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There were a lot of things I expected to feel after giving birth to my daughter: Tired. Overwhelmed. Worried. Feverishly in love.
What I didn’t expect was to be lonely. I have a supportive husband, plenty of friends with young kids, and even family nearby. But in the whirlwind of sleep deprivation, breastfeeding, and learning how to take care of an infant, I became isolated from much of my community. Even in the presence of others, I was often distracted—trapped in my own head or in the happenings of my precious girl.
It wasn’t until I found a group of fellow new moms that I began to feel less alone. Though we mostly communicate through a WhatsApp group—there’s even a subgroup for middle-of-the-night messaging—just knowing there were others in the exact same stage of life was therapeutic.
That camaraderie is what Kayli Besser sought out when she moved to Denver two years ago. A former preschool teacher, Besser is a mom to a three-year-old son and five-month-old daughter. She says she was unimpressed by the Mile High City’s parent-and-kid offerings, which provided space to play and have fun but “were missing opportunities for development” and for parents to foster their own support system.
Read More: How Local Organizations Are Helping Combat Postpartum Depression
“Everything that I wish I had as a mom, as a first-time mom especially, I wanted to create under one roof,” she said. “I didn’t have that, and it was really isolating.”
So in May, Besser opened Baby University, a pastel-hued indoor playspace for children from infancy to age six in northwest Aurora. The 6,000-square-foot venue has two classrooms, a lounge with coffee and tea, and a sizable play area divided into themed houses (think: vegetable garden, ice cream shop, and doggy daycare), plus two climbing zones designated for kids four and younger. Each room is thoughtfully planned to spark play that teaches problem-solving, independence, and creativity. The best part? You’re never far from a nursing or changing room (stocked with diapers and wipes).
Parents can stop in to give their kids an air-conditioned space to play ($20 for a day pass) or join one of the myriad classes on the calendar, including baby sign language, bilingual story time, and expert-led, multiweek sessions like Sensory Movers, which helps children and their parents learn to use movement to work through emotions.
Unlike many other indoor playgrounds around the metro area, Baby University is equally focused on adults. The lounge was designed to be a safe space for kids to explore while grown-ups learn during a workshop, catch up on work, or connect with others over some much-needed caffeine.
A postpartum movement class, support groups, and a bimonthly postpartum support circle are all intended to help parents build their village and get concrete answers to all the questions that arise during the first years of parenthood. Baby University plans to add a dad group, nanny meetups, and age-based playdates in the future.
The mom-focused classes have seen the highest attendance so far. “Moms are looking for that connection and community,” Besser says. In August, she’ll offer them another way to find that with the Mom Village. Five cohorts of 12 new moms will meet up twice a week for 10 weeks to talk, learn from local providers, and reconnect with themselves as people, not just moms.
“I got lost in being a mom,” Besser says of her own experience. “I want to push moms to do things for themselves.”
4 Classes to Try at Baby University
1. Snuggles & Milestones: Early Development Series
Led by a pediatric physical therapist, this six-week offering is aimed at babies up to six months and focuses on developmental milestones. Parents will leave feeling well-educated on how to support their tiny ones as they grow, and babies will enjoy age-appropriate tummy time and infant massage. $144 for six weeks
2. Sensory Movers
Once your kid starts walking, he or she will want to move and groove all the time—while taking lots of spills along the way. With help from a pediatric occupational therapist, they will enjoy a safe place to roam while parents learn about their children’s developing brains and how movement can help them process big feelings.(There’s also a group for pre-walking littles.) $110 for five weeks
3. Bilingual Story Time
Swing by on the fourth Sunday of the month, from 10 to 10:30 a.m., for stories, songs, and activities in English and Spanish. This monthly event in the lounge doesn’t require any pre-registration and is appropriate for burgeoning bibliophiles of all ages. Free with membership or $25 drop-in
4. Back to Movement
There are an endless number of changes that happen during pregnancy. This monthlong program for postpartum mothers focuses on safely reconnecting with exercise after birth. The strength-training classes are run by a pelvic floor physical therapist. $115 for four weeks
Baby University is open daily, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Play memberships start at $89 per month. Daily play drop-in is $20 per child (and $17 for siblings).
