Jun 19, 2012

The Little Gym

Katie Davis Skelley / Classes, Reviews / 21 Comments

When we moved to Madison in 2009, my five-year-old son quickly made several neighborhood friends.  My 18-month-old daughter was a different story.  Being younger, she was not as independent and I began to look for activities for her. In my search, I came across The Little Gym.  What is The Little Gym?  From their website:

With more than 300 locations across the globe, The Little Gym is the worldʼs premier experiential learning and physical development center for kids ages four months through 12 years. Each week,progressively structured classes and a positive learning environment create opportunities for your child to try new things and build self-confidence, all with a grin that stretches from ear to ear.

Basically, The Little Gym is a brightly-colored, kid’s dream. My daughter and I visited the Providence location (TLG also has a location in Jones Valley), and were so impressed that we signed up for a Mommy & Me class on the spot.  My daughter loved all of the activities and her mom liked meeting other parents and making new friends in a new town.  The instructors are always upbeat, knowledgeable, and very good with the children.

My daughter enjoyed her classes so much that we decided to have her third birthday party at The Little Gym.  Being a veteran of kids parties, I arrived ready to work.  Oh no, said The Little Gym staff, they would take care of everything.  And they did!  The parties last 1.5 hours, which gives the children long enough to play, have refreshments, and open gifts.  I kept hovering over the staff and asking if I could help. They were kind to the crazy mommy and assured me that they had everything under control.  It was the easiest birthday party that we have ever thrown.

Madison mom Mandy Trolard is also a fan of The Little Gym’s Awesome Birthday Bashes:

My son loves The Little Gym so much that he had parties there two years in a row. As a parent, I love the fact that they take care of everything and all I have to focus on is the cake. I also love that no matter how imaginative your child’s cake is, the employees at The Little Gym will have no problem cutting it.

When my daughter turned three, she became old enough to participate in The Little Gym’s Parents Survival Night.  Every other Friday night, The Little Gym will open up their doors to members from 6:30-10pm.  The children enjoy several fun activities, while their parents enjoy a kid-free evening.  My kids cheer when we tell them that they are spending the evening at The Little Gym, and not staying home with boring old mom and dad.

These are just a sampling of the many activities offered at The Little Gym.  They have a wide range of programs, ranging from dance to karate, and offer classes for children from age 4 months to twelve years.  In the summertime, The Little Gym also sponsors camps with changing weekly themes.  If you are looking for a safe, active, and positive atmosphere for your child, my kids and I highly recommend The Little Gym.