Infant-toddler gym memberships

This strikes me as mostly something to make moms think they're doing something for their kids, but it might well have some mild benefit. It seems they are doing mommy-and-me gym classes. This article in the Wall Street Journal (that bastion of knowledge about child development) is by a woman who took an 8-month-old and an 18-month-old to several of them to try them out.

I think I agree with the child development person quoted:

Laura Berk, a child-development professor at Illinois State University and author of the book "Child Development," says while there is no evidence that gym classes help babies acquire physical skills more quickly, they can be a positive influence. "Kids encounter enough diversity in a typical home environment to help build motor skills," she says. "But these classes ingrain the idea of physical activity into kids from a young age, which is important." When conducted in a safe setting, they pose no harm and can be a fun thing for parents to do with little ones, she adds.