Gymboree Play & Music

It’s fun place for the little kid to play and enjoy birthday parties. This gymboree had a lot of room and it was very clean. The staff was very friendly and energetic and I feel you need to have that to work at this type of job. We liked our time there and I think Gymboree is a great business for getting parents and kids to get some indoor safe exercise.

I can’t say enough good things about the Lakeview North and South locations!
First off, Lakeview South is a beautiful, bright, cheerful new location. The layout is fantastic with a large open entryway, tables and chairs, and plenty of room for strollers/​shoes/​bags. Lakeview North (right next door) is an older center, and unfortunately it is obvious when placed next to lakeview south. That being said, it is larger — with an art/​music room and a larger play floor. It’d be great if the older center was updated to match the newer one, but it is what it is! Maybe in time…
The play and learn classes are fantastic. It really is a CLASS as opposed to just a play center! My little one (level 4) not only learns about concepts (up/​down, in/​out.) but also gets to work on things like balance, coordination, sharing, cleaning up, waiting turns, etc. I love that she gets to spend time playing and interacting with other children her age, and can get used to being around large groups of people (children and adults) without being intimidated. She gets so much out of these classes, and it’s all done through playing! She absolutely lights up when we walk through the door, and can’t get enough of all of the climbing and sliding on all the great equipment. Having an apartment in the city, it’s really great to have an indoor, safe place I can take her regardless of the weather/​season. And she always takes the BEST naps after gymboree :)
Classes are 7 days a week, and between the two centers there are tons of options for times — I’ve never had a problem finding something that works with our schedule. Not only that, but when our naps changed the staff was extremely helpful in getting us switched into a different level 4 time slot that worked with our new schedule. If you miss a class it’s not a big deal, you just get a make up class added to your account and you can use it whenever. And the billing system is the best. When you sign up you become a «member». You give them your card info, and whatever day you enroll becomes your billing date. Every month on that day a specified amount is deducted, until you choose to cancel. It’s kind of like a netflix or gym membership! I love that I don’t have to worry about due dates or paying on time, it’s one less thing to worry about, which is great. There are no hidden fees or catches, it’s just simple and easy.
Lastly — teachers. Every teacher has a different teaching style. Some are more calm and sweet, some are more enthusiastic and high energy. Find one that you and your child gravitate towards and you’re golden. That being said, the entire staff are probably the nicest group you’ll come across. They will bend over backwards for you and it shows.
Extras: they have an open gym every day after the classes are done, so regardless of your class day, you can always go at specified times and just PLAY. It’s fantastic. They also have events all the time — holiday parties, art studios, etc. We are very much looking forward to the halloween themed Pumpkin Patch Party coming up!

I used to take the girl I nannied for here and I loved it! All the teachers were excellent with her! She was a shy girl and didn’t like to be around new people but she really loved her teachers. She instantly lit up when we walked in.
I enjoyed being able to get on the floor and really play with her while in the classes. The songs were all super catchy and easy to remember. She loved them and we would sing them through out the day!
It was a little difficult find parking at times. Some days we’d get a spot right in front and other days, we’d have to park over a block away. But it was always worth it!

I signed my 18 month up for 3 months of Gymboree. Currently, we are taking a break because we are about to have another baby. I put him in a couple music classes prior to Gymboree-​but at this age he needed more physical activity. Plus its winter in Chicago (which seems to never end). So this was a perfect solution. They change up how they set up the equipment each week. However, they do some of the same routines like parachute, bubbles, and songs. He learned to balance really well, climb without support, and take more risks. The only main drawback is that it is expensive. I think it should be a little cheaper. They are responsive though. When I did cancel, it wasn’t a problem. I just emailed them with a few weeks notice. They said I can resume at any time. It’s worth trying!

I have been going to gymboree off and on since 2008. My first child started in the class here at 6 weeks and stayed until 18 months when we moved to Little Gym down the street. My second child is currenlty attending class here.
I think the instructors are hit or miss. If you get a great instructor, then the class is great, but if not then it can get pretty boring really quick. I don’t love the current instructor we have right now and look forward to moving up a level. However, they don’t offer many classes and so due to the timing, we may have to put our membership on hold until there is a class during a time where we can attend.
This class is not very working parent friendly. It is nearly impossible to do makeups when they only offer a few classes on the weekends. They keep pushing the weekday classes for makeups, as if they can’t get the concept that working parents are at work.
This class runs around $ 23/​class. This is pretty high for 45 minutes. I don’t love their billing either, but it does not bother me as much as it does others.
The equipment they have for the babies is great and I love the songs during circle time.
All in all, I recommend any new parent or old parent with a new child to take this class up until the age of about18 months. Around 18 months, I think they need a class with more movement and mroe space which is why we switched our first and likely will our second.

I love Gymboree. The instructors are really fun and they really care about the kids. I love the fact that they try to keep the kids engaged in activities but are totally okay with letting kids do what interest them. So if your kid is just obsessed with the equipment rather than the current activity that’s okay. I think it’s totally worth the money. It’s great social stimulation and a great workout for the kids. I have twins and they give me a discount on one child. The best part about it is the open gym play. They have one every day except Sunday. As far as I know they are unlimited. That’s a great deal. They are also very generous with their makeup classes so you don’t ever have to take a sick kid there. Nice!
Update: I continue to be utterly amazed by the staff at the Lakeview North Gymboree. They are super creative, the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life and very genuine. I absolutely love them. My son loves them too!!! The parking is great too. I love being able to park and then walk in the back door.

I took it for granted how great this class is. If you decide to go to the Gymboree at 3152 N. Lincoln, try and take Donnie’s class. He is very engaging and our son loves him! The place is newly constructed and it has a nice foyer with lots of tables and chairs to get ready. The place is clean and the instruction, again is great. I am sad we have to leave that group for the next level:(Hoping he instructor is almost as good as Donnie!
The reason I said I took it for granted was that we have just enrolled our son in Lil Kickers to try something new. It is a far cry from Gymboree. It’s basically social hour for the parents, where they let there kids run around for 45 minutes while they don’t have to watch them. And the instruction is barely there for the toddler age group. We won’t be renewing there. So despite the fact that Gymboree is pricier than Lil Kickers and Wiggleworms, our son has learned a lot from going and we will continue to go. The only reason it doesn’t get 5 stars is the price.

The Gymboree model is thus: initiation fee + prepaid monthly dues = class time + invitation to open gym sessions. Is it the most advanced class your kid will ever take? Not by a long shot. If you’re into the brainy angle, you might try The Music Institute (in our case, of Evanston) because it really focuses on pitch and sound. Yes, even at 4 months old my daughter came out more aware. But we’re here to talk about Gymboree…
You will indeed encounter competitive parents, more so than at more expensive classes for some reason. I must have been asked 12 times today if my ten month old is walking. The instructors are a little salesy and aggressive and one of the four I’ve experienced had her thong underwear hanging out. A little gross, but whatever.
Is it all bad? No. If it puts a smile on my child’s face, then fine. She squeals with delight when she sees the parachute and could spend all day climbing the slides.
Parking isn’t terrible either — just a Pay Per Park thing out front. Get there early to avoid the coat/​shoe problem and you’re golden.

Believe me, I am as cynical and critical as any sleep-​deprived new mom but I just don’t hate this place as much as everyone else. That said, I don’t love it either.
The pros: I think it’s pretty clean. They react to little «accidents» quickly with a bottle of cleaner. Some instructors are pretty engaging. It’s different from all the sing-​along music classes we’ve been doing at other places. «Summer passport» program lets members go to any class at any time during the summer. My daughter seems to have fallen in love with that creepy Jimbo doll (maybe this is a con?). Monthly fee is reduced by 10% after 6 months.
The cons: Open play hours totally suck — late afternoon does not work for everyone so can’t we get some morning or early afternoon hours? Some instructors lack personality. Needs a better place to change diapers. Move from one activity to another too quickly. Needs better facilities to take off coats, get settled before class, etc.
As far as the payment policy, apparently a major source of dissatisfaction, it does feel a little «scam-​y» but it’s the same way gyms and other facilities are often run. I have to admit, I feel like it is sort of convenient in that I don’t have to keep re-​signing up for a class session but I’m sure when I want to cancel and miss the 3 day before billing deadline I’ll be pissed.
For now, it works for us.

The classes are fun, and the play equipment is nice and well kept. All the other parents and kids we met were nice. We’ll miss the parents and kids, actually. Those are the highlights.
The downside is, as other reviewers have mentioned, the pushy automatic charge «policy». I’m not fond of this policy in general, and was worried about that coming back to bite us, even forewarned it got me. I cancelled today, was told on the phone that they needed my cancelation «in writing», there is no button on the account part of the website, you have to send and email, I did, and AFTER I sent it, there’s the $ 88 on my bank statement, even though the girl I talked to on the phone told me it was before my next billing cycle — apparently it has to be THREE DAYS BEFORE!!! My fault for not reading the fine print as thy rudely informed my by email. Thanks a ton! My fault for going along with the sales pitch and just signing up on the spot, rather than taking «the fine print» home to read more carefully without a squirmy pre-​schooler that they cleverly will not entertain in any way while I read the very important fine print. As the 3 adult caregivers stood around doing not a thing, I didn’t even realize I was being scammed, I thought we were all getting along nicely. Whoops! Not so much!
And let’s be honest here — I signed up because we live in the city, in a small condo, we need more room to play. We don’t really need classes, they are just a caregiver playing with the kids, helping them catch and hit a ball and such, nothing at all I’m not already doing at home. For my girl’s level of physical development and focus the «class» aspect is a total joke, and in no way is it even remotely challenging.
So, for the place to play and socialize it would maybe almost be worth it IF the following:
IF there wasn’t a wall of plastic crap toys displayed in the area where we need to get our coats & boots on, prompting many a meltdown as kids both have to deal with transitions (not easy anyway) and simultaneously resist impulse toy grabs (not easy for many adults). Not to mention I have to ask my girl not to call the plastic crap «plastic crap» while she tried to resist putting her coat on.
IF the classes were affordable enough that they were packed with kids, rather than frequently being cancelled due to bad weather and such like. If after paying the steep rate the drop-​in play times were more frequent maybe more parents would try to take advantage of them, and there would be kids there.
Instead of making me really happy so I sign up for more classes, they have decided to focus their money-​making strategy on bullying me with «the fine print» (and referring to «our policy» as if it’s the weather or something else out of their control) and the hard toy sell. Not smart, I’m outta here.
FYI, parents, Chicago has one of the biggest and best Parks Departments in the nation, the classes are cheaper, more fun, more available, the parks have more space, more parking, and they won’t ever, EVER try to sell you plastic crap or pre-​bill your credit card. In fact, MANY of the Parks Department programs are FREE. The parks even have ducks to feed, real trees to climb, and sunshine. In the winter they have Tot Spot, it’s like Gymboree, but it’s 15 $ instead of $ 88, probably in walking distance of your house, and you can read a magazine and drink coffee while it goes on if you like. I’m just saying.
(If the Parks Department is so great, why did I even try Gymboree? I dunno, I wanted to try it. I thought it might be somehow better than the Parks Department, since so many other things that cost 7.5 x more $ are better in some way, not worse in every way. How do I get 7.5 more expensive? Tot Spot cost me 35 $ for 3 months, Gymboree is $ 88 a month. The parks Department and the Library are 2 of the only things the government does better than the private sector, groove on that, and I’ll see you at the park! The only thing you’ll miss is the lack of parking and rip off factor.)
See for yourself.
FYI, if you take 5 minutes a day to play catch with your child he or she might just quickly become the athletic star of the playground. Start with rolling the ball to them with your feet touching their feet making a little field, then move up gradually to throwing and catching. Indoors for for even easier practice we use a play-​silk, or even a dish-​rag, it falls slower than a ball, making it easier to catch.
If you spent the time it takes to get the kid into the car to go to Gymboree, never-​mind the drive, the unloading, transitions in and out, and the ride home, just the prep time to get there, per day, one on one with your child, will give them MORE practice with physical activity than Sports Class. Ah! I forgot about the balloon — Gymboree gives them a free balloon, so make sure to get them one for home, you’ll still come out on the happy side of an hour and $ 87.50

Not too bad, but after you’ve been here more than a couple of months you start to realize it should be re-​named Gym-​bore-​ree. Emphasis on the bore. I am a therapist in pediatrics so maybe I’m a tough audience, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that they just repeat the same few activities and songs over and over again. They have good equipment but don’t utilize it in the best way, and do little to promote socialization between the kids. This place could be so much more dynamic. I thought when my son moved up to the next age group, there would be a whole new set of songs and activities. Instead, it was the exact same routine and he wound up getting bored and leaving the circle during song time. I don’t blame him. I wanted to leave too.

My daughter really likes Gymboree.
I think it’s decent too, but they have some really crappy policies.
It’s one of those places that automatically deducts money from your account every month, and they say it’s because you’re a «member» of gymboree. But when their computer made an error and scheduled my daughter’s makeup class for the wrong location, they didn’t accommodate us AT ALL. They made ME feel like I made the error. And know that if you have to cancel your «membership», you lose all of your makeup days (we had 3 — that’s $ 66 of classes).
Thanks Gymboree!

Great place with great people. Ann and Cait are great! (ha, even rimes)
My son Vuk has been going there for almost 4 months. He was preemie so we kept him from other children for almost 7 months. We figured it would be nice for him to hang out with other kids.
We quickly grew to like the place, but most of all, instructors there are simple awesome. They have beautifull voices and sing during activities. We were surprised with how much personal attention every kid is getting.
We could see very good progress as soon as we started going there, which is what is most important. One thing that I noticed which is great, they really disinfect every item between the groups. We still caught some viruses but I really appreciate how much they are trying to make it germ free.
One thing that might turn people off are sometimes competitive moms. I can understand some older moms who probably had to go through a lot to get their baby, but some or plainly ridiculous. Anyway, sometimes you can be put off a little when you see them, but you can ignore them.
Did I mentioned that it is great place, our son loves it and had made great progress since we are going there.

This place gave me something to do with my daughter as a clueless 1^st time parent. The classes are great and we can do alot of the activities at home! We also met alot of kids that are her age. You may encounter a few of those «competitive parent types» but I just avoid them or you can always switch to a different class if you don’t like the vibe. The instructors are really nice and management is very accomodating.