Feedback

21st December 2012

I would like to thank you all for supporting us with the setup of Bambino&beyond, we have been overwhelmed with the all the kind words and enthusiasm for our new venture. I would like to also thank all those who have come along to our first sets of classes and for all the positive and constructive feedback we have received.  We took many hours trying to get the classes just the way we wanted them and what we believed would support you all in your journey from bump and beyond. Even my other half (well my business other half) and I had many discussions (ok small arguments ha ha!!) on how the best way to structure and create each class. How long should we make them? What should the age groups for each class be? What should we call them? You get the idea; the list went on and on!!

After each set of classes we asked all the mummies, daddies and even grannies who attended to fill in an evaluation form as honestly as they could to try to establish if we had indeed got it right as we had hoped. Funnily enough the questions we had asked ourselves and researched so carefully were the same as the ones you asked us……great minds obviously think alike!

So from your feedback we could see that some people were a little unsure why we had such an age gap in our Bouncing Binos class (6 months – 3 years). Please let me explain our reasoning for this.  At 6 months old your baby can’t jump up and down to our songs or put their beanbag on their head or even build a sand castle in our sand box BUT they can watch, learn and copy their peers. They CAN, with an open minded helper get in the sand and feel the grainy texture on their skin. They CAN hold their bean bag and with gentle assistance develop their hand eye coordination. They CAN bop along to our goodbye song and watch the older children do the actions and gain the hand skills to eventually join in. Babies learn by using all their senses to create a picture of the world around them. For them to learn effectively each sense has to be activated. So yes they can’t do everything in the class that perhaps the 2 and 3 year olds can do but that does not mean they aren’t learning and developing.  Don’t take just my word for this………my business partner Jan had her little one 9 months ago and when we first started the classes she tried him at 6 months in the classes just full of babies his age and younger- he became restless and uninterested in the activities. When we brought him along to the class mixed with babies and toddlers he was mesmorised with the excitement and action. Weeks into the course he was trying to copy the older children’s movements and became excited when he heard our trade mark good morning and goodbye songs.

The question of class length is another one that I feel we must address. Why are our classes 45 minutes long- why not an hour? Each class is structured to ensure we have activities designed to promote cognitive development and develop hand eye coordination, balance, creativity and imagination. The class has structured activities to start and end the class with an exploration time mid class. By keeping the time to 45 minutes it ensures that you will never leave the class feeling you have had enough in fact it will ensure you and your child leave wanting more. As our activities are designed to stimulate your child we keep these to what your child can absorb in one session. Over stimulating your child can lead to them becoming over tired, restless and agitated. Too much stimulation can actually have the opposite effect- it can slow down the developmental process rather than encourage and nurture it.

I am delighted that our classes are finally up and running and I hope you have all enjoyed them as much as I have. I hope that the journey you have embarked on with Bamnino&beyond is a long and successful one. I am honoured that you have chosen us to support and follow you and your child’s precious first years.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Jenny