The Little Gym: Flipping childhood development on its head in Prague

With many kids swapping physical activity for screens  – a worrying modern-day trend that has been steadily on the rise over the last decade – pediatricians and child-development experts are stressing the importance of introducing a love of sports and exercise from an early age.    

This core fitness principle is what drives The Little Gym, the world’s leading motor development program for kids aged 4 months to 12 years, while at the same time building confidence and skills that will enhance every aspect of a child’s life.  

The global franchise network has been on the Czech market for nearly 15 years and is among the few reputable options available to parents looking for exercise classes for their little ones in English. 

With 70 class offerings at two Prague locations, enrollment for The Little Gym’s fall semester is now open. 

“The concept of The Little Gym for many years is something that we call three-dimensional learning. It’s not only about motor skills. It’s also about brain skills and now social skills, because children develop in a holistic approach,” says David Mašát, who, alongside his wife Jana, runs The Little Gyms in Smíchov and Chodov.

“Everything is connected. When a child knows, for example, how to jump, when they have good posture, it helps them develop better fine motor skills, making it easier for them to write.” 

What parents need to understand, says Mašát, is that the sooner they start their kids down this path, the better. More than 50 percent of the kids that are coming to The Little Gym’s Prague branches, are small babies, attending the popular parent-child classes that are held in the mornings. 

The Little Gym is centered around non-competitive gymnastics. Its 50-year curriculum, which is regularly updated to reflect the changing trends in child development, is the same at all its worldwide branches.   

Each class has its own specific dynamic, and teachers communicate with the kids in a different way based on the age range of the class. While the baby groups or preschoolers would be led, for instance, in crawling or walking across the high beam, older kids would perhaps be taught how to safely incorporate somersaults into a high-beam walk. Each class, says Mašát, builds on the class below it. 

“Not only are the kids developing their posture and strength here, a key point that is woven throughout all our classes is building a child’s self confidence,” says Mašát. “We are helping to develop the child in a holistic way through non-competitive gymnastics.” 

Most of The Little Gym trainers in Prague have degrees in physical education and sports. Weekly themed classes, offered in English and Czech, foster enhanced emotional, intellectual and social skills in colorful facilities. Kids are rewarded for their individual effort.  

The Little Gym offers three classes for three age groups. The morning parent-child classes are for kids between the ages of 4 months and 3 years. Afternoon and early evening classes, meanwhile, are for kids between the ages of 3 to 6, and 6 and 12.  

Mašát and his wife Jana were first introduced to The Little Gym when they enrolled their son into a course while living abroad in Amsterdam. They were so taken by the approach that they looked into the logistics of bringing The Little Gym to their native Czechia. Eventually, they became the master franchisee for The Little Gym network in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.  

In addition to Prague, there are franchise branches currently running in Brno, Ostrava and Bratislavia.  

“I think the wonderful thing about this job is that you make a difference in people’s lives,” says Mašát. “My wife and I both had corporate jobs before opening Little Gym. And that was fine. But at Little Gym, you have a direct impact on kids, and that’s really wonderful. You leave steps – footsteps – in the lives of kids. What could be better than that?”

Indeed, Mašát seems more than pleased with his career trajectory.  

On a recent busy afternoon at The Little Gym in Smíchov, a little boy is heading out with his mother and, noticing Mašát sitting nearby, calls out to him, smiling. Mašát grins back, and jumps out of his seat to give the boy a high five.

“That’s a boy from my morning class. I teach, and so does Jana,” says Mašát. “I love it! I love it!”  

For more information or to book a free trial lesson visit The Little Gym website.