Gym Classes
Designed by child development experts, each of our classes focusses
on and supports the specific developmental milestone your child is working
on at his/her age--from sensory explorations for young babies to cause and
effect, two-way communication, "motor planning", imaginary play,
to early listening and language skills. Each class level incorporates fundamental,
engaging activities that help to build your child's cognitive, social and
physical skills.
Music Classes
Gymboree's active approach to musical learning introduces your child
to a variety of different musical styles. Through singing, dancing, movement
games and instruments, your child learns important musical "building blocks" like
rhythm, beat, tempo and melody and builds a foundation of musical skills to grow
on. These activities provide powerful tools that impact your child's physical,
social, emotional and intellectual development too.
Arts
Nothing inspires the imagination quite like art. That's why a Gymboree Art class
sends your child home with far more than a finished project. Children leave our
class with an enhanced creative spirit and a positive means for self-expression.
Unleash your child's imagination in a world of hands-on discovery with painting,
sculpting, drawing, collage, song, dress-up and other imaginative activities.
Mum and Baby Fitness
Mum and Baby Fitness is a yoga-based exercise program designed to bring
fitness and balance to new mothers as they bond with their infants. Through a
prescribed series of simple exercises and breathing techniques, new moms can
experience a sense of well-being while gaining strength and tone in abdominals,
legs, buttocks and learning to relax an overworked neck and shoulders. This class
is for moms at least 6 weeks postpartum and non-mobile babies.
Yoga Fun
A yoga-based movement class with music that explores concentration and
focus, physical strength, flexibility and self-confidence. This is an interactive,
creative way to introduce children to yoga and the importance of creating a lifelong
habit of physical and mental well-being. This is an opportunity to teach your
child the enjoyment of calm-exercise.
Family Gymboree
These are classes for families with more than one child. Here, siblings
can experience and enjoy the fun and the challenge of the Gymboree environment
together with songs, movement games and our legendary parachute. This mixed-age
class supports physical, language and social skills for both of your children.
Globetrotters
This 12-week multi-cultural "journey" explores universal play,
music, dance, customs and activities from the Gymboree international community.
Globetrotters encourages the youngest "travelers" to be global citizens
through experiencing world culture with a creative, age-appropriate approach.
With a world-class selection of music and a travel journal to record the experience
and learning from each destination, families will capture their adventures and
create a lasting souvenir.
Fitness Fun
Through the 5 health-related components of physical fitness--cardio,
strength, endurance, flexibility and body composition, we explore fun new fitness
activities. This class helps children build strong, healthy bodies and minds
and promotes a positive attitude toward physical fitness. They'll also have an
opportunity to learn social skills as they interact and have fun with peers.
Sport Skills
The Sport Skills programme, for children 3 to 5 1/2 years, is designed
as a workshop with each class teaching concentration, discipline, warm ups, exercises
and covering the designated sport skills of that particular week. A variety of
sports are covered with a new sport introduced each fortnight. The sports covered
include football, athletics, hockey, basketball, karate, volleyball, gymnastics,
skittles & bowling,
cricket and more.
Theatre Arts
The Theatre Arts programme, for children 3 to 5 1/2 years, explores
a theme using a variety of movement, voice, text and art. Each term ends with
a performance to family and friends. The class involves acting, singing, dancing
and a large number of fun activities designed to build a child’s confidence
and encourage interaction with others. In both Key Stages 1 and 2 of the
Schools' National Curriculum in the UK, music, dance and drama are seen as a
way to develop control, co-ordination, poise, expression of feelings, expression
of moods, expression of ideas and response to music. The Theatre Arts programme
develops all of these important skills and in doing so promotes independence
and school readiness.
Infant Signing
Research demonstrates that signing with babies actually boosts language
and intellectual development. Gymboree Infant Signing encompasses British
Sign Language-based signs that teach infants and toddlers to communicate before
they have "words". Early communication with your child can be less
frustrating and boost your child's development.
Research
Articles on Play, Music and Early Childhood Development
Find out more about Gymboree Play and Music's underlying principles by reading these texts.
"Play as Curriculum" by Francis Wardle, Ph.D.
Play
as Curriculum excerpts or Play
as Curriculum full text
"Music Ability is Related to Literacy Skills"
Music
Ability...excerpts or Music
Ability...full text
"Wired for Sound: The Essential Connection Between Music and Development" by
Cynthia Ensign Baney
Wired
for Sound excerpts or Wired
for Sound full text
"The Power of Music" by Frances Rauscher, Ph.D.
The
Power of Music excerpts or The
Power of Music full text
"Your Child's Brain" Newsweek Cover Story, February 1996,
by Sharon Begley
Your
Child's Brain excerpts or Your
Child's Brain full text
