[aallen25]

DD has been in Gymboree since she was 7 months old and we love it! However, we recently moved and it is now a 45 minute drive to get there. I didn't think I'd mind the drive, but after two months it's getting old!

I just found a place near our new home called Little Gym. From what I've read it sounds great for DD. She's so active and fearless and it seems they focus a lot on tumbling and gymnastics type skills. Plus, in a couple of years they offer dance/gymnastics/cheerleading classes. Anyway. I think I've found out just about everything I can about them except the price. Has anyone attended Little Gym?? If so, what was the price. We're paying $45/mth for Gymboree, but I'm willing to pay more for Little Gym since it will cut down my driving time.

[Stormster]

They have over 300 locations and the prices very according to the area. I'm 100 percent sure our area is top dollar But you'll need to call.

Took him once for free trial. It was great. Very structured for him though. We go to a much more open free style kind of place, very similar though.

Good luck!

[aallen25]

That's another worry I have about this place. At Gymboree if your kid doesn't want to do the group activity it's no big deal....and Shiloh usually doesn't want to do the group activity. From what I've read Little Gym seems to be more centered around following directions and she's not there yet.

[ginadc]

I can't tell you a per-month cost--our Little Gym doesn't run that way. Instead, it's per class, and classes usually run for 2-3 months. I think in general LG is probably a little more expensive than Gymboree, but not that much.

We LOVE our Little Gym. I started out DD at Gymboree near us, but found the instructors kind of blah. LG, on the other hand, has great instructors who really know what they're doing. My DD, now 3.5, has adored it, and DS is starting next week (he's 16mo).

Don't worry about the "wandering around" at all. While they're in the parent-child classes, at least, the instructors are very tolerant of that and even tell the parents not to worry--just stay on the "big red mat" ourselves to model for the kids what we want them to do. (Unless the kids run to the balance beam, in which case we go over there to spot them.) They're very patient with kids who like to wander--like my DD. (Probably more so than I was!)

[sbaglio]

Our DD attends the Little Gym close to our home. She's 16 months old, but started about 3 months ago. Usually one parent goes with the child, but I've seen sibs and grandparents join in as well.

In her age group (the "Birds", I believe), the kids bang little bells against the mat at the beginning, along to the "Little Gym" tune. Then we do different activities with the kids - run around in a circle then freeze; practice forward rolls; practice swinging on the parallel bar; practice jumping up and down; and practice walking along the "horse" (or balance beam).

The other fun things they do include having the child sit on a flat air mattress, then fill the mattress with air, with the kids on it. Then they bounce about and have a great time, before the air is released. There's a parachute which the parents and older kids hold and flap about, with the kids sitting on it, then we pick up the parachute and wave it over their heads before singing a song underneath the parachute. There are a few breaks when kids run around and play with what they want. They also take out soft foam balls and play with them as well.

At the end, they blow bubbles over the kids' heads, and we sing the Little Gym song again with the bells (our DD LOVES the bells!)

In reality, she was much more interested in running about, doing her own thing, when we first started. Now she's more focused on completing the activities, especially the ones she really enjoys, like the "horse" or forward rolls (and the bells). We're on summer break now, and start up again in the autumn.

I think it cost us about $350 for 3 or 4 months (likely the latter). It's a bit pricey, but you start wondering how your child is going to turn out if she doesn't do what all the other kids in the neighborhood are doing lol!

ETA: I agree - don't worry about wandering. A lot of kids do it, especially when they're younger, and it's never been an issue. Our instructor Ashley is great. The room itself doesn't seem that kids friendly, but it's a gym, what can I say.

[aallen25]

Thanks for the responses!

I went ahead and called them today and we have a trial class this Tuesday! We'll see how it goes, I guess!

[SupaModel]

I did a trail class and i thought it was nice. We do Gymboree too and for some reason I like it just a little bit better. I think its more so because we've been at Gymboree since DS was 3 months old and it just feel more like home. KWIM? Other than that Little Gym was nice.

[bluebonnet_72]

When S. was three we visted Gymboree and it was a nightmare. I was pretty sure she would have been kicked out in about 3 weeks. A few weeks later we did a trial class at Little Gym. She wouldn't stay with the group, wandered around, that sort of thing. I started to go in and get her and one of the teachers said, "No, we expect her to do that." S. is very hyper and they have been great with her. We have both S. age 4 and C. age 8 in classes with our Little Gym.
It is more expensive then you are paying for Gymboree.