Bouncing, giggling, rolling and swinging upside-down – it’s just another typical day at the newest location of The Little Gym, the premier children’s motor skill development program that marks its grand opening in Chattanooga this month.

The opening celebration for The Little Gym -- that caters to children from infants to age 12 -- took place on May 27 at 7540 East Brainerd Road. Ceremonies were coordinated by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce.

Unlike any other program of its kind, The Little Gym offers professionally developed, non-competitive programs that promote fitness, coordination, balance, rhythm and flexibility, as well as enhanced listening, emotional, social and intellectual skills – all in a fun, safe and nurturing environment. Initial offerings include parent/child classes, gymnastics and summer/holiday camps and birthday parties. Sports skill development and karate will also be offered in the near future.

"It’s truly a magical experience," said Keith Moreland, owner of The Little Gym of Chattanooga, referring to how children of all ages at The Little Gym build skills and confidence without even realizing it. "They are having so much fun, they don’t even know that they’re learning. Our teachers are trained to interact and help these precious little people build the skills and self-esteem that they will need in order to have a lifetime of success."

The Little Gym of Chattanooga is one of more than 194 Little Gym locations in 15 countries, where tens of thousands of children reap the physical, intellectual, emotional and social benefits of its innovative programs.

"Here at The Little Gym, we encourage growth by rewarding effort," said Moreland, a professional in children’s fitness for almost 30 years. "We don’t expect children to be `the’ best – just to try their best. All of our programs here are strictly non-competitive, which allows children to take risks – and rewards their individual efforts with consistent, positive feedback. This approach results in increased self-confidence and self esteem."

The Little Gym’s Parent/Child classes are designed for parents to join in the exploration of basic motor- and early social-skill development with their children, ages four months to 36 months. Praise and support are emphasized, along with songs and educational tools such as scarves, jump ropes, tapping sticks and parachutes to encourage interaction with other children. Gymnastics classes are created to teach three-to-12 year old children gymnastics skills including tumbling and apparatus techniques using positive motivation as a key learning tool.

About The Little Gym

The Little Gym was founded in 1976 by Robin Wes, an innovative educator with a genuine love for children. The Little Gym’s sequential children’s motor-skill development program was created to help children develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially, giving children the confidence they need for a lifetime of success.

The Little Gym environment is strictly non-competitive, focusing on creating fun, positive experiences. Classes include gymnastics, parent/child classes, sports skill development and karate. Summer/holiday camps and birthday parties are available. Although hours vary throughout the nation, The Little Gym classes are typically held weekdays from morning to early evening, and on Saturday mornings. Saturday afternoons and Sundays are reserved for birthday parties.

The Little Gym International, Inc., headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ, was formed in 1992 in order to franchise The Little Gym concept. Today, The Little Gym International has over 194 franchises in 15 countries. For more information, visit The Little Gym at www.thelittlegym.com.