Being a parent is one of the most exciting and challenging phases in life. From the very first moments, we as parents only want the best for our children. Baby courses offer a wonderful opportunity to promote the development of our little ones while spending valuable time with them. In this blog post, Iris from Babybalance introduces various baby courses.
Baby massage
Baby massage is a wonderful way to strengthen the bond between parent and child while promoting the baby's well-being. In baby massage courses, parents learn techniques to gently massage their babies.
The advantages are:
- Relaxation and well-being : Massages help babies relax and promote better sleep.
- Promote physical development : Regular massages can improve blood circulation and muscle development.
- Strengthening the bond : The physical closeness and loving contact during the massage strengthen the emotional bond between parent and child.
These courses are often attended by babies at an early age, as massage is a wonderful relaxation method even for very young children and is often used as a ritual before falling asleep.
PEKiP: The Prague Parent-Child Programme
The PEKiP concept is aimed at parents with babies in their first year of life. It is based on the idea of supporting the child's natural development through movement and play. To achieve this, the babies play naked in warm rooms so that they can move more easily.
The courses offer:
- Individual support : Each child is supported and encouraged in his or her individual development with various play suggestions.
- Child-child contacts : the babies often have their first contacts with other babies; depending on their age, they play together and learn a lot from each other.
- Strengthening the parent-child relationship : Through intensive time spent together, the bond between parents and child is deepened.
- Exchange with other parents : In the PEKiP groups, parents can exchange their experiences and learn from each other.
PEKiP can theoretically be done from the first day of life, because babies have many skills that can be supported from the very beginning. However, it is not sensible to take newborns to crowded, noisy classrooms. PEKiP courses usually start when the babies are around 3 months old. There are often follow-up courses so that a group stays together for the entire first year of life.
Similar programs to PEKiP are Pickler courses, Fenkid, Delfi and many more. Here the focus is often different. Parents should find out beforehand what suits them and their baby best.
All these groups are offered by certified instructors.
There are also many playgroups, which usually have an open concept and are often an additional meeting point for the courses. The course leaders here are not always specially trained.
Swimming lessons for babies
Swimming lessons for babies are a fantastic way to get little ones used to the water at an early age. Babies can take part in these lessons from just a few months of age.
The advantages are manifold:
- Promoting motor skills : Water provides an ideal environment to strengthen muscles and improve coordination.
- Strengthening the parent-child bond : Joint activities in the water create trust and strengthen the emotional bond between parent and child.
- Fun and enjoyment : Babies love splashing in the water, and it is a wonderful way to have fun together.
- Getting used to water : supports later learning to swim
For many parents, swimming is an essential part of the activity. Here, too, you have to consider how early you start. As with PEKiP, the offer itself is not the problem, but the often exhausting logistics of showering, getting dressed, etc. Here, I advise thinking very pragmatically when it comes to clothing for the child and parents. The motto here is as simple as possible. It is often helpful if both parents are there!
Early childhood music
Music has an amazing effect on children's development. Early childhood music courses offer a playful introduction to the world of sounds and rhythms.
Music for the little ones supports:
- Language development : By singing and listening to songs, children expand their vocabulary and improve their language skills.
- Social skills : Making music together promotes social interaction and the learning of rules and structures.
- Creativity : Children can express themselves creatively and develop their imagination through music.
Baby signal
Babysignal is a special program that teaches parents and babies the basics of baby sign language. Using simple hand signals, babies can express their needs and feelings even before they can speak.
The advantages of Babysignal are:
- Better communication : Babies can communicate with their parents faster and more effectively using hand signals.
- Less frustration : Because babies can express their wishes, frustration is reduced on both sides.
- Early intervention : Baby sign language promotes the cognitive and linguistic development of children.
Breastfeeding groups
Breastfeeding groups offer mothers the opportunity to share information about breastfeeding and receive support. These groups are particularly valuable for:
- Support and advice : Get experiences and tips from other mothers and professionals.
- Social contacts : making new friends and sharing ideas about the challenges of motherhood.
- Knowledge and confidence : Learning more about breastfeeding and the baby’s needs, which increases mothers’ confidence.
Supplementary feeding advice
Complementary feeding advice is a valuable support for parents who are starting to introduce solid food to their babies. There are various approaches to introducing complementary foods, such as introducing complementary foods with puree and baby-led weaning, which offers solid food right from the start.
- Porridge: When feeding a baby porridge, it is fed finely pureed food, which allows for a controlled introduction of different foods. Parents can introduce specific nutrients and consistencies to support the baby's development.
- Baby Led Weaning: This approach encourages independent eating by offering babies solid foods in an appropriate form from the start. Babies grab the food and learn to eat independently. This promotes fine motor skills and the development of healthy eating habits. Here, full breastfeeding is often carried out for much longer, as food intake is very low at the beginning.
Both methods have their advantages, and a solid feeding course helps parents find the best way for their family. It is helpful if both methods are discussed in the course, because it is often the baby who decides the method and not the parents.
Baby courses online
In addition to the traditional courses, there are also excellent online offerings. Some are on demand and can be watched as videos at home. Others are live online.
Online courses offer the opportunity to participate from anywhere. You don't have to rush off with your baby and you save the baby the journey, which is often exciting and tiring. In addition, the classrooms are crowded and loud. Not every baby likes that. Sometimes there isn't a large selection of parent-child courses in certain regions, so online courses are a great help here.
- Flexibility: Parents can access the course anywhere, so it can be better adapted to the needs of the family.
- Diverse content: The course covers a wide range of topics, including game ideas, movement exercises and tips for promoting child development.
- Interactive elements: Despite the online version, there are numerous opportunities to exchange ideas with other parents during the course or afterwards.
Live online course “Baby & Me, lovingly accompanied”
The online course " Baby & Me " takes place live and focuses on the parents. In the course, moms and dads learn to live a relaxed everyday life with their baby and not to be unsettled by all the opinions from outside. The combination of knowledge about special baby topics such as baby massage, supplementary food, baby sleep, development and corresponding play suggestions and loving support from the course leader, exchange with the group and paying attention to your own needs and regular "me time" make this course so special! Your baby can take part in the course when it suits them. But if they would rather sleep, play suggestions, baby massage, etc. are shown in such a way that you can catch up with your baby in peace when they are awake and fit. The course takes place in small online groups via Zoom, so that there is enough space for each participant to ask questions and discuss worries and uncertainties. To support the exchange throughout the course, a Facebook group is available where you can network. To keep the topics of the parents similar, the course is divided into modules according to the age of the babies. You can book the modules individually.
Curious?
Then take a look here at “Baby& Me”. If you are not sure whether the course is right for you, book a free introductory meeting where we will answer all your questions.
Conclusion
Baby courses offer numerous advantages for the development of your child and strengthen the parent-child bond. Whether swimming lessons, early childhood music, PEKiP, baby signal, baby massage, breastfeeding groups, complementary feeding advice or online offers such as "Baby and me" - there is the right offer for every family. Use the offers in a way that suits you, your baby and your family. The courses, whether in person or online, always offer a good opportunity to get to know other parents. However, be careful not to overwhelm your baby.
Hi, I'm Iris, a social worker and I live with my twin boys and our two tomcats on the northern outskirts of Berlin.
I have been giving parent-child courses on a freelance basis for 14 years now. After my parental leave, I started with PEKiP and baby massage. Later, I also completed training as a nutritionist. In smaller training courses, I also dealt intensively with the topic of baby sleep, so that in addition to the various courses, I also offer a lot of consultations. During the Corona period, I was one of the first group leaders who simply continued online. And I was amazed at how well it worked.
With this in mind, I developed the live online course Baby& Me. The idea is to make it as easy as possible for parents. How often are face-to-face courses cancelled because the baby is sick or hasn't slept... But it is precisely then that parents often need support. And it should be uncomplicated...
With this in mind, I hope you and your baby have fun with the courses!
Iris Heisterkamp from Babybalance