The Little Gym of Westport
629 Post Road East
Westport, CT 06880
(203) 227-0599

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We Hear You, Michelle Obama, and We Agree!!

Have you heard about First Lady Michelle Obama's campaign to help get kids fit? She unveiled a new initiative on Monday at a pep talk for U.S. athletes who will be competing in the 2012 London Olympics. We're super excited about this enterprise, which is called "Let's Move."

To accomplish her latest initiative, the First Lady has teamed up with the U.S. Olympic Committee and 10 sports federations to inspire children who are not currently involved in exercise programs to commit to beginner level Olympic sports. Her hope is twofold: First, U.S. Olympic athletes can act as role models to encourage children to participate in an Olympic sport. Next, as she pointed out, “Once they’re engaged, that’s when coaches and instructors can step in and become mentors. That’s when discipline and teamwork can become daily lessons. That’s when being active can become a lifelong habit."

"Let's Move" is about getting kids moving in a fun, ineractive creative way, and that's right up our alley!

If you need help getting your children moving, consider letting The Little Gym help. We guarantee that our students get their fill of exercise - and they have fun doing it!

To read more about the First Lady's new plan, click here or here.

Take Advantage of Priority Enrollment!

It's The Little Gym's Mommy Blogger again - here to talk to you about why you need to take advantage of Priority Enrollment specials and register for next year's Core Season!

Mom to mom, here are some of the reasons your family can benefit from this once-a-year opportunity to register your child for a year of serious fun at The Little Gym:

Discounts

During the month of May, The Little Gym offers fantastic discounts! Whether you choose to take advantage of the single, bi, or multi-payment options, you will save money. With a savings of $260, the biggest discount is for those who opt for the single payment option.

Continuity

In my opinion, this is one of the factors that really differentiates The Little Gym's program from others. My daughters have really benefited from the continuinity that comes from an almost year-long season. This is also why The Little Gym doesn't offer a monthly payment option: because they feel that strongly that the continuity provided by a longer season is what will benefit their students. And I agree...

Individualized Instruction

In addition to being a mom, I'm also a teacher. When I was in graduate school, the idea of individualizing instruction was really emphasized. Now that I'm a mom, I see how important this is. With a longer season, instructors at The Little Gym really have the time to get to know each student's needs, and students develop a strong sense of trust in the instructor - and the program! I've seen this play out in our family. I have one daughter who really lacks physical confidence. At the beginning of the season she was afraid to even walk on the balance beams;, now she's doing forwarding rolls on it! Whether your child needs to work on confidence, or he or she needs to develop stronger social, strength-building, or even listening skills, the Little Gym's non-competitive, individualized approach can help!

Fun Exercise

I'm not the most athletic mom. Running is my primary form of exercise because I'm not capable of much else. So, while I enjoy sitting down for a board game or movie with my kids, I'm not likely to be the mom starting up a game of "Tag." It's a huge relief to me when I bring the girls to The Little Gym and know they're getting an hour of exercise. But the best part is that they just think they're getting an hour of fun! Win-win!

These are just a few of the ways your family can benefit from The Little Gym's Core Season. You can find more in this blog post. Remember that Priority Enrollment only lasts through the month of May, so make sure to register soon in order to take advantage of the discounted rates.

Announcing This Summer's Camp Themes!!

It may grow hot outside, but summer at The Little Gym is sure to be super cool! In addition to our regular classes, we're featuring our Anytime Summertime Camp! Check out this blog post to read more about what makes our camp so awesome.

Camp meets Monday through Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., and we do offer sibling discounts. Give us a call to discuss pricing or to register.

Plus, peruse the creative and exciting themes below to choose the best weeks for your child!

June 18-22:

TLG's Crazy Carnival

Carnival rides and games in The Little Gym?! Awesome! And a "Talent Show" as the week's finale!

June 25-June 29:

Cars, Planes, Trucks & Trains

An exciting week of transportation fascination!

July 2-July 6:

X-treme Sports of ALL Sorts

"Base Jumping," "Cliff-Diving," "Surfing," and even "Zorbing"!

July 9-July 13:

Superheroes!

Not only will campers fly, dash, and speed around The Little Gym like superheroes, but they'll even have the chance to meet some real-life superheroes: police officers, firefighters and paramedics!

July 16-July 20:

Legends, Fables & Folklore

Campers will use their imaginations bringing stories to life as they pretend to be unicorns, dragons, mermaids, and more!

July 23-July 27:

Lights, Camera, Action!

Who knows how many of our TLG campers of today just might be the movie or Broadway stars of tomorrow?! This week will be all about movement, role playing, and acting.

July 30-Aug 3:

Secret Agent: "Gyms Bond"

This theme is adventure-packed for our "secret agent" campers who will search secret hiding places, solve a mystery, and play "catch me if you can" challenges!

Aug. 6-Aug. 10:

Hip-Hop Karate Chop!

As the theme suggest, this week will be an action-packed combination of karate and hip-hop skills!

Aug 13-Aug 17:

My Animal Planet

Each day of camp will focus on animals found in different pars of the world. There may even be some REAL animal visitors!

Aug 20-Aug 24:

The Little Gym Olympics

We'll even have our own Opening and Closing Cermonies, and of course a Grand Awards Presentation for this version of the Summer Olympics!

Aug 27-Aug 31:

From Islands to Icebergs!

The kids will have a blast participating in exciting adventures at the North and South Poles!

Totally Awesome Little Gym Birthday Party!

If you haven’t already noticed, I’m a big fan of The Little Gym! So, it probably won’t come as much of a surprise that when my little one was turning four, we chose to have her birthday party at The Little Gym. And what a party it was!

Little did Ms. Anna know when I booked the shindig that I was actually issuing her a big fat challenge. For starters, the guest list featured kids ranging in age from 2 years to 12 years old. On top of that, the birthday girl insisted on a fairy princess theme (not fairy or princess, but fairy and princess!) despite an almost equal mix of boys and girls. Oh, and on the sly I begged Ms. Anna to play “Hey Mickey,” the princess fairy's favorite song. Suffice it to say that I did not make Ms. Anna’s life easy at all. But she rose to the challenge and delivered a birthday party that totally exceeded the birthday diva's expectations and ensured that every other guest had an equally fantastic time! She even made sure to play “Hey Mickey” - not once but twice!!

See, that’s a big part of what makes parties at The Little Gym so special: they are truly personalized! Ms. Anna says, “Whatever you want to happen, we’ll make it happen,” and she does! From providing a limitless array of personalized themes, to accommodating visits by favorite characters (like Elmo), to incorporating a craft session, The Little Gym can make any child’s birthday wish a reality. In fact, they offer so many themes that there needs to be a separate post dedicated solely to that subject! Let’s just say that The Little Gym can pretty much deliver any theme your child desires, from princesses to pirates to police officers! Not only that, but they can meet any other needs your child has. Whether your child requests a special song (like “Hey Mickey”) or perhaps has a sensory processing disorder and would prefer no music, they’ll make sure that everyone has a great time. They really want your party to be a success!

Another reason that The Little Gym parties are so fantastic is that the incredible instructors/party directors take care of every.single.detail. As Ms. Anna notes, “We care! You’re part of our family. We want you to have no stress – have as much fun as the kids.” We all know how tough it can be to enjoy a party when you’re preparing and serving the food, keeping everything on schedule, entertaining the kids, and ensuring that the adults are at ease - all while you're exhausted from the mountains of prep work you did leading up to the event. That’s why it’s such a relief to host your party at The Little Gym. The only thing you need to do is to bring a cake and some candles (and the birthday child)! They take care of every other detail – from sending the invitations to ordering the pizza to cutting the cake!

Nonetheless, would you believe that at my little one’s party I actually *gasp* forgot the birthday candles, including the #4 candle? But it was no problem because Ms. Anna swooped in and saved the day with a #4 candle they had stashed away! What a relief!

One last reason that parties at The Little Gym go so smoothly is that the party directors are certified Little Gym instructors. Not only do they know how to entertain and ensure the safety of kids in general, but odds are they know your child personally. So instead of having random teenagers run your party, you have enthusiastic, knowledgeable, familiar faces running it! That in and of itself ensures peace of mind for both kids and adults. These trusted professionals know how to balance free play with structured activities, so there is little downtime but a whole lot of fun time!

I could go on and on about how great a Little Gym party is, but perhaps the most meaningful compliment came from my 12 year old niece who called ours “the best party I’ve ever been to.” And she’s been to a lot of parties over the last few years!

To book your party at The Little Gym, call (203) 227-0599.

Those Lousy Pests

Parents have been expressing concern to us over rumors of recent lice outbreaks, so we thought we’d take a minute to share some interesting facts about these lousy pests:

1. Lice cannot live for very long off of their human hosts. The most common way they spread is through head-to-head contact.

2. Head lice are not particularly harmful. There are few symptoms and no long-term ill effects.

3. Lice are actually more attracted to clean hair than dirty hair.

4. It’s important to confirm a lice diagnosis with your pediatrician because dandruff and hair debris are often mistaken for lice.

5. If your child does end up with lice, you can tackle the lice removal process yourself, but there are actually salons that specialize in this - ahem - delicate procedure. In fact, there are even companies that offer in-house lice removal so that you don’t have to feel embarrassed going to a salon! Here are a few that service the Fairfield County area:

As far as our policy regarding lice, keep in mind our motto of "When in doubt, stay out." As long as you call and let us know that your child will miss class, we'll make sure to provide a free make up!

Still, we do clean our mats routinely (see this post for more on how we combat germs and other critters at The Little Gym).

We hope you’ve found this post helpful! If you’re looking for additional information on head lice, we recommend this link!

What This Mom Loves About The Little Gym

Not only am I a blogger for The Little Gym, I'm also a mom to two Giggle Worms. My two daughters and I have been with the Little Gym for a long time: six years, actually! During those six years, we've pretty much participated in everything that The Little Gym has to offer: classes, camps, birthdays, and more!!

I guess you can say that The Little Gym has watched my girls grow up. It seems like just yesterday that my older daughter was a Bug, learning to crawl on the big red mat, and now she's cartwheeling across it!

Actually, I feel like we've seen The Little Gym grow up, too! We've seen it grow from one facility in South Norwalk to three facilities: one in Darien, one in Westport, and one in Ridgefield. We've seen instructors come and go, decor change, multiple sessions become one "core season," and more (see this post for more on changes).

But throughout all of these changes, one thing has stayed the same: our love of The Little Gym!

From one parent to another, here are a few of the things we love about The Little Gym:

It's fun!! The facility is bright and safe, the music is upbeat, and the activities are fun. There is honestly no downtime, and no complaining! (Classes are fun for parents, too. Whether it's a parent participation class or a drop-off, they're a great opportunity to meet and mingle with other parents!)
The instructors are fantastic! You don't even need to step foot into The Little Gym to see how friendly, positive, and competent the instructors here are. Just call and you'll see! My girls love them, too, and say they're "kid people," meaning that "you can tell they like being around kids."

The curriculum is great! As a former teacher, I have pretty high standards when it comes to enrolling my daughters in extracurricular programs, and The Little Gym exceeds my expectations! My girls have so much fun here! And, from day one, even when my oldest could barely even sit in the opening circle, I've appreciated the progress I see them make at The Little Gym. Whether they're building their confidence or building their motor skills, I'm always impressed with their growth! This is not a "loosy goosy" program, but kids do have a fantastic time!

It's super clean! This matters. One of my daughters has asthma, and the other has febrile seizures (seizures with high fevers), so we really do everything we can to keep them healthy. Of all of the kids' classes we've tried over the years, the facility at The Little Gym honestly seems to be the cleanest! Read more about how they keep The Little Gym so clean here.

Overall, I just love the vibe of The Little Gym! The enthusiasm keeps us coming back! And I love seeing the progress my girls make in the classes here!

Parents: This One's For You!!

Guess what?! We're featuring a Parents' Survival Night next Saturday! It's perfect timing, right?! Let's face it: creating a truly special holiday for the family can be exhausting! Well, now you can breathe a big sigh of relief and take some time for yourself!!

Drop the kids off here on Saturday, January 21, from 6:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. for pizza and fun, and then go enjoy having the night off!

What should you do with your much-deserved and well-earned free time? Indulge in something just for you! Date night? Ladies night out? Maybe even take in a movie! Or read a book for that matter!

Whatever you decide to do with your free time, we hope you have fun! We know we will!!

The cost is $50 for non-members and $40 for members. Siblings and additional children will be $25 for non-members and $20 for members.

Make sure to reserve a spot by calling (203) 227-0599!!!

While we're sure that every parent enjoys spending time with his or her children, we also understand that facing an entire week with no school or scheduled activities can be daunting, especially now that the weather has turned colder and daylight is shorter!

That's why we're excited to present our Winter Wonderland camp, taking place December 26th through December 30th from 9:15 a.m. through 12:15 p.m.

Camp at The Little Gym is serious fun, and our Winter Wonderland camp is no exception!

Each day will feature a different theme:

Monday: Winter Camping

Tuesday: Holiday Goofy Games

Wednesday: Dinosaur Ice Age

Thursday: The Little Gym Stars on Ice

Friday: New Year's Beach Bash

Why enroll your child? Here are a few of the benefits:

It's flexible! You can choose to book one day, or multiple days: whatever fits your needs and schedule!
It's fun! Our themes and curriculum ensure that your child will have a great time.
We get your kids moving. This is especially important in the cold, dark winter!
Kids learn new skills. Whether they're developing gymnastics skills such as handstands or social skills such as sharing, our campers are always growing and learning.
Our camp builds creativity. From our themes to our activities, we encourage campers to use their imagination.
You deserve some time to yourself!! Drop the kids off at The Little Gym and take some time to do... whatever you want!

What does a typical Little Gym camp look like? Our camp incorporates free play, circle time, group activities and games, skill-building, crafts, and snack.

We look forward to seeing your little one at our Winter Wonderland camp! Space is limited, so make sure to book soon!

Friendly Reminders

We know all too well how crazy this time of year can get, so we wanted to share a few reminders with you:

1. If you're feeling more overwhelmed than overjoyed this holiday season, we've got you covered! Let us watch the kids on Saturday night, December 17, while you catch up on shopping, wrapping, or just relaxing! The kids will enjoy a night of holiday fun during this Parents' Survival night!

2. There are only a few more days to take advantage of our Winter Wonderland Savings opportunity. Book 3 or more days of Winter Wonderland camps and receive 1 free day of summer camp!! This deal expires on December 15, so make sure to call soon!!

3. If you have any clothing that you're ready to donate, please remember to bring it by. We've partnered with Person to Person for a clothes drive that ends December 15.

4. Don't forget that there are no classes the week of December 24 through December 30. Classes will resume December 31.

Enjoy your holiday!!

Take a Night Off!!

'Tis the season to be jolly, but sometimes it doesn't feel that way, does it?! If you're feeling more overwhelmed than merry these days, you aren't alone. Let us help!

Drop the kids off here on Saturday, December 17, from 6:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. and take some time for yourself. Wrap, shop, or just relax for goodness' sake!

There's no need to worry: Your kids will have a blast! We're planning a holiday party chock full of games, pizza, and even cookie decorating!

We LOVE Parents' Survival Nights because they give us a little more freedom than the structured course curriculum allows.

So give us your kids for the night, and let us give you the gift of time!

The Cost is $50 for non-members and $40 for members. Siblings and additional children will be $25 for non-members and $20 for members. But then again, can you really put a price tag on the gift of free time?!

Make sure to reserve a spot by calling (203) 227-0599!

A Wonderland of Savings!

Here at The Little Gym we appreciate a great deal as much as the rest of you. That’s why we’re offering a fantastic Black Friday savings opportunity: Buy three or more days of Winter Wonderland Camp and receive a FREE camp day for summer 2012! Our Winter Wonderland camp will take place Monday, December 26 through Friday, December 30 from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Each day of camp will feature a different fun-filled theme, including Winter Camping, Holiday Goofy Games, Dinosaur Ice Age, New Year’s Beach Bash, and The Little Gym Stars on Ice. We’re hoping to beat the winter doldrums by getting kids’ bodies and minds moving!

What does a typical day at The Little Gym camp look like? We incorporate free play, circle time, group activities and games, skill-building, crafts, and snack.

The Fine Print:

This deal is valid at the Westport, Darien, and Ridgefield locations.
You must be a current member to take advantage of this opportunity, and your membership must be up to date at the time of redemption.
Participants must be potty-trained and bathroom-independent to qualify for camp.
This offer is valid for camp days booked and paid in full between Saturday, November 26, 2011 through Thursday, December 15, 2011.
There will be no refunds or transfers for holiday camp days.
The free day must be redeemed by August 20, 2012.

Help Us Make Smiles!

Here at The Little Gym we're all about making smiles, and nothing makes smiles more than giving! That's why we've partnered with Person to Person's Clothing Center to coordinate a clothing drive.

We really want this drive to bring smiles to a lot of people, but we need your help. If you have any gently-used clothing that you're ready to donate, please drop it off at The Little Gym during your child's regularly-scheduled class from December 1, 2011 through December 15, 2011.

Person to Person is especially in need of cold-weather clothing and boutique-style shopping bags with handles (they run through 150 of them each day!).

We really appreciate your help making smiles! Remember to follow our Facebook page for announcements about upcoming fundraising events, Parents' Survival Nights, Practice Time sessions, holiday celebrations, and more!

We're a GYMnasium, not a GERMnasium!

Cold and flu season has arrived, and you know what that means: It's time to wage war against germs! The Little Gym is all about Serious Fun, but there's nothing fun about getting sick, so we take this battle very seriously.

You probably take it seriously, too, so we want to tell you about some of the steps we take to make sure that your little one doesn't bring home any unwanted bugs.

Our youngest students love to transfer anything that's in their hands to their mouths (including germs!), so we make sure to clean the bells and balls after each parent/child class.

We also make sure to disinfect the entire facility at least once a day, often twice a day. That means we mop all of the matts and wipe down every surface including door handles and cubbies.

You'll notice hand sanitizer on our counter. It's available for all students to use after class.

Since germs can also be airborne, another way we combat germs is by encouraging parents to keep their little ones home if they're sick. We'll give you a free makeup that will never expire as long as you're actively enrolled at The Little Gym. Just make sure to call and let us know he or she will be out.

You'll be glad to know that the products we use are both antibacterial and kid-friendly.

Rest assured that we're doing everything we can to win the war against germs, and come on down for some Serious Fun!

Time to Give Thanks!

It's time for Thanksgiving, and here at The Little Gym we have a lot to be thankful for: We get to have fun and create smiles every day!

As a special thanks, we're featuring a Parents' Survival Night on Saturday, November 19, from 6:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.

So relax and enjoy a night off! Your kids will have a great time eating pizza and participating in all sorts of awesome activities.

The price for members is $40 for the first child with a 50% sibling discount. The price for non-members is $50 for the first child with a 25% sibling discount.

Spots fill quickly, so make sure to call us at (203) 227-0599 to book your space!

Introducing Practice Time

We've all heard the old adage "practice makes perfect". Here at The Little Gym, however, we believe it's more important that "practice makes progress". That's why we're so excited to introduce a brand new Member benefit called Practice Time.

What is Practice Time? It's a structured and supervised bonus session that will give our students the opportunity to reinforce the skills they're learning in class each week.

During these Practice Time sessions, students enrolled in Parent/Child, Pre-K, and Grade School Gymnastics will focus on the skills learned in class that week. Students enrolled in Dance, Karate or Sports Skills programs can use Practice Time sessions to develop complementary gymnastics fundamentals.

These are not free-play sessions (although kids are bound to have fun!). They're also not drop-off classes. We ask that parents please stay in the lobby during Practice Time.

Best of all, because we love to see our students grow and develop their skills, Practice Time is offered free to our currently-enrolled members!

We want to make sure we give every student a chance to practice, so these Practice Times will be offered at different times each week. Like our brand-new Facebook page here to hear about the Practice Time opportunities for the week (as well as other fun news and announcements!).

Registration is required, so make sure to call us at (203) 227-0599 to book your session.

Fall Festivities at The Little Gym

We're all about serious fun here at The Little Gym. And what could be more fun than a celebration? Whether we're celebrating your child's accomplishments, or celebrating a holiday, you can be sure that we're having a good time. Here we'll share some of the fall festivities that we have planned for the next month.

We're hosting a Halloween costume party on Friday, October 28 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Children are invited to wear costumes and participate in Halloween games and activities. This celebration is free for members. The cost for non-members is $10, and that fee can be applied to enrollment, so this party is also a great opportunity to check out our facility and see if our programs are right for your child. Drop-ins are welcome!

You can also look forward to our next Parent Survival Night on Saturday, October 15 from 6:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. Parent Survival Nights are what we like to call a win-win event. Kids have a great time playing games and eating pizza, and parents indulge in an adult activity like eating in a restaurant that boasts cloth napkins. Everyone wins! Read more about our parent survival nights here.

We look forward to seeing you at one (or both) of our celebrations!

The Little Gym Strengthens Students School Skills

The school year is underway, and we bet that you want your children to succeed. We want to see them succeed, too, and the good news is that we're here to help. You probably already know that The Little Gym is a super fun extracurricular activity. You probably also know that The Little Gym can help build strength, mobility, and coordination. But did you know that The Little Gym also contributes to success in school? It’s true! It may look like fun and games at The Little Gym, but our version of fun is serious. So, in addition to getting kids moving and having a great time, we’re instilling skills that set children up for a lifetime of success in every environment, including school.

Here are a few of the ways we can help your child perform well in school:

Listening and Following Directions:
All teachers love students who listen and follow directions. Fortunately, these are skills that we instill in our students, and we do it in a positive way. For instance, a warm up may include the classic game Simon Says. All that our students know is that they're playing a fun game. But what we know is that they're also strengthening their ability to listen and follow directions. We bet their teachers notice, too!

Teamwork and Sharing:
Working with others is a big part of being successful at school, and it's a quality that we encourage in our students. For example, when we take out the parachute what you see might look like simple playing around, but students are actually learning to work together to achieve a specific goal. Whether they need to run together, walk together, or gallop together, they need to synchronize their movements. And when it comes to lifting and lowering the parachute to pop the balls out, students learn pretty quickly that the better they work together, the more fun they'll have.

Creative Thinking and Imagination:
When our students are going through our stations, they're building their gymnastics skills, but at the same time they're using their imagination and building their problem solving ability. They may think they're just “pretending to be a bear” as they cross the parallel bars, but in fact this requires decision-making and motor planning. Will they crab walk? Use their hands and feet at the time? Just how will they get across?

Confidence and Independence:
Imagine the look on your child’s face when he or she completes a forward roll, walks on the high beam, hangs on the high bar, cartwheels down the matt, or just lands on his feet for the first time! Every time one of our students learns a new skill or accomplishes a new goal, we all celebrate. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to ensure that each of our students regularly meets goals and milestones. How do we achieve this? First, our safe and nurturing environment encourages children to approach new challenges without fear. Second, we recognize that every child is unique, so we give personal attention to each of our students. This way, each student’s goals match his or her needs and ability. Finally, we provide the individualized instruction and support each student needs. The result? Kids who are working hard to achieve their goals – and accomplishing them! Our students leave class with the confidence that they can accomplish any goal, and they're willing to put their best effort into every challenge.

Our students develop the listening skills, ability to work with others, imagination, and confidence that they need to be successful in school!

Announcements:

Next week is bring a friend week. Introduce a pal to your instructor and to our program, and receive a $10 reward good toward birthday parties, camp, and parent survival nights!
We are still enrolling for the new season, but classes are booking quickly, so make sure to call soon to register!
We're looking for fun, energetic people to join our team! Read more here.

Parent Survival Night This Saturday!!!

Our first Parent Survival Night will take place this Saturday, September 17, from 6:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. Drop the kids off at The Little Gym and let us entertain them while you enjoy an evening out on the town.

Rest assured that your kids will be in good hands with us. They'll have a blast playing games and eating pizza while you indulge in an adult activity like dining in a an establishment with cloth napkins or taking in a movie that isn't animated. In fact, the only thing you need to worry about will be how to make the most of your time off!

Members pay $40 for the first child with a 50% sibling discount. Non-members pay $50 for the first child with a 25% discount.

Spots fill quickly, so call us now to book soon for your night off!

Announcements:

We're enrolling for the new season! Call us at (203) 227-0599 to schedule a trial class or to register.
Make a friend smile. Bring a Friend Week is the week of the 26th, so bring a buddy along to your class that week.

Get to Know The Little Gym!!

If you haven't had a chance to get to know The Little Gym, we'd love to meet you! Stop by our open house this Friday, September 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. for an introduction to our version of serious fun and a chance to get to know our first rate team.

Kids will be divided into age-appropriate groups and will participate in a mini-lesson to give you a real flavor for our classes.

The Little Gym offers gymnastics and sports programs for children between the ages of four months and 12 years, we provide classes from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 8:15 to noon on Saturdays, and we are a premiere birthday party venue.

We look forward to meeting you at our open house on Friday!

It's Time to Enroll for Our Core Season!!

Our core season kicked off on Monday, but don't worry: it's not too late to enroll!

Wondering what we're all about? Pop in for our open house on Tuesdays, September 9 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

For starters, we emphasize serious fun. What's serious fun? Well, if you were to peak in on a Little Gym class you'd probably just notice the fun part: giggling, tumbling, bouncing, and playing.

What you might not notice right away is that our students aren't just having fun; they're working hard at building confidence, listening skills, creative thinking, social skills, and more. Not to mention that these little gymnasts are developing strength, flexibility, and coordination.

The benefit of all of this work extends far beyond the Little Gym classroom. In fact, next week we'll write about how taking a Little Gym class can help your child be more successful at school.

Speaking of school, unlike the seasonal sessions we used to offer, our new core season lasts the length of the school year.

In case you're wondering, we offer flexible payment options. You can choose from our single payment, bi-payment, or automatic monthly options.

Go ahead and enroll now for the whole season or sign up for a trial class and see for yourselves what serious fun is all about! As a reminder, call (203) 227-0599 or register online.

Have You Heard? We're Bringing Serious Fun to Ridgefield!

What do fun, fitness, and confidence have in common? They’re all built at The Little Gym! For more than 35 years, families all over the world have trusted The Little Gym to help their children grow and be more successful. Well, here we grow again, bringing serious fun to Ridgefield, CT with a brand new program and experienced and fun staff!

The Little Gym of Darien and Westport is thrilled to announce the opening of our Ridgefield center at 96 Danbury Road. The official grand opening will take place on August 28 with an open house from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., but we’re already booking for the 2011-2012 season.

So, who is The Little Gym? The technical answer is that we’re a premier developer of physical skills in children worldwide. But we’re so much more than that! Our curriculum-based programs help kids build the confidence and skills they need at each stage of childhood. Participants in the Little Gym’s programs develop motor skills, social skills, listening skills, creative thinking, and confidence. Sounds like a lot of work, right? But what’s really cool is that the kids don’t realize they’re working; they just see The Little Gym as a place to have fun, laugh, and make new friends.

What do we do at The Little Gym? If you were to peak in on a Little Gym class, what you would see is a group of kids having a lot of fun. You’d see bouncing, tumbling, hanging, and jumping. But it isn’t just fun. It’s serious fun! Each activity has a purpose. Kids may think they’re “walking the plank” on the balance beam, but what they’re really doing is building their balance, confidence, and imagination.

Why should you enroll your child at The Little Gym? Not only will your child have fun at The Little Gym, but he or she will develop skills that will help lay the groundwork for success in all areas of life – even school! We like to call ourselves the jelly to school’s peanut butter. Our instructors are experienced, friendly, and fun, and they emphasize developmental skills like sharing, taking turns, listening, and following directions – all crucial for success in school.

"Our nurturing and supportive environment is an ideal place for local children to build their motor skills and their confidence," Erica Newman, the owner of the Ridgefield facility, points out. "The end result will be happy kids who are secure in their interactions at home, at play and in the classroom."

Speaking of Erica Newman, you’ll be in good hands at The Little Gym of Ridgefield. As the owner of both the Darien and Westport locations, Erica has been with The Little Gym for over seven years, so it’s safe to say that she is an experienced Growth & Giggles Guru.

Plus, we have a number of classes throughout the week to ensure that we have one that fits your schedule. Classes are designed for children between the ages of four months and 12 years and will be taught from a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8:15 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

We’re also a great place to host a birthday party!
So, what are you waiting for? Call 203-431-2150 or visit https://www.thelittlegym.com/ridgefieldCT to register. And don’t forget to attend our open on August 28 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for a chance to check out the new facility and meet our fantastic team of instructors!

Keep the Kids Moving at Home

In our last blog post, we talked about the importance of getting your kids moving, and we shared with you some ways that The Little Gym can help. But we know we aren't the most important influence in your kids' lives. You are!

According to this CDC article, parents "play a major role in encouraging their children to become more active." So, this week we thought we'd give you some tips for keeping your kids moving at home.

First, it's important that you participate with your children. Check out this picture of a mother doing handstands at home with her daughter.

Mr. Mike, one of the fearless and fantastic instructors here at The Little Gym of Darien, acknowledges that it can be tough, but he encourages parents to "Pretend you're a kid." How, you ask? "Think back to how you felt when you were a kid and bring that in to play." He stresses the importance of encouraging your little one to use his or her imagination. Have a tea party, pretend to be a dinosaur - whatever it takes. Your kids will love discovering new worlds with you at the same time as they build strength and develop the confidence to be more independent.

Another tip is to keep it fun. Our philosophy at The Little Gym is that the best way to encourage kids is with a smile. One way to do that is to pick activities that fit your child's interests and activity style. You know your child best. So, as Mike Greenwell, director of communications for CDC's chronic disease center points out, "If a child prefers fast paced games, parents can suggest running, aerobics or basketball. By contrast, children who prefer leisurely activities may enjoy walking, yoga or badminton." For little explorers, try a hike or bikeride. You get the idea.

What child doesn't love performing for his or her parents? That's our third strategy: encourage your little gymnast to show off what he or she is learning at The Little Gym. Here's a video of BJ showing off his first forward roll at home.

For more tips and tricks for getting your kids moving at home, visit this CDC article entitled "Tips for Parents," or ask one of the instructors at The Little Gym. They have tons of ideas!

We bet you have some great ideas, too, and we'd love to hear from you. Go ahead and share your story here.

Announcements:

There is still time to enroll for the new season, but space is limited so call us soon!

Get Moving At The Little Gym!

It has never been more critical to get kids moving. As this CDC article points out,"physical inactivity has contributed to an unprecedented epidemic of overweight children." In fact, the CDC is so concerned that they've launched a campaign called VERB whose sole mission is to increase and maintain physical activity in children and teens. You can learn more about VERB here.

If your kids need a little encouragement to get moving, consider letting The Little Gym help. Whether they're enjoying our anytime summertime camp or enrolled in our summer classes, we guarantee that when they're with us, your kids will meet the CDC recommendation of "at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day."

We're proud of our efforts to get kids moving, and the best part is that they're having fun while doing it! This is important because "children are more likely to continue physical activity if they enjoy it," according to Dr. Jim Marks, M.D., M.P.H., director of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at CDC.

This week's camp theme is "Time Travel," so campers are enjoying activities like "Explore Over Moon Mountain" and "Crater-to-Crater Bridge." They're having so much fun that they don't even realize how much climbing, sliding, walking, and just general moving they're doing.

If you want your kids to get moving and have a blast while doing it, enroll them now in our summer camp or class sessions.

Announcements:

If you're trying to decide if The Little Gym is right for your child, pop into our open house on August 28, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Stay tuned for more details regarding our grand opening in Ridgefield!
Remember that our summer camp is flexible, and there are still some openings.

Our Team Is Expanding

We have exciting news, and you're among the first to hear: The Little Gym of Darien and Westport is opening a new location! We can't share all of the details yet, but what we we can tell you is that you'll soon find us in Ridgefield as well. Stay tuned for the full scoop!

In the meantime, we're expanding our team. If you're an energetic, highly motivated people person who likes to have fun while being challenged, you may want to consider joining our team.

While our curriculum-based programs are first rate, a main reason why people come to The Little Gym year after year is our amazing staff. The teaching staff at The Little Gym is the best you'll find.

There are a lot of benefits to being a part of the team at The Little Gym: smiling faces, joyous laughter, helping children realize a huge sense of accomplishment. Plus, you get to work with other energetic, fun, and positive people.

The Little Gym provides more than a great career opportunity; it provides an extraordinary chance to make an impact on the lives of the children you teach. As an instructor at The Little Gym, you'll help children develop skills that will strenghthen their self confidence and help them become successful at The Little Gym, in school, and in their lives in general. How many jobs can you think of that give you benefits like these?!

What does it take to be part of this incredible team? You must have a lot of energy, a fun personality, and a love of children. Customer service skills are also necessary. It's important that you be as comfortable talking to parents as you are with the children.

If you're interested in becoming a part of the team at The Little Gym, please visit our website or e-mail enewman@thelittlegym.com.

Announcements:

It's Who's Your Hero week at The Little Gym of Darien! Children are having a great time learning about those important people who help keep us safe and help us when we are hurt: the Fire Department and the Police Department. Children are pretending to put out fires and rescue friends in need. We may even have some real heroes visit us this week! This is some serious fun!
Beat the heat at The Little Gym! It's not too late to enroll for summer classes or our super flexible summer camp. You can even call in the morning to see if any camp spots are still available.

Happy Birthday to The Little Gym!

Welcome to the Little Gym of Westport's new blog. It's the Little Gym's 35th birthday, and we're celebrating with Something Big: a Makeover! Everything from our decor to our curriculum is being improved. This blog is only a small part of the changes you can look forward to. What else can you anticipate?

Serious Fun: Our new and improved curriculum emphasizes Three Dimensial Learning with a focus on the following areas of development: Get Moving, Brain Boost, and Citizen Kid. Visit this video for a fantastic live description of the improved curriculum.

A New Look: Look for a new paint finish, posters, and more, all of which will be showcased in an open house to be held late this summer.

Core Season: Rather than seasonal sessions, we are now featuring one core season that lasts the length of the school year, plus a summer session.

Flexible payment options: Whether you prefer a single payment, bi-payment, or automatic monthly payment, you can now choose the tuition option that best fits your needs.

Friendly and Experienced Staff: Expect the same quality of instructors you've grown to trust.

Somethig Big is coming to The Little Gym, and we're glad you'll be celebrating with us.

Announcements:

Our spring session is wrapping up next week with our Show Week. We were so proud of the progress the kids have made over the last few months!
Both summer camp and the summer session of classes start in two weeks. If you haven't enrolled your child yet, it's not too late!
Fall enrollment has started started as well. Enjoy all of the benefits of our birthday makeover.
As part of the improvements taking place at The Little Gym, we are looking to hire additional staff and instructors. Send a resume via e-mail if you're interested.