I used to attend the Gymboree located in Seattle (NW Market St) and it was fantastic. The employees were warm, well trained and I always looked forward to attending. After moving to the Issaquah area we decided to try out the local location and I have been sorely disappointed. The teachers over all are young, do not have good singing voices, rush through songs and activities and though they say they are about to lead a discussion for parents (as previous reviewer commented) the teacher has no interest in what she is talking about and does not do a good job of leading. All of the teachers for the most part seem so untrained that they are constantly reading off of a notecard to remind themselves of what to do.\r
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During our learn & play class we were told to do specific nursery rhymes on specific play equipment with babies from ages 6-10 months. She (Angie) did not demonstrate and then left us all to do the activities alone while she wandered and continuously checked the clock. Class ended over 5 minutes early. As a former elementary school teacher I know the importance of good teaching and of the ability to make connections with parents and children. I do not find this happening at this location and even my husband has gone to class and returned saying it was not run well.\r
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In summary, it's really not worth the money and if you've been to another Gymboree this will certainly disappoint. I myself am moving on to give the Redmond location a try even though it's a longer drive. Also, they charge far more at this Gymboree than at the Ballard location which is laughable given how well the Ballard one was run in comparison.
Pros: It's better than staring at a wall
Cons: Lack of training, too expensive for what you get, etc.
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