My daughter Parker spends a decent amount of time watching her older brother, Foster, at various activities (gymnastics, Sportball, swim team, etc.). Without fail, each time she looks sadly at me and whispers “I wanna [fill in activity name here] too.” When she turned two this spring, I wanted to sign her up for something that was special for her. She’s a tiny little thing for her age and is constantly running and jumping, so I thought gymnastics would be a great fit. She’s been taking classes at Little Gym since May and I couldn’t be happier we chose their program for her at this age.
Initially, I thought I wanted to enroll her in a mommy-and-me class at one of the larger gymnastics centers in Austin. Unfortunately, most of the area gyms do not have summer classes for Parker’s age. Plus, to be honest, a few of the gyms never called or emailed me back which helps me decide where not to enroll her should we move to a bigger gymnastics program next year!
I first learned about Little Gym near Lakeline Mall last fall when Foster was invited to a birthday party there. Foster had a blast playing on all of the toddler-friendly gymnastics equipment and engaging in the instructor-led games. So, I decided to check it out.
Little Gym allows you to attend one class to try it out before paying anything. I greatly appreciated this option because I didn’t know whether Parker would enjoy it, especially since she had never done anything like it before.
It’s safe to say she loved it!
About the Class
Parker is enrolled in the Beasts class which is geared for kids between 18 months and 2 and a half years. The class usually includes about 10 toddlers and their parents and lasts 45 minutes.
Five Reasons You and Your Little One Will Love Little Gym
1. It’s Super Clean!
No joke, this is the cleanest children’s play place I’ve ever been. All of the equipment is very well-taken care of and squeaky clean every time we go. I’ve never seen a crump of food or smudge of anything anywhere. Seriously! If you are a mom that is a germ-freak, you will be happy here.
2. The Instructors Truly Enjoy Their Job (Or Are Very Good At Faking It)
We’ve switched classes when our school schedule changed a bit, so we’ve attended classes led by two different instructors. Both of these young women remember the kids names each week, are very friendly, and somehow manage to steer about 10 toddlers and parents from activity to activity seamlessly for 45 minutes.
3. The Level of Class Structure is Perfect for the Age
At the beginning of each class, the instructor tells the parents and children what the “theme” of the day will be (i.e., working on balance or identifying letters of the alphabet throughout the class). Then, she leads an activity that lasts a few minutes before releasing the kids to explore for a bit. After about 5 minutes, she starts over with a new guided activity. And then we explore again … and so on. What’s great, though, is that kids who don’t want to participate in the guided activity can just go off and explore and that’s totally okay. While the kids are exploring, soft kid-friendly music plays in the background which often leads to Parker dancing in circles. (Yay for good afternoon naps after Little Gym!)
4. Gymnastics 101
The pint-sized gymnastics equipment is cute enough on its own, but when you throw in itty bitty kiddos, it’s just adorable. There are a couple balance beams, uneven bars, and tumbling wedges along with other fun cushiony play areas. Much of the time on the equipment is spent exploring at the pace of your child, but a few times each class the instructor will teach them a few new skills and assist them in performing them.
5. Repetition for the Win
Every week there are a few activities that Parker anticipates. They have a blow-up bouncy mat that she races through, knocking over anyone in her way. Also, they usually pull out bouncy balls towards the end of class. Who knew I could entertain her for so long by spending a few bucks on bouncy balls? Oh wait – we have hardwood floors and tile. That’s probably not a good idea.
They end each class with the instructor blowing bubbles for a few minutes. Who doesn’t love bubbles?
Then, they sing this cute little song that Parker gets super into despite not knowing any of the words.
The introductory class we attended was actually the last class of the previous session so they had a big party with donuts afterwards. Parker was really disappointed the next week to learn this was one thing that wasn’t going to happen each week.
About the Price
So, we signed up the day of her free introductory class and, as a result, saved $20. The total for signing up (including registration fees and the $20-off incentive) was just over $200. This price includes 12 weekly 45-minute classes. That’s about $16 per class which is cheaper than what their website advertises. Plus, when you’re enroll in a class you also get access to weekly practice sessions which are kinda like open gym times. I received a packet of information about other discounts (such as those on parties at Little Gym and from nearby businesses).
To Sum Up
We’ll likely sign Parker up again this fall for another class because she loves being special and going to gymnastics by herself. Actually, she now looks at me when we get in the car those mornings and says “I’m going to gymnastics. But not Bubba!”
Tip: If you have siblings that have to come along … Next to the play area is an observation room which can be easily seen through a wall of windows. The observation room has toys and books and occasionally you will see an older sibling observing class, playing with toys, or on a tablet within easy view of his/her parent on the other side of the wall. Plus, there are a couple moms who bring with them to the class newborns and infants in baby carriers who can be with mom while allowing mom to have (almost) one-on-one time with big brother or sister.
Tip: Little Gym is in the same parking lot as Kid To Kid Resale, PetCo, Marble Slab Ice Cream, and Barnes & Noble. The location makes it super easy to walk next door and spend a little more time together looking at the animals at PetCo or shopping at Kid To Kid. I’m going to have to do a post on children’s resale stores soon because Kid To Kid is amazing! I got Parker’s 4th of July dress there this year for $6!!!
So, have you tried out Little Gym or a similar indoor activity? Share with us in the comments about your experiences!
