Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are the opinions of one of our mommy reviewers Jamie.
Parents in Westchester and Putnam Counties have a facility absolutely worth a visit. (S) (my two year old hurricane) and I (Jamie) had a wonderful morning at My Gym, Yorktown Heights. We were invited to attend a class and explore the very clean environment that is this establishment. For those in Westchester and Putnam counties, this is definitely a place worth a visit; they gave (S) a really fun morning while teaching him listening, exercise, and music skills all at the same time.
We arrived a little early and I was very pleased to see the staff going from station to station, toy to toy, sterilizing everything. (S) could not get his shoes off fast enough and was giddy with excitement as they opened the gate and turned him loose into paradise. They have all types of equipment for the children to explore like a ball bit, climbing wall, slide center, high bars, balance beams, etc. As I looked around, I couldn’t help but notice how the facility would be appropriate for children both older and younger than my own, which prompted me to start looking over their class offerings. This place is not just for little kids. There are all types of sports activities and drop off classes being offered for older kids, sibling classes appropriate for a range of ages, and beginner classes for babies just starting to explore their physical potential.
One of my favorite parts about visiting My Gym Yorktown Heights was watching all the children come running in with a smile. Every one of them couldn’t wait to get in and they all knew who their “teacher” was. As each child arrives, the staff is quick to come help get their shoes and socks off and walk them onto the floor. This was especially helpful to those parents who had more than one child with them. The children are given about 7 minutes of “open gym” to explore before the class begins. This exploration time is very important as the gym changes their layout and event set up every week. Each time the children arrive at class, they are having a new experience.
(S) jumps into the pit of balls during open gym.
The structured class starts off with a circle time and all the children and parents come together for stretches, hellos, and introductions. This particular class had children ranging in ages from 23 months to 3 1/4 years. The kids are kept interested in their warm up with fun dance music that even gets some of the parents, myself included, waving their arms and stomping their feet. The kids all sing a song together about a horse which made (S) laugh hysterically and then the whole group dances in a circle to a special “numbers rumba.” There is a lot of positive energy coming from the head instructor, Anthony, and he clearly has control over the group as a leader and facilitator.
Anthony and (S) during warm-ups.
Anthony then shows us how we are going to work on our “practice skill of the week”, a forward roll. The younger children are taught to protect their necks while some of the older children were working on getting all the way over. The skills were taught in a way that involves caregivers so that we can go home and continue practicing with our children. Once we were done working on our forward rolls, the kids were free to roam the gym in an open setting called “Adventure Time” during which the staff quickly sets up for “Skills Stations” which also change each week. This week the kids worked on upper body strength and strengthening core muscles by swinging on rings, pulling their legs up, and even some beginner gymnastics for the older children. Each child waits for a turn and all the children and parents cheer together as each classmate completes their work on the rings.
(S) works on his skills on the rings!
Next up was swings!!!! Clipped to safety wires that can hold 100 pounds on EACH rope is a swing set heaven. There are big kid swings, swings that move in circles, swings shaped like airplanes, and swings that look like trains. The parents are reminded to keep the swings “low and slow” and that children must be 30 months old to swing on the larger swings. Even though everyone is having a blast, safety is still the primary concern at My Gym in Yorktown Heights. During this time Anthony set up another fun riding station called the slippery ice ride. This is a riding toy that slides down a slight incline and lands the child into the ball pit. At first (S) was terrified, but once he realized that he landed in the balls he was all for it!
Once the swings are taken down the kids were asked to return to their circle for a “surprise”. Today’s surprise was a Frisbee for each child to hold and play with. The instructors used this as an opportunity to give them a lesson on shapes (circle) and music (play it like a drum). This was also a great way of getting everyone back together for some quieter fun before officially ending the class. Once the toys are put back away, a formal goodbye song is sung together while the staff prepares to help the parents get the children’s shoes and socks back on.
If that hour didn’t sound like enough fun for the kids and grown-ups, My Gym Yorktown is located in a great shopping center with all different kinds of restaurants, ice cream shops, and a large grocery store. (S) and I made a morning out of it and stopped into Panera for some salads and soup before returning home. My favorite part of the class? (S) was asleep the second I pulled out of the parking lot!
For information about MY GYM Yorktown Heights Contact Anthony at (914) 302-7705 and check out their website: WWW.MYGYM.COM/YORKTOWNHEIGHTS .
ROCKLANDNYMOM READERS – USE OUR SPECIAL CODE TO RECEIVE $25 OFF OF THE LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP AND/OR 10% OFF OF BIRTHDAY PARTIES BOOKED USING THE CODE: RNYM AT MY GYM YORKTOWN HEIGHTS. CLICK HERE FOR THE COUPON, AND BE SURE TO COMMENT ON THIS POST WHEN YOU USE IT!
