Tots in Action: A Mommy Connections & Junior Academy Joint Venture

03/04/2013

Last week, our brand new sport and talk program in partnership with The Junior Academy kicked off in typical toddler fashion with lots of running, jumping and non-stop energy. Mixed with a little nutritional information for our moms courtesy of certified nutritionist Kim Niblett of Acorn Family Health & Wellness Centre, the hour and fifteen minute class kept our moms and toddlers very busy.

This 6-week sport and talk program features a weekly gym session for the toddlers led by the Academy’s Director, Carly Isic who guides the little ones through a series of different activities that focus on developing skills such as agility, balance and hand-eye coordination. We combine this with several additional toddler-focused demonstrations from local businesses such as Sing Music Studio (kindermusik), Circle Time Parties (children’s party planning) and Itsy Bitsy Yoga (toddler yoga). In addition to a nutritional talk, we also invite Good Night Sleep Site in to discuss healthy sleep habits for toddlers and round the program out with a “picture day” courtesy of H2 Photo.

Below are a few photos from our first class where the toddlers jumped on the trampoline, played with hula hoops and practiced a bean bag toss.

The Junior Academy programming is geared towards children aged 2-5. They offer a number of different classes in the mornings, afternoons and on weekends to suit any busy family’s schedule.

Their website explains their programming best:

The Junior Academy was developed to facilitate the growth and development of children aged 2-5 and to encourage them to participate in sport and fitness activities that will lead to adopting a healthy, active lifestyle now and into the future. It is a day-time program that incorporates the fundamentals of sport, exercise and health (flexibility, strength, endurance) with the basic skills pertinent to healthy growth and development (such as hand-eye co-ordination, balance, gross motor skills, and spatial and body awareness). The program introduces children, through weekly one-hour sessions, to the fun and exciting world of sport and exercise while at the same time building on developmental skills.

Are your children involved in any classes or local programs you recommend to other parents?