The Little Gym of Corvallis

Reflection-gone in a flash!

2011-12-27T08:26:00.000-08:00

Penny and Putty

It is common at this time of year to reflect. At Christmas we reflect on Christmases past. (I remember my childhood Christmases and my kids' childhood Christmases VERY fondly). At New Years we reflect on the year as it comes to a close. (What a year it has been for the McCoy's. A whole new chapter has opened up as we have added a new generation to our family.) Tomorrow I turn 50 and I have been reflecting a lot on my life so far.

I am excited for what is to come but I would be lying if I said I was not a little depressed about the big 5-0. I know, 50 is the new 30 right. It's all how you feel, blah, blah, blah. Whatever! Those are usually people younger than you saying that. I am taking it stride. I embrace my age because what it brings is wisdom. Am I wise yet? As I pull myself out of the daily operations of The Little Gym of Corvallis and start my next 50 years I wonder; what will I be when I grow up?

In my life I have been a waitress, a medical assistant, an EEG tech, a massage therapist, a tasting room host at Tyee and Lumos wineries, a gymnastics teacher, a small business owner, a customer service representative, a cashier, a bookkeeper and even a model. At one time, I was 5 of those all at one time. My most rewarding jobs (besides the one not mentioned here - a mother) have been the ones in which I was at service to the public.

With my new position in life (stepping away from The Little Gym, Corvallis), I will take on a service project in the form of volunteering. I encourage each and everyone of you who reads this to consider, if you don't already, volunteering your time to a cause in which you feel is worthy. Giving of yourself to further the well being of mankind is a wonderful feeling and serves as a great role model for your children. My dream, is to teach my dog Putty to be a reading dog so I can take him into the hospitals and read with the children who are admitted there. I am open to any comments, advise or suggestions, please comment here. I would greatly appreciate it.

In the meantime, I will continue to play with Penelope, do a massage or two here and there, be a mother to my growing children and a life partner to my best friend, Randy. I may be a little older, but I am wiser and know when it is time to slow down and do something a little different. Thank you, Denise

Cookies and Fudge and Egg Nog OH MY!

2011-12-21T09:56:00.000-08:00

Yummy and pretty Christmas cookies

'Tis the season for packing on the pounds. I am not much of a dessert freak, however, all of the holiday goodies are my favorite. Every year at our home, I would make around 10 pounds of fudge (my mother's recipe), a favorite egg-nog recipe given by a good friend and another 3 pounds of chocolate covered toffee. Then, on Christmas eve, my family and I would make plates of the goodies for our friends and neighbors, drive to their homes wearing our most festive holiday sweaters singing along with our favorite Christmas CD's. Then, on our return home, we would feast on the left overs that did not get given away. This was the McCoy family tradition! We all enjoyed it very much. What I didn't enjoy however, is the weight that I seem to gain every year.

Starting in October ever year, I would give my workout a turbo boost to "combat" the bulge. Unfortunately, to no avail. I would put on pounds ever year then work harder for the next 4 - 6 months to get that extra baggage off my hips and thighs. As I get older, it seems to be a longer, harder task than before. DRAT!

Maybe my turbo booster needed some repair. Maybe I was not giving it my all. Why would that be? Maybe because when I was growing up exercise was never a fun activity. Especially if I felt I had to do it. In school, exercise was a punishment. Hmmmm? What's wrong with THAT picture. Could it be I was not enjoying myself. Or maybe, when I exercised I felt I was being punished. WOW! I may have hit on something here. I think I need a therapist.

Here is something to think about the next time you are exercising: Exercise should be enjoyed and something to look forward to. Find an activity or two that you truly enjoy doing. Make a schedule that will be easy to keep so that you feel success (this is very important so be realistic). Rotate your fun activities and do them for 21 days. Why 21 days? Because that is how long it takes to form a new habit. Soon, you will have the healthy habit of exercising on a regular basis.

Then you can enjoy those candies, cakes and goodies at Christmas time and throughout the year. Just remember a few words of advise that my mother told me; "everything in moderation!"

Enjoy!

Give your children happy exercise memories, enroll them in classes to teach good physical health habits (I know of a really cool place that boosts confidence and gives a great feeling of success!)

FUNSTRUCTION! A member interview

2011-11-10T12:50:00.001-08:00

Meet Jackson. Randy & I met Jackson when he was almost 4. He started coming to our classes but never participated fully. He observed from the side-lines for 2 whole years. He would come into opening circle (with his mom in tow) and then they would both head back to the wall to watch the rest of the class from there. "Each week," his mother Lisa recalls, "he thought he might be ready; each week he wasn't quite."

Jackson stands head and shoulders above others in class.

However, when Jackson and his mom would get home, Jackson would replicate what he'd seen at class (sans all the gymnastics equipment and teachers). Again, Lisa recalls: "In lieu of a springboard and giant foam cheese wedge (which Jackson desperately wanted), he used what resources were available from the closet: some pillows and a cheesy old exercise mat. He even sang the songs and pretended to play guitar in opening circle."

At age 6, he was ready and jumped in with both feet. Fast forward 6 more years; Jackson's feet are a whole lot bigger, his limbs a whole lot longer with a lot more body to move around. With the fun-instruction (new word: FUNSTRUCTION!) and encouragement from his TLGC teachers, he has gained the confidence to perform new skills.

Jackson comes twice a week to The Little Gym

Jackson, "I've learned to listen to teachers when they are talking and not to interupt. Also, I've learned to play with people of all ages (and sizes)." Jackson now stands 5'8". He is taller than every TLG teacher (even Randy) and still enjoys every minute on our, sometimes too small, equipment.

Jackson's favorite skills are Handstand Forward roll, Dive rolls and Back extension rolls. He also comes to our Karate class and there he has learned a low block to ride hand. "I like how I can block and strike in what feels like one move," Jackson told us.

Lisa, "For 6 solid years, TLG has, without fail, remained Jackson's number one, tip-top, absolute favorite choice when presented with a plethora of activities from which to choose. He comes to a Grade School Gymnastics and Karate class twice a week because this February, Jackson will turn 13. It is indeed bittersweet for him to age out of the program. Our family's loyalty to TLG would not exist if it weren't for the entire McCoy family and their terrific crew. They are the heart and soul of TLG. They give life to oversized foam wedges (which Jackson still wants) and confidence to kids who look up (or in Jackson's case, down) to them. They make the kids laugh and ask them for their best. They truly like kids, and it shows."

This post was bitter sweet to write. Jackson has been an inspiration to me. He has shown me that even at the "tween" age, it is still cool to be a kid. It is cool to be polite and respectful. If given the right amount of encouragement, you really can do anything you put your mind too: Jackson perfected his handstands, cartwheels, backward rolls and even back handsprings (with a spot of course). Jackson will be missed at TLGC. I will have to wait at least 3 years until he can come back (as an instructor this time!). I would hire Jackson in a heartbeat.

It is at this time of year we all get sentimental and reflect on what we are grateful for. I am grateful for customers like Lisa and Jackson. Thankful for the kind words and the trust and love that Lisa and Jackson has shown me and my team over the years. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

Winter Break Camp - Just What YOU Need!

2011-11-03T21:09:00.000-07:00

Join us at the downtown Corvallis Christmas Parade

‘Twas just weeks before Christmas and all through the house, kids were playing and laughing with Mom and her spouse! Their backpacks were hung in their bedrooms with care, and with oh-so much energy Mom thought, “They should have fun somewhere!” But with her children all nestled and snug in her heart, Mom couldn’t send them just anywhere – her choice must be smart! Suddenly, it came to her, all in a whim. “Let’s send them to holiday camp at The Little Gym!”

front supports on the high bar

Winter Holiday Camp at The Little Gym

The Winter Holiday Camp at The Little Gym is the place to be during this year’s winter break! Each 3-hour camp will incorporate a theme which may focus on our regular Gymnastics, Karate, Sports Skills or Dance program, and will offer creative, non-competitive “winter-related” games, adventures and challenges on the equipment. We guarantee your child’s “winter break” will be a fun-filled “winter workout!”

For more information, call us at 541-753-0950 or visit The Little Gym website for themes, dates, times and prices. Reserve your spot before November 18th and get 5 camps for the price of 4.
2camps+lunch with your teacher= a full day of FUN for them and ___?_____for YOU (shop, prepare for guests, get a massage, go for a long walk, paint the house.......you get the idea)

Party Time!

2011-10-25T21:23:00.000-07:00

Kids enjoy their cake; parents enjoy no clean-up!

Whether it is a birthday, the end of soccer, a going away party, a Mom's Club Play-date ormaybe it is a holiday party.....whatever kind of party it is, the party season has begun here at The Little Gym. You can book an 1 1/2 - 2 hour party slot at TLGC for your next celebration. We will take care of E V E R T H I N G! Included in your party: mailed invitations, T-shirt for the birthday child, balloons, a gift registry, FUN-entertainment, serving of the refreshments, all paper products and juice, and of course....the clean up!

Parachute games are a hit with any age.

Now you can save BIG! Book your party before November 11, 2011 and we will take 1/2 off! Your party can take place anytime between now and June 17, 2012. Whether you are a member or not, you will get the party package that you want for 1/2 price if you book it before November 11, 2011.

Our Airmat is fun AND it grows skills.

Call us at 541-753-0950 or book online at The Little Gym of Corvallis website.

PARTY ON!

Parent's say it best:

“Lauren LOVED her party and the parents seemed impressedwith the activities. Thanks for handling every last detail=)” –Amy Mayfield

“Very structured, yet fun. As parents, we felt spoiledbecause they took great care of the event; it allowed me to just have fun withmy son and the other kids. The instructors were wonderful to everyone, butespecially Kaden. It was a great place to host his second birthday.” – Mr.Stimpson

“Thank you for a great birthday party. My daughter felt sospecial and even said, “Mom, I’m so happy with my birthday!” Thank you!” –KayMiller

“Great party! The group activities were exceptionally ledand ALL the kids had a blast!! Thank you The Little Gym for all the energy youput into my daughter’s special day!!”

“We were so happywith the turn out! =) The staff was amazing. It was the best birthdayparty ever!” “The parents are still telling me about how great the partywas!”- Eveland Family

“Everyone had agreat time! Everything was so easy- well worth it for the fun factor and lackof effort on my part. Highly recommend for parents and kids!” –Lowry Family

“As smallbusiness owners we were quite impressed with the cleanliness of your facilityand efficiency! The instructors were great- The lead was extremely warm andwelcoming, all of the girls LOVED her. Thank you for a great birthday party.”–Angela Bowers

“The bestbirthday party we’ve had! All the girls had a wonderful time, great leaders,fun games, and best of all I didn’t have to do anything but bring the cake andsit back and enjoy!” –Powell Family

“The party wasexcellent! The kids all had a great time- 2 weeks later they are all stilltalking about it! As a parent, I appreciated getting to enjoy the birthdayparty and not running around trying to do everything.” – Gomache Family

“I cannot sayenough about the great time we all had. My son loved the part as did the other childrenand parents. The teachers were wonderful. I could not have asked for more, theywere full of energy and were amazing. Thank you!!” – Chiles Family

“Perfect job!Randy was AWESOME! The price was well worth it, you have everything going. Keepit up! I will recommend your gym highly!” Crombie Family

“It was perfect!Every parent told me it was the best idea for a party ever.” – Garrett Family

“This was a greatvenue for a birthday party! The leaders ran things seamlessly from start tofinish! They even recorded who each gift was from so we could enjoy watchingNaomi open them rather than taking notes. …We would definitely use The LittleGym for future parties! Thanks for a job well done!” –Starkenberg Family

“This was theperfect birthday party! Everyone had such a great time. Thanks for makingCole’s 2^nd birthday such a wonderful one.” –Badger Family

“I just wanted tolet you know Connor’s birthday party was GREAT!! He and his friends had so muchfun and I was able to just enjoy it and not worry about the details. The twoladies working were amazingly organized, energetic, and fun. I truly can’tthink of anything to improve on.”-Natala Rahn

Talent in the community

2011-10-23T08:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a local mom and member of The Little Gym's work. She is one of a few members who are photographers. Check out her work. If you have pictures of your kiddos at The Little Gym, please post them here or on Facebook. Enjoy!

Great Gift Idea (and you know that is right around the corner)

2011-10-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

New Season + New Learning Units + New Structure = New Memories to Capture
Enroll today to receive a special Shutterfly photo book offer. But hurry, this deal expires soon.

I am sure you have heard there are lots of changes coming to The Little Gym this Season and they all add up to Serious Fun. We've revamped our age-appropriate skill-building curriculum into themed multi-week Learning Units. Plus, programs have been restructured to emphasize three core areas of development called Three-Dimensional Learning. When you combine these changes with our always supportive instructors and non-competitive environment, it is a formula for fundamentals made FUN.

It is also a formula for photo opportunities... The million dollar grin when your child masters a new skill. The delight at meeting new friends. The unmistakable confidence when they receive praise from their instructors. To help you preserve these memories, we're offering a special $20 voucher for a Shutterfly photo book when you enroll in the 2011-2012 Season.* Like childhood, this offer won't last forever so enroll today to reserve your spot. Get your camera ready and don't miss a tumble, jump, wiggle or giggle!

*While supplies last, at participating locations. Offer valid until November 4, 2011. One per family.

Party Time!

2011-08-15T17:31:00.000-07:00

It's our Curriculum Preview Party this Sunday, August 21. Come see what's new at The Little Gym of Corvallis. Learn about our BIG, new curriculum, season classes, learning units and what we mean by Serious Fun!

Times:
Parent/Child (up to age 3) 2:30 - 3:30
PreK & Kindergarten (3 - 6 years) 3:30 - 4:30
Grade School (6 - 12 years) 4:30 - 5:30

Music, games, raffle for prizes, gymnastics, dancing, and Tons 'O Serious Fun!

What's On Your Plate?

2011-07-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

What's On Your Plate?

Forget The Food Pyramid; it's time to take a closer look at your plate! As a part of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative, the USDA has unveiled a new healthy eating approach called MyPlate. The new model is designed to help Americans make better food choices and build healthier meals. The colorful plate is divided into four sections to represent fruits, veggies, grains, and protein with a smaller circle next to the plate representing dairy.

Although the symbol has changed, the USDA's message about eating well has stayed the same. Children still need to eat healthy portions of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein, and low-fat dairy products. While exercise isn't included in the icon, it's still an important component of a healthy lifestyle and is another key recommendation of the Let's Move! initiative. Starting at 2 years of age, children should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity each day.

Programs at The Little Gym are the perfect way to help children stay active and develop healthy habits. In addition to establishing an appreciation for physical activity, tips for healthy living are incorporated into weekly lesson plans. Weekly themes such as Vegetables, Food for Thought, and A Healthy Me all help children make smart nutrition choices. Share MyPlate with your children and try to incorporate some of the guidelines into your family's meals. Together, we'll teach them that a healthy lifestyle can also be a fun lifestyle!

History of Gymnastics

2011-07-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

It's one of the world's oldest sports that tests strength, balance, flexibility and coordination. The Little Gym has the 411 on gymnastics.

History

Gymnastics is one of the world's oldest sports and can be traced back thousands of years. In 2000 BC, the men and women of ancient Greece developed the sport of bull jumping, which is similar to the vaulting exercises you see today in modern gymnastics. In bull jumping, the athlete would run towards a charging bull, grab its horns and either vault onto the bull's back or vault over the bull in a somersault and land on his or her feet on the other side of the bull! This early event required both courage and strength, as well as grace and style. The Ancient Romans used gymnastics as part of their military training to improve the strength, balance and flexibility of soldiers. In the 1800s, gymnastics exercises using rings, bars and mats were developed by gymnasts in Germany and Sweden. Gymnastics have been a part of the modern Olympic games, since they were first held in 1896. Rhythmic gymnastics, which combines gymnastics and dance, and makes use of balls, ropes, hoops and ribbons was introduced as an Olympic Sport in 1984.

The Events

There are eight different events in Olympic gymnastics:

· Floor Exercise - A rountine of dance-like movements featuring acrobat skills such as somersaults, backflips and cartwheels. The event is performed on a mat by both men and women.

· Vault - Athletes vault off a slightly inclinded table. After running towards the vault table, athletes bounce off the spring board, push the vault table with their hands and, after performing multiple turns and pirouettes, try to finish with a controlled and steady landing on a mat behind the vault table. The event is performed by both men and women.

· Pommel Horse - The pommel horse is a table with two handles or pommels in the center. Athletes perform a routine of circular exercises with legs apart and legs together in a routine with a continuous flow, while using only their hands for support. This event is performed by men only.

· Rings - Athletes perform a series of exercises with swings and holds while grasping onto two wooden rings that are suspended above a floor mat. This event tests strength and precision and is performed by men only (except at The Little Gym - we encourage the use of rings to build upper body strength in all the children. Besides, they are FUN!)

· Parallel Bars - A routine performed on two flexible parallel wooden rails. Routines include a series of swinging moves, balances and changes in grip. This event is also performed by men only. Although our Grade School Boys do different skills on this apparatus, we use it for all ages to promote coordination and strength for all ages and sexes.

· Horizontal Bar - Athletes perform a routine on a single steel bar suspended above a floor mat. The routine requires continuous swinging and vaulting motions around the bar with frequent changes in direction and in grip. Once again, this is an even that is only performed by men.

· Uneven Bars - Athletes perform a routine on a set of two highly flexible oval wooden bars. Gymnasts swing in both directions, above and below the bars, ending the routine with a controlled dismount and landing. This event is performed by women only. The uneven bars are the tallest piece of equipment we have at The Little Gym. It is used to build upper body strength, controlled body movements, risk taking, spacial awareness and FUN!

· Balance Beam - Gymnasts perform a routine on a single wooden beam that is just four inches (10 cm) wide. The routine consists of continuous tumbling moves, half turns and full turns, jumps and leaps. This event is performed by women only. At The Little Gym we use the beam to promote risk taking and balancing skills of all ages and sexes. Have you seen the forward rolls on the beam by our toddlers? How about the cartwheel dismounts of our grade school kids?

Did U Know?

· The word "gymnastics" comes from the Greek word "gymnos", meaning naked. In Ancient Greece, most athletic competitions took place in the nude. Ew...TMI!

· Gymnastics is a great sport that helps build strength, flexibility, coordination and balance - but you already knew that!

Another blog site

2011-06-10T06:35:00.000-07:00

Check out our other blog site. It's on our webpage TheLittleGym.com/CorvallisOR

Winners for the PRIORITY ENROLLMENT RAFFLE:

2011-06-03T16:45:00.000-07:00

Here they are! Congratulations and thank you for your continued loyalty.

#1 – 2 Free Tickets to Darkside Cinema and a Free PSN – Jennifer Hamilton
#2 – Weekend in Bend – Cindy Trace
#3 – Teeth Whitening from Corvallis SmileLabs – Anna Cropp
#4 - 6 months free Health Care Synergea Health Care – Gwen Christensen
#5 – Dream Dinners Taste Sampler – Leann Gurney
#6 - I Pod Nano - Louber
#7 – Classy Auto Glass free Rock Chip Repair – Carrie Roberts
#8 – Nights Baseball Sweatshirt and punchcard - Cunningham
#8 – Nights Baseball Hat and punchcard – Staci Monroe
#9 – Free Facial by Image by Design – Liz Eller
#9 – Free $100 permanent make up of tattoo renewal by Image by Design – Rebekah Hadlock
#10 – Bike Tune up from Cycle Solutions - Kollath
#11 – Party invitations from Party Designs in Bloom – Randy Willard
#12 – Adult and Child Hair Cut from A Wild Hair - Vanegas
#13 – Children’s book about Leonardo DaVinci – Michelle Ryan
#14 – 4 loaves of bread from Great Harvest – Viola Stark
Additional Winners:
Free Camp Day in June:
Ashley Cooper
Jennifer Davis

Music Matters Most

2011-05-31T09:48:00.000-07:00

Music to Your Ears: The Benefits of Song

Children are naturally receptive to the toe-tapping rhythm and beats of a good song. When music is played, many break into a boogie without thinking twice. Since music is something that most do naturally and effortlessly, we often forget how truly complex it is. It requires a complete connection between the analytical and creative parts of our brains and can actually improve many abilities including memory, motor control, and language. In addition to developmental benefits, music has also been known for its mood-altering qualities. A great song lifts our spirits and eases our stress.

With all of the varying benefits of music, it may come as no surprise that it plays several vital roles at The Little Gym. In addition to bringing joy and adding to the fun environment of class, our original music is used to enhance children's overall development. Active songs help expand vocabulary, musical games teach cooperation, and lyrics provide directions and cues that help sharpen listening skills and increase attention span. So while children happily hum or skip along to the beat, they're actually building skills that will help them beyond The Little Gym. And we're sure that's music to your ears.

Busy week ahead!

2011-05-15T12:16:00.000-07:00

This is IT! Priority Enrollment Begins Monday, May 16th! It's BIG!

Priority Enrollment begins tomorrow at The Little Gym of Corvallis. This week is offered especially for our currently enrolled members to have first pick of the 2011-12 Season classes - they are going to be BIG. Let's continue the progress that your child has made throughout this semester. Please take advantage of this opportunity now, as next week we allow our members that are not currently enrolled their opportunity to register. After that, we conduct Open Enrollment. Call or visit us to reserve your class spot today!

Remember, if you do take advantage of Priority Enrollment, you will be entered into our raffle - it too is BIG. Prizes vary from a The Little Gym lunch sack and gift certificate for lunch all the way to 6 months free Chiropractic Health Care fromSynergea Chiropractic Health and everything in between. A complete list is on our website.

Don't delay as many of our classes are full and we have seen an increase in enrollment each and every semester. To insure your child's spot in their favorite class, call or go onlinetomorrow and enroll!

Not a currently enrolled member? Well you could be......for only $95 (plus a current family membership) your child can finish out our current semester, perform in our End of Semester Show and you can take advantage of Priority Enrollment and all it's offerings. WOW!

Also, don't forget the talk by Mary J. Boucher, ND regarding alternative treatments for season allergies (see may 4th post)

Membership Means More!

2011-05-04T17:31:00.000-07:00

Alternative Treatment for Seasonal Allergies

Presenting Mary Boucher, ND. Mary is a fellow TLGC mom (see full bio below), and is also a Naturopathic doctor and midwife. She will giving a FREE talk on natural treatments for seasonal allergies and some ideas for preventing asthma. Come to the Little gym on May 20th at 6:30pm. (Since it is during the dinner hour, we suggest bringing a "boxed dinner".)Enjoy a good discussion on natural remedies, ways to support your body's ability to heal, rather than merely suppressing symptoms. Bring your questions, your curiosity, and release your seasonal sniffles!

Mary Jackson Boucher began blending her interest in health, science and psychology in her undergraduate training. She received a bachelor of science in General Science, with additional coursework in psychology from OSU, in 1991. After graduation, she worked doing research and development at Synthetech; synthesizing synthetic amino acids for drug companies. After realizing a deep desire to work with people, she found National College of Naturopathic Medicine, and her calling to become a naturopathic doctor.

She graduated from NCNM in 1998, with a four-year doctorate in family medicine, and a special certification in natural childbirth/midwifery, After graduation, she completed a one year residency program at NCNM's teaching clinic in Portland, Oregon. She began her private practice in Corvallis in 2000. Her focus was primarily women's health and pediatrics. Her patients reminded her daily of the healing power of the body, and the deep healing that comes with integrating the mind, body and spirit.

Since the birth of her daughter in 2006, Dr. Boucher has chosen to be an at-home parent, and delightfully relishes mamahood. She will (and does) continue to do the work she loves, although not currently in the same, formal way. She loves teaching others about health, balance, the wisdom of nature, and well being. She loves gardening, cooking, knitting, hiking, yoga, travel, exploring our deep connectedness and her sweet family.

Parent Child Classes: Paving the Way for Success

2011-04-26T14:34:00.000-07:00

Whether it is at the pool, in the Community College classes or at The Little Gym, strengthening the bond with your child in Parent/Child classes is an important opportunity. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of this special time together:

1) Allow independence: It is important to let your child have a voice in what they do. Safe classroom environments are a great opportunity to allow your child to explore their independence, helping them develop self-confidence.

2) Motivate: While trying a new activity, ask motivating questions such as "Do you think you can walk on the balance beam? Can you show me?" instead of telling them what do: "Let's go walk on the balance beam." Praise their efforts as well as the outcome. Your praise and support will have a profound impact on their emotional development.

3) Be a role model: Your child may not seize the opportunity to try new things, but that doesn't mean you can't. Encourage your child to try things by demonstrating them yourself. The more you participate, the more your child will participate.

Winners

2011-04-21T13:48:00.000-07:00

On April 1st we had an awesome time with magician Jeff McMahon. Our event, co-sponsored by Chris Nordyke State Farm and generously fed by Papa's Pizza and First Alternative, was a huge success! Thank you all for coming.
Here are the winners of the Fool's Night of Magic raffle:
Jason & Mandy Young - One free Anytime Summertime Camp Day
Chase Kayes - One free Anytime Summertime Camp Day
Marsha McDowell - One free Anytime Summertime Camp Day
Heather Donaldson - One free Anytime Summertime Camp Day
Jennifer Gardner - One free T-shirt of your choosing (styles & sizes limited)
Parwana Schell - One free T-shirt of your choosing (styles & sizes limited)
Melody Williams - One free T-shirt of your choosing (styles & sizes limited)

We just finished our Summer Priority Enrollment. Priority Enrollment is a special time for currently enrolled members to reserve their place in the next semesters classes. During that time, we hold a raffle for those who took advantage of this special time. Our prize winners are listed below:
Heidi Weisel - One free Anytime Summertime Camp Day
Erik & Debbie Johnson - One free Awesome Birthday Bash
Katy & Mark Blye - half off an Awesome Birthday Bash
Taraza Lawrence - One free T-shirt of your choosing (styles & sizes limited)

Please call us at 541-753-0950 to redeem your prizes.
Congratulations!

EASTER: To Hunt or Not To Hunt

2011-04-16T12:55:00.000-07:00

lots of eggs, lots of kids, lots of successes

Whether Christian or Non-Christian, the Easter Egg Hunt is a popular event. It is the community event for this holiday. It is meant to bring people from all ages and cultures together to watch their children achieve success through a hide and seek game. However, some of us do not have such successes with this event. Below is a comical version of my childhood experience when I was 5 years old. It scarred me for life.

I got to the annual Willamalane Easter Egg hunt late so I had missed the hunt that was organized for my age. You know the one; the eggs are sprinkled in the grass close to the starting area so that every little kid could find at least one egg and achieve a feeling of success. (Kinda like this picture.) Knowing I had missed my chance at finding beautifully colored eggs that could be filled with delicious candy, I started to cry (already a bad start). “That’s OK! You can do the next hunt with the older kids,” the organizers said trying to comfort me. I was somewhat appeased and thought to myself, yea, I can do that. The kids will be older but that’s no big deal. I was used to that, I was the baby of the family and was used to competing with bigger, older kids.

Well, those kids were definitely older and bigger - and out for blood. Their baskets were dwarfed in their large hands and they stood twice my height. Their legs were taller than my entire body! I felt small and insignificant but I was determined. I wanted an EGG and I was going to get one!

age appropriate hunts are great

At the start of the event, the organizers got all the participants lined up and ready. We stood shoulder to shoulder (shoulder to hip for me) waiting for the shot of the starting gun (yes, they had a starting gun). After hearing the gun, which made me jump, everyone took off. I ran as fast as my little legs could go. My basket was hitting me in the side and really preventing me from keeping up with the older kids. (Yea, that’s the reason I could not keep up.) It was a big basket and I was small. It was half my size and very cumbersome to run with. The big kids were pulling away. I pushed myself more than I ever had before.....I wanted an EGG!

As I was running, I was watching the ground; the eggs were nowhere in sight. They were not sprinkled throughout the area. They were all at the other end of the giant field we had to run across. I was getting very winded and tired just trying to get there. It tookthe big kids seconds to get there; me minutes. When I finally did reach the other side, the eggs were gone. Older kids had already scooped them up. It was not a hunt - it was a race and I stood no chance of winning amongst these big kids.

As I approached the far end of the field, gasping for breath, the big kids were heading back with their baskets brimming; full of brightly colored eggs and candy. I turned away in tears. I never got the chance to find and egg.

one of my favorite faces as a kid -got me lots of attention

An older girl saw my face of disappointment (or maybe she thought I was going to pass out from exhaustion) and approached me. She told me she was sorry I did not find an egg and gave me one of hers. It was a bitter sweet moment. I thanked her and was glad I got a prize but it stung. I did not “earn” that egg and being handed one was another slap in the face that I was inadequate.

I look back at the story now and realize it is rather funny. I also look at it and thank goodness my kids did not have to face such disappointment in the egg hunting game. That’s right, I never took them to an Easter Egg hunt. We had our own hunts at home or at The Little Gym. We played hide and seek with the beanbags before it was written into the curriculum.

When you think about it, running through a giant field with other kids, searching for a brightly colored prizes that are the size of, well, an egg….sounds impossible! Especially if you are competing for a limited number of prizes and your competition is twice your size. However, if you are into it for the nostalgia, successes (make sure you make it to the age appropriate hunt), community or just free candy, here is a list of local hunts:
Saturday, April 23rd

Philomath Community Egg Hunt - 10:00 am, Philomath Middle School grounds. Age divisions are 0-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, and 10-11 year olds. All participants need to register upon arrival for the egg hunt.

First Assembly of God Easter Egg Hunt - 9:30am, 2817 Santiam Hwy SE, ages 2-11 Free

Albany Downtown Association Easter Egg Roll - 10am-noon, Montieth Park, Free

LBLANA Easter Egg Hunt & BBQ - 11am Timber Linn Park, $4 per person

Albany Downtown Association Bunny Trail Scavenger Hunt - 11am, Monteith Park

Easter Bunny at Heritage Mall - 11am-7pm, Heritage Mall

Brownsville Easter Egg Hunt - 1pm, Pioneer Park, Downtown Brownsville

Happy Easter Egg Hunting everyone!

Denise

Is Your Child Ready for Team Sports?

2011-03-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

Soccer is starting next week, T-ball & baseball/softball are starting soon after. How do you know when your child is ready to be on a team? What are the advantages between a team sport and an individual sport for children. The answers vary. Not everyone will be ready to be on a team at any certain age. Even though many sports clubs offer teams for children as young as 4 or 5, some children may not have the maturity to play team sports safely at that age. In order to play team sports safely (and have fun doing it) children need to be old enough to do the following:
   •listen attentively
   •follow directions
   •play cooperatively with other children
   •control emotional impulses, especially anger
   •have the coordination, strength and endurance to keep up with the other players

Team sports differ from individual sports in several ways. The main differences is team or group sports are conducted in group settings. Individual sports occur in groups but are taught individually. Not every child is ready for a team sport.

If you decide your child has the maturity to try a team sport, ask friends and co-workers for recommendations about specific teams or leagues that emphasize fun and safety over winning every game. Attend a few games of the team or league you're considering to see how parents and coaches act on the sidelines -- and steer clear of those who berate players or seem to push them too hard.

Parents often struggle with this question: "Did I start my child too early in this sport?" or "Did I wait too long for this activity?" I know of a woman who was told to provide private ballet lessons for her 5-year-old daughter before she could join an ongoing ballet class (not in Corvallis) with other 5 year olds who started at an earlier age.

When Randy and I were growing up here in Oregon, nobody played on teams until they were at least 12. Plenty of kids joined junior high teams having never played anywhere but in P.E. class in gradeschool and junior high.

Talk to coaches to find out what team, league and/or sport is the best fit for your child. Make sure the children are allowed some creativity, the ability to learn at their own pace and that the coach is able to discover each child's own learning stlyle. Parents and coaches that correct every skill a child demonstrates might not understand the psychological and development milestones of that age. That can hinder the positive experience your child may be missing. Most importantly, it may not be any fun for them causing them to burn out quickly. Remember, if your child doesn’t excel at a particular sport, don’t push them. They will most likely find some physical activity they like to do, even if it is just riding their bicycle (wearing a helmet, of course) around the neighborhood.

Participating in a sport is a great way for your child to build self-esteem, get some exercise and learn teamwork. While the AAP suggests not enrolling your child into competitive team sports until they are six years old, there are non-competitive leagues and low-key teams at local recreation facilities that can teach your child the basic rules of the sports. Let your child take the lead: If your child at age 5 has a burning desire to; play softball, do gymnastics, join a swim team or soccer team, try to find one that is non-competitive, teaches listening and social skills, but most importantly is FUN!

A Love of Learning

2011-03-08T21:45:00.000-08:00

A Love for Learning

Instilling a love for learning is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child. But how can you help your child develop a healthy attitude towards learning and school? The best motivation is to help them learn to motivate themselves. This internal stimulus, known as intrinsic motivation, refers to the drive that comes from inside an individual rather than from external motivation such as good grades.

Intrinsically motivated children are more involved in their own learning and development and tend to be more enthusiastic learners. For instance, Deborah Stipek, Ph.D., dean of Stanford University's School of Education, in California, and coauthor of Motivated Minds: Raising Children to Love Learning found that middle-school age children enjoy subjects more as their competence increases. She says, "You're more likely to want to do the activities you feel you're good at."

Lessons at The Little Gym challenge children to strive for success in a positive and nurturing environment. Each new accomplishment promotes confidence and each successful experience motivates them to try for the next. Whether they're learning to land the perfect cartwheel or are learning to listen and follow directions, the confidence gained will inspire them to strive for new challenges with proud smiles on their faces.

Winter/Spring Winners!

2011-02-12T11:56:00.000-08:00

WINNERS:

Thank you to all who came out on Super Bowl Sunday to our Kick Off Party. What a SUCCESS! We had several children enjoying the games and free play as well as several parents enjoying the prizes and raffle.

Today, I would like to announce our winners of the $150 Dream Dinners and the $50 Live Well Studio gift certificates. And the winners are.........
Dream Dinners - Shannon Bowdle
Jennifer Smits - Live Well Studio
CONGRATULATIONS! Thank you for your loyalty to TLGC!

PARENT SURVIVAL NIGHTS (PSN):

Lately, several parents have been taking us up on our babysitting service (PSN). We have been at capacity for 2 consecutive events. Our next PSN is going to be Saturday, February 26 from 6:30 - 9:30 so please register early so that you are not caught without childcare for your evening out.

We now have a PSN Punchcard. It is a buy 5 get 1 free card that can be purchased in advance for $125. That is a savings of $25 (available to members only). You can buy it as a gift or use it for yourself. It never expires and protects you from the possibility of price increase before it is "used up". (Sorry, card does not guarantee a spot for your child at the event, you must still register early.)

Please see one of TLGC Team members to purchase you PSN Punchcard today!

ASK THE THERAPIST:

“At what age should my child hold a pencil right?” “Is it normal for my kid to eat the same thing every day for months?” “What things can a parent do to help an overexcited child to focus a little?” “Why does my child like to fall on purpose, and not seem to feel pain?” “Is it weird that my child complains that clothing tags scratch him and refuses to wear socks even when it’s cold?”

If you have thought or questions such as (or any others) regarding your little ones, come Monday evening and meet Pam Hood-Szivek OTR/L,. She is the owner of Corvallis Children’s Therapy and a very talented Occupational Therapist. She will have a desk set up in the lobby of TLGC Feb 21 & 22 at 3:45 – 5:00pm. Come, pick her brain, set up an appointment (you get a free one by showing your Member Milestones card) or just say hi.

TWO Kick Offs in ONE day!

2011-01-21T07:36:00.000-08:00

PLEASE NOTE THE TIME CHANGE! OUR KICK OFF IS NOW EARLIER SO YOU CAN ENJOY THE SUPER (BOWL) KICK OFF!

Our Winter/Spring Semester is kicking off with a PARTY February 6 from 12:30 - 2:30. If you are enrolled (or plan to enroll) for this semester filled with FUN and SUCCESS, come to the party. There will be free play, directed play, refreshments, music, games, performances by the advanced classes and maybe even a performance by the instructors. We will be holding a raffle for several prizes: GRAND PRIZE is a month of FREE food from DreamDinners. Also there is a $50 Gift certificate from Live Well Studios for classes/instruction. Several TLGC items will be raffled off as well: discounts, camp days, PSN punch cards, TLG Bucks, T-shirts, dance gear etc...(must be registered for W/S Semester to enter).

Enrolled members are welcome and if you bring a friend to the party and they enroll for W/S Semester, you will receive 300 Member Milestones points - DOUBLE the usual points for referrals!

Feel free to forward this info to your friends. Also, share it on your Facebook or Twitteraccount. Thank you.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

Have you made your usual New Year's resolutions yet? You know - the ones where you resolve to steer clear of junk food and start a savings plan? The clean slate of a New Year is a great time to reevaluate and start fresh. While you determine new guidelines for 2011, think about including resolutions that have a positive impact on your child as well. Here are 3 parenting resolutions to consider this year:

Instill a love for physical activity. Physical activity provides countless benefits. So, it's important to help your child develop healthy habits at an early age. In addition to gymnastics, The Little Gym has several other programs, such as Sports Skills and Dance, which can help your child develop a love for an active lifestyle.

Focus on positive behaviors. Like adults, children respond to favorable comments and adopt behaviors that gain them attention. Try to get in the habit of catching your child "at their best." Providing encouragement for good behavior is a great way to motivate children to maintain good habits.

Give yourselves a break. Planning some time away from the kids should be considered a necessity rather than a luxury. Plus, brief separations are beneficial for kids as well. Time away helps foster a feeling of independence and builds bonds with other adults such as grandma, a favorite neighbor, or The Little Gym instructors. And if you need a night off, Parents' Survival Nights have got you covered.

WAIT!! What? Only one week left? Here are a few ideas

2010-12-17T12:35:00.000-08:00

Where does the time go? Anyone out there actually have their shopping done. I cannot believe how fast this holiday season arrived. There are lots of deals locally and I have found many on Facebook. Some businesses give discounts that are only advertised on Facebook. If you are not on Facebook, you may want to consider starting an account just for the deals you may find. Good Luck and have fun but consider yourself warned.....it can be addicting!

For those of you who have waited until the last minute (or at least the last week), here is a list of local business that will give you a discount just for being a member at The Little Gym of Corvallis. Just show your member milestones card and receive the listed discount and finish up your shopping needs:

ITEMS TO PURCHASE:

Cycle Solutions (541) 740-0497 Located across from TLGC - Strider (www.stridersports.com) Pedal-Free PRE-bikes that are available for 1 week ½ price rent so parents can try them out ($20 regular price) $10 off if purchased (regular price $99).

Real Deals (541) 760-2441 new location across from Fred Meyer - 15% off any favorite item (excludes furniture and sale items). If you earn $2,000 Member Milestones points, then you receive $5 to spend any way you wish in Real Deals.

Frogs & Pollywogs (541) 967-3055 222 West 1st Avenue, Albany - $5 off $25 or more purchase (one time only)

Party Designs in Bloom, PartyDesignsInBloom@live.com - 15% discount on party products and/or services.

YUMMY FOOD TO ENJOY:

Cold Stone Creamery (541) 753-1754, 2350 NE 9^th St #B, Corvallis – 10% off your order.

Yogurt Extreme (541) 368-5621, new location next to Market of Choice and OSU campus (541) 230-1660 - 10% off your dish.

Dream Dinners (541) 752-3040 right next door to TLGC - 10% off your order.

Rocket Queen Cupcakes (541) 740-5669 - $5 off dozen regular size cupcakes, one per order.

Cloud 9 (541) 753-9900 126 SW First Street, Corvallis - $1 off a kid’s meal

SERVICES FOR FUN OR TO MAKE LIFE EASIER:

Classic Clean (541) 908-1284 – 10% off cleaning of your home

Corvallis Indoor Park - Join them and receive a coupon book with valuable coupons from local merchants (including TLGC).

American Hero Carpet Cleaning (541) 754-5399 - 10% off carpets cleaned

Darkside Cinema (541) 752-4161, 215 SW 4^th, Corvallis- Cardholders receive student pricing for all regular-priced shows. Our regular price is $8. Students pay $6.75

FOR YOUR FAMILIES HEALTH:

Synergea Chiropractic (541) 207-1087, 111 N 20th Street, Philomath, across from Philomath High - 50% off ALL new member services (that can include orthopedic and neurological exams, nervous system scans, health history, X-rays, report of findings, and recommendations for care) AND 20% off any supplement whether or not they are a member of the practice.

Integrative Acupuncture & Oriental Therapeutics, Isaac Hendler, Mac. Lac. - (541) 754-1425 – across parking lot from TLGC! $25 off first office visit for Acupuncture with Herbal & Nutritional Consultation $15 off first Pediatric Herbal and Nutritional Consultation.

Corvallis Children’s Therapy, Pam Hood-Szivek, OTR/L Pediatric Occupational Therapist (541) 974-7709 - 517 SW 2nd St, Corvallis - One Free 30 minute OT screening (does not include a formal evaluation report). Limit one per child; no family limit. Or $50 off an initial visit and 10% off all future visits for members of The Little Gym. (Cannot be combined with other discounts offered.)

Dr Henke & Dr Okerstom, Cosmetic and Family Dentistry (541) 757-0082 2605 Northwest Rolling Green Drive - New Patient Exams and X-rays for a family. Example - 2 parents, 3 kids (or however many in the family) all get a new patient exam and x-rays with Dr. Henke or Dr. Okerstom

Of course, we have discounted items at The Little Gym of Corvallis to purchase. Not only do we sell gift certificates, but we have many items under $15 (with your membership):

inspiration bracelets 2 for $1

grocery totes for $2 (great for a "Santa bag")

Tutus for $12

dance and athletic bags for$10

CD's for $7

Tee Shirts for $10 - $15 (adult sizes too)

Onesies for $12

Frisbees and water bottles for $5

and the list goes on........
Special Blog gift to you: Come in and purchase a camp day and receive a second camp day at 1/2 off (one per customer please - new camp registrations only).

GIFT OF GIVING:

Please, don't forget those in need at this time of year. I went to Furniture Share this morning to play "Santa" and pass out gifts to those in need of some help. I was saddened by the news that donations were down this year and that some of the gifts needed to be "redistributed" so that more people could receive something. Some people may have to do without. Please, if you have the "means," take a name off of a tree, give to toys for tots, donate your time, donate money, whatever you can do, please do it.

For those of you who took tags off our Giving Wreaths, I thank you, Furniture Share thanks you, and the recipients of the gifts thank you.

Dear Grandma & Grandpa

2010-12-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

Teacher Megan with one of her students during Dinosaur week

During the holidays, we at TLGC understand the need for giving gifts that matter. Gifts that are local, good for you and the environment, fun and meaningful. One service we provide to members and non members is a letter to Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles or any friend or relative that normally gives your child a gift. In the letter we suggest a gift certificate to The Little Gym as we know that is a gift that your child will LOVE! The Little Gym is the gift that keeps on giving - for a month, a semester or even a year or more. Please read the letter below. We will personally address it, fill in your child's name and class, sign it and mail it out so that your gift may come in plenty of time for the holiday. Let us know if this is a service you are interested in.

December 6, 2010

Dear Steve & Sue,

We have enjoyed having Rebecca in our Giggle Toes Dance class this Fall at The Little Gym of Corvallis. Many grandparents have expressed an interest in purchasing a The Little Gym gift certificate for their grandchild for the holidays.

Enclosed is our Winter/Spring class brochure. Gift certificates may be purchased in any denomination. If you would like to purchase a gift certificate for your grandchild, please call us at The Little Gym of Corvallis (541) 753-0950. We will deliver the gift certificate to Rebecca for your holiday season.

Happy Handstands,

Denise & Randy McCoy, owners
The Little Gym of Corvallis

We also have PSN (Parent Survival Night) punch cards, leotards and "underarmour" shirt/short sets, tutus, frisbees, water bottles, etc....all your needs for a healthy holiday!

Happy Holidays!

December....A time for Tradition

2010-11-29T07:13:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2005, Kylee, Randy, Brei, & Conor

Family traditions can be calming breaks from the hectic holiday pace and help rekindle the spirit of the season. So, if you're shopping for the perfect gift for your family, why not try establishing a new tradition? Unlike most presents, they're inexpensive, don't need wrapping and will last nearly forever. The McCoy's have a few family traditions this time of year. We have a collection of Holiday movies we watch together and lots of Holiday music. The music ranges from Celtic to traditional Christmas, new-age Christmas and even some solstice. When we listen together, we remember and reminisce about stories from the past.

Another tradition the McCoy's have adopted started back when the kids were very young. Every year on Christmas eve, right before the kids go to bed, Randy reads "Twas the Night Before Christmas." We have not missed a Christmas eve yet. Even the year Brei spent Christmas in California, we called her on the phone and she was "there" with us.

Here are some other traditions that you may enjoy adding to your family:

Winter Solstice: Lights are festive and cheery reminders of the holiday season. This is especially true on the longest night of the year, the winter solstice. This year, light up the darkness with homemade luminaries, decorative paper bags filled with sand and small candles. This is one of our favorites. When the kids were young, we would load them in the car, put in a Christmas CD and go look at lights. One of Kylee's first words was "lights" (of course it sounded like Raw, but we knew what she meant).

Surprise a Public Servant: Firefighters, police officers and other public servants give up their holidays to make sure that ours are safe and happy. Arrange a family trip to surprise your public servants with some fresh baked goods.

Make a Global Wish List: To contrast the holiday wish list, create a list that truly reflects the holiday spirit: a wish list for the world. Ask each family member to contribute ideas. Then, choose at least one that you can actually implement as a family, such as a contributing to a charity, adopting a needy family, giving a gift from the giving tree (we have one here at TLGC) or volunteering at a soup kitchen.

What are some of your family traditions?

Enjoy the Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-18T14:14:00.000-08:00

WOW! Can you believe Thanksgiving is only a week away? I can't! It feels to me like school just started. No matter how I feel, the holidays are creeping upon us. Holidays, I will get to that in a moment. Let me start by saying I am incredibly grateful. Grateful for my loving family, incredible staff I work with, my community and their support, and of course to the most awesome, loyal customers in the world....YOU! I know, it sounds sappy, but it is true. Thank you.

Now, to continue: With the Holidays comes a myriad of extra offerings at The Little Gym: Camps, Special PSN's, Parades, Letters.....

First, Camps: Black Friday, November 26th & Holiday Break Winter Wonderland, December 20 - 23 & 27 - 30 will run from 9:00 - noon and 1:00 - 4:00 .

We cater to the needs of the 3* - 9 year old with gymnastics, games, music, healthy snacks and even a craft suitable to give as a gift.
Call us today and register early as our camps are very popular and fill up fast. Click here for a more detailed description and themesThese camps are open to Members and Non-Members and prices vary from $26 - $35 for each 3 hour camp.
* must be toilet independent.
We have 2 special PSN's. The first one is on Saturday, November 27th from 6:30 - 9:30 - spend an evening with the McCoy family as they are hosting this particular Holiday PSN. Teacher's Brei, Randy, Denise and maybe even Conor will be there.

The other Holiday PSN will be on the 3rd Saturday in December (since the regular 4th Saturday happens to be Christmas). This too will be from 6:30 - 9:30 on December 18th and will be hosted by the Reader (Maria & Mira) family as Teacher Maria's daughter Mira now works as part of our team. Our regularly scheduled 2nd Friday PSN in December will remain the same, from 6:00 - 9:00 (no changes).

On to the Parade: Once again the Corvallis Lion's will organize the spectacular Downtown Corvallis Christmas parade. We will be walking in the parade that is themed "Over the River and Through the Woods to Grandmother's House". TLGC will be walking, rolling, strolling, cartwheeling, etc... down 4th street and would love to have all of you join us. We will meet at 6:45pm just west of 4th street on Washington street.

Now to the letter..... Each year, we offer to send out a letter to Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles or anyone else you would like to "suggest" a gift to. This letter is written from us letting them know that your child has been growing and learning here at The Little Gym and that you would like this opportunity to continue. Rather than a toy this year as a gift, please make it an experience - something that will last until June - make it a gift of classes at The Little Gym. If you are interested in having us send out this letter, please email us the addresses and names of who you want it sent to at tlgcorvallisor@thelittlegym.com. Click here to view a sampleletter.

More to come next month. Until then.......Happy Thanksgiving!

New Member Milestones Business Partners

2010-11-17T10:58:00.000-08:00

Besides the business that I have listed back in October, here are a few more that have joined us in offering value to your membership here at The Little Gym. Thank you local business owners:

Dream Dinners - 10% off your order

American Hero Carpet Cleaning - 10% off carpets cleaned

Intergrative Acupuncture & Oriental Therapeutics, Isaac Hendler, Mac.Lac. (541) 754-1425 across parking lot from TLGC- $25 off first office visit for Acupuncture with Herbal & Nutritional consultation. $15 off first Pediatric Herbal & Nutritional consultation

Corvallis Children's Therapy, Pam Hood-Szivek, OTR/L Pediatric Occupational Therapist - Free 30 minute OT screening (does not include a formal evaluation report). Limit one per child but no family limit.

Classic Clean - 10% off any home cleaning

Party Designs in Bloom, partydesignsinbloom@live.com - 15% off party supplies/planning

(logos to come later.....blogger is acting weird)

For Winter Blues, TLGC Rules! In other words, what to do with the kids now that soccer is over.

2010-11-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

Is the thought of darker days depressing you? Are you wondering what to do with the kids now that soccer is over? Are the kids driving you crazy with their bouncing off the walls? Have no fear. The Little Gym of Corvallis is here! Not only do our classes boost children's self esteem and confidence, they are the perfect compliment to any other sports activity. Whether it is swimming, soccer, running, wresting....whatever, gymnastics can give your child the strength, body awareness/control and coordination needed to excel in any sport. Plus, they get all their "wiggles" out!

Soccer and Track (sprinting) were Teacher Brei's sports of choice in Middle & High School and college. Though she has her dad's natural athleticism, she attributes her agility to her start at The Little Gym.
She began as a Bug, just 4 months old. As she got older, it was apparent she had good coordination, body & motor control, flexibility and strength. She grew at TLG into an Aerial at the early age of 7 (at that time, Aerials was the most advanced class offered). She continued on and used her gymnastics skills to her advantage, especially in her soccer game.

Brei was the fastest sprinter on her track teams. This meant she was also able to out run anyone on the soccer field. With this speed, she would occasionally get tripped up by the opposing team. Brei would roll and pop right back up (this is where the gymnastics training came into play). The coaches were impressed with her ability to fall down and get right back up and still beat the other person to the ball. Brei ended up getting a soccer scholarship to Southern Oregon University. She had a successful career there as a starter for all 4 years and captain her senior year.

Brei continues to use her previous gymnastics training in snowboarding, indoor soccer and of course her work. We are glad that Brei was able to start her sporting "career" at TLG. It has proven to be very advantageous for her success..... and ours.

Gymnastics has been proven to be one of the best conditioning sports for children. Here are a few reasons why:
1. It builds balance and basic motor skills even in the youngest of athletes. Mommy & Me programs, offered by many gyms (not just The Little Gym), are designed to cultivate these early skills.

2. With childhood obesity at an all time high, physical activity is a must for children. Teaching a love for exercise from a young age starts trends that may continue throughout a child’s life.

3. It improves self esteem. Studies have shown that children who are involved in athletics learn more independence, problem solving skills, and build confidence in their achievements.

4. It builds social skills. Putting children in an environment with children of similar interests is an excellent way for kids to make friends. Team sports (yes, gymnastics is a team sport too) teaches teamwork, leadership, and cooperation.

Please visit our website or call us at 541-753-0950. We are half way through the Fall Semester but some classes still have room. We will be enrolling for Winter/Spring right after Thanksgiving. Be sure to call early as space is limited.
Happy Handstands,
Denise
proud owner of The Little Gym of Corvallis and Brei's momma

BOO!

2010-10-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

It's a spooky and scary time of year. Here at The Little Gym, we will be having our 2nd annual Halloween Carnival. Bring your little Ghosts and Goblins this Friday from 6:30 - 8:30. Wear your favorite Halloween costume and be sure to show your Member Milestones card when you enter. Come ready to trick-or-treat, play carnival games and activities, have fun and maybe even sing a song or two with The Little Gym of Corvallis team.

Another scary part of this time of year is Colds and Flu. Remember, if you or your little one is sick with a runny nose, fever, cough, sore throat or tummy ache, please stay home. We will gladly give you a make up to use when your family is well again. Here is a poem to help you remember not to share your germs:

Sniffles and Achoos!

Denise had a little cold
But didn't stay at home
And everywhere that Denise went,
the cold was sure to roam.

It wandered into Brei's eyes,
And filled them full of tears.
It jumped from there to Randy's nose
And then to Laura's ears.

It painted Maria's throat bright red
And welled poor Alicia's head.
Andrea had a fever
And a cough put Megan to bed.

The moral of this little tale
is that colds are sure to roam:
Everyone would not be sick,
if Denise had stayed at home!

As much as we love having you here, your safety AND health of everyone here at the gym is our main concern.

Thank you!
the TLGC Team

TA-DA!

2010-10-13T21:42:00.000-07:00

Check out our newest youtube video here. TA-DA! Campbell!

Member Milestones Business Partners

2010-10-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

As an added bonus to your membership here at The Little Gym, we have partnered with local businesses that are offering discounts when you show you’re Member Milestones. Please patronize our Member Milestones Business Partners:

Cycle Solutions-Strider (http://www.stridersports.com/) Pedal-Free PREbikes that are available for 1/2 off weekly rental so parents can try them out (regular rent $20/week) before buying, then $10 in store credit if purchased (regular price $99).

Yogurt Extreme - 10% off

Real Deals -%15 off any favorite item (excludes furniture and sale items). If you earn $2,000 Member Milestones points, then you receive $5 to spend any way you wish in Real Deals.

Frogs & Pollywogs - $5 off $25 or more purchase (one time only)

Rocket Queen Cupcakes - $5 off dozen regular size cupcakes, one per order

Cloud 9 - $1 off a kid’s meal

Osborn Pool - awaiting discount offer

Darkside Cinema - Cardholders receive student pricing for all regular-priced shows. Our regular price is $8. Students pay $6.75

Synergea Chiropractic - 50% off ALL new member services (that can include ortho and neuro exams, nervous system scans, health history, X-rays, report of findings, and recommendations for care) AND 20% off any supplement whether or not they are a member of the practice.

Corvallis Indoor Park - Join them and receive a coupon book with valuable coupons from local merchants (including TLGC)

Dream Dinners-10% off your order

The List is continually growing and changing. Keep checking this site or view a list on Facebook or our website (www.TheLittleGym.com/CorvallisOR)

If you are a business owner or know of a business that would like to become a Member Milestones Business partner, please email Denise at dmccoy@thelittlegym.com

Back to School, Colorful Leaves, Football

2010-09-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

What comes to your mind when people mention Fall? The 3 listed in the title represent my memories both as a young school child and as a high school and college student. Back to School for me meant new school supplies: My mom would take me and my sisters shopping for new shoes, clothes, school supplies and lunch boxes. My brother never went with us because he took himself as he was in high school when I went to first grade. I always thought he missed out. It was a bonding time that I had with my mother and my sisters: Trying on clothes for each others approval, picking the nicest, loudest shoes (mine had to make a clicking noise on the hard surface because I wanted to be a tap dancer), picking out the coolest lunch box (don't laugh, mine was The Flying Nun and Randy's was The Monkees. Yes, they were metal and yes, they had matching thermoses....SO COOL! - Geeze, I am dating myself and Rand), and buying the 3 P's - paper, pencil, and Pee Chee (again with the dating).

After I got all those beautiful new clothes and shoes, I would anxiously wait for the first day of school. When it finally arrived, I would promptly walk to school kicking all the fallen leaves and splashing in the puddles (the shoes sounded cool in the water too). I loved the giant maple tree at the end of our street. I would collect the biggest most colorful leaves and take them to my teacher. Then on the way home, I would bring some to my mom.

Once at school, we kids would take out all our new supplies and ogle over what the other person got. I will never forget the first Trapper Keeper I ever saw. I was so jealous (and I was in Junior High - more dating).

At lunch, everyone would be acting cool about their lunch boxes. Who would have the best, most popular one. Looking around at each and everyone non-chalantly. Sneaking a peek at the coolest one out of the corner of our eye (don't stare, then they know theirs is cooler than yours). I am sure The Monkees was way cooler than The Flying Nun. My friend had a Flipper lunch box. Also cooler than The Flying Nun but I really liked Sally Field (still do). She reminded me of my oldest sister.

As I got older, I brought my lunch in a paper sack. Lunch boxes became plastic and not as cool - a little dorky actually. Fall changed for me. It went from Back to School excitement to Football Season. The crisp weather, pretty leaves and the smell of wet, fresh-cut grass became the backdrop for football excitement. I was a Cheerleader in 8th, 9th, 10th and 12th grades, then my Sophomore year in college. Randy was on the football teams I cheered for - Springfield Junior High Rebels, Springfield High School Millers and Western Oregon State College Wolverines (Go Wolves!). (Yes, we have known each other since Junior High.) It was an exciting time of my life. Being on a "team" for the first time, learning how to move my body in unison with others and checking out the cute boy who played defensive back.

As I became a mother, the excitement became Soccer Season as all my kids choose this as their fall sport. It worked just the same for me. The crisp weather, the smell of grass, the pretty leaves and our three beautiful kids running wildly up and down the field. Brei had a monstrous kick (still does, she broke her coaches nose in college when he tried to defend her), Kylee played a mean goalie and Conor, although he tried football, chose soccer too (which made me very happy as he was quite small growing up).

This is the website for Fall sports at SOU. That's Brei playing soccer her senior year, 2007

I still love Fall. It is my most favorite time of the year. Not because I, or even my children, are going back to school, those days are gone (except Conor being a sophomore in college). It is because the colors of the leaves, the smell of the wet dirt and grass and football and soccer remind me of those days when I was a younger. When the biggest decision I had to make was which lunch box to buy or which new outfit to wear on the first day of school or would that cute football player boy notice me or will my kids score a goal today. Don't get me wrong, I love my life and the way it has all played out - I could not be happier. It's just that I have so many wonderful memories. I guess that makes me a reminiscing-romantic.

Customer Appreciation/New member Open House Sponsored by Chris Nordyke, State Farm

2010-08-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

Got Kids? Know somebody who does? Want to know more about The Little Gym? Know about TLG? Want to tell more people? Come on by Sunday from 2 -5 and see what's happening. This event is for current members and their friends and anybody else who wants to come with their children. It is a chance for you, the member, to introduce your friends to TLG. We will have some good, healthy, fun activities and gymnastics in the gym for children ages 4 mo - 12 years. Parents, you get to play with... your children too. It's optional if your child is 3 or above (not optional if they are younger than 3 please).

We will have games, music, pizza, gymnastics, alternatives to soda tasting by First Alternative and FUN! Please join us.

If your friends become members and enroll for classes at The Little Gym between now and September 12th, you will earn 500 Member Milestones points. That means, if you have 5 friends join, you just earned your child a FREE AWESOME BIRTHDAY BASH! Or, if you have 8 friends join, you and your child get to enjoy all the benefits of a FREE SEMESTER! We are also making it exciting for the guests too; Guests, if you come to the party and enroll, you get an extra 100 extra Member Milestones points ontop of the 300 - 350 you will earn by enrolling. (Member Milestones is a reward system we have at TLG where you earn and accrue points for every purchase at TLG. Then you use them as cash at TLG....SWEET!)

So invite as many friends as you want and tell them about all the joy and learning that goes on here at The Little Gym. We appreciate it. And we appreciate YOU!

The New Member/Customer Appreciation Open House will be held August 29th from 2 - 5. Chris Nordyke from State Farm Insurance is sponsoring the event and will be providing pizza. There will also be a free "alternatives to soda" tasting from First Alternative. Join us, and Bring A Friend!

See you soon!

TA-DA!

2010-08-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

Ta-Da! is a phrase that is very familiar to The Little Gym families. That is what we teach the kids to say after they finish a skill and stand with their feet together and their arms above their heads as if to say, "Look What I Did!"

It is also the name of a feature in Mom Magazine's blog that features a Ta-Da! moment or child at The Little Gym. You can also see the videos on The Little Gym of Corvallis' Youtube site. We have had 3 children featured so far this year. We started with a Grade School aged child, then featured one who was PreK age. Our newest feature is in the Parent/Child classes; a Beast (age 19 mo - 2 1/2 yrs) to be exact.

Tell your friends and family to check it out. We are adding more video weekly. Will you and your child be next?

Stand UP and Speak OUT!

2010-08-12T18:12:00.000-07:00

I love a "best of" list. The Gazette Times has put together the "Top of the Valley Awards" and YOU get to vote for the winners. There are tons of different topics. Everything from Best Restaurant (broken down to different styles even), Best People, Best Bartender, Best Place to Propose to my favorite, Best Place to Take Your Kids (Ballot 5, hint-hint). There are 7 short ballots and you can vote on one or all. But take note; you can only vote one time from your email address so make those votes count.

Voting closes Oct 15 and the winners will be posted in a special section in the GT and Democrat Herald on Oct. 29. Follow the link above and have some fun. Cheers! Denise

It's Fair Time!

2010-08-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

When I was young, my family never went on summer vacations. We did the trendy Staycation back before that term was ever coined. I spent my Staycation with my friends every year doing the same thing......the Lane County Fair.

The county fair was the event of the summer for me and my friends. I loved the sounds and smells of the fair: the rock and roll music each "Carnie" had at "their" ride, the screaming kids on those rides, the smell of fatty, grease and sugar burning in the hot sun, and don't forget the manure from the 4-H barns. Awwwww, it brings back memories. I would spend at least 3 full days and nights at the fair every year. I rode on every ride and knew them all by name like they were my closest friends: Hammerhead, Zipper, Squirrel Cages, Round-Up, Ali baba, Tilt 'o Whirl, Bobsled, Rock 'o Plane, just to name a few. Some even had more than one name depending on which Midway company owned the ride: the Sizzler/Scrambler/Twister, the Octopus or Spider, the Yo-Yo or Giant Swings.....I rode them all - several times. I once rode the Rock 'o Plane 15 times in a row stopping only to buy more tickets. I was one of the lucky ones with great balance and inner-ear equilibrium - a superb vestibular system. In others words, I never threw up!

On my way to work at The Little Gym this morning, I drove by the Benton County Fairgrounds and saw that the Benton County Fair is in full swing. I thought back to the first couple of years that Randy & I lived here and our kids were involved in 4-H. Our kids had sheep and Llamas at the fair. The rule is: If you have animals at the fair, you have to be at the fairground everyday, all day, to care for them. GREAT! That meant we could spend one of those days riding the rides - just like old times! We had not done that in years! Randy & I were so excited to show our kids what a real county fair was all about......the rides! We bought our "all rides" bracelet in advance so that all 5 of us could go on any ride, as many times as we wanted, all day long.

Let me just say, the vestibular system of a gradeschooler, or even teenager, works much better than that of a (at that time) mid-thirty year old. Randy and I rode on the Yo-Yo, the Scrambler, the Octopus, the Zipper, the Tilt 'o Whirl. Then, we thought we were gonna hirl! Oh my goodness. What had we done! We were dizzy and sick to our stomachs for 3 days! Things had changed. Things had changed A LOT! No, it wasn't the rides, they did not get faster. They still spun around and around at the same speed as before. It was us! Our inner-ears had changed - our vestibular system had digressed, or shall I say, aged.

Spinning, tumbling rides inflict mayhem on our vestibular system. Since those are the set of organs responsible for our sense of balance, Randy and I were stumbling, bumbling idiots for 3 days. We had the worst case of vertigo and it was our own fault. I have since learned that tiny rocks in our inner ears sense orientation, and fluid-filled rings detect spinning. When what our eyes see and what our body does conflict with what our inner ear is reporting, we get sick. Hence, the vertigo for 3 days.

Children younger than 6 or 7 are immune to motion sickness because their vestibular systems are not yet mature. At The Little Gym, we do several upside down and rolling activities from age 4 months on to increase the efficacy of the vestibular system. Studies show that susceptibility peaks around age 10 and declines into adulthood. But by then, researchers say, most adults have learned to avoid this type of situation (I did say most....not all).

If you are brave and want to head to the fair, I suggest watching your little ones from the side. If you are able to brave the carnival rides, I would LOVE to hear your comments and how you beat the aging vestibular system. The incident I spoke of was about 14 years ago. Randy and I can't even look at the rides without getting dizzy and feeling nauseous now. So....GOOD LUCK!

The Benton County Fair runs until Saturday, Aug 7th and is open from 8:30am - 11:00pm. You can see a compete schedule by clicking here HAVE FUN!

Tantrums

2010-07-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

How do you handle anger, frustration, being tired? Do you throw things, stomp up and down, scream, cry, yell at the top of your lungs? Do you throw a tantrum? I, myself, am a crier. Just like when I was 2. Well, maybe not JUST like when I was 2. I did learn not to throw myself on the floor and scream and cry. :-) But that comes with maturity and a little self control. Something most 2 - 5 year olds have not mastered.

I recently ran across a couple of articles on this subject. One article is by Eltan Schwartz, MD. The other talks a lot about understanding and patience which is how we deal with such issues at The Little Gym. I wish I had read them both when my kids were young. There is some good advice on how to handle the all-embarrassing tantrum. One of my three kids (I won't say which but she USED to work at TLGC) was really good at the check-out line tantrum; the worst of all. UGH! I think that is the hardest place to be the "good parent". Kids are smart. They know that you won't REALLY "march them out to the car and leave them there while you finish paying", or ignore them completely while you calmly talk to the clerk and pay your money as if there is no "screaming meemie" behind you, lying on the floor, kicking their legs and biting at your ankles. They know.....the louder they are, the more frustrated you get. Then what happens?.......I always cried.

I hope you can pull some tools from the article to help in these situations. Please leave comments on your most embarrassing tantrum moments, how you handled (or didn't) handle, what worked and didn't work, advice, etc... We would love to hear.

Good luck, Good parenting and Happy Handstands!

Denise

Welcome TLG babies!

2010-07-14T09:31:00.000-07:00

The Little Gym has been growing with new babies. Several of our members have new little ones and our own Teacher Laura had her daughter, Jona Lynae on July 6th. Congratulations to all who have new additions in their homes. Come on down to TLGC and introduce us to your additions.

Here is a special offer for those of you who have older children enrolled in the Fall Semester; Sometime during Fall Semester, your new baby will be 4 months old, please bring them to our Bugs class and receive 1/2 off tuition.

The Little Gym Bug Program (age 4-10 months) is designed to promote the motor, social, emotional and cognitive development of your child. Your baby’s brain is taking in information and developing at an extremely rapid rate. The Bug program provides a wide array of educational and developmental stimuli - music, body motions and positions, vocabulary, social interaction, exercise and much more. This stimulating environment helps promote brain development and growth during this developmental “window of opportunity” for 4 – 10 mo. old infants!

The activities and exercises in The Little Gym Bug program often involve the parent manipulating and spotting their child through different movements, motions, body positions and exercises with instructor guidance and support. As your child learns and benefits from the movement experience and the fitness aspect of these activities, you as a parent are learning how to handle and spot your child and will develop a deeper understanding of how their body moves, what movements and body positions your child likes and doesn’t like. This all contributes to a heightened level of trust between you and your child and the resulting nurturing benefits from the touching, holding and caring that takes place throughout.

The TLG Bugs program provides an opportunity for infants to get out of the stroller, car seat, baby carrier, backpack, etc., and be in a stimulating environment; to get on the floor and exercise, socialize and interact with their surroundings!

Again, Congratulations and we hope to see you and your new addition soon!

Being a Kid is a Full Time Job

2010-07-14T09:17:00.000-07:00

Remember when running, jumping, and climbing were all in a days work? When to-do lists and lunch meetings consisted of building forts and stuffed animal tea parties? While it may have seemed like play at the time, those activities actually helped you establish a healthy energetic lifestyle. Now that you have a little one of your own, that free-time to explore is still as important as ever. In fact, The The National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE) recommends that children 12-36 months old engage in at least 30 minutes of structured adult-led physical activity and at least 60 minutes unstructured free play each day.

Weekly classes at The Little Gym are the perfect way to ensure your little one is getting enough active play. Your toddler will be hard at work learning important physical skills as they gain muscle control, balance, and coordination. Each new skill builds upon the last, eventually leading to more complicated tasks such as jumping rope, turning a cartwheel, or kicking a ball on the run. So help your child build the skills they need for a successful future. Skills they will carry with them on the playground, in the classroom, and throughout their life.

Your Kids Can Bowl FREE Every Day This Summer!

2010-06-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

For Father's Day, we asked Randy what he wanted to do. He could choose anything. He chose to go see "Ironman2" (great movie) and go BOWLING! We have not been bowling in a very, very long time. We all had good frames and not so good frames. The scores were low, but the important thing was we had fun. We were surrounded by TLG families who were also having a great time. For the younger bowlers, Highland Bowl has bumpers that help keep the ball going down the alley (not in the gutter). Those bumpers help give younger bowlers confidence, which is an important benefit we believe in at TLG. We watched a little guy get two strikes and several spares by using the bumpers all the way down the alley. I wonder if there is an age limit for those bumpers?!

The whole thing cost very little and we are all adults. For children, it is even cheaper. What a great way to get the kids active with the whole family. Right now, with the weather the way it is; it is a nice way to stay dry and have active, healthy family fun. When the weather is hot (which will be soon I hope), they are all air conditioned. We went to Highland Bowl in Corvallis because it was close to us. There is also Lakeshore Lanes and AMF Lanes both in Albany.

Here is a great offer by Brunswick. This summer they are offering free bowing every day this summer for kids 12 and under! Just sign up here and you’ll receive your free bowling pass. You can also include your child’s birth month and year to get two free games on their birthday. By the way, this is available in the U.S. and Canada.

AMF Bowling Centers are also offering free bowling for kids in the U.S. and Canada this summer, and you can find details on their website here. This program seems to work a little bit differently, as AMF is offering a very low-cost family pass so that parents can bowl with their children at a very reduced cost. I like this as that is why I wrote this blog in the first place......to promote family fun and activities. That is what it is all about!

IT'S SHOWTIME!

2010-06-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

Your child has made wonderful progress this semester and can't wait to share it with you, grandma & grandpa, auntie, your dog......!

We would like to invite you to our performance, Spring Show Week. Show Week is an exciting time for you and your child. It allows them to proudly demonstrate the skills they have learned over the course of the semester. Not only have their physical and motor skills improved; their listening, cooperation and socialization has grown by leaps and bounds, too!

Performing in front of a group also provides an early opportunity for them to become comfortable in front of an audience. So invite the entire family. We can't wait to see you!

LOCATION: The Little Gym
DATE: The week of June 21 - 26
TIME: Your child's regular class time

This showcase is a milestone in their growth with The Little Gym and we look forward to helping them continue to develop and progress. This will be the last week to enroll in the complete Summer semester before it begins on June 28 (remember, we PRO RATE Summer Semester tuition for those long awaited vacations!). We are looking forward to another semester full of milestone moments. Call now to reserve your class spot.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER!

2010-05-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

The winner is here, the winner is here! The winners of all the prize bags for Priority Enrollment have been claimed. So now it is time to draw the final prize ticket. Here is the winning ticket for the Grand Prize of a FREE Winter/Spring Semester:
607630
Dear Winner,
Please come in and claim your prize! Congratulations!
TLGC Team

Thank you to all who have participated in the Priority Enrollment fun. We love our members!

The Family Wellness Challenge

2010-05-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

Let's do this!

Presented by: Synergea Chiropractic and The Corvallis Knights

Participating Wellness Challenge Businesses:
* Synergea Chiropractic
* The Little Gym
* OSU Kids Spirit
* Country Vitamins
* First Alternative Co-op
* Boys and Girls Club of Corvallis

The Community Family Wellness Fair on May 8th was the kick off for the Family Wellness Challenge. It will run 6 weeks ending on June 26th.

How does it work?
If you didn't sign up at the Wellness Fair, you can sign up today or tomorrow. Pick up a form at one of the Participating businesses listed above.

When you sign up you will receive your first Family Challenge. Each week you will return your completed Challenge Sheet to one of the businesses and receive the next one. The challenges are fun and interactive for the whole family, walking, talking to one another, eating right etc...
The last challenge will take place at a CORVALLIS KNIGHTS game!!

Admission is FREE to the TOP 5 Families that complete each Weekly Challenges!!

There are going to be tons of cool prizes and incentives!!
This is a great way to start some healthy new family habits.

Sign up Today!!

Check those tickets!

2010-05-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

The Grand Prize drawing of a FREE WINTER/SPRING SEMESTER will be help this Friday, May14th at 9:15am. Grab your tickets and keep watching this site for the winning number to be drawn. We are still waiting for the winner of Prize Bag #4 - One hour Myo-facial massage & Brazilian Wax from Skin Fitness to come forward and claim their prize. The number drawn for that prize is 606582. If the winner with the matching ticket does not come forward by 9:00am Friday morning, a new winner will be drawn. So check those tickets!

TA-DA!

2010-05-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

Here's Reagan! Read about Reagan who was featured in the Mom Magazine blog. You can also see her on our very own The Little Gym of Corvallis YouTube Channel. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see which kiddo is featured each month!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

To all you Mother's out there, we at The Little Gym of Corvallis wish you a Happy, Healthy Mother's Day. Whatever you do/did, whether your family planned something for you, you planned something for yourself, or you planned something for your mother, make your day special. We would love to hear how you celebrate so please send us a comment telling us about it.

Think Mother's Day is just another "Hallmark Holiday"? Think again. Here is some history about Mother's Day. Remember, you can make it whatever you want. I choose to think of Rhea, the Mother of the God's - how cool is THAT!

Have a GREAT Mother's Day, Moms!

PSN THIS FRIDAY! I know, I know...it's the wrong night. Read on....

2010-05-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

PSN's are designed to give parents the opportunity to enjoy 3 hours of quality time, while we take care of the kids. They are usually scheduled every 2nd Friday of the month from 6:00 - 9:00pm and 4th Saturday 6:30 - 9:30pm. However, this month they are the 1st Friday and 4th Saturday due to our Positive Parenting class happening on the 14th.

The three hours of "babysitting" allows plenty of time to enjoy a dinner or a movie while we run, play, eat a snack and generally wear your children out so they go home and sleep til noon the next day (no guarantees, but we do our best!). Register early as space is limited and many parents have been "surviving" with us lately. Children must be 3 years old and toilet independent up to 12 years old.

2nd Series Positive Parenting your 2 to 5 year old

2010-05-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

COMMUNICATION
May 14th 7:00 - 8:15
Join us for part two of a series of Positive Parenting classes. The series will be taught by Martha Shimeall, who happens to be a loyal TLGC member. Martha teaches at LBCC and also works at Children's Farm home. She will bring her knowledge of this sensitive subject to 2 more workshops:
April 16th - STRESS (this was awesome and well attended)
May 14th - COMMUNICATION
June 4th - DISCIPLINE
Call The Little Gym at 541-753-0950 to register. Registration is limited to 25 participants and is first registered, first served.
Cost: FREE to current members of THE LITTLE GYM
$15/class or 2/$25 for non-members.
The sessions will feature a presentation by Martha on the subjects listed above as well as a practical activity lead by our own Randy McCoy, followed by a question/answer period.
NOTE: The classes will take place in the gym area of our facility which means we will be sitting on the floor.

THE WINNING NUMBERS ARE....

2010-05-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

The drawing for the Priority Enrollment Prize bags is over. The winning numbers are listed below. As soon as the winners come forward and retrieve their prizes, we will hold the drawing for the GRAND PRIZE! So don't delay. Call today if these are your numbers:

Prize Bag #1: 607459 - Winner of 1 hour landscape design from Garland Nursery & $25 Gift Certificate for products at Appearances Salon

Prize Bag #2: 606442 - Winner of $50 Gift Certificate for custom stained glass & 2 hours of babysitting from TLGC instructor

Prize Bag #3: 607020 - One hour Myo-facial massage & $25 Gift certificate for products at Appearances Salon

Prize Bag #4: 606582 - One hour Myo-facial massage & Brazilian Wax from Skin Fitness

Prize Bag #5: 606429 - $10 Gift Certificate from Fathoms Restaurant & 50% off weekend at Inn at Spanish Head both in Lincoln City

Prize Bag #6: 607516 - Manicure at Family Nails & 90 minutes of live music from Randy McCoy at your home or garden party.

Congratulations Winners. Please come to The Little Gym and pick up your winnings!

Now that Priority Enrollment is over, it is now OPEN ENROLLMENT! Tell your friends and relatives. If you refer someone who becomes a member at The Little Gym of Corvallis, you receive 150 Member Milestones points. But hurry, some classes are close to filling up already!

Promote your local businesses online

2010-04-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

Hey all you Lil Gymers, when was the last time you reviewed your favorite company online? As a small business owner, I really appreciate all that has been said about how wonderful my business is online. That is like gold. Free marketing! Thank you. I have facebooked, yelped, digged, linkedin, merchant circle(ed), yahooed , local(ed) and googled as many businesses as I can. I emplor you to do the same, not just for The Little Gym but for all businesses, especially us small ones so that we may keep our heads above water.
Thank you for all your future reviews for my business and my fellow local businesses,

Denise

See what someone wrote about The Little Gym here

Come Party With US!

2010-04-13T20:13:00.000-07:00

WIN: Coastal Getaway, 2 hours of babysitting by your favorite The Little Gym instructor, massages, manicures, waxes, landscape design, 90 minutes of LIVE MUSIC by Randy McCoy at your home/garden party, and the Grand Prize of a FREE SEMESTER, and more.....
WHAT: Priority Enrollment (*see note below)
WHEN: April 18 - May 2
WHO: Currently Enrolled Members
WHY: Secure your child's spot, WIN prizes, Save money, have FUN!
THE SCOOP:
During Priority Enrollment this term, we will be giving away 6 different prize bags. Each bag has 2 of the prizes listed above in it. You earn tickets by enrolling during this 2 week time reserved only for CURRENTLY ENROLLED MEMBERS. These tickets are then placed, by you, in the prize bag(s) you wish to win. The prizes, including the grand prize, will be drawn Monday May 3rd.

PACKAGE A:
ENROLL for SUMMER ONLY
Get a $15 gift certificate for W/S Semester
PLUS....
Earn Member Milestones points
- 200 points - Summer
- 50 points - Value Plan
- 50 points - Priority Enrollment
- 50 points - Consecutive semesters
(That's up to 350 MM points)
Plus...
You earn tickets to place in the prize bags
- 5 tickets - Value Plan
- 2 tickets - Bi-pay

PACKAGE B:
ENROLL for FALL ONLY
Get a $20 gift certificate for W/S Semester
PLUS....
Earn extra Member Milestones points
- 300 - Fall
- 50 - Value Plan
- 50 - Priority Enrollment
(That's up to 400 MM points)
Plus...
You earn those tickets for the prize bags
- 10 tickets - Value Plan
- 5 tickets - Deposit, Tri-Pay or Installmen plan

PACKAGE C:
ENROLL for SUMMER AND FALL
Get a $40 gift certificate for W/S Semester
PLUS....
$10 cash discount off Summer and $15 cash discount for Fall (not given automatically when enrolling online)
PLUS....
Earn a TON of Member Milestones points
- 200 points - Summer
- 300 points - Fall
- 100 points - Value Plan
- 100 points - Priority Enrollment
- 100 points - Consecutive Semesters
- 200 points - Enrolling for both Semesters at the same time
(That's a whopping 1000 possible MM points!)
PLUS...
More tickets to earn for the prize bags
- 20 tickets - Value Plan
- 10 tickets - Deposit, Tri-Pay or Installment payment plans are used

But wait.....there's more:
THE PARTY
If you come play with us on Sunday at the Kick-Off party, you earn DOUBLE the amount of tickets so you can better win the FREE W/S SEMESTER! You can come anytime from 2:00 - 5:00 to enroll but if you want to play in the open gym, please come during the following times:
2:00 - 3:00 ages 4 mo to 3 years
3:00 - 4:00 ages 3 - 5 1/2 years
4:00 - 5:00 ages 6 - 12 years
This is for safety reasons that we seperate the age groups. If you have more than 1 child in seperate age groups, please come to the older age group and go inside the gym with your under 3 year old. Thank you.

Wait, Wait! Still.....there's more:
MORE PRIZES
We will have instant prizes that you can win during the first week (April 18 - 24) by spinning the prize wheel. This will be fun for you, the kids and it will be instantly gratifing. You can win: Free camp days, Free PSN, Free classes, water bottles, bracelets, The Little Gym backpacks, tee-shirts, toys, MORE TICKETS for the prize bags, CD's and on, and on.....

SO HURRY! DON'T DELAY!: Enroll early to get the most tickets, the best instant prizes, play at the party, save money and most importantly, SAVE YOUR CHILD'S SPOT IN THEIR CLASS!

Happy Handstands!

Denise & Randy

Cooking with The Little Gym

2010-04-05T11:19:00.000-07:00

Ever want to try Dream Dinners but never had the opportunity. Now is your opportunity: Dream Dinners will be open only for TLGC members who have preregistered for this event. The event is free and you get to sample some of the delicious, nutritious meals Dream Dinners have put together. You can also make a couple of dishes that we have specifically chosen to be "kid friendly" at a nominal fee (see registration form). Don't know what to do with the kids? It just so happens that we have a Parent Survival Night that night as well which makes it easy to participate. Enroll at The Little Gym for the PSN but you must enroll online at Dream Dinners (even if you are not making any food) for the tasting/cooking class. (When you click the above link, it takes you to a calendar, click April 9th 6:00. When it asks, the password is littlegym. You will have to create an account if you want to purchase anything but not if you want to just taste). Remember, you MUST register even if you want to taste, limit to 20 participants.

Positive Parenting your 2 - 5 year old

2010-04-05T11:17:00.000-07:00

Join us for a series of Positive Parenting classes. The series will be taught by Martha Shimeal, who happens to be a loyal TLGC member. Martha teaches at LBCC and also works at Children's Farm home. She will bring her knowledge of this sensitive subject to 3 different workshops:
April 16th - STRESS
May 14th - COMMUNICATION
June 4th - DISCIPLINE
Call The Little Gym at 541-753-0950 to register. Registration is limited to 25 participants and is first registered, first served.
Cost: FREE to current members of THE LITTLE GYM
$15/class or all 3/$40 for non-members.
The sessions will feature a presentation by Martha on the subjects listed above as well as a practical activity lead by our own Randy McCoy, followed by a question/answer period.
NOTE: The classes will take place in the gym area of our facility which means we will be sitting on the floor.
Hurry, classes are already filling up!

Spring Break....Summer Camp....Priority Enrollment

2010-03-22T05:41:00.000-07:00

Hello blog followers,
A quick note to say YES!!! We are open spring break (March 22 - 27) for regular classes. And YES!!! We will give you a make-up if you are not able to attend classes this week. Just give us a call and we will put it in the computer. One of the many benefits of membership here at The Little Gym - a very lenient make-up policy. And YES!!! We are registering for ANYTIME SUMMERTIME CAMPS already. Check out the schedule on the link then give us a call to register (sorry, no online registration for camps). And YES!!!! Priority Enrollment for Summer and Fall classes is quickly approaching - April 18th is the kick off party (more details to follow) And finally, YES!!!! We all had an AWESOME time at the Patience Party last Friday night. We even had an impromptu The Little Gym Karate Demonstration (coming this Fall) from Randy and Conor with around 30 kids participating (video soon).

Bike riding safety

2010-03-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

The weather is changing and more and more people are on their bikes. "Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride." Riding a bike can be so enjoyable, and it's great exercise. Yet, it's important to play it safe, especially when children are in tow, or when they're riding on their own. Check out this article, which provides helpful information on bike safety.

TA-DA! We're on Mom Magazine Blog

2010-03-09T18:20:00.001-08:00

We have a new feature that will happen every other month on Mom Magazine blog. It is called Ta-Da! and will feature a member of The Little Gym. This month is Sophia.

busy weekend ahead.....

2010-03-09T17:33:00.000-08:00

Wow! March 9th and it was snowing at our house off and on all day! After such a warm February, all the daffodils are out and the cherry trees are in bloom. Now it is FREEZING outside again. I sure hope they survive this cold snap. I believe, winter is back.....

It may be a little frosty outside for the event we are sponsoring this weekend, March 13, but we will be there anyway. It is the G.I.V.E./Woodstock run which benefits the Corvallis Schools Foundation. It is a 2k and 5k run that takes place at 10:00am at Avery Park. Lots of families enjoy this run so grab your jog stroller and running shoes and meet us there!

After we burn some calories at the run, we will eat some yummy food at the Corvallis Montesorri Auction. It is held the same day at the LaSalles Stewart Center from 5:30-9:00. There will be entertainment and free food, beer, and wine (with paid admission). There will be fun, silent auction items to bid on plus some incredible live auction items. We are a sponsor this year and have a live auction item valued at $300. Come, enjoy!

Both events benefit our children. So come support them. But if you cannot make it, make your weekend a great one for you and your kids. Hug your children; laugh with them; dance with them; tell them you love them; have fun with them, because before you know it.....they are grown. My children are all grown but I get the pleasure of working with all 3 of them, so I still get to see them regularly. I am lucky.

FRIENDS FOREVER

2010-03-09T14:57:00.000-08:00

Social interaction is important, even at an early age. Some experts believe that a child's ability to make friends is the single biggest predictor of their success later in life. In fact, they claim it's even more important than IQ and grades.

That's why programs at The Little Gym are purposefully designed to assist your child in their social and emotional development. Songs, games, and activities focus on listening, sharing, and taking turns. Friends solve problems together, imitate each other, help foster creativity, and pass on knowledge.

Twice a semester we have special themed weeks to celebrate your child's friendships. Our next Bring a Friend Week is happening this week. Encourage your child to invite one of their friends to join them for this special occasion.

You can also invite a friend to join you for a session anytime during the semester. If you know someone that would love The Little Gym, invite them to register for an introductory class. You'll receive 150 Member Milestones points when your referral becomes a member. So share the smiles, fun and high 5's with people all around you. It's our way of saying thank you for spreading the word about our great programs.

IT'S OUR BIRTHDAY!!!

2010-03-01T07:05:00.000-08:00

March 2nd is the 1 year anniversary of the day we "officially" opened our doors and started classes. Since then, we have grown 3 times the size in enrollment, twice as many employees, and 100 times the fun! We are grateful to all our followers, customers, supporters, friends and fellow businesses.
A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED THIS FIRST YEAR BE SUCH A SUCCESS!! We are extremely excited about the years to come!

Keep watching our blog to get information about our big birthday party that will happen in April.

CHEERS!!!

TRANSPORTATION CELEBRATION!!!

2010-02-25T08:31:00.000-08:00

Those of you who have come to a PreK class this week have received the car you see here (those of you who have not come yet will get one at the end of class). The directions for putting it together are as follows:

Cut out the car. Using a craft knife, cut out the white indicated area at the bottom of the car. Except for the two folds indicated on the print out, you’ll be making all of your folds along the dotted lines. Where the windshield meets the front of the car, make that fold towards you. Where the bottom of the car meets the bumper of the car, make that fold away from you. Make the rest of the folds (eight) on the car away from you. Fold the 19 white tabs away from you. Start by
adding glue to the white tabs on the left backside of the car. Following the contours of the car, attach those tabs to the left side of the car. Repeat on the right side. Next, glue the white tabs on the hood of the car to the left side of the car, following the car’s contours. Repeat on the right side. Glue the three tabs that run along the bottom of the car to the bottom piece, making sure
you follow the contours of the bottom piece. Your car is complete!

Have fun with your child putting it together!

WINNERS!

2010-02-15T12:35:00.000-08:00

Check it out, we had two contests during Fall 2009-10 Semester and we now have the winners....

First, the Awesome Birthday Bash giveaway. This contest ran for the entire Fall Semester and was a drawing for entrants who wrote a review on facebook or posted a story of accomplishment on our blog. We had so many of you who wrote such beautiful stories and nice compliments that we drew a first place and a second place winner. The first place winner of the Awesome Birthday Bash was Michelle Cooper. Kim Tarrant was the second place winner,she received 1/2 off an Awesome Birthday Bash. CONGRATULATIONS YOU TWO AND THANK YOU ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

The second contest we had was the 20/10 giveaway. The first 20 people to enroll for Fall Semester in the new year of 2010 were entered into a drawing for $10 The Little Gym bucks. We chose 5 winners of this one. They are Margit Foss, Anne Pugliese, April Spehar, Tina Krummel and Megan McClelland. Thank you and congratulations.

We are excited about the new semester. We are marking the 1 year birthday for The Little Gym of Corvallis on March 2. Watch for more information on our open house party we are going to have. Details coming soon!

Last Minute Valentines Crafts

2010-02-11T10:42:00.000-08:00

With a body made of chewing-gum sticks and licorice-whip antennae, this valentine will be lucky to make it through lunchtime.
Materials
• Sticks of gum
• Licorice strings
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Heart stickers
• Tape
Instructions
1. Place two pieces of string licorice between two sticks of gum, taping the top and bottom closed to secure the antennae in place.
2. Next, cut two heart-shaped wings from construction paper, write your valentine message on them, and secure them to the top stick of gum with a heart sticker. Add other stickers to give personality to your butterfly.

Bugs class

2010-02-05T14:43:00.000-08:00

Parents, here is the last class of the Bugs (ages 4-10 months) of the Fall term. We love our Bugs.... but they grow up and become Birds. Let's refill the Bug's class. Call today for a "special" Bug offer.

Local February Events

2010-02-04T08:42:00.000-08:00

February is not only Black History month and the St. Valentine's month for love.....it is a very busy month here in 'lil 'ol Corvallis.
I have listed a few things that looked fun and interesting found on facebook and the web. Maybe I will see you at a few - Enjoy!

TONIGHT FEB 4th - Dine out at Cloud9 for Mr & Mrs CV Fundraiser to support Jackson Street Youth Center, Old Mill Center and Children's Miracle Network.
FEB 6th - Philomath Montessori Fundraising Auction at The Boys & Girls Club in Corvallis. Come support Montessori in a small town whose name literally means "Love of Learning" and buy some cool stuff at the same time!
FEB 7th - Shoe-Per Bowl Party at Shoetini's. This one sounds like a hoot! Wish I were not such a football fan.
FEB 9th - Train Your Mind for Success with Kristina Ender at Corvallis Artisans Market Boutique's Intersector Workspace. Kristina is a wealth of information as she is a life coach and great speaker. I highly recommend this lecture. From what I hear, Kristina is a great Pilates coach too!
FEB 12th - Valentines Day Party at Circle Corvallis IndoorPark. This event is happening at The Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis.
FEB 19th & 20th - Rockin' the Beanery with MusiCafe Rock School. This is at the 2nd Street Beanery. I speak from experience when I say this is so much fun and worth every penny. My son was in the band "Underground Ballroom" at the MusiCafe Rock School and also took private lessons there with Chris. He is now a music major at LCC and U of O. They helped him gain experience, confidence and showmanship. MCRS ROCKS!
FEB 18-21th - Tcha Tee Man Wi Storytelling Festival at the First Presbyterian Church. Great stories and songs for all.
FEB 26th - Lamb Time at the OSU Sheep Center with the Willamette Valley Mommies. What a great time to share with your little ones (and meet some other Mommies too).
FEB 27th - The Stars Come out Tonight! This is an all family event put on by the Life Center on Hwy 99. It will feature performances by Aurora Martial Arts, Corvallis Dance, Oregon Elite Cheer and The Little Gym. The headliner will be a magician and there will be inflatables, gymnastics obstacle course, face painting, family game shows etc.. A lot of fun for everyone from 6 - 8:30. More info to come on this one.

Have fun and Enjoy Corvallis!

Mothering a Small Business

2010-01-26T09:51:00.000-08:00

When I was about 4 or 5 years old, my family asked me, “Denni (my family nick-name), what do you want to be when you grow up?” Thinking “grow-up” meant, get older, not career. My innocent response was, “a mommy, Miss America and a belly-dancer.” Well, I never made it to the Miss America pageant. But I am a happy grown up! I am a Mommy. I am a good Mommy. I was a good Mommy when my children were young. I am happy to report, I made it through cloth diapers, (even 2 kids at the same time), pre-teen and teen hood X 3, colleges, career path guidance and now adulthood. And guess what I found out - I am a good Mommy-in-Law too!

As Mommies, we always do, think and respond to our children’s needs first, usually sacrificing our own wants and needs. We battle colds and flu from invading our houses by shielding it with our own bodies. We sacrifice skiing at the family ski trip because you have a little one in tow. We take on the public school system because they are not providing the right teaching/learning style to fit our child’s ADHD needs. We battle the retail department stores for not providing “appropriate” clothes and accessories that are “cool” for school. So, maybe becoming a Mommy is not for the selfish or faint of heart. It takes strength and confidence and perseverance - much like a Mother bear or maybe, a small business owner.

As a small business owner, one must respond to its’ wants and needs first. You sacrifice yourself to grow and nourish your business because if you do not, it will not thrive; it will not grow. You battle against time and money to compete for customers. You also have to find the all-important balance of cost of service (training, heat, rent, payroll, marketing, etc..) with the amount in which people are willing to and able to pay. (This is much more challenging than one might think – especially in this economy.) A small business is like a small child; When the business is new, you tend to it consistently, day and night. The Little Gym is my fourth child. And as such, I feel incredibly rewarded as I see it grow and succeed; and I will do whatever I must to protect and defend it if and when it is threatened – much like a mother bear protecting her cub. Again - not for the selfish or faint of heart.

I am happy being a small business owner. My family would agree with me that it is a good career choice. Especially in this community which I love so much. I know I will never get rich owning a small business; that is not why I bought it. I wanted to provide jobs for local people (including my own grown children), generate enough money to donate to local charities and organizations and of course, provide a great resource for Child Development, Gymnastics and FUN to the children and parents of the Mid Willamette Valley. Thank you Corvallis, for allowing my childhood dreams to come to fruition (even if I didn't know it was my childhood dream - yet!)

Be sure to read the upcoming posts. Some ideas I am kicking around are: Meet a team member (staff info); TA-DA! Moments at The Little Gym (video & info on children); Top 10 local charities our customers and I donate to; Top 10 businesses that are kid friendly; Top 5 places to take your valentine, and other fun subjects. If you have favorites, let me know.

Ciao,
Denise
Thank you to my son, Conor, for being a good sport and letting me post the picture of he and I circa 1992.

Growing Emotion & Social Skills

2010-01-19T13:19:00.000-08:00

The many benefits that The Little Gym offers to children include Developmental Growth in Social, Emotional, Cognitive and, of course, physical skills. (Many child development studies have shown that motor skill development and exposure to music can lead improved cognitive academic abilities such as reading and math.)

Here is one such article that really drives home the importance of getting your child's social and emotional growth on track. At The Little Gym, we start them young - providing positive, age-appropriate opportunities for for emotional and social growth as early as 4 months of age!

The Little Gym teachs emotional and social growth through group cooperative activities, games, music and success-oriented physical activities and challenges that do wonders for building confidence; from non-crawling "Bugs" (4-10 months) to curiuos exploring "Birds" (10-19 months) to running, climbing "Beasts" (19 mo. - 2.5 years), to "I can do it by myself" "Super Beasts" (2.5-3 years)! And we don't stop there! We continue providing fun, positive skill growth for Preschool/Kindergarten age groups on up through our back handspringing "Aerials" and "Hot Shots" (6-12 yrs.).

If you have seen a class at The Little Gym, you know what I am talking about. The success the child feels is immeasurable but noted by the beaming smile!

Benefits of Parent Child Classes

2010-01-14T19:11:00.000-08:00

Congratulations! You have a new little one in the house....or maybe your little one has just learned to crawl, walk or say a few words. Now you have a toddler. We all know how important bonding, physical contact and movement are in babys up to 3 years of age. Check out this article that was written about The Little Gym's curriculum and how we can aid in those crucial developmental milestones.

Beach Party Week

2010-01-13T10:21:00.000-08:00

This week is Beach Party and the kids are loving it! They are doing the Wicky Wacky Luna Hoola, playing volleyball and sommersaulting down the whales back! Don't forget to bring your beach towel and wear your swim suit if you want. I LOVE THIS JOB!!!

We only have 6 more spots for the 20/10 drawing (read previous post) and only 13 more days until the Awesome Birthday Bash give-away drawing. If you want to have your name entered for this $200 value, just post a short "story" of your child's envolvement, love and/or interest in The Little Gym right here on our blog. Your name will be entered and the drawing will take place on Feb 1, 2010.

Thank you to all who are supporters of The Little Gym! All your kind words and dedication to us is so appreciated. Blessings to all - D

New Year, New Deal

2010-01-04T03:31:00.000-08:00

With the New Year comes a new debate....what to call it. Is it Two thousand and ten, or is it twenty-ten. The "big-wigs" in New York and Washington can't decide so we did it for them. We like twenty-ten because it makes a nice "deal" to be had.

The first 20 people of the New Year who sign up for Winter/Spring semester, get their name put in a drawing for a chance to win $10 The Little Gym bucks. So, if you were waiting for the perfect time to spend that Holiday cash you received from Auntie Clara, now is that time - and possibly win some more!

Happy New Year everyone!

Happy 2010!

2009-12-28T12:28:00.000-08:00

We at The Little Gym hope that each one of you had a great holiday. We are eager to get back in class as they resume on Monday January 4, 2010. WOW! That sounds strange, 2010.

We look forward to seeing all those bright and shinny faces again. Thank you to all who came for Holiday camp, what a hit that was!

Remember, you can registered for the next semester (Winter/Spring, Feb, 7 - June 26, 2010) at anytime. Some classes are full already so call soon! We have added a few additional classes so take a look our schedule, or register, on our website www.TheLittleGym.com/CorvallisOR

Have a Safe, Healthy and Joyous New Year!

Very last minute Holiday Gift Ideas

2009-12-22T11:46:00.000-08:00

Still in need of some last minute gift ideas? Here is a list of local merchants that have gift certificates available for stocking stuffers or whatever! You can find them on the internet and on facebook.
Rocket Queen Cupcakes
Corvallis Cold Stone
JuneBug's Apparel
Corvallis Dutch Brothers Coffee
Shonnard's Nursery
The Beanery
Garland Nursery
Inkwell
All About Kids
Nearly Normals
Urban Laundry
Cosmic Chameleon
and of course...The Little Gym

We at The Little Gym wish you all, members and non members alike, a very joyous, cheerful, playful Holiday Season!

Local Corvallis/Albany Holiday Ideas

2009-12-16T09:25:00.000-08:00

Parents, we all know how important it is to keep your money here in our own community this time of year especially. There are many local toy stores and children's clothing stores open with extended holiday hours to ease your holiday woes. Below is a list of just a few to help you with your holiday shopping decisions. Remember, if you have a 3 - 8 year old, you can bring them to The Little Gym Winter Camp next week for 3 - 7 hours of quality shopping time while we give them some quality fun. Please see our website for camp themes and times then give us a call to register 753-0950. Space is limited and some are already full.

A new store to purchase wonderful gifts is the new Replay Children's Wear store on Circle. They are right around the corner from us (next door to the Circle Beanery). Their hours are Monday - Saturday 10-6 and Sunday 11-4. Their Kings store at 924 NW Kings Blvd is still open and has Tuesday - Friday hours of 10-6 and Saturday 10-4. Help us welcome owners, Rachel Bretbrunner and Juliana Thoennes to the "Circle."

Dream Dinners - Our next door neighbor is making my December dinners much easier....I have purchased meals that are easy and quick for all those late night shopping sprees. Also, I purchased a beautiful Prime Rib for Christmas. These ladies are so helpful and fun. They are booking Dream Dinners parties for January. I think The Little Gym staff will do one!

Corvallis Indoor Park has a special play day coming this Friday, December 18. The Indoor Park will have its bouncy house inflated for fun! The fun starts at 10 am and lasts until 1 pm. They will be sure to nap well after all that excercise. And if they wake up with tons of energy, bring them to the last PSN (Parent Survival Night)of the 2009 year here at The Little Gym. Drop off your 3 - 12 year old from 6:00 - 9:00 for supervised fun, games and gymnastics.

Have you heard about Rocket Queen Cupcakes? YUMMM! What more can I say. She is having a holiday special right now; Buy one batch, get the second half off!!

Frogs and Polywogs Toy Store - They are having a special kind of holiday sale. It works like this...Every evening the owner will post on facebook one or two items that will be on sale, at a significant savings, for the next day.

All About Kids - They are lucky they only suffered minor damage from the fire next door to them. Here is the updated story of the fire in the Gazette Times. Just click on this link Very positive words for All About Kids! pst...That is their beautiful tree on this blog!

The Toy Factory - NEW holiday hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am to 8:00pm, Saturday 9:00am to 6:00pm, and Noon to 5:00pm on Sunday. These hours work great with The Little Gym Winter camps and PSN! Perfect!

Corvallis Library - Under-the-radar gift books:

Corvallis Artisans Boutique - These local artists are great. They have a vision to grow into a full-scale Public Market in Downtown Corvallis. They also have a back room they are now booking for private meetings and events for Dec/Jan. Please contact Bobby Raleigh, at (541) 602-4663, or Sheri Dover, at (541) 602-6215

Cosmic Cameleon - HOLIDAY SALE! This cute little store on 2nd street is having a huge sale starting Dec 8th through Dec 24th. Check them out on Facebook and mention their flyer. You can get a great deal: with purchase of one (1) item, receive 50% off another item (of equal or lesser value). They will be open extended hours for the holidays: Sundays 10-6 pm Dec 6th, 13th, & 20th. Offer excludes consignment items!

Happy Holidays and Thank you for buying locally and keeping the Corvallis/Albany ecomony strong!

Need Ideas This Holiday?

2009-12-09T12:14:00.000-08:00

If you are like me, you like to have everything planned out and taken care of long before the holidays arrive. For me, it helps to ease the stress and I can enjoy them a little more. However....life happens! And reality is, Christmas is 16 days away (ppsstt...Hanukah is only 3 days away!) and I have not bought a single gift, have just been informed we are hosting Christmas dinner and I AM NOT READY!!!
For the next couple of weeks I will be blogging a few local and not so local ideas for gifts, foods, transportation etc... to help you make your (and my) holidays run a little less chaotic.
Let's start with driving. During the holidays, trafic can be a real problem. I have been known to display a little road rage (shhhh, it's a secret). Luckily, if you are buying locally you can take The Holiday Trolly or Corvallis Pedicab to get around. They are both fun and either free or free to the environment (what a nice gift to Earth!).
You can take them to the Toy Factory where they have extended their hours to make holiday shopping easier. Then you can head to The Little Gym where you can give the EXPERIENTIAL GIFT of Gymnastics (we also have new tee's, shorts, onsies, leotards as well as balls and CD's for their stockings).
Bundle up, have fun and enjoy the experience.

FREE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS

2009-12-09T10:57:00.000-08:00

Check out this link for free ornaments and decorations to make or order for FREE. It was sent to me by our good friends at HP. Thanks HP!

MOM Magazine & Blog

2009-11-21T11:23:00.001-08:00

MOM Magazine has been a supporter of The Little Gym from the beginning back in March (and we support them). Recently, they asked our own Randy McCoy to write an article which appeared in this issue. You can read it here
They also had an Awsome Birthday Bash giveaway link on their site. We recently drew a name from those entrants and the winner is......NICOLE DUNCAN! Congratulations Nicole! We can't wait to share in your child's birthday fun.

SAVE THE DATE

2009-11-18T11:38:00.000-08:00

The first Parent Survival Night (PSN) in December will be on Saturday, December 12 from 6:30 - 9:30. The reason for the odd day and odd hour? This gives you plenty of time to enjoy a movie at The Darkside Cinema. If you show your Member Milestones card at the counter, you will receive a FREE POPCORN AND SODA with your paid admission. What a great way to spend an evening!
Space is limited so call early to register 753-0950
The following PSN will be on Friday again, December 18 from 6:00 - 9:00 so you can get your last minute shopping done.

Black Friday & Winter camps

2009-11-17T13:00:00.000-08:00

Twas just weeks before Christmas and all through the house, kids were playing and laughing with Mom and her spouse! Their backpacks were hung in their bedrooms with care, and with oh-so much energy Mom thought, “They should have fun somewhere!” But with her children all nestled and snug in her heart, Mom couldn’t send them just anywhere – her choice must be smart! Suddenly, it came to her, all in a whim. “Let’s send them to holiday camp at The Little Gym!”

Black Friday Madness: Nov 27, 2009
9:00 – 12:00 Harry’s School of Magic
1:00 – 4:00 Hip, Hip Horray!
optional 12:00 - 1:00 lunch with your The Little Gym Teacher
Winter Extravaganza: Dec 21 - 23 and Dec 28 - 30 (same times as above)
The Winter Camp Extravaganza at The Little Gym is the place to be during this year’s winter break! Each 3-hour camp will incorporate a theme (click here for a list of themes)which may focus on our regular Gymnastics, Karate, Sports Skills or Dance program, and will offer creative, non-competitive “winter-related” games, adventures and challenges on the equipment. We guarantee your child’s “winter break” will be a fun-filled “winter workout!”
Limited space available. Call today to register. 753-0950

Denise is on Parole!

2009-11-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

No November 5th, Denise went to Jail for Good! For the good of MDA that is. Now she is out on parole but still needs your help to make bail by December 5th. So far, she has collected $570. She wants to try to get to $1200 so she can send a kid to camp. Donate today on Denise's own website, or call The Little Gym and make your pledge 753-0950
Thanks for your support in fighting this debilitating disease.

PRIORITY ONLINE ENROLLMENT!

2009-11-11T13:04:00.000-08:00

HEY PARENTS! The phones are ringing off the hook. If you are unable to get through to us, maybe try our online registration. It is quick and easy if you have your Member Milestones card. You still get the $30 savings off of tuition until Sunday Nov 15th. And you get an additional 100 points for enrolling online. It's simple. Hurry, classes are filling fast!

PRIORITY ENROLLMENT STARTS TOMORROW!

2009-11-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

Hello All You The Little Gymers! Monday November 9th starts Priority Enrollment. This is a week reserved for all members who are currently enrolled in classes to get first pick of class times for their little ones. You can also save $30 off tuition and rack up some Member Milestones points while you are at it. You can call us at 753-0950 or register online at The Little Gym website.

Halloween Carnival

2009-11-08T08:45:00.001-08:00

We had a great time at the 1st Annual Halloween Carnival. We had children scaling Monster Mountain, fishing in the Looney Lagoon, crawling and climbing in the Haunted Obstacle course, beanbag toss into the pumpkins and many other events. Here are a few pictures. Enjoy

And the Winners Are!

2009-10-28T16:35:00.001-07:00

Thank you to all of you who took advantage of signing up for Winter Break Camps early. The winners of the free tickets to ART OF IMAGINATION magic show are: Diane Dukes and MaryBeth Hughes. CONGRATULATIONS! And thank you for your continued loyalty as a customer at The Little Gym!
Have Fun at the Show!

LAST CHANCE TO WIN

2009-10-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day to WIN WIN WIN tickets to ART OF IMAGINATION. Sign up for Winter camp by 1:15 today and you will have a chance to win 2 tickets for tomorrow nights show ($50 value). Call now 753-0950

YIKES!!! Still no costume for Friday Night Halloween Carnival at The Little Gym?

2009-10-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

Here is an easy costume that costs little money....THE QUARTERBACK
For a witty and easy-to-make halloween costume, it doesn't get any simpler than this.

Materials:
Photocopy of a quarter
Cardboard
Duct tape

Instructions
Enlarge a photocopy of a quarter.

Glue it to a piece of cardboard cut to the same size, then attach it to your child's back with loops of duct tape.

Additional tips: If you want, you can wear a helmet and paint black under your eyes.

DENISE IS GOING TO JAIL!!!

2009-10-27T16:40:00.000-07:00

Denise will be going to "jail' November 5th at 1:00 for MDA (the Muscular Dystrophy Association - Jerry's Kids) and needs your help raising "bail" to get out. Your tax dedutible donation can be made at my web site.
Thank you for your support to help fight this debilitating disease.

A Late Blue Bird!

2009-10-26T07:59:00.000-07:00

What You’ll Need
• 1 royal-blue sleeper
• 1 royal-blue hat
• 1 piece (12 x 18 inches) stiff royal-blue felt
• 1 piece (9 x 12 inches) orange felt
• 3 hook and loop stick-on buttons
• Scraps of yellow, black, and white stick-on felt
• 1 bib to use as pattern

What to Do
1. Cut out two 9-inch wings from the blue stiff felt, improvising the shape but being sure to add feather-like tips at the end, as shown. Stitch or glue wings to back of sleeper along shoulder seams.
2. Use the bib as a pattern for cutting out orange felt bird breast. Attach breast to sleeper with stick-on buttons at shoulder and waist.
3. Cut two triangular beak pieces out of yellow felt and attach them to the bottom and the top side of the bill of hat. Cut out two white ovals and two smaller black circles from stick-on felt to make eyes. Attach to hat as shown.

HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL

2009-10-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

MEMBERS! WHAT WILL YOU BE?
TONIGHT, Friday October 30 from 6:00 - 8:00 we are having a HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL! Come dressed up with your little ones and watch them play all sorts of Halloween games. There will be carnival-type games, parachute games, music, a "haunted" obstacle course, The Little Gym-items raffle, snacks and of course....LOTS OF FUN!!!

Cute and Easy Puppy Costume for any age

2009-10-23T08:58:00.000-07:00

You Will Need

1 white hooded sweatshirt
1 pair white sweatpants
2 pieces (9 x 12 inches each) black stick-on felt
1 black pipe cleaner
1 square (12 inches) black felt
1 square (12 inches) pink felt
1 red dog collar or red ribbon to fit youngster’s neck

What to Do

1. Make spots out of stick-on black felt. Keep the circles fairly small (you don’t want the youngster to be mistaken for a cow). Trace dimes, nickels, and quarters, for example. Peel off the backing and stick spots randomly on shirt and pants.

2. To make the tail, cut a 21⁄2 x 12-inch piece of stick-on felt. Cut off the corners at one end, so the tail will end in a point. Roll the pipe cleaner in the felt and curve the tail slightly. Sew or staple tail to back of pants (photograph).

3. Following photograph at bottom left, cut out two inner ears from pink felt and two outer ears from black felt. Glue inner ear to outer and attach ears 1 inch up from edge of hood and several inches from center of hood.

4. Put on red collar (or red ribbon) and paint youngster’s nose black with nontoxic face paint, if desired.

HALLOWEEN IS NEAR!!

2009-10-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

Are you ready? Do you have the perfect costume picked out for your little one? If not....read on. Until the end of the month, I will showcase a creative kids’ costume. I will be scouring the internet for tips and instructions.

Creating a costume from scratch is a fun project for you and your child. It takes creativity, patience and sometimes it puts things to use that you may have otherwise thrown out. What a great green lesson!

Today I share one from another The Little Gym, The Little Gym of Mansfield Township in New Jersey.

This picture is of a Fire Breathing Baby, but I am sure it will work for any size child.
It’s a dragon!

All you have to do is cut green sponges into triangles and stitch or glue them down a cap as well as a matching bodysuit.

Stories

2009-10-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

Come on people....I know you are out there and ready to share your stories, photos and videos. Post them and we will vote later in the session to see who "portraits" The Little Gym. You could win an Awesome Birthday Bash for your child! Post today. It is easy. do it here or on facebook GOOD LUCK!!

Post your stories here

2009-09-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

Post your The Little Gym stories of success and triumph and cuteness. We will post them on our blog and facebook, then have our followers vote for the one they like best. The winner will recieve a free Awesome Birthday Bash. Pictures and videos are recommended. Post here or on our facebook. Good Luck!

Back to school blues

2009-09-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

Are you blue now that your little one(s) are back on the bus and headed for school 6 hours a day/5 days a week? Or are you jumping for joy? FREEDOM!!! No more daycare needed!!! When my children went back to school it was always a mixed blessing. My advise, as a parent of only college aged children and older, enjoy it now. Cherish the back to school shopping, the getting to know the new teacher, the fall sports etc... It goes by so quickly! You will soon be watching other peoples children go off to school and getting teary because yours are all grown up. Trust me on that one!

2009-08-27T16:32:00.001-07:00

Like free stuff? Be sure to read the newsletter every month https://mail.thelittlegym.com/exchange/DMcCoy/Inbox/The%20Little%20Gym%20Newsletter.EML?Cmd=open. Also, follow us on twitter for "special tweets" (I mean treats), and/or you can become a fan on our facebook page. Everything is hoppin at The Little Gym (not just your kids)!

"My 25 month old does not jump"

2009-08-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

I had a mother approach me this week who was concerned. She brings her 2 year old son (Beasts) to our Beast/Super Beast combo class (19 months - 3 years) and she noticed some of the older kids in the class doing two-footed jumps. Her son does not. He jumps from one foot to the next which is a lead up skill to 2-footed jumps. "No need to worry!" I told her, "this is a skill that we generally see happening around the ages of 2 1/2 - 3 years." If you think about it, these kids not to long ago just learned how to stand on their two feet. To learn to jump off both at the same time is a difficult skill. It takes a lot of balance and strength to push off both feet at the same time. Being in a class with older kids (Super Beasts), she sees them jumping with two feet like crazy. Because once they learn this skill, there is no stopping them. They can be seen at The Little Gym jumping off of and onto mats and springboards, and jumping with two feet in and out of hoops on the floor, and jumping all over the floor in warm up.
If you want to encourage your child to do some two-footed jumping, try having them face you, hold their hands, and count 1-2-3 JUMP and pull them up high with their GIANT jump (make sure not to jerk them as you can injury their shoulders and elbows) letting them do all the work. Have fun!

WE ROCKED AUSTIN!!!

2009-08-07T15:34:00.000-07:00

July 27, 2009 The Little Gym of Corvallis rocked Austin at The Little Gym International Reunion/Convention. The idea was to dress up as your favorite or well-known rock star. Randy and Denise went as The Captain and Tennille, Brei went as Cyndi Lauper, and Conor went as Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day. We had a blast! Brei was even voted as top 4 female impersonators.
One The Little Gym owner from New Mexico, Steve Salas came as our own Randy McCoy!

The Little Gym of Corvallis is in the TOP 10!!!

2009-08-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

The Little Gym of Corvallis Recognized as One of Company's Top 10 Gyms for Customer Loyalty

The Little Gym of Corvallis has recognized the value of retaining its current customer base and is being acknowledged by their peers for its ability to keep families coming back day after day, month after month.

We were honored at The Little Gym International Reunion/convention as one of the top 10 The Little Gyms in the nation for customer loyalty. Denise says,
"This accomplishment shows that families in the area have great trust in our gym and our staff. They have seen results from our assortment of programs and continue to bring their children back to the non-competitive environment of The Little Gym."

Look what our CEO says.....
"The Little Gym of Corvallis exemplifies the type of atmosphere our company prides itself in offering," said Bob Bingham, President and CEO of The Little Gym International. "The gym has consistently demonstrated its capacity to build long lasting relationships with its members. Clearly, families in the Corvallis area are pleased with the caliber of The Little Gym."

"Each and every child that attends our gym has become part of The Little Gym extended family; we know them on a first name basis," added McCoy. "We thank everyone for their continued support of our business. Our focus will continue to be to develop long-term relationships and we look forward to working with the children of the community for years to come."

Thank you everyone for helping us be in the TOP TEN!!!

Randy is in the The Little Gym Hall of Fame!

2009-08-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Randy McCoy from The Little Gym of Corvallis, inducted into The Little Gym Hall of Fame
Our very own Randy McCoy was inducted into The Little Gym Hall of Fame at the recently held The Little Gym Reunion/convention in Austin, Texas last month. The Hall of Fame is a new “honorary” list of people who have built this organization into the Number one Franchise in the Country in their category (Entrepreneur's Franchise 500). Randy has been working with The Little Gym International since its conception in 1993. He is currently the Director of Curriculum and works out of his home office in Wren. He writes all curriculum and most of the music used world-wide for The Little Gym.
He was honored along with the founder of The Little Gym, Robin Wes; franchise owner of the year 2008, Joel Bozarth of Texas; and Randy’s newly retired supervisor, Bob Hicks of Massachusetts; great company indeed!
We are proud of you Randy!

Book an AWESOME BIRTHDAY BASH today!

2009-06-25T11:57:00.000-07:00

Nothing captures the magic of childhood better than a birthday party. This year, give your child a celebration they'll never forget. An Awesome Birthday Bash at The Little Gym is the perfect way to make your child's big day extra special. We handle everything from invitations to clean up so you can rest easy and enjoy the festivities. Your birthday child and their friends will have the entire facility to themselves to take part in games, music and fun activities created especially for them. Afterwards, they will open presents, and of course, feast on some birthday cake. Our facilities and staff are bright, cheerful and child-friendly. Our Awesome Birthday Bashes are for children ages one to twelve. Many dates and times book up weeks in advance, so call today to reserve your celebration. Let us help make this the most memorable milestone yet!

Here are some testimonials: "I love how you made a special place for the birthday girl to sit while she opened her presents. Thank you for making the celebration so easy and full of energy!" Erin
"Brei was super enthusiastic and did an awesome job with the kids. It was the easiest and the most fun birthday ever." Carenda
"Total blast and I did not have to do a thing!" Cindy
"You have a great staff! We enjoyed ourselves and can't wait to come back!" Tiffany

We hope to hear from you soon to book your Awesome Birthday Bash

Toddler Class times

2009-05-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Parents,
What are your thoughts on class times for babies and toddlers? We want your input. Mornings or afternoons, early or later, one day better than another? Give us some ideas and we will try to accomodate our next session with your suggestions.
Also, if you are the first one to respond to this blog.....you WIN! Come to the front desk and let us know you are the first blog follower and we will give you a free water bottle.
Happy Handstands!
The Little Gym Staff