And from Lincoln Park to Logan Square and everywhere in between, Chicago offers a vibrant array of baby and toddler classes designed to engage, educate, and entertain. Whether your tot is drawn to the rhythm of music, the splash of paint, or the thrill of tumbling, navigating the options can be overwhelming. We've rounded up a guide to some of the best baby and toddler classes in Chicago and the surrounding area. Find a session or drop-in classes for your little ones, honing in on a favorite activity or trying something new every week!
And find even more class options in our Class Guide.
Little Gym
From infant to toddler, our Parent and Child classes promote early development and provide a strong foundation for your child's critical first three years. For ages 3-6, the gymnastics program for preschoolers and kindergarteners has been specially designed to help your child channel all that energy and reach developmental milestones. Register now for classes like "Bugs" for ages 4-10 months, promoting early social and physical skills in a comfortable space; or "Birds" for ages 10-19 months, where little ones build strength and develope coordination.
Music House Chicago
Music House Chicago offers classes and group and private lessons for all ages. For infants, babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers up to the age of 5, Music House offers Music Together® classes in Humboldt Park studio. Children and their caregivers sing, dance, and explore musical instruments in a 45 minute structured class designed to foster familial bonding and love, while developing the child’s love for and ability to make music.
The Paintbrush
The Paintbrush is a unique art studio for children ages 1 to 12 years that introduces art through hands-on artist inspired art lessons to teach students about the lives and the works of influential artists from the past and modern day. Classes for babies and tots include Little ART Explorers, where shapes and color recognition and medium exploration are the skills of focus in this hands-on intro to ART class that includes ART playtime; and ART Class for Tots/Preschoolers, where kids learn about ART in parent-assisted hands-on ARTist-inspired lessons using a variety of approaches including drawing, painting, collaging and more.
Rock 'n' Kids
Rock 'n' Kids provides Baby Rock, Tot Rock and Kid Rock programs for children 3 months - 5 years at park districts throughout the Chicagoland area. Focusing on the physical, cognitive and social-emotional domains of early childhood development, each class contains opening songs, a weekly theme introduction, 4-6 additional music-inspired activities, and closing songs. In Baby Rock, the focus is on music exploration, socialization and bonding; Tot Rock and Kid Rock focus on fine and gross motor, rhythm and coordination, imaginative play, sensory integration, listening skills and fun.
Purple Monkey Playroom
In addition to open play, Purple Monkey Playroom is offering enrichment classes for babies and toddlers for STEAM, Language, Music and Movement, and Cultural Connections. Classes are designed to nurture each child’s development in a fun and engaging environment. Hands-on activities and interactive games support important milestones, including cognitive, fine motor, creativity, language, social, early literacy, and gross motor development.
Oui Chef
Oui Chef provides traditional (and fun!) culinary classes for children starting at 18 months. Owner and chef Laura Ragano is classically trained and passionate about teaching kids the skills and techniques to become chefs in their own homes. Oui Chef is focused on small class sizes, individual work and individual attention.
Weekly Classes are offered for kids ages 18 months-4 years old with their caregiver; caregivers are active participants in the classes and can accompany up to two children.
LYRIQ Music School/Merry Music Makers
LYRIQ Music School/Merry Music Makers offers early child programs in neighborhoods on the Northside including Lakeview East and West, Andersonville, and Lincoln Square. LYRIQ offers Music Together® curriculum for early childhood music education classes for ages 0-5. The Babies Only class offers fun, interactive music activities that support child's growth, including physical, socio-emotional, language, and early brain development. Mixed Age classes provide a relaxed, no-pressure environment lets all kids learn at their own pace, where older children love to show what they know, and the younger ones love to watch and imitate. And the Music Together con Español is a bilingual English/Spanish version of the Music Together mixed-ages class.
Music Playhouse of Chicago
The Music Playhouse of Chicago offers fun, research-based early childhood music education classes to children ages 0-5. Classes are available in several age ranges, including babies, big kids and preschool/elementary.. The programs present musical concepts in a fun and relatable way using play-based and research-based techniques, gamification and hands-on interactive activities that keep students engaged and excited to learn.
Merit School of Music
Merit School of Music provides music programming options for all ages, instruments and skill levels, and offers a variety of early childhood classes in Near North, West Loop and South Shore. Early Childhood classes introduce babies, toddlers, and young kids to the fundamentals of music in engaging classes tailored for their age range. Tots can enjoy options like Tuneful Toddlers, Music Explorers, Movers and Groovers, Jugamos Juntos and more.
Brain Builders
Brain Builders is an academically accelerated, Reggio Emilia inspired, hands-on, immersive S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art, & math) school and learning center for children ages 3 - 9 years old. The proprietary curriculum reframes common core standards to align with early childhood brain development to provide your child with a customized learning experience. Classes are limited to groups of 5, and math reading, and piano lessons are taught one-on-one allowing children to work at their own pace. Check out the ongoing Saturday morning Tinker Tots, a playful, hands-on pre-preschool class designed just for curious little ones ages 1.5-3.
Skip and Scoot
Skip & Scoot supports early childhood physical, cognitive, and social-emotional wellness with energetic and holistic baby and kids classes. The Baby Gross Motor & Sensory Adventures
Perfect is for non-walkers and cruisers, teaching parents how to use purposeful play time with your baby safely in multiple positions. And Little Fitness Adventures for ages 1.5 to 4 years explores all aspects of movement to promote gross motor learning. Classes are currently offer public programming in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Southport, West Loop, South Loop, and Good Island.
Bubbles Academy
Bubbles Academy is an early childhood arts, enrichment, and parent resource center, located in the Bucktown & Gold Coast neighborhoods of Chicago and Highland Park. In addition to open play and pop-in art, Bubbles offers tot classes for art, music, movement, skill development and more. Classes like Art + Music, Sensory Art, Art + Adventure and more are available for different baby and tot age ranges.
Tiny Tunes Studio at Glessner House
Tiny Tunes Studio holds classes at the Glessner Coach House, and offers mixed-age group classes (3 months to 5 years) and baby sensory classes for pre-walkers (ages 3 months to 15 months.) Early 2025 classes include Tunes with Miss Elli on Tuesdays and Thursdays, offering a gentle introduction to preschool children’s development through music; and Tiny SENSations with Miss Elli on Thursdays that is a 40 minute sensory development class designed to stimulate baby’s various senses.
Visit the ChicagoKids.com Class Guide to find more inspiring baby and tot classes.