Lake Washington Toddler Group

My son and I love going to toddler group. Teacher Kris is outstanding and the other mothers are very nice. I enjoy the parent education opportunities and I feel like the things I learn make me a better parent. 5 stars!

Thursday is my favorite day of the week with my son because it’s LWTG day! He is 2 and he LOVES it! I started going 2 years ago with my older daughter (who was 2 when we started) and then brought my son along after he was born. I took my daughter until she aged out of the program. Next school year I will take my son and our new baby who is due this Spring. So basically I have taken kids newborn through almost 4 years old and they were very enriched by the program.
We love LWTG because it is a welcoming place, with educated teachers, involved parents, and endless fun for the kids. There are play structures, art projects, imaginative play toys, songs and dancing, snack, and more. Each week there is also a «Parent Education» component where parents sit together with the teacher and discuss a relevant topic (all right in the large play area where you can see your kids and they can come and sit with you if they want a break from playing).
I highly recommend LWTG and will continue to go there many years to come.

My children were in classes with Teachers Susy, Kris, and Jessica. This is a great program for toddlers. The free play and low pressure environment is well suited to the children’s age groups and just plain FUN! We found it very affordable, clean, friendly and welcoming of younger siblings. Would totally do it again and recommend it to others. My daughter had almost a year where she had extreme difficulty sitting during snack as the noise and activity were just too much for her (not a poor reflection on LWTG, this was just her personal developmental challenge). They were excellent about helping find an alternative during snack so she could eat comfortably and still participate while not making a big deal of the situation. I really appreciated that support and flexibility. Though we’ve liked all our teachers, I would highly recommend Teacher Kris as an extremely knowledgable and experienced teacher (and mother).

We have been a part of Lake Washington Toddler Group (the Kirkland location) for two years now. We love it! It is especially great during the colder weather months when we aren’t getting out of the house as much. LWTG gives my children an outlet to run around, climb and play with other kids their age, and experience new activities each week that I wouldn’t have thought of doing myself. Each week consists of open play time with tons of different stations excellent for toddler developmental growth: sensory table, play doh table, quiet reading area, an art project section with a new art project each week as well as a painting station, circle time with songs and (sometimes)dancing, and snack time.
All of the teachers are kind and gentle, and are experts in all areas of toddler development. Ask them a question about behavioral issues, potty training, language development, or any other toddler-​related topic, and they are guaranteed to share some ideas and advice you hadn’t thought of before. Likewise, every other week parents take turns having a short circle time of their own in the classroom, in which they can share positive experiences or challenges they are having with their little ones. There are so many weeks when I have picked up a great tip from another parent to try with my little guy.
I have also developed some friendships with other parents through this group. I am a stay-​at-​home mom and one of the first of my friends to have children, so it was a lovely surprise to befriend some other moms and dads with kids my age.
A few of the administrative things I like:
* This toddler group offers many different class time options, including an early evening class for parents who work, or for other reasons are unable to go during the day.
* They also have a wonderful baby class, so don’t let their business name fool you! It’s not just for toddlers!
* When I was researching other coops in the area, I found LWTG to be the most convenient for my family due to a few factors: they have extremely reasonable fundraising expectations (raise or donate only $ 35 during the school year), they permit younger siblings to attend class (so I didn’t have to hire a nanny or babysitter for my baby); reasonable tuition costs; reasonable expectations on the number of coop events that parents are required to attend.
And while I’m on the topic of parent events… They offer so many great events for parents (you can pick and choose which ones you attend). Some of my favorites include: private (open only to LWTG families) Caspar Babypants concert, potty training information night, preschool information night, family pumpkin patch day, toddler dance party night, and they have tons of informational speakers throughout the year on a variety of topics (such as, Kindergarten readiness, safety issues, nutritional speaker, and lots more). Their events are listed on the calendar on their website if you’re interested in learning more.
I cannot speak highly enough about Lake Washington Toddler Group. If you’re looking into baby or toddler classes, I hope you’ll check out their website, visit one of their open houses throughout the year, or set up a time to stop by the classroom and take a peak.

We love LWTG! Both my kids attended when they were 1 – 2 years old and it’s a great transition from baby groups to preschool. The activities are age appropriate and the parents can mingle while the kids are playing. There is structure with dedicated play/​art time, snack time, singing, and bubbles. The kids look forward to going all the time and love it! The teachers are great and really want to make sure that the kids and parents are learning and taking something out of it

I took both my Son and Daughter to LWTG when they were between the ages of 1 – 3 years of age. We spent 4 years total going to classes at LWTG and enjoyed every minute of it. They loved the teachers, art, circle time and open play time. I loved meeting other parents and the parent education portion of the class as well as the evening parent ed events. I would highly recommend LWTG to anyone looking to enrich their child’s day as well as their own.

LWTG is fantastic! I’m attending now with my second daughter after aging-​out with my older daughter several years ago. I’m so happy to be back and to be able to give my younger daughter the same fun experience that her older sister had. LWTG is a great place for toddlers to explore different types of activities and toys as well as getting some social interaction with other kids. I love watching my little one find a new part of the room, or try something new like painting for the first time. With all the different play areas, there is something for everyone, and I think it’s a great way to see what your child might like that you didn’t expect. Both my girls have loved the sensory (rice, lentils, etc) table and I’m so glad it’s not in my house :) Even the second time around the parent education discussions have been informative and interesting — always something new to learn about parenting! The teachers are wonderful and terrific with toddlers and parents alike. There is also the benefit of getting to know other parents with kids around the same age. I’m so glad that LWTG has stood the test of time and continues to be a great place for families to learn and grow together!

I have taken both my daughters to LWTG and loved it both times. Not only is a great area for toddlers to explore but the teachers are amazing! I have learned so much about how toddlers develop and how I can better help them grow.
It is a great outlet for meeting other parents with kids at the same stage of development too. I can’t count the number of parenting ideas that I have learned from talks with other parents while our kids played. If you have have a toddler now (or soon!) definitely give LWTG a shot.

My son and I have been attending LWTG since fall of 2012 when he was a little over a year old. We both LOVE the school! He has so much fun playing in the classroom and really enjoys the different sensory tables. I enjoy the social aspects of class and having a chance to play with him. I have enjoyed the different parent education topics too, having heard a lot of good ideas that have worked for our family.

We love LWTG!
This is our first year attending and my toddler has loved it. Every Monday my little girl knows exactly where we’re going and gets excited. Teacher Amy is kind and patient. You can tell that all the kids love and trust her when they leave their parent’s laps during song time to sit in hers. I was amazed at how quickly Elora picked up lyrics and hand motions from songs! She regularly asks to sing them at home. The toys are kept clean and in good condition. The play areas are changed around regularly and we love the themed play area (the store with cash registers is our favorite so far). All the mother’s that have been in my class have been very welcoming and friendly. We take joy in sharing recipes and parenting advice/​issues. My husband and I have particularly enjoyed the after-​hours talks and seminars that LWTG holds. The Preschool talk and fair were especially informative.
We’re now expecting baby number 2 and can’t wait to bring the new addition along to the fall classes in September!

LWTG Toddler group is awesome! Both have my sons have really enjoyed it. The events are awesome for both kids and parents. But, the best part of all is meeting other moms and the awesome parent education topics.

Wonderful place for parents and children to play together! The site is spacious and features many different stations (sensory table, water play, play-​doh, vehicles, etc.) I have a son and daughter and they both LOVED coming to Toddler Group and playing with all the fun toys. The teachers are laid-​back and supportive. The atmosphere is relaxed, and I could forget about my adult worries for a while and just enjoy playing with my kids. The other families are friendly and supportive, and it’s a great place to make friends for both you and your children. The weekly parent education component is a good starting point, and they offer periodic lectures that were VERY informative with the latest research, etc. I made so many wonderful memories at Toddler Group over 4 years, and will always treasure the time spent here with my children at that precious young age. Check it out — I bet you’ll love it too!

I attended with both of my children, from 2007 until 2013. My kids still wave at LWTG when we drive by, and I still have dinner once every month or two with the friends I made in my first and second years.
The site and program are ideal for ages 1 – 4: there is both consistency and variety, structure and freedom.
The Parent Ed discussion can be useful for even a second– (or fourth-​) time parent, and the teachers are an amazing resource. However, the education portion of the class was not what kept me coming back for years.
The best part for me was watching my kids play while I socialized with the other moms. (Although it’s easiest to spend all your time with people you already know, I also enjoyed making new friends. By trailing my kids around the room, I’d end up near all of the parents at some point, and made an effort to talk to everyone.)
There is nothing quite like observing your toddler at free play. By standing back and letting them explore on their own, I witnessed their personalities and interests emerge and evolve. I gained a lot of insight into my kids by watching them play alongside peers.
I also got adorable Mother’s Day gifts and other mementos with my kids’ handprints and artwork. I treasure those.
Only one thing I found tedious at the time – journals. Now, however, I am grateful that we made the time for quarterly observations of our kids’ development. I have spiral-​bound records of so many details that I couldn’t have imagined forgetting while I was in the thick of it.

My kids love this place. I am in a sibling class where both kids can attend at the same time. I enjoy the parent education portion of our weekly class and the opportunity to participate in the school board. The «outside activities» are lots of fun as well. Last night’s annual «Pajama Night» was a private concert with Caspar Babypants! We will be coming back next year for sure.