Hoboken and Jersey City are amazing communities to start a family, but Zoom is not an ideal way to bond with newborns and meet other new parents. Luckily, sunny skies make way for opportunities for new families and the littlest residents to get out and experience what makes these towns so special. Here are 13 outdoor music and movement activities to enjoy with babies this spring.
Disclaimer: Please visit each website for social distancing requirements, weather-related policies, and pricing.
Music
Baby Bandstand {Harborside Park, Church Square Park, + Columbus Park}
Semester begins April 12th – June 20th
{Photo credit: @babybandstand}
Created by a professional singer with training in theatre and speech-language pathology along with a certified speech-language pathologist, Baby Bandstand believes in using music to help children form an early foundation for strong speech, literacy, language, and social skills. While most outdoor Spring classes are mixed ages {0 – five years}, there is one infant-specific class being offered.
Little RocknRollers {Maxwell Park}
Semester begins April 13th, with five class and 10 class packs available
Karyn Kuhl’s popular class provides a fun, educational, and rockin’ musical experience. All outdoor classes are mixed ages {six months – four years}, highly interactive, and offer hands-on experience with {brought from home} musical instruments.
Music for Aardvarks {Maxwell Park}
Semester begins April 5th – June 4th
For nearly 15 years, Adam Roberts has brought the Aardvarks franchise to Hoboken, offering an interactive musical experience focusing on original songs, rhythms, and chants that celebrate the lives of children growing up today, with influences of rock, blues, ballads, folk, jazz, and pop. Outdoor classes are of mixed ages {three months – five years}.
Music Together {All Saints Lawn Area + Church Square Park}
Hoboken favorite Dave Lambert will lead Music Together’s spring outdoor classes. This mixed ages class {infant – five years} follows the recommendations of child development researchers grouping children of a variety of ages because this fosters natural, family-style learning. Each child participates at their own level in singing, moving, chanting, listening, watching, and exploring instruments.
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Music with Corey {Maxwell Park + Church Square Park}
{Photo credit: @musicwithcorey}
With nearly a decade teaching early childhood music, Corey J. Feldman offers engaging music classes with educational songs about shapes, colors, and numbers, freeze dances, guessing games, and even magic. He will host weekly weather-dependent outdoor classes with limited spots this spring. Email musicwithcorey@gmail.com to sign up for updates.
My Gym Hoboken + Jersey City {720 Monroe Street, Hoboken + Hamilton Park, Jersey City}
{Photo credit: @mygymjerseycity}
With everything from Mommy and me classes, to siblings playtime – My Gym Hoboken is a go-to for children of all ages. Babies ten months and older can enjoy this fun-filled class outdoors on Tuesday 9:30AM. The lawn provides a great space for this program while keeping distancing requirements in place. This kids’ fitness haven also offers a variety of classes for the little runners, jumpers, and tumblers in the Mile Square and beyond.
For Jersey City residents, My Gym also hosts outdoor classes on the lawn behind the playground at Hamilton Park. Classes began on March 24th and run through May 26th and take place on Wednesdays. 9:30AM – 10:15 AM is for 7 months – 3-years-old and 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM is for 3 – 6-years-old. It’s $300 for the 10-week outdoor class package.
Puppetonia {Church Square Park}
Symposia Bookstore’s popular music and puppet shows incorporate important social skills, thinking skills, motor skills, and self-expression. And there are bubbles galore! An outdoor performance will be hosted every Thursday at 10AM this spring.
Rockness Music {Pier at 12th Street + Sinatra Drive North under the shade structure}
By Session: April 7- May 25, June 2- July 7, June 5- June 10
This modern approach to parent & me music classes combines fun and education to bring the very best rock music class experience. The same music experience from Rockness Music – developed by Michael Napolitano who spent 10 years with the Blue Man Organization – but with the wind blowing and the birds chirping.
Movement
Itsy Bitsy BABY Yoga {Riverview Park, Jersey City}
Wednesdays at 11AM beginning April 14th
Each class is filled with dozens of unique yoga postures designed to support the baby’s development and calming, nurturing ways to enhance bonding. Most of the yoga is for babies, but you will also learn breathing and relaxation techniques as you practice a bit of yoga yourself.
Little Gym {Mary Benson Park, Jersey City}
Semester begins March 26th – May 29th
These 45-minute classes being offered Friday and Saturday mornings at 9:30AM and 10:30AM promise to provide families with an opportunity to burn energy, build skills and have fun. Classes are mixed ages 10 months – three years old.
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Mommy + Me {Hoboken + Jersey City}
{Photo credit: @jcbumpandbaby}
A gentle yoga class for postpartum moms {who have been cleared by their healthcare provider} while your baby rests next to you. There will also be interactive poses for you and your baby. Michelle from JC Bump and Baby can restart this class on Tuesdays at 12PM in Columbus Park beginning April 20th if there is interest. Check the website and @JCBumpandBaby on Instagram for additional outdoor class options in Hoboken and Jersey City.
Postnatal Bring the Baby Flow {Riverview Park, Jersey City}
Tuesdays at 12PM beginning April 13th
After giving birth, many moms are eager to get back into their fitness routine, yet often struggle to find the time. The series will focus on rebuilding core and pelvic floor strength and releasing those new-mom tensions in the back and shoulders. This class is best for moms with newborns and new crawlers.
Yoga for Babies
Puppetonia’s Carmen Rusu helps parents and caregivers give babies six weeks of crawling the experience of yoga while on their backs, tummies or held in loving arms. Each class is filled with calming, nurturing ways to help babies grow stronger through yoga movement, song, and loving touch. Carmen will host the class outdoors with four or more families at an agreed-upon date, time and location. Email puppetonia@gmail.com to arrange.
