Dallas Moms Blog has partnered with The Little Gym this fall to introduce you to the variety of classes The Little Gym offers around the Dallas metroplex. From Mommy & Me with your youngest to Sports Skills with your biggest, discover through these sponsored posts all that The Little Gym has to offer.
The Little Gym: More than a Mommy and Me Class
When my husband and I brought our daughter Cora home from Taiwan two years ago, we quickly learned that she had both fine motor and gross motor delays. Much of her first year with us was spent working through medical issues that contributed to her low muscle tone.
Cora did make large gains but still showed signs of low muscle tone and would require weekly physical therapy. The first appointment went well but it was also overwhelming. Our therapist gave us therapy “homework” to do with Cora each week. My husband and I were more than willing to do this but it was not always easy or fun to convince an independent two year old to practice grasping exercises or toddler sit-ups.
For my sanity, I needed an entertaining way to work with my daughter outside of therapy.
I just knew that Cora (and I) would benefit from taking a Parent and Child class together. Enter The Little Gym in Plano.
What are The Little Gym’s Parent and Child classes?
Parent and Child classes promote age-related skills achieved in the first three years of development. Through various gym activities, your child will practice and develop cognitive (problems solving, numbers, letters), social (sharing, taking turns, following directions), and physical skills (muscle control, muscle strength, balance).
Classes are divided into age-appropriate groups ranging from four months old to three years old.
What Happens During a Parent and Child Class?
Teachers structure the class as followed:
- Opening Circle Time
- Warm-Up
- Developmental Activity
- Exploration
- Skill of the Week
- Balls and Bubbles
- Closing Circle
Throughout the session, the teacher is actively demonstrating and teaching skills to the parents and children. There is enough structure to bring familiarity each week but also enough variation in activities to keep the class engaged and challenged.
Cora and I have completed two sessions of Little Gym together and it has been a huge success! Little Gym was one of the first places where my daughter could explore, run, and climb and I was not constantly worried about her getting hurt if she fell. In addition, she had access to therapeutic materials such as balance beams, soft stairs, jumping mats, and low bars that I did not have readily available at my house.
Cora’s teacher, Mr. Barry, was aware of her low muscle tone and was always ready to modify a skill or talk with me about how to help her progress. My sweet girl can now jump, swing from the bar, and run with the other children in her class!
Little Gym is an ideal supplement in addition to physical therapy that is fun for both mom and child (obviously, not in place of physical therapy).
To learn more about The Little Gym’s Parent and Child Classes or any of their programs for ages 4 months to 12 years, make sure to visit their website or contact a location nearest you and ask about an Introductory Experience.
You’ll find The Little Gym at the following locations throughout the Dallas metroplex:
• Preston & Forest; Dallas
• Mockingbird & Abrams; Dallas
• Preston & Park; Plano
• Preston & Stonebrook; Frisco
I have been delighted to watch Cora grow in both strength and confidence as the year passed by. I can wait to see what our future holds with the help of The Little Gym!
Want to learn more about other The Little Gym Classes? See these previous posts from Dallas Moms Blog:
Disclosure: Dallas Moms Blog received complimentary tuition to The Little Gym during the fall to introduce you to the variety of classes The Little Gym offers around the Dallas metroplex. All opinions are 100% our own, and we stand behind the businesses we endorse!
