My Gym
Bringing Smiles to Children Every Day
See our videos of a My Gym class in action (below)
By Krista Martinelli
If you have a child between six months old up to seven years old, you might already know just how special My Gym is! I have checked with several parents and it’s quite common for your child to ask, “When are we going to My Gym?” every day of the week. My two-year-old son tends to ask if it’s a “My Gym” day first thing in the morning. My Gym is a place to play, build skills, do gymnastics, learn about sports, make friends and have lots of fun.
“I think kids love it!” says Director Tom Copeland. “Almost every
parent, after the first couple of classes, says ‘All my child does is talk about My Gym, morning and night.’” Young children have a deep affection for the things they like to do and “when they fall in love with something, they just show it openly,” says Copeland.
Co-owner Anthony Prieto takes pride in “Seeing how happy and excited the kids are when they arrive for class and seeing the progress with their social and physical development.”
If you haven’t heard of My Gym, it’s a franchise in its 26th year which began in California. There are approximately 175 My Gyms worldwide and it continues to grow. They are known for their terrific birthday parties and age-appropriate development classes.
With babies, they focus on an early learning movement program, including visual skills, grabbing, fine motor skills and gross motor skills. As the children get older, they incorporate more challenging gymnastics skills, tumbling, sports, sharing skills and listening skills. At age two, they include a short “separation time” during which the kids are encouraged to play with toys, while parents fade back without interacting. At age three, independent classes begin, so parents drop off their children for class instead of participating. From ages four to seven, more sports and gymnastics are emphasized, including team work, sports rules and more technical sports skills. All of the activities are considered non-competitive, which can be a big plus for children who need a break from the competitive nature of so many of today’s activities.
“We aim to build confidence within the kids,” says Director Tom
Copeland. “Kids who might be shy are prompted to participate. We like to encourage them.”
The core philosophy that guides My Gym’s programming has been developed through “intensive physiological, psychological and sociological research, along with decades of hands-on experience by hundreds of My Gym child and fitness experts.” So in addition to all of the fun your child is having, you can rest assured that positive, age-appropriate learning is going on.
The Royal Palm Beach My Gym, located in the BJ’s Shopping Center on 441, has been open for approximately ten years. Owners Anthony and Chris Prieto aim to carry on the well-designed My Gym activities, but they also add something more. They give back to the community frequently.
“It’s very grass roots,” says Copeland. “We’re about teaching children and having fun, but at the same time we’re about helping
those children who can’t afford things.” In the past year, they held a cash and toy donation drive to benefit The Children’s Coalition. On October 30th, they are holding a Halloween bash with a costume drive, donating the costumes to the United Way (who delivered the costumes to children in need).
From the corporate level down to the individual locations, My Gym is focused in reaching out to those children who are economically disadvantaged, physically challenged or developmentally delayed through their non-profit, separate organization called The Challenged America Foundation. To donate or get involved, visit their website or call them at (818) 907-6966 x117.
Affordable Prices
Another great thing about My Gym is what you get for your monthly tuition, especially in this challenging economy. All of the classes (except for the special sports classes) are just $68 per month and are one-hour sessions. In addition to the classes, you can take your child to the free play sessions throughout the week. This is a great chance for parents to give their children a little exercise and free play time, using the slides, trampoline, swings, ball pit and other fun indoor things you will find at My Gym. Meanwhile, the 90-minute sports classes for children ages four to seven are just $75 per month. There is a one-time membership fee – see the coupon on our website under AW Coupons!
Many Sports to Learn About
Thanks to a well-designed sports program by Anthony Prieto and Tom Copeland, older My Gym kids get to learn the basics of football, baseball, soccer, hockey, badminton, tennis, volleyball, boxing, a fitness boot camp, obstacle courses and kickball. Children between 4 to 7 years of age can sign up for the sports class and have fun while improving their skills in a non-competitive atmosphere.
(In the above video, Mr. Anthony encourages the children to give him a high-five and then gets knocked over by each one of them. This never fails to make the young students laugh!)
About the My Gym Staff
At My Gym, the training for new staff members is not just about how to teach a class. It’s about having a great attitude and, as a pre-requisite, a love of children. “Our staff members know every child’s name and are always on time,” says Tom Copeland. It’s about having fun and truly nurturing the young children who might be experiencing the class as their very first exposure to any form of classroom learning. At My Gym, they always send new potential staff members “out on the floor” to see how they perform before making the decision to hire. It’s all about good rapport with the children and at My Gym Royal Palm Beach, all of the staff members excel at this.
To Sign Up
In order to enroll for My Gym classes, just stop by their Royal Palm Beach location, call them at (561) 798-5656 or visit their website – to view the current schedule. Don’t forget to take a look at the free play times too, extra fun at no additional cost.
Fantastic Birthday Parties
You can celebrate your child’s special day with captivating, age-appropriate games and fun activities, rides, songs, puppets and more. Your family and guests will enjoy exclusive use of the entire My Gym facility. Just pick a date, and My Gym helps with all of the details. The goal of a child’s birthday party is for everyone to have a blast – children and parents too! Note to our Around Wellington Parents: In one of our upcoming contests, you will have the chance to win a My Gym birthday party for your child! Check back at www.aroundwellington.com for this special contest!
My Gym
518 N. State Rd. 7
(BJ’s Shopping Plaza)
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411
(561) 798-5656
