Jungle Gym News

2010-01-01T14:35:00.002-06:00

Jungle Gym School Closure Notification
Effective January 4, 2010

It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that Jungle Gym School and Fitness Center will be closing effective January 4, 2010. Due to low enrollment and economic downturns beyond our control, we are forced to close down beginning in the New Year. We regret having to inform you of this situation, but we also knew that it was imperative that we try to reach as many customers as quickly as possible. We appreciate all of the business and support the Jungle Gym Community has offered us, and we are saddened to end our relationship with our customers so abruptly. We apologize for any inconvenience our immediate closure has caused. This tumultuous economic climate has made it impossible for us to remain open and meet our financial responsibilities. We hope you understand our precarious situation, and we ask for your forgiveness for our untimely notification. Again we appreciate your business and support and we regret any inconvenience our closure may cause you.

We sincerely apologize, and regret any inconvenience. Thank you again for your support in the past.

Lynette Aune

NEW CLASSES START OCTOBER 12TH

2009-09-28T14:04:00.006-05:00

Come join the fun at
Jungle Gym Preschool & Fitness Center!!!

Sign up for one of our EXCITING NEW CLASSES:

Pretty Pretty Princess ages 6-8

Pretty Pretty Princess ages 4 & 5

Tumble/Hip Hop ages 6-8

Pom/Hip Hop ages 4 & 5

Pom/Hip Hop ages 6-8

Super Heroes In Action! 3 & 4

Super Heroes In Action! 5-7

CLICK HERE to view all of our FUN classes! And don't forget, registered student's receive a FREE OPEN GYM every Wednesday from 6 - 7:45 p.m., siblings pay only $5.00!!! Drop off optional for children 2 - 8 years old. Great time to get your errands done!

Balletbears Recital: Miss Christmas Snow Show

2009-09-11T10:08:00.007-05:00

Enroll your child in our Balletbears class by October 12, 2009 to be a part of our MISS CHRISTMAS SNOW SHOW recital to be held off-site for all family and friends to see! Schedule a trial class today and see for yourself how much fun your child has with our fabulous Miss Terese. Only 6 spots left, join today!

Choosing Child Care

2009-09-08T12:38:00.001-05:00

Choosing Child Care

Posted using ShareThis

Parent Night Out & Saturday Safari extended to 4 HOURS!

2009-09-02T09:58:00.004-05:00

Beginning SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2009, Parent Night Out will run from 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm every Friday and Saturday Safari will run every other Saturday from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.

Come and celebrate the new school year with our Back to School Bash! Games, songs, activities, arts & crafts and more will be created around this... School Season theme... Prices have changed... Less than $5 per child per hour! Juice & snack will be provided for only $1.00 or please provide snack(s) and juice for your child.

Members: $20 first child/ $10 each additional sibling
Non-members: $25 first child/ $12.50 ea

CLICK HERE FOR PARENT NIGHT OUT REGISTRATION

CLICK HERE FOR SATURDAY SAFARI REGISTRATION

Registration going on NOW!!!

2009-08-17T18:16:00.009-05:00

Reserve your spot in one of Jungle Gym Preschool & Fitness Centers many EXCITING & EDUCATIONAL programs. Your child will learn, grow and play with our fabulous teaching staff and your guaranteed 100 % satisfaction or your money back!

All of the following programs include a FREE OPEN GYM every Wednesday from 6-7:45pm, drop off optional for 2-8 years old!!! Siblings only $5! Walking - 8 welcome.

Choose from:

Gym-N-Learn Preschool ages 2-5
Tumblebears ages 3-8
Balletbears ages 4-8
Cheerbears ages 4-8
Parent & Tot Walking - 3
New FAMILY JUNGLE walking - 8

Spaces filling quickly, don't delay!

Member Benefit's:

Discount's on Parent Night Out & Saturday Safari - 4 HOURS OF PURE FUN AND EDUCATION! Only $20 1st child, $10 each additional sibling!

Priority enrollment for Parent Night Out & Saturday Safari

$50 OFF a 2, 3 OR 4 hour Private Party time!

Discounted or FREE Open Gym!

Schedule a personal tour TODAY while spaces are still available
Call us at (773) 445-5000 or register online CLICK HERE

Music Under The Stars

2009-08-03T10:18:00.002-05:00

What a great time we had entertaining the kid's at Music Under The Stars held at Morgan Park Academy Sunday, August 2nd. Terrific music by Rich Daniels and the City Lights Orchestra, they are unbelievably talented, and beautiful fireworks rounded out a wonderful evening. Thank you to BAPA for hosting another wonderful event, we look forward to it next year!

Register today!

2009-07-22T09:58:00.005-05:00

By 8 months, a baby's brain has 1,000 trillion nerve connections. By the age of ten, that number reduces to just 500 trillion, or even less, depending on the amount of stimulation provided. As the brain operates on a ‘use it or lose it’ basis, early experiences are the defining factor affecting the rate of reduction in nerve connections. Studies on neglected children, who had been deprived of physical and mental stimulation, found that parts of their brain were underdeveloped and 20-30% smaller than most children their age.

Gym-N-Learn preschool program offers an active environment where children can learn and flourish. Our standards are organized to parallel in content with the Illinois Learning Standards for preschool education. Included are benchmarks for learning in Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and Health, and Social and Emotional Development.

Contact our office today at (773) 445-5000 to learn more about this innovative preschool program and schedule a tour of our facility.

We bring out the champion in your child and make learning FUN!

Enroll your child today in one of our educational and FUN programs. Fall schedule now available at http://app.jackrabbitclass.com/Openings.asp?id=497258

Gym-N-Learn preschool, Tumblebear gymnastics, tumbling, dance, cheer and parent/tot available for children walking to 9 years of age. Call (773) 445-5000 or stop in today to meet our teacher's and tour our facility.

Special Needs Class orientation

2009-07-16T17:42:00.002-05:00

Please join us Monday, July 20th from 3-5 pm to learn more about Jungle Gym Preschools Special Needs focus group now forming. This is a free orientation class from 3-5 pm to introduce families to our facility and teacher's, as well as get feedback from parent's and children on forming this class for our fall session starting September 1st, 2009. Families must be present for the orientation on Monday, July 20th in order to be included in our special needs focus group which will run for 3 classes and is FREE OF CHARGE.

Ms. Kate Gutierrez will be leading the class and we are very excited to have this talented teacher join our teaching staff. Ms. Kate earned her Masters Degree of Arts in Multicategorical Special Education from St. Xavier University and brings a wealth of experience with her. She brings 10 years of experience working with children with special needs and regular ed. She earned the IL Learning Behavior Specialist I (K-12) Masters Type 10 Certification and is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.

Class size is limited, so please R.S.V.P. at (773) 445-5000 to reserve your spot. Siblings are welcome for the orientation.

We Bring Out The Champion In Your Child and Make Learning FUN!

Rescue Hero's Week

2009-06-19T10:18:00.007-05:00

What a great Rescue Hero's week! Big THANK YOU to all our terrific hero's that helped make this week a tremendous success. Our very special guest's included , Engine 92 of the Chicago Fire Department, Chicago Mounted Police Officer's John Lorenz and Dave Keenan, their noble steeds, Skip & Schott, and last but not least, Luitenant Peggy Murphy of the Chicago Fire Department. Children learned all about stranger danger, fire safety and much more!

1 Free Summer Theme Camp!!!

2009-06-10T18:37:00.004-05:00

Jungle Gym Community has been created in Circle of Moms on Facebook. We strive to be a valuable resource to our families & community and will continue to provide valuable information on a daily basis. Join our Jungle Gym Community and introduce yourself, and receive 1 FREE SUMMER THEME CAMP! We are excited to make this a buzzing resource, and hope you do to. So, pass the word around. No other purchase necessary, just say hello to our wonderful families and maybe you'll just meet a new friend! At the very least, you will have 2 1/2 hours all to yourself!

I look forward to "seeing" you in our community!

Click Here to Join

Enthusiastically,

Lynette

Ridge Run Fun!

2009-06-03T14:14:00.002-05:00

Another fun Tot Run at the Ridge Run! Thank you to BAPA for hosting such a terrific event. Jungle Gym had a great time with the families at the run, and those super fast tots! We always look forward to this event, and hope for good weather. We managed to escape the May showers that thankfully held out until the end. Also, props to my teacher's that got up early and helped to make this another successful year at the Ridge Run!

Beverly Great Strides

2009-06-03T13:07:00.004-05:00

Beverly Great Strides

Jungle Gym had a wonderful time entertaining the children at the inaugural Beverly Great Strides walk to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation held on Saturday, May 16^th. More than 600 walk sites across the country helped raise $37 million this year, with 90 cents of every dollar funding life-saving cystic fibrosis research and care. The walk began in the Dan Ryan Woods North Section, entrance at 83^rd and Western and included family fun and entertainment provided by Mobile Jungle Gym, with food and beverages, music and other exciting activities!

2009-05-28T10:47:00.003-05:00

Jungle Gym will be kicking off the summer with RESCUE HERO'S WEEK June 15-19th, morning 8:45-11:15, afternoon 12-2:30. Children will be visited by Chicago Police, Fire, Mounted Police, K-9 Unit and a grand tour of a real Chicago Fire Truck or Engine! They will learn about stranger danger, fire safety and much, much more!

Click here to register for Morning Rescue Hero's

Click here to register for Afternoon Rescue Hero's

Have a safe and fun summer!!!

Tweet Tweet!!

2009-05-19T13:35:00.002-05:00

Jungle Gym is joining 2009! We will now be able to update our followers weekly with upcoming events, promotions, activities and much MUCH more! Follow us today by visiting our Twitter page at: www.twitter.com/JungleGymSchool

Gym-N-Learn Fall 2009 Registration now open!

2009-05-14T09:48:00.007-05:00

Jungle Gym Preschool, Chicago's first fitness-based preschool program for children 2-5 years old, is accepting registration for the fall 2009 Gym-N-Learn program session. Licensed by DCFS, this 2 1/2 hour preschool program is organized to parallel in content the Illinois Learning Standards for preschool education. Included are benchmarks for learning in Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and Health, and Social and Emotional Development. Diapers welcome, we help potty train! Only 16 spots per session, call or stop in today to learn more about this cutting edge, innovative preschool program.

JUNGLE GYM GOES MOBILE!

2009-04-25T09:55:00.008-05:00

Let Jungle Gym host your next BLOCK PARTY, BIRTHDAY PARTY, COMPANY PICNIC OR ANY SPECIAL EVENT YOU CAN THINK OF! That's right, Jungle Gym's trained staff will pull up with tons of fun equipment, games, music and MUCH, MUCH MORE! Let us entertain your younger guest's, while the adults SIT BACK, RELAX AND ENJOY themselves. Art's & Craft's available upon request. Only $275.00 for the 2 hours. Maximum of 2 hours per party. Call us today at (773) 445-5000 for more info.

FREE WEEK OF TUMBLEBEAR CLASSES!!!

2009-04-25T08:59:00.003-05:00

Join us April 27th - May 1st for a week of FREE Tumblebear classes. Come and see for yourself what Jungle Gym has to offer:

NEW! Special Needs – Monday 4:45–5:45 REGISTER HERE

Preschool Boys – Thursday 6:45-7:45 REGISTER HERE

2/3 Bears – Tuesday – 5:30-6:15 REGISTER HERE

Ballet Bears – Tuesday – 6:30-7:30 REGISTER HERE

Cheer Bears – - Tuesday - 4:15-5:15 REGISTER HERE

3 All Me – Wednesday - 5:45-6:30 REGISTER HERE

Jungle Tumble - Thursday - 5:15-6:15 REGISTER HERE

MUST R.S.V.P – ONLY 16 SPOTS AVAILABLE PER CLASS!!!

GRAND RE-OPENING EXTRAVAGANZA!

2009-04-24T15:09:00.007-05:00

PRESS RELEASE:
Jungle Gym Grand Re-Opening!

MAY 3RD
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Chicago, IL, April 24, 2009 – Summer is on its way and Jungle Gym is ready to kick it off with a bang! Families with children, please join our enthusiastic staff as we celebrate the success of our new Gym-N-Learn preschool program. Licensed by DCFS, Jungle Gym is proud to offer Gym-N-Learn, Chicago’s First Fitness-Based Preschool Program for children ages 2-5. We are hosting a Grand Re-Opening Sunday May 3rd from 11am-4pm. Activities will include games, songs, face painting, balloons, tattoos & FUN, FUN, FUN! The Chicago Storm Dancers will be making an appearance to show off their moves, join in the games and sign autographs. FREE Chair massages will be provided courtesy of Greenwood Chiropractic Wellness Clinic, along with back pack safety info, posture checks and nutrition info! This is a Green Event, so non-motorized transportation is highly encouraged!!! Walk, stroll or bike on over for a terrific day packed with fun, and don’t forget your refillable water bottles!

Visit our new website for more information, online registration also available at www.junglegymfitkids.com. Jungle Gym is located in Fairfield Square Mall next door to the Chicago Patrolmen’s Credit Union. 2760 W. 111th Street Chicago, Il 60655. Please call us at 773-445-5000 or come in today for more information.

Meet The Staff

2009-04-06T14:40:00.005-05:00

Meet the staff! Bios now posted at
http://www.junglegymfitkids.com/aboutus.html

New website for Jungle Gym School!

2009-03-28T17:23:00.002-05:00

Visit the new Jungle Gym School website at www.junglegymfitkids.com! Updates frequently, check back soon!

Gym-N-Learn preschool a tremendous success!!!

2009-03-28T07:43:00.006-05:00

Gym-N-Learn educational preschool is the first fitness-based preschool program in Chicago! Our innovative program teaches children their phone number, address, colors, shapes, numbers and more in addition to a 45-minute tremendously fun gymnastic lesson. Destiny Gaines, Gym-N-Learn Director, has done a terrific job with program development and is constantly finding new ways to teach with fun lesson plans that incorporate music, games, dancing and more. A new theme is introduced every two weeks to educate and also keep the children motivated. Open enrollment for our fall session starts April 15th, 2009. This program only takes 16 children per session and we are almost at capacity! Don't let your child miss out, call or stop in today to find out more about this cutting edge preschool program.

Spring Break Camps

2009-03-24T17:31:00.000-05:00

Spring Break Camps

Come join Jungle Gym as we celebrate Spring Time! April 6th- April 17th Jungle Gym will be hosting 2.5 hours of themed fun for your children ages 2-6 years old not once, but TWICE a day. Spots are filled quickly so reserve yours today! Online registration now available!

Monday April 6th & April 13th: Jungle Safari
Tuesday April 7th & April 14th: Super Heroes
Wednesday April 8th & April 15th: Pirate Adventure
Thursday April 9th & April 16th: Blues Clues
Friday April 10th & April 17th: Spring Has Sprung

Two time slots available each day:

8:45 a.m.-11:15 a.m.

12:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

1 Days: $22/day = $22 total
2 Days: $20/day = $40 total
3 Days: $18/day = $54 total
4 Days: $16/day = $64 total
5 Days: $14/day = $70 total

*Drop-off optional

Jungle Gym Wins Business Plan Competition

2008-09-09T17:50:00.000-05:00

The Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) in partnership with The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, The Partnership for New Communities and CDW has awarded Jungle Gym as first prize winner in the "Existing Business"category in the Women's Business Development Center's 2008 Business Plan Competition! Owner, Lynette Aune, entered the competition by completing a business plan which demonstrated an excellent and innovated concept that provides a needed service to the Chicagoland area. As result of winning the contest, Jungle Gym was awarded a $10,000 cash prize presented by First Lady of Illinois, Patti Blagojevich on September 4th at Navy Pier!!

Jungle Gym Now Licensed Day Care

2008-09-09T17:35:00.001-05:00

Jungle Gym is proud to announce its day care licensing through the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois. This is a big benefit to our customers as we will be able to offer a parents' night out every Friday from 5:30p.m.-8:00p.m. starting October 3rd and a Saturday Safari from 9a.m.-11a.m. beginning October 4th. Both of these services will be drop-off!!

Jungle Gym Attends National Training Seminar

2008-08-12T10:01:00.000-05:00

Safety is always our first priority

Chicago, IL, August 11, 2008 - Lynette Aune, President, Bonnie May, Program Director and Kelly O'Donnell, Assistant Director recently attended a national gymnastics workshop in Dyer, Indiana led by Patti Komara, internationally known gymnastics expert. Ms. Aune, Miss May and Miss O'Donnell have taken an important step in self-education.

The overall emphasis of the seven-hour workshop was to learn the necessary skills to be a teacher of gymnastics and fitness for the children walking to six years. Stations and drills were shown to teach skills to children of all ages. Topics include proper warm-ups, the use of props and visual cues in class, skill drills and techniques, motivating your students, new equipment, and teaching fundamentals. The workshop was developed to train instructors to help each child reach their maximum skill level while having lots of fun! Fun is an essential part of the gymnastics class for children.

Ms. Aune, Miss May and Miss O'Donnell are also certified in American Red Cross CPR and First Aid and continually upgrade their education. Bonnie May and Kelly O'Donnell teach at Jungle Gym where they offer tumbling, gymnastics, cheer and dance. For more information call (773) 445-5000.

Rescue Heroes Camp

2008-08-12T09:40:00.000-05:00

Rescue Heroes Camp concluded on Thursday August 8th. This camp was very successful and the kids were able to understand and learn about the life of the important rescue heroes that contribute to our society. The children were able to re-enact different scenarios and what they would do in each situation. The children practiced fire safety skills such as what to do if they saw a fire, crawling low when the firemen come to save them, and how to dial 9-1-1 and the proper information to give the respondent. The children also enjoyed a great treat when the Chicago Firemen of Truck Co. 45 came for a visit. The firemen talked to the children and even gave them a tour and instruction of the inner-workings of the truck! Later on in the week a Chicago Police Officer spoke to the children about police safety and how to keep themselves safe in the community. This camp was another success and we look forward to continuing it in the future!

Princess Camp a Hit!

2008-07-17T12:03:00.000-05:00

Thursday July 17th concluded the Princess Camp at Jungle Gym. All of the little "princesses" who came to camp this week enjoyed games, crafts and make-believe play. Each day, the girls were allowed to wear their favorite princess costume or princess apparel to get in the princess spirit. Every girl's dream is to be a princess and the girls surely got to experience that at Jungle Gym! With such a great success of the princess camp, we look forward to Diva Camp on Tuesday August 5th!

Annual Jungle Gym Open House

2008-07-10T10:58:00.000-05:00

This year's annual Jungle Gym Open House took place on Saturday June 28th and was a HUGE success! Activities included face painting, Jungle Gym temporary tattoos, and a visit from Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat. Children also played games with the staff such as duck-duck-goose, clean your room and parachute activities. We would like to thank everyone who came out for this event. Without our loyal customers, we would not be a success! We look forward to seeing everyone again next year for this exciting day!

Annual Evergreen Park 4th of July Parade

2008-07-10T10:07:00.000-05:00

This year, Jungle gym participated in the Annual 4th of July parade that took place on July 3rd at 6:30 p.m. in Evergreen Park. The parade ran down 95th street, beginning at Pulaski Ave. and headed east to Francisco Ave, ending at 91st Street. We saw many fellow Jungle Gym-ers at the parade as we sported our U.S.A. colors and marched with our Jungle Gym display. We hope that next year we may have you march with us in the parade!

Sports of all Sorts Camp

2008-06-20T09:09:00.000-05:00

Thursday, June 19th, concluded our Sports of all Sorts week at Jungle Gym. This camp was a great success and the kids had a wonderful time experimenting and playing a variety of activities related to sports of all sorts! Some activities the children engaged in were a soccer game, hitting baseballs off a tee, and hockey & basketball relays. Each day the children created a craft which pertained to one of the sports that was being practiced that day. The children loved decorating the crafts and adding details to make their project unique and their own. This camp certainly was a hit and will continue to be a theme in our camps in the future.

Open House

2008-06-06T11:58:00.000-05:00

Join us, Saturday June 28th from 10am-2pm!! We will have 4 hours of pure FUN including music, games, face painting, balloons, tattoos and a special visit from CURIOUS GEORGE and THE MAN IN THE YELLOW HAT!!!

Annual BAPA Ridge Run

2008-06-06T10:48:00.000-05:00

Tot-Run Sponsored by Jungle Gym
For the second year in a row, the tot-run was organized and ran by the staff of Jungle Gym. Children were organized into groups according to age: walking-two year olds, three-four year olds and five-six year olds. The children ran in an arch shaped course and had a wonderful time taking part in this tradition. All the children received goody bags with supplies and interesting information for taking part in the race. The staff of Jungle Gym was also present at the run to distribute balloons, coupons and information for all those who stopped by the table. With this year's proven success, we certainly look forward to seeing you next year!
Bonnie May Takes Part in Run
We have been very lucky to add a new program director to our staff who shares our philosphy of the importance of physical activity. As program director, Bonnie May decided to take part in the Annual BAPA Ridge Run, running in the 10K run on Memorial Day. The Ridge Run was Bonnie's first race, and she completed it in one hour and two minutes. A native to Champaign, Illinois, Bonnie was happy to take part in the neighborhood tradition. She was very happy that the race was a success and to kick off her summer in a way that was active and healthy.

New Baby Einstein Class!

2008-06-06T10:10:00.000-05:00

What makes Baby Einstein products unlike any other is that they are created from a baby's point of view and incorporates a unique combination of real world objects, music, art, language, poetry and nature- providing you an opportunity to introduce your baby to the world around them in playful and enriching ways. The intent of this program is to have interacticve experience for the child and the parent to discover the world together. All of the products used in the class are designed to encourage discovery and inspire new ways for parents and little ones to interact. Subjects such as classical music, art and poetry are prominently explored.

The class is for parents and their tots ranging from walking to two years of age and the class will take place on Monday evenings from 6:00-7:00pm. This is a ten week program beginning Monday, June 16 for $10.00/class. However, if you pre-register for all 10 sessions, you will recieve the class for a discounted price of only $80.00. Walk-ins welcome!

Summer Camps

2008-06-06T09:42:00.000-05:00

This summer we will host a series of summer camps beginning Monday, June 16th. The camps are themed and are offered as weekly camps with two time sessions from which to pick. They run for 2.5 hours Monday-Thursday and juice & a snack are included. We also offer one-evening camps which will take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. These camps run for 3 hours and pizza and juice will be served. Most of our camps are targeted for children ages 2-6 years old. With exciting themes such as Under the Sea, Jungle Safari, Diva, & High School Musical, your child is sure to have a BLAST! For more information and detailed descriptions of our camps, please follow the link below:
http://www.junglegymfitkids.com/pdf/summercamps08.pdf

June 2008 Press Release

2008-06-06T09:33:00.000-05:00

Jungle Gym Announces Staff Additions, New Summer Programs
Summer Camps, Flexible Schedules, and Key Personnel Round Out New Business Model

Chicago, June 2, 2008 – Jungle Gym Fitness Center for Kids (www.junglegymfitkids.com) today announced its new summer schedule along with some key hires to enhance the quality and availability of programs for its clientele.

“Jungle Gym will be celebrating its two year anniversary in October,” commented owner Lynette Aune. “It was time to enhance our offerings and attract team members who share my vision for enthusing children with a lifelong love of health and fitness.”

New to Jungle Gym are Bonnie May and Erin Durkin. May joins as the new Director of Jungle Gym and brings with her extensive experience with infants, toddlers, and preschool children. She holds her special education endorsement and has also volunteered at Barbara Vick Early Childhood Center. May will be graduating with her BA in Early Childhood Education from Saint Xavier University at the end of the year.

Also joining the center is Erin Durkin who joins Jungle Gym as an assistant teacher. Durkin will begin her studies in secondary education in the fall and has devoted much of her time over the last six years to the care of infants and toddlers.

“I am so delighted to welcome Bonnie and Erin,” said Aune. “They not only have the right backgrounds and expertise to work with children, but they also bring a sense of fun and excitement to the center. The children and parents at Jungle Gym absolutely adore them, and their energy is infectious.”

Also new to Jungle Gym are a series of one-week camps that run in the morning, afternoon and early evening. Additionally, the center has begun hosting new Friday gymnastic lessons, Saturday breakfast classes followed by open gym, and increased flexibility for individual classes, camps, or open gyms based on what works best for a family’s schedule.

“We are seeing more parents and grandparents who are coming to Jungle Gym with various schedule constraints, so we try to work around that and offer programs that work best for their family,” commented Aune. “With open gyms available daily and flexible registration options, we are able to put together classes and gym participation that work well for busy families.”

Saturday Breakfast Safari

2008-05-15T10:43:00.001-05:00

Join us for our new Saturday Breakfast Safari! Every Saturday From 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Stick around for the following Open Gym from 10:15-11:15 a.m., for no additional charge! That’s right, FREE OPEN GYM!

• Children will have a structured 30-minute gymnastics lesson.
• Bring a sack-breakfast to eat with a teacher, receive an arts & crafts lesson, plus activities & games.
• *Please register 48 hours in advance: Members $12.00/ Non-members $14.00
• **Same day registration: Members $14.00/Non-members $16.00 for each Safari visit.
• Activities for ages 2-6 years old, younger siblings welcome at no additional fee!

*Limit of 16 children, minimum 3. Please register at least two days in advance to receive discount and to assure these classes will be running.
**Same day registration: PLEASE CALL AHEAD to make sure class has met the minimum enrollment and is running.

CPR Training Completed

2008-05-02T07:28:00.000-05:00

All Jungle Gym staff completed CPR training on April 30th, 2008. The training was conducted by Junellen M. Eastman of Chicago's Pulse, a CPR and First Aid training company that is staffed by active serving Paramedics of the Chicago Fire Department.

June has been teaching the American Heart Association method of CPR for over 20 years. June is the founder of Chicago's Pulse and set the company up in 1995 because her field experience showed her that too many people are not trained in CPR. Too many calls she attends result in death when the outcome could have been different had lifesaving techniques been applied prior to the paramedic's arrival. She has therefore made it her company mission to train as many people as possible in this life saving skill.

Next Session begins May 12

2008-04-19T09:49:00.000-05:00

Next session starts May 12th - June 14th, short 5 week session until end of school year. Open Registration begins April 28th @ 10 a.m. Current members please sign up now to guarantee your child's spot in their favorite class!

NEW! Spring 2008

2008-04-19T09:37:00.000-05:00

Lunch Bunch on Fridays from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

You don't have to be a member at Jungle Gym to sign-up for Lunch Bunch! During the school year our mini-camp called Lunch Bunch is offered during the afternoon to give the preschoolers a chance to have lunch with an instructor. The children will have a structured 45-minute gymnastics lesson, bring a sack lunch to eat with a teacher, enjoy arts and crafts, do more activities and games in the gym and have an ULTIMATE BLAST. Members pay $12.00 and non-members pay $14.00 for each Lunch Bunch visit. Ages 2-6 years old, younger siblings are welcome for no additional fee. Non-members must have a completed registration form on file with our office. Please note this is not a drop-off.

See the schedule for more info.

T.G.I.F. (Thank Goodness It's FUN!!) Fridays from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.

NOTE: Same description as Lunch Bunch (see above) except juice and a snack are provided.

New for 2008!

2008-04-02T09:58:00.000-05:00

Jungle Gym has added Lunch Bunch and Field Trips/Play Groups Tuesdays to the 2008 schedule. Check out our Classes page for more information.

New Gymnastics Training for Jungle Gym Staff

2008-04-02T09:55:00.000-05:00

The Jungle Gym Staff is going to great lengths to become the best fitness teachers for your children!

Last fall, the Jungle Gym Staff participated in a two-day training session with Ellen McDermott. Ellen has been a teacher and gymnastics trainer for the past 20 years. All of the Jungle Gym staff were trained how to properly support young children during different tumbling positions. The staff has also been trained how to progressively teach a child correct tumbling tricks such as starting from teaching proper hand placement on the floor for a handstand and continuing into the correct movements for a cartwheel.

Some members of the Jungle Staff received additional training at the Region 5 Congress in Indianapolis during the weekend of September 21-23. At this seminar, the staff trained in many different aspects of gymnastics. Some of the classes offered at the seminar included "Ideas for Recreational Instructors Who Teach Tumbling" , "Understanding the Preschooler, Developmentally Appropriate Classes", and "Motivating Children for Gymnastics", etc. We learned valuable ideas for our classes here at the Jungle Gym. We know that these different steps we have taken to learn more about gymnastics will help us provide your child with the techniques needed to compete in tumbling/gymnastics at a higher level. And if anything, this training has made the entire Jungle Gym staff better fitness providers for your children.

Let us know if you would like to enroll your child in our next Tumbling class!