Parent Child Classes: The Foundation for a Great Relationship

As a parent, your child’s development is the most important matter in your life. You want them to be successful intellectually, physically, socially and emotionally. But beyond that, you also want to have a strong and solid relationship with them. Parent/Child classes present a strong foundation for accomplishing all of your goals at once. This environment allows you to give your child a head start in life while building your relationship with them at the same time. Classes focus on working together to develop your child’s skills through music, exercise and games. A professionally developed curriculum and trained instructors seamlessly build rhythm, body awareness, cooperation, and many other skills that are vital to your child’s development. These classes also provide opportunities for bonding and team building, encouraging you and your child to work together through new challenges and activities. Classes help you develop sensitive and appropriate responses to the individual needs of your child. Knowing how to respond to their needs helps them develop a secure attachment to you, and in turn, provides a strong base for future relationships.

How The Little Gym Helps Socialize Your Child

Many parents view The Little Gym as an opportunity for their children to make new friends and build upon relationships they have already made. But what you may not realize is that your child is learning valuable social skills that will follow them throughout their lives. When children make friends, they are able to try different ways to relate to different people. Friendships teach them how to establish guidelines, make decisions and solve problems. At first glance, our program may seem to only focus on physical skills. But many of our games are designed to encourage teamwork, enhancing social development through physical activity. Our non-competitive environment encourages children to play with each other rather than against each other. Children learn to become more considerate of one another, more aware of the feelings of others, and more willing to work together for mutual benefit. They learn to share the gym equipment and practice patience by waiting their turn. Research studies have found that children involved in programs that promote collaboration have shown an increase in cooperative behavior during free play and in classroom situations. So next time you watch your child interacting with other children at The Little Gym, remember they’re not just making friends. They’re learning life lessons they will carry with them forever.

From Somersault to Self-Esteem

Sequential learning allows children to progress at their own pace, with each skill building upon the next. Before they learn to read and write, your child must learn their ABCs. Before they learn to run and jump, they must first learn to crawl and walk. The Little Gym takes the same approach when teaching new skills. Children are able to learn at their own pace, in a nurturing and supportive environment. Tasks are broken down to appropriate levels, so your child can feel a sense of accomplishment as they master each piece of the puzzle. A monkey jump becomes a cartwheel; a cartwheel develops into a one-handed cartwheel; and a one-handed cartwheel evolves into an aerial. Sequential skill building is essential for your child’s development, with benefits transcending far beyond the walls of The Little Gym. It not only makes learning rewarding and fun, but it teaches children to be self-motivated. And, when given the opportunity to repeat these accomplishments, they are able to solidify their sense of self-worth. This feeling propels them forward, eager to tackle the next challenge with confidence. A lesson they will carry with them in the classroom, on the playground, and throughout their life.

ANNOUNCING OUR FACEBOOK AND TWITTER FRIDAY GIVEAWAYS!

Fan-tastic giveaways to our fans all month long on Facebook and Twitter! Follow and fan us for your chance to win! We will post a question each Monday and fans can answer the question through Thursday. We’ll announce a winner on Facebook every Friday!

Question of the week: What song does TLG begin every class with?

Comment through Thursday to win!

Let Kids be Kids

Today the list of options of activities your children can participate in are endless. From private programs, to school based programs, there is a myriad of options for you to choose based on your children’s likes/dislikes and personality.

As a parent, I always look for programs that fit my children’s interests and personalities but with my parenting hat on I try to make sure that the selected program doesn’t put too many demands on my children or our entire family for that matter.

One of the things that drew me to The Little Gym more than a decade ago was not only the solid curriculum for children but more importantly, it’s a place where kids can be kids.

Classes at The Little Gym are different from other physical activities for kids. The Little Gym classes are perfect for families looking for a set time to reconnect. Our non-competitive curriculum for children aged 4 months to 12 years old allows families a chance for one-on-one time away from all other distractions. Our programs for younger children are based on parent-child teamwork. Older children work at their own pace within the curriculum, learning valuable physical fitness and social skills to carry them through life.

The Little Gym is a place for parents to be parents, focused on fun times with their child. In the meantime, your child learns the importance of exercise for a full, healthy life and the safe ways to move a body for fun.

I’m proud to offer an environment that lets kids be kids. And remember, you’re always welcome to come check it out and see if it’s right for your children.

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!