As a mother, educator, and former gymnast, my standards are pretty high for a gymnastics academy. I can happily say that The Little Gym of the Northshore in Covington exceeded every expectation I had for all three of my boys. I cannot wait to return and take more classes with my children!
Welcoming Environment
From the start, I was blown a way! The instructors were so sweet and learned each child’s name and interests very quickly! They did a wonderful job of making my children feel comfortable and ready to participate in the classes immediately. The lobby had a Lego table for children to play with, a fun sign to hold on your first classes, cubbies for shoes, and chairs facing a large glass window wall for parents to watch for the older, independent classes that aren’t Mommy and Me classes.
Stellar Introduction and Warm Up
Educators are trained in several techniques that the Little Gym used for their classes which made them stand out against the rest. First, they sang a hello song to welcome everyone. The theme of the first class was backwards and everything the instructor did and said connected to the theme throughout the class.
- Children grabbed shakers and said hello to every child by taping and saying their names.
- he named the objective of the lesson which was spatial awareness and going backwards.
- She taught them sign language for backwards and reviewed last week’s sign.
- Parents did a Loop De Doo with their children; flipping them backwards on their backs laying on their parents’ shins to do a backwards flip in the air.
- Children listened and followed along with a song directing them to walk, hop, and run forwards and backwards.
Free Exploration Time with Floating Support
I loved how they structured the free exploration time at The Little Gym. They played music and allowed parents and children to play on all of the equipment independently. Some other gyms are rigid in their structure and make young children sit for long periods of time and engage in the same task. The Little Gym understands the curiosity and flexibility needed for youngsters. My 1 1/2 year old and my 2 1/2 year old both had the same amount of free time but gravitated towards very different equipment and activities.
Structured Play Activities
The used transition songs to help the children move to different activities quickly and merrily. After free exploration time was finished, the kids moved back to the floor to learn the skill of the day which was a backwards roll on the cheese mat. Each child got a couple of turns practicing this skill with the instructor spotting them.
Then, they moved into ball time! The kids got to bounce, roll, and throw balls all around. The instructor then gave each child a wipe and they had to wipe their own ball down and place it back into the bucket. I was so excited to see my 1 1/2 year old clean and pick up willingly with a smile on his face!
All moms know the best way to end any day or lesson is with bubbles! The kids had a blast popping bubbles and then got a stamp on their way out of class.
Differentiation of Classes by Age
All three of my boys engaged in different classes because of their ages. Some gyms just rinse and repeat and do not bother to change the activities, focus, or goals for the different small age groups. My first and second sons are only 23 months apart and the our second and third are only 14 months apart and each child got a different experience.
My oldest son is 4 and was in an independent class where the children engaged more in structured activities. He learned harder skills and tricks and was so excited and proud of himself afterwards.
The Little Gym hosted a social for one of the moms clubs I am in, The MOMS Club of Mandeville, and we had so much fun! I have also attended a birthday party at TLG which was so cute! They had an inflatable tumble track that they use for extra fun! Check out their website here for more information: https://www.thelittlegym.com/thenorthshorela/
If you live on the Northshore, I highly suggest taking classes at The Little Gym!