Love, Love, LOVE The Little Gym!

You guys, I have to take a minute to brag about The Little Gym.

My girls started there in August. And they each count down the days each week until it's time for Little Gym. Especially my oldest. She waits for Thursday nights the way I wait for bed time. She counts down the days and minutes. She. Loves. It.

And she isn't the only one. This mama loves it, too! Let me count the ways...

I love the way that Little Gym is okay with my kids being, well, kids. Sometimes my girls come to class attentive and ready to participate the whole time. And sometimes, well, not so much. Little Gym understands that kids are curious and want to explore, and they encourage this. If my youngest would rather be on the beam than the bars with the rest of her classmates, that's fine. If my oldest wants to work exclusively on her round-offs (everywhere, all the time, regardless of what obstacles are in her way!) and skip beam today, that's okay. Kids are encouraged to participate with the class, certainly, but coaches understand when they are wandering to let them wander and they will come back.

I love that music is incorporated into class time. If my girls are anything like me, they won't be able to carry a tune, but I still think music is a fun, easy way to engage kids. Each class starts with kids tapping shakers around and making music. They also use music to transition from activity to activity. This also helps my girls to know when it is time to switch from one activity to the next. And class always ends with kiddos on their bellies, singing a good bye song. They love that!

I love how the coaches come out toward the end of class and talk to the parents about the lesson kids learned during class and the skills kiddos are working on. Sure, most of us sit there and watch the kids. But, if I'm being honest, many of us are half-watching, while we are also talking to other siblings, or one another, or responding to emails and text messages. I don't always catch my girls' every move, so it's nice that the coaches come out and talk to us about the day's activities and accomplishments.

Lastly, I love how Little Gym has my girls moving from the second they walk into class each day. Other programs we've attended have lots of downtime- kids have to sit and be still while other students take turns practicing a skill, or wait until a previous class finishes up with an apparatus so that their class can have a turn. There is just one room at Little Gym, which means one class at a time, which I really like. Everyone is welcome on every apparatus at all times, so there really isn't a "sit and watch the other kids have a turn" experience for my kids. And because all the kids are in the same class together, there is no worry about classes mixing and confusing coaches. My girls can roam when they want to (now that song is stuck in my head...).

The Little Gym offers classes for kids as young as 4 months all the way up to age 12. Until age 3, kiddos are placed in Mommy and Me classes, and then they graduate to classes based on their ages and abilities. The Little Gym offers dance and gymnastics classes, as well as sports skill classes and Kindermusik classes! They have classes mornings, afternoons and evenings. They also have Parents' Night Out (I can't wait until my youngest is three and potty-trained because I know the trio will love attending these!) and do birthday parties! And- in case you didn't know- Little Gym just relocated from The Highlands in Arlington to south Mansfield- Broad and 287. It's a breeze to get there!
Seriously, y'all, go check them out. Your kids will fall in love like mine did and never want to leave!