A group of active children are seated around a table practicing their counting and alphabet skills as an instructor goes over their lesson. This might seem like a typical early childhood educational experience, but this one happens to have a tumbling twist.
This fall, The Little Gym of Waco will be offering a new program called WonderKids Club. It’s a PreK enrichment program that combines traditional learning with gymnastics skills for three and four-year-olds.
“There are two hours of classroom learning with numbers, colors, letters, writing their names, etc., and then an hour of gymnastics,” said gym director, Emily Fletcher. “It’s getting them ready to be in a classroom by themselves, without mom or dad; working on their independence.”
The program begins in early fall and has ten spots available. Parents can choose Mondays or Wednesdays or both.
Fletcher and gym owner, Melissa McNeil, decided to start the WonderKids Club because it fits in well with the gym’s three-dimensional learning approach.
“We’re a non-competitive gym,” Fletcher said. “We’re focused on the whole kid and getting them to grow, not just physically, but emotionally and cognitively as well.”
This philosophy is part of their weekly classes as well. Classes include gymnastics, dance, karate or sports skills.“We want to make sure that every child, regardless of their size or developmental level, is welcomed in and that their biggest takeaway is confidence,” she said.
And because the gym cares as much about a child’s mental health as their physical health, they allow free intro classes so that kids can try out a new activity without the pressure of being committed to it all year long.
“It takes the stress off of the parent as well,” Fletcher said. “It allows them to see what they’re paying for before they pay for it. You want to make sure your kid is going to be happy with it.”
The gym is also hosting weekly summer camps that include arts and crafts, gym training, and even demonstrations from outside speakers and guests. All camps are Monday through Friday from 1 to 4 p.m.
For more information about summer camps, registration for WonderKids Club or The Little Gym of Waco’s on-going classes, or an Awesome Birthday Bash, visit www.thelittlegym.com/wacotx, call (254) 981-3547, or stop by the gym at 5144 W. Waco Drive, Center Point Shopping Center, Waco, TX.
Photos by Rachel Thomas Photography
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Jessa is the Editor-in-Chief of Hooray for Family and the mom of three energetic children. She has a BA in Mass Communication/Journalism from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and is a long-time resident of Central Texas. When she isn't writing and editing, she enjoys playing board games with her kids, teaching Sunday school and channeling her creativity into craft projects.
