School’s out – fun is in. Well, at The Little Gym that is. So before your child has the chance to say “I’m bored” this summer, check out how The Little Gym can help keep them moving, laughing and having fun.

Although The Little Gym is a gymnastics-based program, it branches off into a variety of different movement activities such as dance, karate, parent/child classes, gymnastics, sports skills and Kindermusik – even offering extras such as camps, birthday bashes and Parents’ Survival Nights.

“We work on developing children’s confidence through physical activity and through praise and just making them feel comfortable in a safe facility where we can really hone in on their skills,” says Cassie Franklin, program director at The Little Gym. “Our environment is fun, but our purpose is serious.”

Each week, progressively structured classes and a positive learning environment create opportunities for children to try new things and build self-confidence. “Classes are designed to bring out loads of giggles and grins, but there is some serious development going on,” says Franklin. “While children are having fun, our Learning Units and Three-Dimensional Learning approach strengthens their physical skills, building self-esteem and learning to love the feeling of achievement.”

More than 30 years ago, Founder Robin Wes created The Little Gym with the hopes of creating a nurturing place where children could explore their physical development while also growing socially, emotionally and intellectually.

“Since then, we’ve honed the teaching methods he set into motion, structuring them into an expanded curriculum, with each class building on lessons learned in previous ones,” says Franklin. “Our motto is ‘serious fun’ so we take a serious approach to teaching skills through a progressive curriculum in a very fun way.” Today, The Little Gym is international with more than 300 locations throughout the world.

In looking to the future, The Little Gym aims to continue finding new and innovative ways to build children’s confidence through different types of programs and activities.

“Just this summer we started Kindermusik, which is a music through movement and play based program,” says Franklin. “A big goal is to keep that program strong.”

For Franklin, the most rewarding aspect of The Little Gym is seeing how far a child can come. “I see children overcome fears – and not just fears of gymnastics, but fears of individuality,” she says. “Just watching their confidence grow and also just knowing the families is huge because it makes it that much more worth my while when I know their story.”

“When families come here, they are not a number,” Franklin continues. “We know their names and we know their background – their family is our family. Another big thing is cleanliness. We take pride in maintaining a clean and safe facility.”

To learn more about The Little Gym, visit their website or call (513) 204-1400.