What to do with a new baby in York North (Newmarket, Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina)

So you just brought home your new little bundle of joy.  Your world has been turned upside down and you’re probably still finding your bearings as a new parent.  You’re likely home on mat leave now for the better part of 6 months to 1 ½ years and wondering what the heck you’re going to do with yourself.  

Note: If you’re not feeling quite ready to venture out with your little one, please know that this is very normal and that everyone has their own time and pace for when they feel like leaving their home with baby; however if that boredom has set in and you’re ready for making some new mommy friends and to tackle all that Life With A Baby & your local community has to offer, check out these suggestions!

1.       Join a play group
Well… of course we are going to recommend ours 😊 www.lifewithababy.com/join

Ours is FREE and local.  No membership fees.  All events are either FREE or heavily subsidized.   You will also find some local FEE BASED play groups locally as well.

2.       Check out the EarlyOn Centre

These are FREE government provided facilities available in most communities.   They offer free workshops, programs and free play times for parent and baby.   Check out your local EarlyOn Centre for their upcoming program calendar.   Note: EarlyOn Centres can be extremely busy in many communities and sometimes have long wait lists for programs.  Be sure to stay on top of registration dates and times to get on those program lists!    When EarlyOn Centres are filled, Life With A Baby is a great alternative and offers many of the same programs.

3.       Hit the mall!

Malls are a great place to stroller walk and meet other mommy friends!   Upper Canada Mall has their weekly Stroller Mates program for parent and baby to walk the mall with a fitness instructor.  The moms generally meet for coffee afterwards.  Life With A Baby also has their own regular mall walk.  These are lead by local mom volunteers and are a great mix of social time and light fitness for mom and baby.

4.       Hit the coffee shop

Going out for lunch or coffee is a casual and great way to get out with baby.  Life With A Baby offers many FREE coffee meet ups, brunch and lunch dates in various communities.  Check out the upcoming ones in your region for a great way to connect more intimately with other moms.

5.       Take A music class

If you’re a first time parent you may need a little brush up on your nursery rhymes and baby songs 😊 These are going to come in handy for interacting with your baby and for some of those long soothing nights of restless sleep.    Check out Kindermusik, Little Moverz and other local Mom & Baby music classes in your community!   Life With A Baby offers these regularly as discounted rates for members!  They are a fun and interactive way to build your music roster of knowledge while connecting with other parents and your little one.   Your local library may other offer a “Mother Goose” program.

6.       Take an infant massage class

Hands-on infant massage classes are an excellent way to learn some techniques for soothing and bonding with baby.   Life With A Baby offers these classes regularly for members with licensed professionals on a regular basis and materials are provided.   

7.       Sign up for some fitness classes

Your post-baby bod will thank you for taking on some light to intense exercise!    Life with a baby offer a variety of fitness options for members which range in intensity from gentle yoga, to barre classes, stroller fitness, Pilates / pelvic floor, bootcamps and more!  Our programs are geared towards being affordable and are for parent and baby to participate in together.

If you have any questions or other ideas to add, please share them!

Looking forward to seeing you at a local event!

Connie Butera

LWAB York North Community Manager

connie@lifewithababy.com