Community, Schools

“I love school.” — How my son fell in love with Gymboree

Gymboree in Westgate

My son Zed was about one year old when we decided to enroll him in a toddler school, though at the time, which toddler school had yet to be determined. You see, Zed has no siblings. He doesn’t have anyone to play with, no neighbors or cousins who live near our place. So he seems very shy around other people and is very clingy with his father, which had me concerned in terms of his social development. Plus, his father had a history of having hard time going to school, which seemed like a problem to me since the only trouble my parents had with me was getting me home because I was always having too much fun in school. My husband and I started worrying that we might encounter the same dilemma. So our solution was to check out a toddler school that could help him adjust to interaction with other kids and to the learning process in general.

The gym floor

The answer came when I first discovered Gymboree in Shangri-la Plaza. I was with Zed and my husband Jay when this place with a lot of playing toddlers caught my attention. It was packed with kids the same age as Zed. I went in to inquire about it, but we ended up just getting brochures because apparently classes were going on. The place intrigued my husband and I, so we went to search for a Gymboree near our place, and we found one conveniently located in Westgate.

It really is like a little gym

We were immediately impressed with the program of Gymboree. We enrolled Zed in two classes, namely Art Class and Global Kids. In art class, they get to learn about colors, using paints and crayons, drawing and crafts. Global Kids on the other hand is a class where the kids get to virtually tour the world by performing songs and dances and appreciating art from various countries. Gymboree also has an indoor playground called the gym floor. It’s a safe place for babies and toddlers to play and exercise.

Zed with his dad

The first time Zed went to his art class, he giddily shouted “Paint!” upon receiving his first paint brush and palette filled with different bright colors from his teacher. He got so excited just looking at the colors, but he got even more enthusiastic when he was asked to actually paint on paper while standing up like painters do. He also got really excited when we tried the gym floor because he saw a huge colorful ball that he could play with.

Hide and seek!

After a few months, Zed started talking well in English. He started to greet other kids and befriend them. I immediately noticed a big improvement when it comes to his shyness. Now he can even reason out and explain what he wants. He can pack his things away. After a while, we enrolled him in a music class, and this helped him learn how to sing and familiarized him with different instruments.

Jungle gym!

I wanted Zed to love school and enjoy learning. Some of my friends expressed concern because they find it too early for him to go to school. I explained to them that Gymboree is different from a conventional school. Gymboree teachers are very creative, competent and warm. They make learning so much fun that even the parents enjoy themselves. Gymboree is a school that is focused on learning, not grades and ranking. It’s not a school where kids compete with other kids as to who walks faster or talks better. Instead, it’s a safe place for kids to grow slowly, learning things one day at a time. I am truly grateful to all the teachers and teacher aids for helping my son become who he is today.

I will never forget what Zed said to me when he turned two. He told me, “I love school.”  I smiled and said, “me too.”

Gymboree
Westgate Center, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, MuntinlupaCity
771-7529
gymboreealabang@gmail.com
www.gymboree-ph.com
School hours: 9AM – 6PM, Monday – Saturday
Branches in Banilad Town Center Cebu, Bonifacio High Street, Glorietta 4, Manila Polo Club, Shangri-la Plaza, and TriNoma

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