50 Years of Learning Through Play: Celebrating Gymboree Play & Music’s Golden Anniversary
This year marks a very special milestone for Gymboree Play & Music as we celebrate 50 years of helping children learn, grow and thrive through the power of play.
Since opening its first classes in California in 1976, Gymboree Play & Music has supported generations of families, creating joyful experiences that help children build confidence, curiosity, creativity and a lifelong love of learning. What began as a small community programme has grown into a global network of more than 300 locations across 24 countries and regions, but our purpose remains unchanged: supporting children’s development through meaningful play.
Throughout July, Gymboree Play & Music centres across the UK will be celebrating this golden anniversary with special birthday events, bringing together families past and present. Many centres will welcome Gymbo, the much-loved mascot who has been delighting children for decades, alongside party games, music, play activities and opportunities for families to create new memories as part of the celebrations.
Where It All Began
The Gymboree Play & Music story started with one mother’s desire to connect with other families.
In 1976, Joan Barnes drove across the United States with her family in a VW Bus before settling in Marin County, California. Drawing on her entrepreneurial spirit and background in dance, she began running parent-and-child classes at a local community centre. Those early sessions proved so popular that they laid the foundations for what would become Gymboree Play & Music.
The earliest classes were held in church halls and community buildings, bringing parents and children together through play, movement and shared experiences. Fifty years later, the essence of those original classes remains at the heart of everything we do.
The Power of Play
For five decades, Gymboree Play & Music has championed a simple but powerful belief: play is one of the most important ways children learn. 
Our Play-osophy approach recognises that play supports every aspect of a child’s development, from physical and cognitive skills to creativity, communication, confidence and emotional wellbeing.
Throughout our classes, children are encouraged to discover, experiment, practise and master new skills in a safe and supportive environment. Whether it’s climbing, singing, exploring textures, creating artwork, solving problems or engaging in imaginative play, every activity is carefully designed to support learning and development through joyful experiences.
Our programmes continue to evolve, but they remain grounded in research-led child development principles and a deep understanding of how children learn best.
Creating Memories Across Generations
Perhaps the most remarkable part of Gymboree Play & Music’s story is the number of families who have remained connected to us across generations.
As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we’ve been hearing from families whose connection with Gymboree Play & Music spans many years. Some attended as children and are now returning with their own little ones, while others have brought multiple children through our programmes or are now introducing a new generation to the joy of play.
For Hampstead mum Zakiyeh, the connection spans more than two decades. Her mum, Amina, taught at Gymboree Play & Music Hampstead in the early 2000s, meaning Zakiyeh grew up attending classes herself. Today, she is back at the same centre with her 11-month-old son, Hadid.
She said: “Gymboree Play & Music has been part of my family’s story for many years. My mum taught at Gymboree Play & Music Hampstead when I was little, so I grew up going to classes with her, and now I’m bringing my own son, Hadid, which feels incredibly special.
“I still remember having my name sticker put on at the start of each class and celebrating my fourth birthday there. It’s amazing that some of those little traditions are still part of the experience today.
“Looking back, it’s wonderful to think that somewhere which played such a happy part in my own childhood is now helping my son discover, learn and grow through play. While so much has changed over the years, the same focus on learning through play, building confidence and creating lasting memories remains just as important today as it was then.”
In Solihull, Emma and Chris Penn have been enjoying a similar experience. Emma said: “Gymboree Play & Music has been a huge part of our family’s life for the past ten years. We first joined when our eldest child was a baby, and we’ve now brought all four of our children to classes.
“As parents, you try lots of different activities over the years, but Gymboree Play & Music has always been the one thing we’ve continued to come back to. The classes create dedicated time to focus on having fun together, building confidence and making special memories.
“The team in Solihull have always been incredibly welcoming and supportive, and we’ve loved watching each of our children develop through the different stages. For our family, Gymboree Play & Music has been so much more than a weekly class – it’s become part of our family’s story.”
Meanwhile, Jane Goldstein first attended Gymboree Play & Music as a parent and now enjoys classes with her grandchild. “I first brought my twins, Sam and Leah, to Gymboree Play & Music in 2010 when they were two years old, and they loved it so much that we continued going even after they started nursery. Some days they’d eat their lunch in the car on the way from Gymboree Play & Music to school because they didn’t want to miss their classes.
“We followed Gymboree Play & Music as it moved to different locations in Solihull, celebrated birthdays there and made so many wonderful memories along the way.
“Now I’m bringing my grandson Robin, who has been attending for the past two and a half years. It’s been lovely to see how the programmes have evolved while still keeping the same focus on learning through play.
“Watching a new generation discover, explore and build confidence through the classes has been a real joy, and it’s wonderful to know that Gymboree Play & Music is still creating those same special memories for families today.”
For nanny Melanie Wenham, Gymboree Play & Music has been a constant throughout more than two decades of caring for young children.
She said: “I first came to Gymboree Play & Music as a nanny in Putney in 2003 and have continued to bring children to classes over the past two decades, first in London and then at Gymboree Play & Music Tunbridge Wells after it opened in 2018.
“Across all those years, one thing has never changed – the welcoming atmosphere, the fantastic teachers and the way the classes help children learn, grow and build confidence through play. Even during lockdown, the online classes helped keep that sense of fun and routine going, and the open gym sessions have always offered brilliant value for families.
“What makes me smile most is that some of the children I first brought to Gymboree Play & Music are now in their twenties and still remember their Gymbo days. That says so much about the lasting impact those early experiences can have.
“It’s been a privilege to introduce so many children to the joy of learning through play, and I still love bringing little ones to Gymboree Play & Music whenever I can.”
These stories perfectly reflect one of the most remarkable facts from Gymboree Play & Music’s history: families who once attended as children are now returning with children and grandchildren of their own.
More Than a Class
For many families, Gymboree Play & Music is about much more than child development.
It is where friendships are formed, confidence grows, milestones are celebrated and communities are built. Over the past five decades, countless parents, carers and children have connected through shared experiences on the play floor, creating memories that last long after the classes have ended.
Today, our classes continue to bring together babies, toddlers, preschoolers, parents, grandparents and carers in welcoming environments where everyone can feel supported, included and encouraged. Many families describe their local Gymboree Play & Music centre as a community, and for some, lifelong friendships have started on the play floor.
Celebrating 50 Years
To mark the milestone, Gymboree Play & Music has also created a special “50 Facts for 50 Years“ anniversary collection, celebrating some of the stories, milestones and innovations that have shaped the brand’s journey over the past five decades.
Among the facts are that Gymbo was first introduced in 1985, music classes were added in 1998, and today Gymboree Play & Music operates in more than 300 locations across 24 countries and regions worldwide.
Throughout July, centres across the UK will be hosting special birthday celebrations featuring Gymbo, themed activities, music, games and plenty of opportunities for families to celebrate together.
While every centre’s celebrations will be unique, the aim remains the same: bringing families together, creating joyful experiences and celebrating the relationships and memories that have made Gymboree Play & Music such a special part of childhood for generations of families.
Arleta Darusalam, Owner of Gymboree Play & Music UK, said: “Fifty years is an incredible milestone, but what makes it truly special is the families who have been part of our journey.
“We regularly meet parents who attended Gymboree Play & Music as children and are now sharing that same experience with their own little ones. We also see grandparents returning with a new generation of children. Those stories remind us that while the world may have changed, the importance of play and human connection remains timeless.
“When Joan Barnes first brought families together through play in California in 1976, she could never have imagined the global community that would grow from those early classes. Fifty years later, we’re still seeing the same magic happen every day as children learn, explore and build confidence through play.
“As we celebrate throughout July, we’re looking forward to welcoming families old and new to join the celebrations, meet Gymbo, our loveable mascot, and create the next generation of Gymboree memories.”
Thank you to everyone who has been part of the Gymboree Play & Music story over the past 50 years.
Here’s to the next 50 years of learning, laughter, friendship and play!
