“Do we have My Gym today?!”
Chances are good that at least one, if not both, of my kids will ask this on any given day. Libraries, play spaces, museums, sports, dance class … we’re a busy family that LOVES getting out, playing, spending time with friends and family. But even on our busiest days, my 6 and (almost) 5 year old look forward to their time at My Gym Yardley.
This week, My Gym is celebrating its 40th anniversary at their over 600 locations with giveaways, stickers, special songs, and even guest appearances by their monkey mascot, Mymo. It just so happens that it’s also my family’s 1 year anniversary at My Gym Yardley! I’ve been meaning to write a post about our experience at My Gym for a while now, especially since I get messages about it all the time, so this seemed like the perfect occasion to finally do so.
*Just in case there’s anyone reading this and wondering … this post is not sponsored in any way, and the team at My Gym has no idea that I’m writing this!
My kids started attending My Gym Yardley last February when my son was 5 years old, and my daughter was just a few weeks shy of 4 years old. We moved to Yardley from Levittown in December, and at first, it seemed to make the most sense to keep their activities the same. After all, the drive wasn’t much longer than it had been, and they’d already had some MAJOR changes in their lives. But the kids seemed to be getting a little bored with the classes they were going to, and it was only once a week, and the winter days seemed loooong without our favorite playground outings. I had seen a few posts on Facebook groups mentioning My Gym Yardley and decided to check it out.
From the first time I looked at their Facebook page, I knew my kids would love it. I showed the page to Henry and Charlotte and asked if they wanted to give it a try. I thought they might be hesitant since they’d been going to their other gym classes since they were 2 (and younger!), but they were both very excited. I sent an email asking a ton of questions and then the owner, Miss Mary, called me to go over everything. We signed up for the $29 unlimited trial, and I scheduled the kids for a variety of classes and drop in and play sessions. I remember that I wondered if I was getting too ahead of myself, scheduling us to be there 4 times in ONE week! But after our first class, the kids begged on the drive home to go back the NEXT day! We’re now a year in, and we’re typically at My Gym 3-4 times a week.
CLASSES
Classes at My Gym start as young as 4 months with a Parent/Child Class called Waddlers. For the older kiddos, there’s Ninja Training, which is for ages 4 through 8. There are a variety of classes in between including Gymsters, Terrific Tots, Mighty Mites, Preschool Gymnastics, and even a Siblings Class. Classes are offered both during the day, night and Saturday mornings. The only days there aren’t any classes are Wednesdays and Sundays.
Each class focuses on different age-appropriate skills. Kicking a ball, jumping up and over, hopping, doing forward rolls, etc. getting more advanced as they get older. The gym is full of equipment like slides, mats, monkey bars, a ball pit (open in spring/summer), trampoline, climbing structures, and more. Each Friday, the staff deep cleans and rearranges all of the equipment. So it feels fresh every week. As the kids get a little older, parent involvement decreases. And the classes become more focused on skill stations, relay races, and cooperative games.
As far as Parent Involvement … For the younger classes, parents are active participants. You’ll be helping your child with each skill, song, and activity. Classes for ages 3.5 and up do NOT have parents on the gym floor. But the way the gym is set up, you’re still within easy access. There’s a counter that divides the gym floor from the “lobby” space lined with bench seats for you to sit and watch. Unlike some other classes we’ve done/know of, there aren’t windows or glass dividing you. Your kid can reach right over for a water bottle, hug, or tissue! If you prefer to run a quick errand or think your child does better WITHOUT knowing you’re right there, you can also drop off.
One of the many things we love about My Gym is that classes are unlimited! Yes, My Gym costs more than the gym classes my kids attended in the past, but considering those classes were once a week, the difference in cost really isn’t that much. If your schedule allows you to take your kids more than once a week, you get a lot more “bang for your buck” at My Gym than you would at many other activities for toddlers and young kids.
You sign up for a specific class and time to be your “home class” each week. This means that there will always be a spot for your child in that class. But beyond that, you can use the app (or your computer) to sign up for additional classes as long as your child is within the age range for the class and there are spots available for that particular date/time. (You can have up to 4 classes reserved in your online account at one time, and once you attend a class, you can sign up for another slot.) In our case, I first signed the kids up for Tuesdays Mighty Mites, and we’d attend the night Ninja Training and Saturday class whenever we could. Once my son turned 5.5, he aged out of a few classes, so we switched to Ninja Training as being our home class. Now that he’s in Kindergarten, my daughter is back to attending the Tuesday morning class since she’s still within the age range.
Practice and Play
Membership at My Gym also includes access to Practice and Play sessions, which is parent-supervised open play. This is your kid’s chance to really show off what they’ve been learning in class with you up close and on the gym floor with them. It’s also their time where they can use their imagination and socialize with the other kids without having to stop to learn the next skill.
Tip: Practice and Play is the absolute BEST of rainy, hot, or super cold days. Instead of the kids jumping off the furniture at home, they can get out their energy in a safe (mostly padded) play space!
Camps, Preschool Prep, Parents’ Night Out and Birthdays!
Our personal experience at My Gym Yardley is limited to classes and open play. But they ALSO offer summer camps, preschool prep, and Parents’ Night Out events. All of these programs are available for potty trained children, are drop-off sessions, and are priced separately from your membership.
My Gym Yardley is also a fun place for birthday parties!
Community
I love that at My Gym, my kids have a place where they can have fun, learn new things, and burn off some energy in a safe place that isn’t dependent on the weather. But the absolute BEST part of what My Gym Yardley has given us is the community we’ve found there. All of the teachers there are so incredibly patient, caring and welcoming that we immediately felt at home. They remember my kids’ interests, know their strengths and weaknesses and celebrate every success with them.
Since my kids have never attended preschool or daycare, most of their friends were either cousins, the children of MY friends, or the occasional kid they’d meet at a playground. Being so close in age, they’ve always had a built-in best friend, but seeing them make so many new friends at My Gym has been amazing. Especially being new to this specific part of Bucks County, it was a great way for us to meet kids that live nearby. Even after only attending classes for a few months, we suddenly found ourselves spotting My Gym Friends all over the place – out at the playground, local farms, even as far as Crayola Experience in Easton. We’ve gone to birthday parties and playdates with friends we’ve made. By the time my son started Kindergarten this past fall, he already knew several kids at his school because they’d been in class together at My Gym! It’s also been a nice way for me to meet other parents in the area since we sit and chat in the lobby together during class. As a mom that works part-time from home, I look forward to my social time there, too!
And we’ve ended up recommending My Gym to so many of our friends and neighbors that we typically leave the bus stop calling out, “See you at My Gym!”
I know this sounds like a commercial, but I promise you that every word is from the heart. While my kids have both started other activities since we took that first My Gym class last year, My Gym has been the only thing we’ve done consistently for the past year, and I don’t see that stopping until they’re too old for it. And that will be a sad day for us all.
If you’re interested in trying My Gym Yardley, they offer a $29 trial week where you can attend classes and Practice and Play before deciding if you want to enroll.
Sweet Mini Moments 