Please compare: Little Hoppers is not like less
sophisticated preschool gymnastics programs. The
Little Hoppers curriculum is carefully designed for
exactly what children need most during these
formative years. In Little Hoppers, gymnastics skills
are used as tools to teach learning attitudes while
skill mastery is a secondary goal. At Leaps & Bounds
we keep first things first...Kids!

Fun is Far More Than Meets The Eye
One of the objectives of Little Hoppers is FUN! Of
course, this is cool with the kids but parents
sometimes fail to realize the importance of fun in a
learning setting, especially for preschoolers. Adults
often feel that when fun is present, learning is not.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Why is fun so important? All well adjusted, life long
learners at some point during their formative years
formed a subconscious association when presented
with a learning situation approximating: challenge=risk=learning=fun & excitement. In other
words, "a challenge is worthy of my best effort in and
of itself."

The value of this association becomes more apparent when inspecting the opposite association that is so prevalent in today's

teenagers and young adults: challenge=risk=failure=fear & anxiety. For
a person possessing this negative association in the pain of possible failure is simply not worth the risk. This person then learns to 'isolate' themselves from fear and anxiety by creative and clever excuses and displaying apathetic attitudes about "trying", such as 'who cares?' or 'why should I even bother to try, I'll never be able to do it anyway?'

Ok...now that you know a little more about the substance of Little Hoppers, we have a favor to ask.
Shhhh!...don't tell the kids! They think Little Hoppers is just PURE FUN!

A Critical Little Hopper Difference
Our Five Age Groupings
We divide our Little Hoppers Program into five separate age groups. At these tender ages, we believe these divisions are necessary in order to create just the right learning environment for each stage of a child's development. Few organizations go through this trouble but we know the children feel more comfortable and learn more in our groupings. We hope you agree.

• Diaper Dare Devils (10-23 months) A parent/tot class centered around age appropriate developmental movements. We provide a structured gymnastics program however we realize that our younger bunch sometimes like to do their own thing. Your kids are allowed to explore safely and then return to the group when ready.

• ( 2 yrs) Also a parent /tot format but with bigger excitement
  and bigger challenge.
  
  
• (3 years) No parents needed for this age group! There are
  mountains to climb, rivers to swim and trampolines to jump on!
  More physical challenges await them. Their bodies are getting stronger and their social skills are being tested. They learn that challenges are FUN!.
  
  
• (4-5 years) These hoppers are beginning to really step out and move. The physical challenges are stepped up. As in all levels, we make sure each attempt is rewarded so the children associate ‘trying and falling short’ with what it really is a natural step in the learning process.
  
  

Parents Advisory: Please Respect Our Age Groups
Comparing Little Hoppers to other local programs, an often overlooked, but a critical difference is our five ages groups. PLEASE respect our age groups when registering. Attempts to 'fast track' preschoolers has negative implications to your child, the other members of the class and the teachers.

Also, please realize, the negative impact of 'implied pressures to learn' inevitably present in a skill-based program isn't fully realized until the Jr. High years when an "I Can't" attitude or an apathetic "I don't care" attitude can surface. You can't turn back the clock! This is the age to 'learn to grow' and multiple successes in a relaxed, fun, loving atmosphere is the key.

What Should My Child Wear
For girls, a short sleeve leotard. Boys wear a T-shirt and shorts. No shoes. Bare feet are preferred, as it is difficult to climb some of our 'mountains' and other stations with socks. If your child wears a watch or other jewelry, let him leave it with you before class.

Make ups
It is always best to attend your regularly scheduled class. When an emergency occurs, please call our office and we will do our best to arrange a make-up in a comparable class.

Note: The number of make-ups we accept in any class is limited, hence make-ups are not guaranteed and in all cases are limited to 2 per term. Please refer to pg 4 of our 'How To' Booklet.

Pricing
$141 per term (9-10 weeks)

$150 Super Hoppers
Click here for additional information regarding registration for classes and fees.