MK1178

VK LYNNE - CD RELEASE PARTY for WHISKEY or WATER Review

Has your little one worn out the toys? Want to add spice to his/her life? Tired of staying at home all of the time? You might consider enrolling in a Mommy and Me class. Also referred to as “Parent and Child” or “Parent and Tot” courses, these programs can be a lot of fun. They can improve gross motor skills, enhance cognitive development, and increase their vocabulary. Here are some fun Mommy and Me classes in the Detroit area.

Music Together

Research has shown that learning music can promote children's brain development. If you want to expose your little one to music, Music Together is a terrific option. It is a Mommy and Me music class where children from ages birth to 6 interact together with fun activities. The trained and experience teacher will coordinate activities that all ages can enjoy such as singing songs, waving scarves to the beat of the music, playing instruments and more. There are two Music Together teachers in the Detroit area, one in Farmington Hills and one in Bloomfield Hills. For more details on Music Together, visit the website www.musictogether.com. You can watch videos of classes, hear parent testimonials and more.

Kindermusik

Another exceptional Mommy 'n Me music program is Kindermusik. It has been making the world a little more musical for over 30 years. It is very similar to Music Together, however, most of the classes are separated by age. (However some teachers do offer a “family time” class.) If you visit their website, you will learn that according to a survey, 99% of parents would recommend Kindermusik classes to other parents. It is a very reputable program. For complete details, and to find the closest teacher, visit the website here. You can sign up for a free introductory session on the website.

Cutting Edge Athletics

Want to introduce your child to athletics? You might consider enrolling in the “Tumble Tots” class at Cutting Edge Athletics. It is designed for children ages 18 months - 3 years. You (along with the coach) will help your child with basic motor skills, coordination, following directions, and more. Your youngster will have fun participating in many activities including jumping on the trampoline. The ratio is 8 children (along with the parents) to 1 teacher. To learn more about the sessions and Cutting Edge Athletics, go to their website here. They are located in the Clinton Township area.

EDE Center for Dance

EDE (Eisenhower Dance Ensemble) Center for Dance would be thrilled for you and your little one to join their program. That have a “Mom & Tot” class. It is for ages walking - 3 years. Your child will work on basic skills such as jumping, galloping and more. It is great exercise and will help them learn the very basics of dance. The center has been teaching children for over 12 years - the teachers are well educated and experienced. It is an excellent resource to check out - visit the website here for more information.

Gymboree

If you're searching for a class taught by a trained professional, Gymboree may be the class for you. It is a well known franchise that has been stimulating young minds for over 30 years. They have four locations in the Detroit area. They have classes for ages newborn and up. One of their most popular courses is “play and learn” which involves fun things such as bubbles, flashlights, parachutes and much more. These classes will definitely stimulate your child's brain development. They also offer art and music classes. Check out www.gymboreeclasses.com to read about the Gymboree program.

YMCA

Want to help your child learn the basics of swimming? If you don't mind wearing a swimsuit and getting into the water, then considering taking Parent and Child Swimming Lessons at the YMCA. They have four levels of parent/child swimming classes. They have a “shrimp” class for ages 6-8 months and a “kipper” class for ages 9-12 months. There are many others as well. Just go to the website www.ymcadetroit.org to read more about the program and schedule.

Mills Gymnastics

Another fabulous class to take your child to is the Parent and Tot class at Mills gymnastics.Your child will learn basic skills to help build strength, coordination, balance and flexibility. They might also learn to follow directions and its a great opportunity for social interaction as well. The staff is well trained and USAG (United States of America Gymnastics) Safety Certified. To learn more about their program visit their site at www.millgymnastics.com.

Infant Massage

Beaumont hospital in Troy offers an infant massage class. On the hospital website it says that the course “promotes healthy parent-child relationships, supports physical growth and development and enhances vital early brain connections”. Infant massage can help calm the baby,reduce colic and more. For more details on this beneficial class, go to the website here.

Baby Sign Language

The VK Parenting Academy offers several classes, including a mom and baby sign language class. It is for ages 6 months and above. Sign language has been shown to help improve cognitive growth and communication. Babies who learn sign language might also talk earlier. The teachers are well trained and have lots of experience. For more information, visit their website here.

Stroller Strides

This is more of a class for moms, but it still offers an opportunity for babies to socialize as well. Stroller strides is a fitness program where moms exercise while baby stays in the stroller. It's a great way for moms to lose baby weight and stay fit. It involves power walking. The workouts are about an hour long. These classes are offered in Rochester Hills and Canton. For more information go to www.strollerstrides.com.

These are just a few of the opportunities available for toddlers and preschoolers in the Detroit area. Can't afford these classes right now, but still want your child to be able to socialize? There are other options. Read “Tips for Finding Friends for Your Toddler/Preschooler”.

Happy Playing and Learning!

Sources:

www.musictogether.com
www.kindermusik.com
http://www.cuttingedgeusa.com/
http://www.ede-dance.org
www.gymboreeclasses.com
www.ymcadetroit.org
www.millgymnastics.com
https://www.beaumonthospitals.com
http://www.liquivista.com
http://www.strollerstrides.com

Add comment March 18, 2010

A Look at Bravo's Date My Ex: Jo & Slade

Jo Koy Don't Make Him Angry takes a fresh young comedians routine of some maybe too familiar topics and entertains for a bit but is too short for my taste.

Film making 18/25
Cinematography 18/25
Audio 18/25
Bonus Features 10/25
Total 64/100

Jo Koy Don't Make Him Angry is a really funny show but a bit too short at about 40 minutes for his show taped in New York City. Jo Koy is a realistic comedian not afraid to tell it like it is including his opinions on France, road rage and parenthood.

To be sure Jo does not take any new paths and travels on roads both safe and well traveled by other comedians but he does his jokes well. Most of his routine is very good with several really hilarious parts including his parenthood bit about his son and calling his privates his ting ting.

The title comes from his sons ting ting and how he colored it green with permanent marker and then drew eyes on his, well you get the idea. He also takes familiar jabs at his mom that is funny but he also does a few bits that you wait for the punch line and it never comes.

He does some great impressions of his son and mom and really gets his sons gestures and his moms mannerisms down pat. I can really see his mom talking about the console game and not remembering the simple name of Wii or her enthusiasm for the games.

His son is also a main component of his routine and his gestures and how he imitates him is spot on to just about any kid. He does a great job of getting the bits about his family down but then drops the ball toward the end of his show with a run on about love making and vaginas.

Most of the routine is spot on with great humor that everyone can understand and appreciate and is honestly very funny. Other sections like his tirade about God creating the vagina and how women make sex into love making is not funny at all.

You have to wait through a few spots where Jo does pause too long for his punch line or the really funny parts but in all the show is great. Another part I did have a problem with is the main show is only 42 minutes long, I would be really mad if I paid the regular price for a ticket and only saw a show that lasted less than an hour.

The DVD does come with some extras that fill it out but with the slew of comedians coming out on DVD now this is a hit or miss purchase. Jo Koy does a great job for the most part but with the shorter length of the show and his lingering discussion about women's private parts this may be best to rent instead of purchase.

There is a 20 minute routine from a few years ago that has been added to the DVD as well as a performance that was done by some of the Black Eyed Peas before the show. There is a set of question and answer bits with Jo answering questions about his life and popular topics to ask a comedian but are not funny or very insightful.

The DVD includes a couple of interviews of b-boys Donnie “Crumbs” Counts and Moy Rivas but these are not that interesting. The DVD has several extras that seem to have been added to fill out the DVD due to the short comedy routine but amounts to a lot of fluff and no substance except the 20 minute older routine.

The main show and the other routine add up to be the only comedy worth anything but again this is more of a one time rental than an actual purchase. Jo Koy Don't Make Him Angry is not all that great but well worth a look for a pretty good comedy routine.

Add comment March 4, 2010