Baby & Toddler Groups in Whitley Bay

Whitley Bay has a good range of baby and toddler groups, from the free Riverside Family Hub sessions to specialist swimming, massage, and sensory classes. Most run during term time. Here is what is available.

Riverside Family Hub

Riverside Family Hub on Hawkeys Lane is the main free provision for families with young children in the Whitley Bay area. Sessions include Creative Stay, Play, and Learn (0-5 years) on Tuesdays, Brilliant Babies (0-3 years), a SEND drop-in coffee morning (0-3 years), a Healthy Child Clinic, and a Young Parents Group. All activities are free. Visit Living Well North Tyneside for the current programme.

Best for: All Riverside Family Hub sessions are free and open to everyone. No booking needed. Staff can also signpost you to other groups across North Tyneside.

Library Sessions

Whitley Bay Library on Park Avenue runs free Bookstart Rhyme Time sessions. Thirty minutes of songs, rhymes, and stories for babies aged 0-18 months. Sessions run on Monday mornings 10:00-10:30am and Wednesday afternoons 2:00-2:30pm. Drop-in, no booking needed. Check Living Well North Tyneside for the latest schedule.

Music and Sensory Classes

Bloom Baby Classes runs award-winning baby development sessions in Whitley Bay. Caterpillar Club (0-6 months) and Busy Bees (6-15 months) cover sensory play, baby massage, and tummy time activities. Small groups. Book via the Bloom website.

Hartbeeps runs multi-sensory music classes in the Monkseaton and Tynemouth area, close to Whitley Bay. Baby Bells (newborn-8 months), Baby Beeps (8-18 months), and Happy House (18 months-4 years). Book online.

Stretch and Soothe is a small independent business based in Whitley Bay offering calm, interactive baby massage and yoga classes. Sessions include Baby Social, Daddy and Me Classes, and Tummy Time workshops. Highly rated by local parents.

Baby Swimming

PaddlePod Whitley Bay next to St Paul's Church offers a warm, purpose-built pool. Baby and pre-school open swim sessions are exclusively for children aged 0-5 and their grown-ups. Swimming lessons delivered by Nemo Swimming (baby, toddler, and pre-school) and SwimNE (school age).

Puddle Ducks offers Floaties (0-9 months) and Splashers (6-15 months) at pools across North Tyneside. Qualified teachers, small classes, monthly subscription.

Water Babies runs parent-and-baby swimming in heated pools across the region. Classes from birth, maximum 10 babies per session.

Messy Play

Messy Monkeys is the original super-messy sensory play class for babies and toddlers. Sessions have previously run in Whitley Bay, though availability varies by term. Check the website for current North Tyneside dates.

Little Learners runs messy mark-making classes across North Tyneside. Paint, foam, sand, and glitter used to encourage early writing skills. Sessions for babies and toddlers.

Tips

Term time only. Most groups pause during school holidays. North Tyneside follows its own term dates, which differ from Newcastle and Northumberland.

Arrive early. Library Rhyme Time and Bloom both fill up quickly. PaddlePod open swim sessions are popular in warm weather.

Bring a change of clothes. Messy play and baby swimming both call for a spare outfit.

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Know a group we have missed? Get in touch via our contact page.