The Little Gym

I’ve always been curious about this place. I have a child but for some reason, we never went here. Recently, we were invited to a birthday party and had the perfect opportunity to try it out.
Parking was easy to find on the street right out front. If you have little ones, just be aware, traffic can move a bit quick so be careful.
The waiting area was minimally furnished, which is great for kids. There’s a lot of open space in the lobby and the office area is enclosed.
We spent some time in the party room which fit about 15 – 20 kids plus parents. These kids were a bit younger so most came with two parents. The staff members seemed very patient and helpful, which I think is a good quality when working with children.
When it came time to play, I saw even greater patience from staff members. Kids running, jumping, and bumping everywhere. There are large inflatable toys, spongy objects, obstacle courses, and more. The activities they had was age appropriate and fun. Parents can peer into the play area from a rather large picture window on uncomfortable seats set up theater-​style. Amazingly enough, I don’t think I saw a single child cry which is quite an amazing feat.
I’m thinking my child, at 9-​years old, was a bit too old for this fun. Luckily, 9-​year olds can help monitor the younger children.

The Friday morning tradition of stopping at Honore with my son on the way to day care is a great one. My son even points at Honore excitedly even if we’re just driving by. But we needed some other activity that didn’t involve caffeine and tasty pastries we could share, and my wife found the Little Gym.
We took him to the freebie intro class and were immediately hooked, enrolling him in the «Beasts» class for the remainder of this year’s program. The curriculum is a blend of music and play that develops both body and mind with fun, directed exercises built around physical coordination and strength as well as free play on the gym’s well-​padded equipment. Apart from the exercise and social engagement, one of the primary goals of the program is to develop confidence through the mastery of new skills and talents.
In a single 45-​minute session, the kids sing songs, play with balls, jump on the inflatable track, walk on the balance beam, practice somersaults, and chase bubbles, among other things. The two instructors we’ve had thus far are incredibly gentle and kind, and remember everyone’s names on the first go. The rest of the staff are equally agreeable when checking you in, answering questions, arranging parties, etc.
At about $ 20 a session it’s a little steep, but our son loves it so far and it’s shaping up to be a great complement to his routines of daycare, visits to the zoo, trips to the park, and restaurant experimentation. I suspect The Little Gym will quickly replace Honore as his favorite tradition with dad.