Keep Healthy this Flu Season!
You hear it on the news, friends are talking about it -- it's flu season. At The Little Gym of Glen Allen we're looking to help keep you and your little ones prepared and protected from "The Bug!"
 
- Make snacks and meals with wholes grains, dark and leafy greens and berries!
- Tea is a great disease fighter as well! Serve it hot with a little honey and your kids will stay healthy with a yummy treat.
- Sleep! When we sleep our bodies are able to recover and fight against any disease. For toddlers, experts recommend around 12 hours of sleep and 10 hours for pre-school and school-aged children!
- Teach kids not to share their food and drinks with other children. Disease is spread the quickest amoungst the little ones when they share food and drinks.
 
Staying active and eating healthy are simple and effective ways of staying healthy during the flu season! Don't forget that we offer make-up classes for any class you miss throughout the season, so if your child isn't feeling well, keep them home, let them rest and then when they're feeling better come on in for your make-up class at The Little Gym!
Physical Activity for Children Proves Vital
This may not come as a surprise to you, but kids are not as active as they used to be. In fact, on average, a child will spend about three hours a day sitting and watching television or playing video games. As can be expected, the lack of physical activity has led to a spike in the rate of childhood obesity and a decline in the overall healthy of our youth. Part of our promise at The Little Gym of Glen Allen is to get your little one up and moving in a safe and fun environment, where they see first-hand that learning and physical activity is not only good for you -- it's fun! Studies have shown that 45 to 60 minutes of daily activity will help to decrease overweight-related health problems and actually has shown to help your child develop into a well-rounded young adult. Another important aspect of our program is "Brain Boost." In our toddler and parent/child class we incorporate school lessons such as colors and numbers into every activity in class! One final aspect of working toward a physically active lifestyle is that it helps a child with their socialization skills! Because each toddler and parent/child class at The Little Gym of Glen Allen includes other children your child's age, the little ones learn how to share and interact with one another -- preparing them for preschool and Kindergarten!
Value of Music and Movement-based Classes

Children learn in many different ways.  One of the ways that continues to prove to be extremely beneficial to young children and toddlers are movement based classes.  Below is an excerpt from a website, "Sparkpe.org," regarding the benefits of toddler and parent/child classes and how it postively effects a child's growth and development.

"Children have many opportunities to learn through movement. One area that young children respond particularly well to is using music and rhythm to teach other developmental skills. Listening to the different rhythms of music and asking children to respond to what they hear through movement can integrate music education, physical education, and cognitive development into a single lesson plan. Allowing the children to create the music themselves can take this activity one step further.

If programs such as these are started early in life, older children will respond better to similar, more advanced lesson plans. Schools suffering from a lack of time for music, PE, and recess in their overall curriculum could possibly benefit the most from combining these so-called “elective” classes and integrating movement into the lessons of the traditional classroom."

-- Sparkpe.org

What a wonderful description of the value of early childhood physical development.  We definitely recommend reviewing Sparkpe.org's website for other great articles on how to nuture healthy and happy young adults!

 

Soles4Souls and The Little Gym of Richmond
Soles4Souls and The Little Gym have partnered together to try and collect one million shoes nationwide for children in need overseas. The shoes The Little Gym collects from Richmond families will be distributed to children all over the world. To many children, the shoes do more than protect them from harsh conditions and diseases. Every child who has a pair of shoes also has the opportunity to attend school. Without the shoes, that opportunity is not available to them. Currently, The Little Gym, its members and our community have collected over 7,000 pairs of shoes. All shoes are accepted and will be donated or recycled. Help us help other by bringing in you and your child's old and outgrown shoes! Soles4Souls’ "Big Hearts, Little Shoes" initiative shows our community's children the value and importance of giving to others. For more information on the program give us a call at 804-266-7700.
Mommy and Me Parent/Child Classes Research
Research suggests that starting creative physical activity at a young age may be the key in fostering confident, healthy and successful children. A new white paper published by The Little Gym International, shows that what was once thought of as fitness skills can now directly translate into classroom and work skills.
 
Mommy and Me Parent/Child classes at The Little Gym start working with your child at four months of age. Introducing your little one to new physical movements that help them reach their developmental milestones.
 
"Raising Future Well-Adjusted Adults" is prepared from research compiled by Dr. Cheryl Olsen, a former Harvard Medical School faculty member who specializes in child development and health behaviors. Some of the research in her report is listed below:
 
- Children make judgements about their motor skill abilities at an early age, which may affect their willingness to take on new physcial challenges as they get older.
 
- Structured and repetitive physical activities can improve a child's processing speed, working memory, self-control and strategic decision-making ability.
 
- Early participation in structured group activities that allow children to cultivate skill such as initiative, teamwork, and emotional regulation, can help children more effectively take on leadership roles in the future.
 
Mommy and Me Parent/Child Classes at The Little Gym have a structured and three dimensional learning approach, with three core tenents: "Get Moving" to foster flexibilty and strength, "Brain Boost" to foster listening skills, concentration and decesion-making and finally, "Citizen Kid" to cultivate sharing, teamwork, cooperation and leadership abilities. The research in Dr. Cheryl Olsen's study support this approach as an effective and benficial tool in your child's development.
Photo Of The Week!
Check out Sydney from Miss Jaimie's Flips class doing her splits on the beam! GO SYDNEY!
 

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