5, 6, 7, 8 Reasons to Dance

In this day and age, children have tons of sedentary activities put in front of them every day; video games, tablets, television, and even school. It is so important to encourage children to be active from a young age so that it becomes a part of who they are and the lifestyle they will choose to lead. Academic learning has become such a large part of a school day that school-aged kids do not have enough movement opportunities in a regular day. Younger children may not be in school yet; however, as parents get busier by the day, it’s easy to forget that children thrive on physical activity. Structured, physical activity classes provide that physical outlet. Dance classes are an excellent way to help out with this issue as they build confidence, coordination, and a love of fitness! Here are our top 8 reasons for why kids should participate in a dance class:

The 3 D’s 
Discipline, Determination, & Dedication are 3 life skills necessary to succeed at just about everything in life. Dance skills are not easy and it takes the determination to learn them, the discipline to focus on them, and the dedication to practice them at home to master each new dance combination.  The 3 D’s needed to learn and master a new dance move is a skill set that will carry children through the rest of their lives. Obstacles and tough stuff comes up every day whether its struggling in school, in a relationship, to pay bills, or at a job. The determination learned in My Gym dance classes will translate to determination to overcoming all of life’s obstacles. Discipline, determination, & dedication aren’t in the curriculum, but they’re among the greatest skills acquired in dance classes.

Teamwork
Teamwork is another vital life skill cultivated in My Gym Dance classes, even in a non-competitive atmosphere. As children learn to dance together, they learn to work together toward the shared purpose of perfecting a dance. Dancers work on sharpening their communication skills as they ask questions and help each other learn and perfect each combination. They learn to motivate themselves, set the example for others, and support their teammates when they forget or struggle to learn a new skill. All of those skills add up to improving social skills for childhood and success as adults in the workplace since being a team player is often a job requirement!

Valuing the fundamentals
Dance is one of those activities that requires participants to learn and master the fundamentals before moving on to more challenging, “fun” skills. Many times kids want to jump the gun and start reading books beyond their level, playing on a harder team for sports, or just doing the things older kids are doing in general. At My Gym our dance classes teach kids to value the basics and understand the fundamentals are the building blocks for everything else they will learn in the coming years. Younger children pick up approximately one new skill per class meaning that it takes them quite awhile to build the foundation necessary for success in the more challenging classes. Children need to be taught that learning to walk before they run is a valuable skill!

Memory
Memorization comes into play as dancers are expected to remember the skill names, how to perform them, and in which order they come for each dance. Memory skills also translate to comprehension skills. The more you can remember over time the easier it is to comprehend books, movies, conversations, and remember lists of tasks to be completed. Dance class is a true memory workout for children. Although you won’t see memory on a list of skills learned at dance class, it definitely should not be overlooked.

Timing & Overall Coordination 
Full length dances are all about timing and learning to move at the same time as the people around you to help the dance look “clean.” This requires an awareness of one’s own body and an awareness of those around them. That understanding of timing is not only crucial for all physical activities (riding a bike, jumping rope, playing sports) but also for educational activities (learning to sequence a story like a dance). As children learn dance skills they learn to control and strengthen different parts of the body as they isolate them to perform each move. That control helps to increase overall body coordination over time. Every child will learn the skills according to their own timelines, but they will learn and perfect them. The repetitive nature of dance classes helps to solidify each skill and combination until it can be performed well by all members of the class. Once a skill is perfected it is still practiced until it becomes second nature again translating to better coordination in each dancer.

School Achievement
The activities done during our classes are not just good for physical activity – they also relate right back to the classroom! Learning to memorize a dance helps children learn to chunk pieces of information and improve memory. Remembering a series of directions and the steps to complete a skill helps with reading comprehension.

Then of course, we have the big one….. FOCUS. In order to participate, learn, and excel in dance kids have to improve their focus in order to complete tasks and persevere when the going gets tough. Engaging activities and appropriately challenging skills help children stay focused and improve their focus over time. Automatically being able to focus, having good comprehension of tasks, and the hand and body strength and coordination necessary for handwriting all lead to success at school and beyond!

Confidence
Every parent wants to see their child become confident and happy. Each time dancers learn and perfect a new skill you can see the pride they feel all over their face as they perform it over and over sometimes not truly believing they “got it” until they’ve done it ten times in a row. Their classmates and teachers only add to that confidence as they cheer them on through the learning and perfecting process. Many dancers start off very reserved and not wanting their classmates to see them dance thinking they can’t do it as well as the others. With each class the kids slowly break out of their shells and begin moving around until they are truly feeling the music and dancing each skill full out to the best of their own ability. That requires the confidence and belief in themselves that they can do it and can do it well. Another boost to their self-esteem is working toward a goal and achieving it. Twice a year we hold full dance recitals along with many in class performances for parents and friends. It takes months to learn and perfect a dance and a boatload of confidence to get on the stage in front of the audience and perform their dance. Dance classes can help children sprint down the road to confidence as learn to feel and value themselves as successful.

Commitment to being physically active
As our dancers become successful at each dance combination they get more and more excited to practice and perform them for friends, family, or their stuffed animals! Over time they eventually start making up their own routines at home to favorite songs or with friends. This leads to helping them become more physically active when not in dance class. The confidence that they have gained over time from their dance classes will allow them to continue their love for dance outside of class. Instead of hours of screen time, they will want to dance, move and be active to continue that lifestyle.

Of course there is one more great reason to get your child involved in dance…it’s fun!

These days, it is difficult to keep kids’ screen time to a minimum with so many technological distractions around them. My Gym Dance classes help give kids a reason to put down the electronics and get moving. The more they enjoy the activity they’re doing the more they will want to continue doing it instead just watching television. Building the love of fitness at a young age solidifies that lifestyle as they grow up and get presented with more options to be sedentary. Dancing helps children make great choices for their own well-being. We all have to do things we don’t like because they are good for us. Fortunately, dance class is not one of those things! Dancing leads to success in so many aspects of life and every child should experience dance classes firsthand.

Our dance classes:
We offer Pre-Ballet classes for children 2.5 to 7 years old and Zumba® and Hip Hop classes for children 4-12 years old.
Give us a call to get started today! 407-333-8069

Our Tiniest Friends!

10 BENEFITS OF INTRODUCING YOUR NEWBORN TO MOVEMENT CLASSES

1. Stretching stimulates muscle development

We begin every class with a warmup. This is a great opportunity to work on increasing flexibility and strengthening the joints leading to better coordination and body awareness as your baby grows.

2.  Songs and rhythm activities

Circle time songs and dances help babies learn to sequence actions, feel rhythm, count, and associate words to motions. We also teach you a new take home song each week that we review the following week. Even if you aren’t the best singer, your baby will love hearing you sing each and every word.

3. Socialization for parent and baby

As a parent of a young infant, it can be a struggle to find the time to  get out of the house and interact with other adults. These classes offer a platform for just that! Many of our parents come to class each week and make time for a lunch date after. Socialization is good for you and your baby too! Many babies who meet and become friends at a young age are able to carry that friendship on as they head to preschool and play sports together.

4. Swing Time helps with visual development

We have a swing time (indoors and air conditioned!) every week. Swing time is not only fun, but it also helps with developing a sense of motion and developing the muscles in the eyes. Eye strength is needed for awareness of the world around you and eye tracking is a pre-reading skill. Yes, reading development starts when your child is very young!

5. Tips from other parents

One of the greatest benefits of participating in a class like this is getting the knowledge and experience of other parents going through the same issues with their babies. Each week we set up a different discussion topic to help parents with many common struggles. Some examples are scheduling, feeding, family traditions, and even helpful books and apps!

6. Fun Practice Skills to help develop basic motor skills and stimulate the senses

Each week we teach you two different practice skills which focus on one of the following: gripping, balancing, upside down motion, or strength building. These skills do more than just work on the obvious, they also help work on grip for pre-writing development, eye tracking for pre-reading development, bilateral coordination/strength (using both sides of the body to complete a task), and tons of other skills your baby will need as they grow into a tiny person :)

7. Puppet shows and stories help with early reading comprehension

Every Little Bundles class ends in a puppet show, which is not only awesome for visual stimulation, but also helps increase comprehension which is a pre-reading skill. Helping children learn to comprehend basic stories at a young age sets the path for them to have continued success with this skill in school.

8. Tummy Time with friends

Many babies struggle with the super important tummy time. Little Bundles classes offer a chance for your baby to do tummy time in a different environment, with friends, and with new toys. Tummy time is so important for the development of neck and back strength, as well as, the development of bilateral coordination needed for crawling, handwriting, and even riding a bike!

9. Fun Adventures, Rides, & Exploration Time

Throughout explore and adventure time, babies learn to use problem solving skills, increase their spatial awareness, and interact with the world around them. These activities help to stimulate the senses and increase their body awareness and cognitive development. Even the Little Bundles class gets to ride on our baby zipline once a month!

10. It’s FUN!

We all have to do things we don’t like because they are good for us. Fortunately, movement classes are not one of them! Little Bundles classes are fun for both parent and baby and they also help with parent bonding!

Happy Babies! :) 

10 Ways to Make the Most Out of Explore Time

Climbing the stairs, getting out of the ball pit, picking up a ball out of the octagon, and the list goes on…

All of these are things that kids do every day at My Gym. Our parent participation classes teach children so much more than just the skills we tell you about each week. As kids play around on our ever-changing gym setup, they learn to fail and then of course to succeed. Success isn’t just about learning and mastering new skills on a list, sometimes it’s about learning to climb to the top of the stairs alone or walk the beam independently.

Here are 10 examples of how you can help your child learn to explore at My Gym:

1. Be sure to let your child climb the different types of stairs at My Gym to give them a lesson in perseverance and confidence in the process. Learning to climb stairs allows a child to learn to use their problem solving skills, develop hip flexibility, and leg strength. Instead of lifting them up, teach them to climb by lifting one leg and placing it on the next step and watch as they pull themselves up to the next one. Then you get to sit back and watch, as the pride they feel learning to accomplish this all on their own, shows all over their face!

2. Here is one for our tiny friends out there who are just learning to crawl and walk. Encourage your child to reach for the ball that is just out of reach and let them figure out how to get it. While working to reach it, they get to use their brain to figure out how to inch forward and grab hold of it. They will also be using their core to lift their body to inch forward, and strengthen the shoulders and arms by bearing weight on them while crawling or scooting. This also helps them strengthen their neck and back as they lift up their body to scoot forward. Help them learn to scoot forward by pushing a little on one of their feet, or help them crawl by moving one arm forward. Betcha didn’t know everything that was involved in reaching for one little ball!

3. This is a huge one – Climbing out of the ball pit. Wading through the ball pit to the edge helps with balance, core strength, and leg strength. Climbing out of the ball pit is much like climbing out of the pool, which is a vital skill here in Florida! In order to climb out of the ball pit, kids must have the hand strength to grasp the edge, shoulder and arm strength to pull up, leg/hip strength and dexterity to swing the leg over the side, and the confidence to drop down to whatever platform is below. Instead of just lifting them out, help your child with each of the steps so they learn to climb out independently.

4.  Kids love rolling over the top of our yoga balls and tumble form. Encourage them to reach for the floor with their hands so that they learn to fall safely! Because, let’s face it, we all fall sometimes and it’s ideal to know how to fall with the least bit of damage ;) As they reach for the floor, they will also work on impact and strengthening the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints which leads to better overall strength and coordination of the upper body.

5. Another fun thing to do at My Gym is to roll around inside the Molly Ball (big multi-colored barrel). Kids love to throw themselves inside so give them a little roll and see how giggly they become. Crawling into the Molly Ball helps them with spatial awareness (understanding where their body is within a space). Fun fact: Some children feel safer when they are in a confined space and it helps them relax! As it starts to roll, they get tossed around a bit inside which provides a bit of joint compression. As they spin around within the Molly Ball, they are also developing the muscles in their eyes.

6. Hanging on the high bar is an awesome strength builder. It helps kids strengthen their grip reflex which is important for handwriting, sports, and learning to use utensils when eating! Help your child reach for and hang on the lower bar all by themselves or lift them to the higher bar and help them drop to their feet. As they get stronger encourage them to also lift their feet off the ground and work on building that core strength at the same time.

7. But what should we do with all those mats?! We have regular tumbling mats, larger squishy mats and of course wedge mats. Don’t forget to use these tools to practice those beginning tumbling skills. Forward Rolls, Backward Rolls, and Log Rolls all help children with core strength and eye tracking development. This eye-tracking development is a key skill to have before learning to read or play a sport. Better eye-tracking abilities means that they can focus on the meaning of the words and hitting or kicking the ball instead of struggling to  follow it with their eyes.

8. The balance beam is also a great thing to check out while exploring with your Mini My-Gymer. The balance beam helps children learn to understand depth perception and foot-eye coordination as they have to place each foot carefully on the beam. It also helps with hip strength as they keep those legs in close to stay on the beam. These skills are vital for all kids to become coordinated and confident adults!

9. Of course climbing up and sliding down the slides had to make this list! Direct your child to the nearest slide and encourage them to work those legs as they climb up and then get the reward of sliding back down. As they climb up a slide, they get to strengthen and stretch their calves and hamstrings. If they are climbing with hands and feet, then they are also working on their bilateral coordination (needed for riding a bike). Getting to the top requires perseverance and the reward is getting to slide back down. Sliding also helps with giving kids a sense of motion and direction as they go from top to bottom.

10. Don’t forget to try the monkey bars! Monkey Bars are an amazing childhood motor development enhancer. Young babies can learn to hang, grip, and swing on them increasing their confidence and strength in their hands. As children grow and learn to do the monkey bars with parental assistance (and then independently), they learn tons of other skills! The grip in their hands and strength in their arms/shoulders required to hang from one hand at a time leads to better handwriting skills. The core strength and timing they need to keep their body swinging and moving forward will give them better overall coordination and body control. Plus, the fun factor will keep them trying it over and over increasing their speed and confidence. You can help by encouraging them to try and cheering them on each time they understand just a little bit more. Teach them learn by holding them by the waist and being patient as they learn to move one hand at a time.

So, next time you are in class with your little one, we challenge you to help them learn to explore more independently. Not only will it boost their self-esteem and confidence, but it will also help them develop tons of other motor and cognitive skills along the way. Sometimes slowing down and letting a child learn through trial-and-error is the best thing you can do for them. Patience is your friend! Remember to cheer them on when they struggle and be genuinely excited for them as the succeed. Those two things help children learn to work it out for themselves and feel pride when they do something correctly.

Happy exploring!

Which Animal Would You Be?

Kids love pretending to be all sorts of things, so why not put all of that imagining to good use!

Animal Walks are a great way to use pretending to help with improving coordination and strength. There are tons of different animals you could be, but here are some of our favorites.

Try a few out with your child and show them that working out can be silly and fun!

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 Bear Walks

What it works on: Shoulder Strength & Bilateral Coordination

How to do it correctly: Stand with legs straight and reach to floor with hands. Begin moving forward working to move one hand and the opposite foot at a time. The goal is to keep the legs straight and “bear” equal weight on the shoulder and legs – pun intended :)

 

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Snake Rolls (Log Rolls)

What it works on: Core Strength & Body Awareness

How to do it correctly: Have your child lay on their back with arms above the head. Begin to roll over to stomach and continue to back again trying to keep arms and legs straight and use only the core to roll over. The tricky part is trying to roll in a straight line!

 

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Frog Jumps

What it works on: Leg Strength (Quadriceps), Power, & Landing on Feet

How to do it correctly: Squat like a frog with hand on the floor in front. Jump in the sky with arms above their head and return to starting position. The goal is to jump all the way up using all the power in the legs and control their body on way back down to land on their feet. Challenge: Add a tuck jump!

 

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Crab Walks

What it works on: Back/Hip Strength & Body Control

How to do it correctly: Have your child start sitting on their bottom with hands behind them, push up to table position (pictured below). Then move in the direction of their head (backwards) while keeping their bottom off the floor. It is important to keep the hips lifted as high as they can to increase the strength in the back.

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Bear Walks Backwards

What it works on: Core Strength & Body Awareness

How to do it correctly: Stand with legs straight and reach to the floor with hands. Begin moving backward working to move one hand and the opposite foot at a time. The goal is to keep the legs straight and bear equal weight on the shoulder and legs.

A common mistake children make is to drag their hands and only have weight on their legs -this stops the core from working and shows a lack of body awareness.

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Kangaroo Jumps (Punches)

What it works on: Leg Strength (calves) & Impact

How to do it correctly: Begin by standing with legs together and arms raised straight above your head. Start jumping forward keeping the legs and arms straight. The goal of this one is to push off the toes to start the jump, not jump by bending your knees. This is also a great exercise for learning to punch off the springboard to vault in gymnastics.

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Bunny Hops

What it works on: Shoulder, Core, & Leg Strength

How to do it correctly: This one is tricky to learn, but fun once your child understands it! Have your child start by squatting and balancing on two feet only, then shift their weight forward and onto the hands. Next leave the hands in place and hop the feet into the hands. The pattern would be: move hands then hop feet in.

The common mistakes are to either turn them into frog jumps or when hopping the feet in, they hop to their knees instead. This is also helpful for helping kids understand how to shift their weight for a handstand or a cartwheel.

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Bear Walks with One Leg

What it works on: Balance, Core Strength & Leg Flexibility

How to do it correctly: Stand with legs straight and reach to floor with hands, now raise one leg straight behind you. Begin moving forward by moving the hands and hop forward with the foot that is down. Once you get the hang of that work to straighten the lifted leg and begin holding it higher.

This is a great intro to kicking into a handstand since it is the same motion and will help train the core to balance on the hands during the hop forward.

 

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Happy imagining!

7 Benefits of Forward Rolls

Why Should Every Child Learn to do a Forward Roll?

Forward Rolls are one of the first (and simplest) skills that babies and children learn in a gymnastics-based class. After a few tries, most kids can do it by themselves. But, WHY should every child learn and be encouraged to try forward rolls?

Forward rolls, when done correctly, are an incredible full body & brain workout for all age groups.

Body Awareness & Control
Forward rolls are more than just a basic tumbling skill. They also promote body awareness and control, which leads to increased coordination of the body and the mind. Less time spent thinking about basic motor skill tasks = More time thinking about learning! The child also must have enough body control to keep the head tucked in and roll over in one round, smooth motion.

Eye Tracking
Our favorite reason to learn forward rolls is the upside down motion they provide, which leads to better eye tracking development and strength (pre-reading skills). Eye tracking is crucial when learning to read. Without great tracking, kids struggle to follow the lines on the page as they read the words from left to right. This means they cannot focus on comprehending the story because they are spending valuable brain time on following the lines on the page!

Bilateral Coordination
Forward rolls are also a great bilateral coordination activity. Bilateral coordination is when both sides of the body are working together to accomplish a task. This can be by working together (pushing a cart), working in an alternating pattern (climbing stairs), or doing two separate tasks (holding a paper with one hand and scissors with the other). In this example, both sides of the body have to exert equal amounts of force to keep the body centered as the child rolls over. Be sure your child plants both hands firmly on the ground before beginning to roll. As they go over, you can help center their body by holding them at the hips.

Core Strength
They also increase a child’s core strength, a vital skill when your child is learning to sit up, crawl, walk, run, ride a bike, swim in the pool, or play a sport. Be sure to help your child sit up from the center and strengthen both sides of the body equally.

THE BEST REASONS
Of course the two biggest reasons to learn a forward roll are for FUN and for CONFIDENCE building. New skills require perseverance to master, and that is one trait we all want our children to have in spades! Children love learning to do things all by themselves and this skill is not only simple, but it is also good for them.

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 We start teaching forward rolls at 7 months old and continue teaching them/perfecting them all the way up through our oldest kids in the gym.

Here’s how to safely practice them at home:

For children 7 to 14 months old – 

1. Hold child like a football.
2. Guide them down to the floor. They will naturally put their hands down.
3. With your opposite hand, help them tuck their head and roll.
4. Help them sit up for a BIG FINISH!

For children 15 months to a little over 2 years old – 

1. While they are standing, lightly press your thumbs on their lower back to encourage them to reach for the floor.
2. Help them tuck their head and roll.
3. Sit up for a BIG FINISH!

For children 2.5 – 7 years old (Beginners) – 

1. Squat like a frog.
2. Tuck the head and roll. Note: Stay rounded like a turtle.
3. Sit up/Stand up using the center of the body (midline).
Note: Be sure to encourage them to tuck their head by placing your hand on the back of their head if needed.

Once the basic skill is mastered, here’s how to challenge your child further – 

 *Practice starting with straight legs and getting up without using any hands, while keeping feet together.

*Practice continuous rolls (2-3 in a row).

*Add a Straddle Press at the end. The Straddle Press helps with increasing flexibility, shoulder strength, and coordination to the basic forward roll.

Happy rolling :)

Junior Athlete of the Month | July 2014

Our Athlete of the Month for July 2014 is: 

Miss G, one of our students in the Champions class, has been chosen by the entire My Gym Lake Mary staff as the Athlete of the Month for July :)

From some of her teachers:

“Miss G, you are an awesome addition to our Champions class! You are extremely focused and work hard to learn new skills both in class and at home. In just four short months, you have gone from learning the beginning skills (cartwheels and pullovers) to mastering some of the more advanced skills (Backbend Kickovers, Back Hip Circles, Stride Circles, and Handstand Holds). I can’t wait to see you learn the next set of skills.” – Miss Laura

“Miss G, you are one of those students that any teacher would love to work with. The moment you step into the gym, you are ready to work. You take correction seriously and always give 100%. I am so proud of all of your hard work!” – Miss Kendahl

“Way to go, Miss G! I am so proud of all of the skills that you have accomplished! Your dedication and hard work has really paid off. It’s rewarding as a teacher to see you consistently working so hard in order to reach your goals and achievements. Awesome job!” – Miss Brooklynn

 

Mini Athlete of the Month | July 2014

Our Athlete of the Month for July 2014 is: 

Miss E, one of our students in the Gymsters class, has been chosen by the entire My Gym Lake Mary staff as the Mini Athlete of the Month for July :)

From some of her teachers:

“Miss E is the epitome of the transformation that happens every day here at My Gym. It has been wonderful to watch you overcome your fear of shyness and become an explorer of your own! I’m so proud of you Miss E!” – Miss Kendahl

“Way to go, Miss E! I am SO proud of you! I love watching your confidence continuously grow each and every week you come to class.” – Miss Brooklynn

“Miss E, you have become so much more outgoing in class. I am really proud of all the learning that you have accomplished. You are always engaged during the skills. Goooooooo Miss E! Great Job! Keep up all the great work.” – Mr. Kevin

“Miss E, you are so much fun to have in class. You started off very timid and wouldn’t try all of the skills and activities. However you have really come out of your shell this past month and you are now trying everything in class with all of the teachers. You even ran up to try space flight a few times all on your own last week!” – Miss Laura

                

 

Athlete of the Month | June 2014

Our Athlete of the Month for June 2014 is: 

Mr. D, one of our students in the Terrific Tots class, has been chosen by the entire My Gym Lake Mary staff as the Athlete of the Month for June :)

From some of his teachers:

“Congratulations, Mr. D! I love seeing your confidence continue to grow each and every week you come to class! I remember your first day at My Gym. You were a little nervous to try new skills, but now, you try every Skill Station without any hesitation or doubt! You have come SO far and I couldn’t be more proud of you! Thank you for making me and the rest of your friends smile every Friday :)” – Miss Brooklynn

“Woo hoo! You are so awesome, Mr. D! Congratulations on getting Athlete of the Month! It’s a pleasure to have you in class!” – Mr. Kevin

“It has been a great joy to watch you conquer many skills while attending My Gym! You have gained an extreme amount of confidence and you have really transformed this gym into a comfort zone for yourself. From circle time to Skill Stations, you have really developed what it means to follow directions! Way to go, Mr. D!” – Miss Kendahl

 

Staff Shining Star | Mr. Kevin & Mr. Nick

Mr. Kevin and Mr. Nick TIED for our MVP for June 2014!
(MVP is voted on by the entire My Gym Lake Mary staff)

Fun Facts about Mr. Kevin and Mr. Nick below:

Year Started –
Kevin: 2014
Nick: 2013

Favorite food –
Kevin: Italian/Mexican food
Nick: Chicago Style Pizza

Favorite place that you have traveled –
Kevin: Cancun, Mexico
Nick: Belize

2 interesting things about me –
Kevin: I rollerskate like a champ. I’m from Ohio…Go Buckeyes!
Nick: I’m married. I’ve been in a music video.

Favorite board game –
Kevin: Guess Who?
Nick: Scattegories

Favorite My Gym game –
Kevin: Parachute
Nick: Hot Dog Knockdown

Favorite dessert –
Kevin: Cannoli
Nick: Sopapilla Cheesecake

“Dream” job – 
Kevin: To become Peter Pan so I can fly
Nick: To become Superman

Favorite song –
Kevin: “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel
Nick: “I Feel Like a Woman” by Shania Twain

Favorite movie –
Kevin: Frozen
Nick: Space Jam

Favorite Skill Station –
Kevin: Springboard to Horse
Nick: Spinning Disc

Beat the Heat and Come to My Gym this Summer!

When? June 23-27 and August 4-8. Also, from June 3 through August 5, Fit & Fun Camp will be held every Tuesday from 1:00-5:30 pm.

What? My Gym Camp is hours of non-stop fun! Children will stay busy while participating in age-appropriate relay races, obstacle courses, gymnastic stations, games, team building activities and more.

Times? Each day, children may attend a morning session (8:30 am – 1:00 pm), and afternoon session (1:00 pm – 5:30 pm), or stay the full day (8:30 am – 5:30 pm)

Themed Activities? Yes. This year, our theme will be Disney/Pixar! All of our camp activities and our music will all be themed.

Food & Drinks? Healthy snacks and all-natural juice will be served to all campers throughout the day. All-day campers and morning half-day campers will be served lunch at noon.

Pricing?

• Non-Members: $40 per half day (4.5 hours)
• Members: $35 per half day (4.5 hours)

Sibling Discount? Yes :)   25% off for child #2 and 50% off for child #3 and beyond.

*All children must be potty-trained and at least three years old. 

Reserve your spot today! Give us a call at 407-333-8069 or send us an email at LakeMary@MyGym.com.

Why My Gym?

We are the experts in children’s fitness.

My Gym has developed an extraordinary program and facility devised to help children 6 weeks through 13 years of age develop physically, cognitively and emotionally. We have hundreds of locations in more than 30 countries offering structured, age-appropriate, weekly classes that incorporate music, dance, relays, games, special rides, gymnastics, sports and more. Children have loads of fun as they gain strength, balance, coordination, agility and flexibility while developing social skills, confidence and self-esteem. Our state-of-the-art facility, extensively trained staff, award-winning class programs, and excellent student/teacher ratio have earned My Gym the reputation as the best early learning program of its kind.

We keep children healthy by making fitness fun!

Childhood obesity has doubled in the last two decades, with 10% of all children between the ages of 2 and 5 in the U.S. already overweight. My Gym is dedicated to reversing this dangerous trend. Our facilities, programs and services empower youngsters by helping them acquire the skills, confidence and positive self-image needed to become healthy young adults. We are committed to nurturing children, treating them with understanding and positive reinforcement, maintaining a supportive and noncompetitive atmosphere, and making learning fun and exciting.

We improve the lives of children throughout the world.

The thrill of accomplishment from achieving a physical task builds self-esteem and confidence that carry over into all aspects of a child’s life. Interaction with our highly trained staff provides children the opportunity to establish warm relationships with compassionate adults, thus raising their level of comfort as they begin preschool/kindergarten. Our My Gym Kids learn more about themselves as they develop independence, self-discipline, social skills and even a sense of humor, all of which lead to an increased feeling of self-worth. A child who feels good about him/herself has a jumpstart on the path to success.