Big & Strong Preschool Gym - Santa Rosa

Located at the north end of Santa Rosa off of Airport Drive is a building that from the outside looks like any other building around but when you enter you will realize it’s a place for preschoolers to engage in gymnastic activities in an environment designed specifically for them. Coach Lori Bradley has developed gymnastics classes for preschoolers that not only develop them physically but also socially. Through trial and error and lots of encouragement students in her classes learn to use their bodies to accomplish some amazing exercises as well as how to take turns, listen and follow directions. And, for only $60 per month, it’s well worth it!

What to Expect

As you walk into the gym you will probably first notice the parent waiting area with several comfortable couches and plenty of room for siblings to hang out during your preschoolers class session. Coach Lori will be there to welcome you and your preschooler (by name!) and everyone will engage in conversation until all the students arrive.

Then, warm up begins! Preschoolers will either run around or jump on the long trampoline while following directions of just how to do it. Jump forward, backward, split jumps, fast jumps, and more, your preschooler will jump right in and mimic their peers. Coach Lori’s philosophy is to let children “do it themselves” unlike other gyms that “help” the preschoolers do the exercises. “I will show them a couple of times, then it’s up to them to use their muscles and do it themselves.”

After that the preschoolers go through a series of courses on the equipment and finish up with “favorite thing” time. This is when the preschoolers get to go back and enjoy the part of the class they liked the best.

Benefits to Preschoolers

Getting your preschooler active is the greatest benefit of all. Instilling exercise in their daily routine at an early age will help to combat obesity and related health issues later on in life. The encouraging environment of Big & Strong Preschool Gym will inspire your preschooler to give it their all and keep trying even if they don’t do it just right. For parents, the gym has a tread mill and stair step machine for you to use and get some exercise yourself while watching your preschooler. They even offer a birthday party option and a Date Night!

Disadvantages to Preschoolers

There really are no disadvantages except that a class only meets once a week! Your preschooler will enjoy it so much he/she will want to go there every day. Oh, and they do not have a website so you will have to call or stop by to get the class schedule.

About the Coach

After teaching at a “regular” gym, Coach Lori recognized that preschool age children were not truly benefiting from the experience – equipment was too big, coaches were “spotting” the students too much, and things just weren’t age appropriate. So, she opened her own gym here in Santa Rosa, a place for preschoolers to get a real gymnastics experience. Coach Lori teaches all of the classes (with one exception – a group of boys who are past preschool age) and even teaches the birthday party class.

In talking with Coach Lori, one of the things she is most proud of are her classes for preschoolers with special needs. Although she says she is no therapist, she has seen remarkable results in autistic and disabled children who are enrolled in her program. By giving them a chance to experience gymnastics in an encouraging environment amongst a group of their peers, milestones are met that astound their parents and doctors.

Details

Big & Strong Preschool Gym
5231 Aero Drive
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-545-0635