My kids and I had the pleasure of attending an open house at The Little Gym of the Upper West Side, 2121 Broadway.

I used to live in Asia and I remembered seeing The Little Gym signs in places like Bangkok, but had never been inside.

There are actually more than 300 locations around the globe, for kids ages 4 months through 12 years.

The Little Gym has created an environment that builds the body while also growing the individual. The Little Gym uses a Three-Dimensional Learning approach to promote a well-rounded learning experience.

Three-Dimensional Learning is based on three core tenets: • Get Moving! – Fosters flexibility, strength, balance, and coordination. • Brain Boost! – Fosters listening skills, concentration, and decision making. • Citizen Kid! – Fosters sharing, teamwork, cooperation and leadership abilities.

Recently, The Little Gym launched a new initiative to collect used or outgrown shoes. The program, called “Big Hearts, Little Shoes,” benefits Soles4Souls.

Parents can visit www.TheLittleGym.com/BigHeartsLittleShoes to find the nearest “Big Hearts, Little Shoes” donation location.

Parents can connect through social media on The Little Gym’s Facebook page and by following @TheLittleGym on twitter!