Stockton has classes built for ages 3 to 5 in swimming, dance, sports and martial arts, and the city's Tot Classes are free. Many of the lowest-cost options come from City of Stockton Parks & Recreation, including parent-and-me sports for $37.50. Here they are by activity, each linked to its live listing.
Free and parent-and-me
- Tot Classes: free parent-and-me exploration classes for ages 1 to 6, Saturdays 9:30 to 10:30 am at the Arnold Rue Community Center, with separate toddler and preschool groups.
- Start Smart Futsal: beginner indoor soccer for ages 3 to 6, Saturdays 9:30 to 10:30 am at the Stribley Community Center, $37.50, with parents taking part.
- Start Smart Winter Basketball: dribbling, passing and shooting for ages 3 to 6, Wednesdays 5:30 to 6:30 pm at the Ursula Meyer Library and Community Center, late January through early March, $37.50.
Swimming
- City Preschool Aquatics for ages 3 to 5, weekends at the Edison High School pool, $72 per level: Level 1 for water comfort, Level 2 for floating and kicking, and Level 3 to work toward swimming on their own.
- Sea Star and Sea Horse at Pacific Swim School: up to 4 kids per class, 30-minute lessons, two-week summer sessions, $100.
- Tadpole Group Classes at Ms. Chrissie's Fishies Swim School for ages 3 to 7.
Dance
- Pre Ballet, part of the city's Ballet Youth program at Arnold Rue: ages 3 to 5, $37.50.
- Toddler's Creative Dance at Dance Connection: ages 3 to 4, $70 a month, with games like Animal Action and the Hokey Pokey while learning right and left.
- Tiny Tappers Dance: ages 3 to 5, Mondays at 4:30 pm at Stockton Jiujitsu Academy, $75 a month with a six-month commitment.
Martial arts (from age 4)
- Pee-Wees Jiu-Jitsu at 10th Planet Stockton: ages 4 to 6, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:00 pm, with a focus on anti-bullying, self-discipline and confidence.
- JG Academy Kids Jiu Jitsu, ages 4 to 6: $100 a month.
- Ronin Jiu Jitsu kids class: ages 4 to 10, Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:00 to 7:00 pm, $110 a month.
- Flaherty's Kenpo Karate: ages 4 and up, with a $19.95 starter rate.
- Little Legends Muay Thai at VALOR Training Center starts at age 5.
Gym, play and learning
- GymStars Gymnastics: classes from babies up, Mondays through Saturdays, $59 to $143 a month.
- Little Leapers at Sky Zone Stockton: trampoline time set aside for ages 1 to 5, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.
- Kids Adventure Packs at the Haggin Museum: self-guided art and history activities for ages 2 and up, included with admission.
- Kumon starts at pre-K, for example Kumon Reading at Stockton-West, Tuesdays and Fridays 2:30 to 6:30 pm.
Looking for a preschool?
Licensed preschools and state preschools are in the Stockton daycare directory. Two examples: the state preschool at Van Buren Elementary School for ages 3 to 4 (needs-based, with Spanish support) and St. Basil Preschool for ages 2 to 5.
Frequently Asked Questions
What free activities are there for preschoolers in Stockton?
The City of Stockton's Tot Classes are free for ages 1 to 6 on Saturdays at the Arnold Rue Community Center.
Where can a 3 year old take swim lessons in Stockton?
City Preschool Aquatics ($72, weekends at the Edison High School pool), Pacific Swim School's Sea Star and Sea Horse levels ($100 for a two-week summer session) and Ms. Chrissie's Tadpole classes all take 3 year olds.
Can parents join preschool classes in Stockton?
Yes. The city's Tot Classes, Start Smart Futsal and Start Smart Winter Basketball are all parent-and-me formats.