SCOTTSDALE, AZ , April 23, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With summer break fast approaching, now is the time for parents and caregivers to research and select a summer solution for their children, according to the child development specialists at The Little Gym, the leading children’s enrichment and development franchise that offers movement-based learning and imaginative play experiences. A summer camp or daily activity program is the answer for many families, but Alex Bingham, president and CEO of The Little Gym, warns that both public and private summer programs tend to fill up quickly, so families who register early may have the widest selection.
“Finding the right combination of physical and social skill development activities to fit both your child’s needs and the family’s circumstances is the real challenge,” says Bingham.
One way to approach the selection process is to consider some of the major benefits of summer programs and select the program that is best for your child and your family, including:
- Emotional benefits. When children are away from their parents, whether for a few hours or even a day at a time, they learn to become more independent and to practice individual decision-making skills.
- Social benefits. Many summer camp programs provide children with an opportunity to face and conquer new challenges on their own, building self-esteem and confidence. Working and learning with other children in a non-school setting also can help hone communication skills, leading to new friendships based on common interests and group achievement.
- Educational benefits. Researchers have coined the phrase “summer slide” to describe the well-documented phenomenon of summer learning loss. Studies show that, on average, students’ achievement scores declined over summer vacation by one month’s worth of school-year learning, with sharper declines for math than for reading. Summer learning programs can help prevent this loss, allowing children to build on last year’s skills right from the first day of school.
- Physical benefits. According to study results and guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, regular physical activity can help children maintain a healthy weight; build healthy bones, muscles, and joints; and even make them more likely to become active and healthy adults. In addition to these health benefits, incorporating 60 minutes of physical activity into children’s daily schedules has a strong positive impact on their academic performance and social skills.
Families can turn to programs offered by local schools, museums, and libraries or look to the renowned children’s enrichment curriculum at The Little Gym to find the right program for their child. “At the end of the school year, children and parents both look forward to a break from the routine, but it’s important to keep kids moving and learning while they are having fun,” says Bingham. “At The Little Gym, for example, we use physical activity as a vehicle for learning. While your child is making new friends and having fun, he or she is also learning important skills like listening, following directions, gaining confidence, and resilience. Our programs offer just the right mix of fun and purpose.”
The Little Gym offers high quality, age-appropriate, interest-driven summer programs designed to help children learn new skills and build self-confidence as they master challenges. Flexible scheduling options allow parents to enroll their children for as little as a day, or as long as the entire summer. Age-appropriate activities at the Super Quest Summer Camp vary from week-to-week, offering children ages 3 to 8 years a fresh experience each time. Interest-driven Skill Thrill camps allow children ages 6 to 12 years to repeat a camp as they refine certain skills. Parents can also register their child for one of The Little Gym’s regularly scheduled summer classes for kids four months through 12 years to keep children moving, learning, and building skills throughout the summer months.
For more information, or to register for summer programs and classes, please go to www.TheLittleGym.com/.
About The Little Gym
The Little Gym is an internationally recognized program that helps children build the developmental skills and confidence needed at each stage of childhood. The very first location was established in 1976 by Robin Wes, an innovative educator with a genuine love for children. The Little Gym International, Inc., headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., was formed in 1992 to franchise The Little Gym concept. Today, The Little Gym International has over 400 locations in 32 countries. For more information, visit The Little Gym at https://www.TheLittleGym.com.
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