The Little Gym is the world's premier enrichment and physical development center for children ages 4 months through 12 years. Programs offer children a Springboard to Life's Adventures by using movement-based learning and imaginative play to help build the confidence and skills needed at each stage of childhood.
At The Little Gym, our environment is fun, but our purpose is serious. That’s why we embrace a proprietary philosophy called Three-Dimensional Learning, in which physical activity is a conduit for nurturing your whole child. The Three-Dimensional Learning approach to skill development means that every class we offer fosters growth in three holistic dimensions—Brain Boost!, Get Moving! and Life Skills! Read on to see how each dimension of learning helps your child grow into a well-rounded, well-adjusted child.
Developing flexibility, strength, balance and coordination through varied physical activities.
Nurturing listening skills, concentration and decision-making that benefit your child well beyond the gym.
Promoting sharing, teamwork, cooperation and leadership through spending time with friends and peers.
At The Little Gym, our environment is fun, but our purpose is serious. Read on to see how each dimension of learning helps your child grow into a well-rounded, well-adjusted child.
Developing flexibility, strength, balance and coordination through varied physical activities.
Nurturing listening skills, concentration and decision-making that benefit your child well beyond the gym.
Promoting sharing, teamwork, cooperation and leadership through spending time with friends and peers.
For every stage of your child's development - from 4 months to 12 years - The Little Gym offers a diverse line up of classes filled with movement, music, learning and laughter. Your little ones will make friends, reach developmental milestones and build self confidence while having Serious Fun.
Explore the range of classes and fun activities for kids we offer at The Little Gym® .
An innovative educator, musician and kinesiologist, Robin Wes envisioned a nurturing place where children could explore their physical development while also growing socially, emotionally and intellectually. He opened the first The Little Gym in 1976 in Bellevue, Washington and infused those early classes with the same positive, non-competitive spirit that characterises us today. Forty years later, children in more than 400 locations worldwide experience the Serious Fun of The Little Gym.
We are pleased to announce our upcoming Child Development webinar!
When: Thursday 13th October 1PM BST/2PM CET
Guest speaker: Dr Rebecca Duncombe
#webinar #children #childdevelopment #parenting #gentleparenting
#GetMoving!
A school year is about to end! Can you believe it? Nope, not us either.
Whether your child is school-aged or not, now is a good time to start thinking about which extracurricular activities you're going to enrol your child in after the summer holiday. Extracurricular activities outside of the home and classroom provide children of all ages a multitude of benefits like socialization, physical activity, and so much more.
Read on to check out 4 of the BIG benefits of extracurricular activities for your child:
1. Routine. Consistent, scheduled extracurricular activities help children anticipate what will happen next. This provides a sense of security, control, and confidence. For young children, involvement in extracurricular activities also provides structure to prepare them for school and beyond.
2. Socialization. For younger children, extracurricular activities, like The Little Gym, provide an opportunity for children to develop and grow important social and communication skills. For older children, extracurricular activities help to strengthen communication skills and build friendships.
3. Skill Development. Extracurricular activities allow children to explore new interests and skills which can help them find things that they are passionate about. This could be an affinity for a specific sport, playing an instrument, or even an interest in art. Developing new skills, and discovering those you like, can help build confidence and self-esteem.
4. Active Play. Many extracurricular activities are movement-based, these can include gymnastics and dance like The Little Gym. Activities that include physical activity not only help to keep children healthy, they have also been proven to help children achieve better performance in the classroom.
It’s important to let your child explore a wide range of extracurricular activities to help them find which activities they like best. This will help them learn a multitude of skills and will set them up for success later on in life!
To learn more about The Little Gym classes and to find a The Little Gym location near you visit our website
#BrainBoost!
A toddler's brain is growing at a phenomenal rate!
During the first three years of life, a child grows trillions (yes, trillions) of brain cell connections called neural synapses. To put that into perspective, a toddler has twice as many neural connections as an adult. It’s during infancy and toddlerhood where parents need to provide their child with emotional, physical, and cognitive rich experiences to help them learn and grow. Neural connections and patterns must be built - even for toddlers it’s a use it or lose it situation.
Check out our top 10 brain boosting tips for your toddler’s development.
1. Talk to your toddler. The more words a child hears gives them a better opportunity to learn and understand language. Brain boosters like cues, gestures, and repetition help your child understand exactly what you’re saying. While they may not be able to respond yet, their wheels are turning and soon enough they will be chatting away.
2. Sing a song. Not only is singing fun for children, it also has the ability to help them learn numbers, letters, animal sounds, and so much more. Plus, it’s fun, and they don’t care how bad you sound.
3. Engage in mirror play. Mirror play is a great way for children to learn different body parts, explore facial expressions, and have fun. Simply sit in front of a mirror with your toddler and point out different body parts or make different faces. Soon enough your child will naturally mimic your actions. This is great practice for social interactions later in life.
4. Explore different textures. Toddlers are sensory learners which means that they need to touch, smell, and taste in order to understand the world around them. Ever notice how many toddler games end up in their mouth? Expose your child to things like sands, paints, cotton balls, and ice cubes. Even simple activities like sitting in the grass offers lots of opportunity to explore trees, grass, dirt, and maybe a harmless bug or two.
5. Explore enrichment programs outside of the home, like The Little Gym. Not only will your toddler have the opportunity to interact with children their age, they’ll also be learning and having fun in a joyful safe environment with an age-appropriate curriculum that’ll boost child development.
6. Imagination Station. Toddlers can learn and grow communication and social skills through imaginative play. Provide your child with stuffed animals, puppets, dolls, or action figures and dress up clothes like old hats, shoes, and costumes.
7. Read aloud to your toddler every day to help increase language development and listening skills. Get your toddler involved in the activity by asking them to turn the page or point out specific items on each page.
8. Get moving and explore! There is nothing worse than having a toddler confined to the four walls of your home (if you have a toddler, you know). Explore the neighbourhood, local library, or even the mall. While you explore, point out all of the different things you see and sense (use all 5). Not only will this expose your child to different places, it will also expose them to different situations.
9. Be a positive example. Your little sponge isn’t just absorbing experiences they’re having, but the experiences they witness as well. Use moments of emotional expression about feelings and expressing kindness to teach little ones about empathy and understanding. Express your own emotions of happiness and joy when interacting with your child.
10. Opposites attract. Show your child the concept of opposites like soft / hard, big / small, inside / outside, and in / out to name a few.
Activities like The Little Gym can be another great option for busy families providing age-appropriate programs available after school, on weekends, and even when school is not in session.
Find a gymnastics class near you