Gymboree Play & Music

This place is terrible. I signed my son up for a class. He was slightly older than the age cut range but the person on the phone allowed us to sign up. When we arrived and went around in the circle and said our age the teacher rudely told us in front of everyone that he was too old and we had to go to the music class (which I’ve done and is terrible compared to other music classes around the county). When I told her we made a reservation for the class and provided his age on the phone she once again repeated he was too old. An appropriate statement would have been that next time we should try the next class. To kick out a toddler from a class? Ridiculous. There are plenty of other wonderful welcoming gyms in this town– don’t give this place your money.

I absolutely don’t recommend this place for anyone specially like innocent children. The class is a mess. If it doesn’t get cancelled for an unexplained reason, it’s always repetitive. The teachers don’t interact with kids and parents are mainly doing everything. There is no fair distribution in classes, some classes have only two kids enrolled and some more than twenty with no space to even walk in the gym. They force teachers to go to the class even if they are having a flu with lost voice so most likely your child will easily get badly sick. The para shoots never get cleaned so as the magic waves. They possibly spray them with a chemical since they smell chemical but still very dirty and some even turned dark and black. The floors at reception and music class are hardwoods but very slippery and children with socks easily fall down. I’ve witnessed a two year old baby fell down from back of her head due to slippery floors and lost her cautious for a few minutes. This place should be closed since they don’t meet any standard.

My review is based on my experience with their birthday parties-​not classes or open gym. The bottom line is that their competitors (My Gym, Little Gym, Silver Stars Gymnastics etc.) do it better. First, you get only one employee to lead the party games and assist — in my experience the other places have at least two staff members present for parties. As far as the games and music, our leader was very friendly, positive and generally fine, but not great — she did a decent job of keeping the kids engaged but she could have been a bit more enthusiastic. The routine was basically the same as a typical gymboree class but shorter. Also some of the equipment was pushed up against and wall and not used.
The party room (for cake and pizza) was disappointing — a bit run down & cluttered, and there was a tarp on the floor covering the carpet. The plates and napkins provided are the cheapest, thinnest possible. When you call to inquire about their parties, they claim they do everything for you, but this is not the case — the one staff member on duty can only do so much. She was busy cleaning the equipment while we were still there doing the cake and pizza; she really didn’t help with that portion of the party. At other kids’ gym parties I’ve been to and/​or hosted, the staff plays an active role with the cake and food part of the celebration, not just the games. Couldn’t cleaning up have waited until after we left? Also, once the structured part of the program was over, the kids were not allowed to play on the equipment at all. Presumably, because they clean it while you are still there.
Their parties work best for kids who are all the same age — probably in the 2 – 3 year old range. The setup is not great if you have any slightly older and more rambunctious kids in the mix. Ultimately, your kids will probably have fun (have you ever heard a kid complain about a party?) but there are better options out there for the money.

I was in the area because my oldest son goes to a KUMON class next door. I had my 2 year old with me who needed to go to the bathroom. I decided to go in to ask about the classes and have my son use the restroom. The woman at the desk would not allow my son to use the bathroom! She actually said it was an insurance liability to allow a 2 year old to use the bathroom! Needless to say we never got to the part where I was actually there to ask about the classes offered and the schedule. I promptly walked out went back next door so that my child could use the restroom. I will say I’ve used Gymboree (not this location) for my other children and always felt welcome. This woman lost a potential student and also future students because I will let others know about this. #fail

You would think that a place where you sign up for a class online, get an EMAIL confirmation and get a VOICEMAIL confirmation would call or email if they decided to close one day. I took off of work to take my daughter on her first birthday to a class here. Yes, it snowed. Yes, Montgomery county closes school when there is a flurry in the air. The roads were fine and everyone was out at the mall with their kids that day. Nope, not the lazy ladies of Gymboree. See, they work off of memberships so once they have your money, they can close and have no financial loss. I am a working mom. I would have considered taking a morning off here or there to take my daughter to a class here if we enjoyed it. If you guys are so caught up on making sure people attend your class by sending out email reminders and leaving voicemails, send an email or call if you’re closed!!! I showed up to see the lights out and NO sign on the door. When I called their number, I see that they decided to play it on their voicemail greeting. That’s nice. My mom used to call places to see if they were open when I was a kid and there was an epic snow storm. This was not the case AND it’s 2014. Plus, if Trader Joes is packed (of course Trader Joes is packed) there is no where to park for Gymboree. Join MyGym and have fun with more responsible people!

Great location — beneath Trader Joe’s on Wisconsin Ave. The facility is nice and bright. I’ve been taking my son to a class here since he was 6 mos. and he really enjoys it. They offer weekend classes so my husband is able to take him sometimes as well.

Gymboree is a lifesaver! I have a 6 month old son and we both really enjoy going to class. I am always trying to think of ways to stimulate and engage my baby, and it’s really nice to have a class where you participate in different activities such as exercise, music and games with your little one. Not only is is educational, but it’s a great excuse to get out of the house for a little while!
I am currently enrolled in a music class and Play & Learn. So far I enjoy the Play & Learn more than the music because the teacher (who I believe is also the manager) Clarice is just fantastic. She’s really sweet and enthusiastic. She teaches on Sundays, and my husband and I go to the class together with our son and it’s such a fun bonding time for all of us. It is also a really nice way to get fathers involved with playtime which can be hard for some guys who have no idea how to interact with a baby.
Music class is also fun, but it is held in a small enclosed room (not the main play area) which is a bit depressing. I wish they’d decorate or paint the room to make it a little more cheerful.
We’ve met some really nice couples at our Sunday class. I’ve noticed that families tend to go to the classes together on the weekends, but during the week there are a lot more nannies/​caregivers there with the kids.
Some friends have also told me they’ve heard people have gotten wallets and stuff stolen at this location, so make sure to keep your valuables with you.
I’m also interested in trying this place out for future birthday parties, so when I do I’ll update this post!