Little Learners

Joining an activity group is the perfect way to let your baby socialize and find out about the world. And as an added bonus, it could also save your own sanity

For most new parents the first few weeks pass in a whirl of cooing relatives, sleepless nights and mysterious milky mess. But there comes a time for every new mummy and daddy when things finally start to fall into place.

Now you know which way round a sleep suit goes, you can operate the car seat and even have the confidence to drive your precious bundle at more than ten miles an hour, it's time to leave the confines of home.

Luckily there are a multitude of baby groups and activities suitable for little minds keen to learn from all they see and hear.

Not only do they provide babies with an important opportunity to make contact with their tiny colleagues, at a time when rates of postnatal depression are on the rise, these activities can be equally important for new mums who can easily find themselves feeling lonely and isolated.

For the very young, baby massage classes are a great place to start.

Experts say the technique of rubbing your baby's body with natural oils can help you to bond while promoting sleep and helping relieve colic.

Baby Yoga can also help to produce a chilled out cherub and classes give you the chance to interact with your baby through movement, song and relaxation.

With light shows, baby rock and roll, instruments and a large play area, Baby Sensory classes are full of excitement for both parents and tots.

The classes are packed full of ideas of how to stimulate and soothe your baby and there is also a chance to learn baby signing to help with early communication.

Once you've brushed up on your nursery rhymes, there are many opportunities for public performances.

Rhyme Time is a free session for the under twos held twice a month at Salisbury Library.

Parents sing a mixture of old classics and new favourites while the babies bounce along on their laps and play instruments.

Also for the musically minded are Jo Jingles classes which combine music, singing and movement with an array of instruments and exciting paraphernalia like parachutes and bubble machines.

The delightfully named Jolly Babies also provides an early introduction to music and children are encouraged to develop a sense of rhythm as well as have a go at baby signing.

More active babies will enjoy Gym Babes where tots are encouraged to play and crawl together.

As they find their feet they move on to Tumble Tots where they can start to jump, roll and climb on a range of exciting equipment.

And for water babies, Five Rivers Leisure Centre holds daily parent and child swimming lessons where you can splash around together while singing nursery rhymes, playing with toys and developing confidence in the water.

Activities can be equally important for new mums who can easily find themselves feeling lonely and isolated.