Review: Nest Soccer

On cold, rainy and dreary winter days toddlers seem to bounce off the walls trying to burn up that pent up energy. It's enough to drive anyone batty - and make parents desperate for a safe, indoor way for kids to run and jump. I was already a fan of Nest Philly for exactly this reason - and over the last months when Leo attended the fall session of soccer at Nest it was a lifesaver. Our whole family enjoyed the classes as part of our Saturday routine.

The lessons consisted of a warm up, drills, cool down and some free play time. Two year olds doing soccer drills? Yes, sometimes it was like herding kittens, but I was pleasantly surprised to see Leo's skills improve over the 12 week session. Drills included practicing stopping, dribbling, passing and shooting. These structured activities were always complemented by general play time – Leo’s favorite being the obstacle courses. There was a little bit of everything with more and more actual soccer incorporated into the classes as the semester progressed.

The class was well organized, especially considering the ages and attention spans of the players. Leo took quickly to the instructor (Miss Gina), who was very patient, energetic and engaging. It was sometimes tricky to keep the whole group under control, but Miss Gina was great about switching gears to meet the kids at their level and she made sure everyone got plenty of attention.

The Nest experience at large was also fantastic. Their facilities are top notch with little touches that go a long way - like toddler friendly bathrooms and healthy snacks for sale. It was easy to register, find out about all of the offerings, etc. through their website and on site. Whenever I called the person who answered was not only courteous, but also always knew the answers to my questions. It was a great experience all around.

Stop in and check out their playroom (day passes available at the front desk). Or check out their website and see what other classes they are currently offering. They always have a wide range of classes accommodating different interests, ages and developmental stages. Nest is located right in Center City (at 13th and Locust) - just a few blocks from the 13th St. blue line train stop. Maybe we will see you there!


Disclosure: Nest provided Leo's enrollment in the class for review. All opinions are my own.