (Level 4) and is 2 now (Level 5). We both absolutely love it!
For PLAY & LEARN CLASSES: The large motor play EQUIPMENT is top-​notch: Brightly colored and in fantastic condition, lots of variety so the kids don’t get bored and each piece uses different and/​or multiple muscle groups. Everything is always clean and organized. All the equipment is open-​ended so kids can freely explore at their own pace. What’s really great is that the equipment — stairs, ladders, slides, trampolines, soft mats, balance beams, tunnels, balance boards, rocking horses, and I could go on– can be approached differently by each child based on their interests and skill sets. Even though the equipment itself doesn’t change between levels, the teachers are fantastically skilled at adapting each piece to the challenge level of each class she teaches.
Generally the classes are a mix of structured and open play time. Teachers direct kids and parents in various songs, games and activities– Some things are part of the routine every class and the kids learn them by heart very quickly. Otherwise, each class period has a different theme with unique activities that focus on different skills and interests. Kids are not pressured into participating– If they’d rather just watch, that’s ok. If they’d rather play on something else, that’s okay, too.
Class sizes range from just a couple kids to large groups, just depending on who signs up and who makes it each week.
If you miss your weekly class, you can just drop in to another class any time to make it up. It doesn’t even necessarily have to be the same class and you don’t have to tell them in advance. The open gym times are also great!
The CLASSROOM itself is big and roomy with lots of space for kids to run and explore without being on top of each other. With half a dozen kids, their parents, and the teacher, there’s still plenty of breathing room. You can have a loud and rowdy group in one corner of the room, and a relatively quiet and intimate space in another.
TEACHERS are amazing and really know their stuff! They are sweet and patient. When we were new, all of the teachers went out of their way to welcome us, even if they weren’t our teacher. They know every kid and parents’ names– They truly feel like friends of ours. I taught preschool for many years and the staff at Gymboree are just as educated on developmental milestones (not limited to large motor skills but also cognitive development, language skills, social and emotional skills, etc.), methods of teaching all kinds of learning styles and setting appropriate boundaries. They get down on the kids level and aren’t afraid to act silly and direct the group, even with all those parents watching them. They’re always full of great tips and advice for parents on how to teach and engage their kids at home.
Our absolute fave is Miss Becky! The boy I nanny became immediately attached to her– he often spends entire class periods glued to her side. He talks about her at home and she’s the first thing he looks for when we walk into the building.
We LOVE Gymboree of Federal Way!

Fun place for smaller kids (6 months to 4 years old) and my children love it here!!! The teacher, Mrs. Becky is patient and great with the kids. They have climbing structure and pretend play. The classes are well organized. If you go online, they allow parents and kids to visit for free and they do have special offers. There are plenty of parking spaces.

I love Gymboree! We started bringing my son when he was 9 months old and he’s now 14 months and enjoys the classes. They have classes separated by age and engage the children in activities to build their physical skills. There is a whole room full of play equipment that they change up every week. The activity leaders will lead one hour of activity and assist parents in helping their kids through climbing, walking, crawling and playing. We go Saturdays and absolutely love Ms. Becky. I should mention that all the instructors are so nice and good with kids. It’s a clean and safe environment and really neat to watch our son play and be silly with toddlers.