Play & Learn with Gymboree

Gymboree is bringing a play and learn session for babies and toddlers to the Nora Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library on Wednesday, November 25. It runs from 10:30 to 11:00 AM, so it's a quick half-hour that fits into a morning routine without taking over the whole day.

A Gymboree expert leads the session, and the focus is on sensory play, songs, and the first steps of social play. If you've never done a class like this, that's basically the whole point: letting the little ones explore textures, listen to music, and start figuring out how to be around other kids. It's a guided environment rather than a free-for-all, so you're not just watching them wander—there's a plan behind what they're doing.

One thing that sets this apart is the mixed-age setting. The library frames it as a feature: the younger children learn by watching the older ones, and the older kids get to be leaders. It makes it a particularly good session for siblings to attend together, so you don't have to juggle two different activities at once if you've got a toddler and a baby.

The session is hosted at the Nora Branch on North Guilford Avenue, which opened in 1971 and was expanded to 18,500 square feet in 1990. The program is made possible by the Everwise Foundation through gifts to The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation. Registration opens on November 11 at 10:30 AM, so if you want a spot, you'll need to sign up then.