Summer Facility Maintenance & Parking Lot Project: Y Closed August 16-22. Click to read more.
Summer Facility Maintenance & Parking Lot Project: Y Closed August 16-22. Click to read more.
Movement is at the very core of how children develop intellectually, emotionally, socially, and of course, physically. Our Bouncing Bears and Beyond movement education program provides children 12 months and older with a safe, fun, kid-oriented environment where we focus on the total well-being of each child. Held in the Kid Zone, our unique children’s gym, we often hear life-long friendships are made in Bouncing Bears classes.
The Kid Zone gym is full of challenges for growing muscles and minds. Equipment is set up to enhance gross motor skills and is effectively utilized to keep kids productive throughout their entire class. Through themed lesson plans, the students experience a variety of bouncing, tumbling, swinging, balancing, rhythm, and body awareness activities, with gymnastics skills developed along the way.
Meet new friends at this fun-filled gym class for toddlers and parents! Playtime in our Kid Zone will foster your child’s coordination and motor development in swinging, balancing, climbing, running, jumping, rolling and more. The class is set up with exploration time and circle time, which includes the incorporation of songs and weekly themes using a variety of props such as puppets, ribbons, instruments, parachutes, and more. This program has plenty of action, music, and fun, while both kids and parents meet new friends!
Book and Bounce combines the magic of storytelling with the excitement of gymnastics! Perfect for toddlers, this unique program aims to promote physical development, cognitive growth, and a love for books through fun, active learning experiences. Runs fall through spring.
Dive into creativity with guided group Lego-building in the first half of this class, followed by games, bouncing around, and fun in the Kid Zone! This program is a great way for kids to get creative while getting their energy out! Runs fall through spring.
Jr. Ninja Warriors is a dynamic blend of movement, balance, and fun designed for little adventurers! This class helps build foundational motor skills, confidence, and coordination in an engaging and supportive environment. Kids will navigate through exciting obstacle courses, climb, swing, jump, and crawl their way to becoming mini ninja warriors. Runs fall through spring.
Get ready to sing, dance, and groove in our Music and Movement class for preschoolers! This joyful, high-energy program introduces little ones to the magic of music through playful activities that engage their bodies and minds. Runs fall through spring.
Bouncing Bears is a unique and integrated program that will challenge your child as he or she develops physically and socially. Your child will be exposed to activities that enhance flexibility, balance, rhythm, and motor skills. Age-appropriate classes incorporate music, dance, puppets, relays, games, gymnastics apparatus, skills stations, and creative obstacle courses. An emphasis is placed on community and socials skills, as well as the Y’s core values: caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.
Your child will explore a wide variety of movement concepts and skills through the use of obstacle courses, skill stations, and a variety of games and activities! During our 45 minutes of fun, we will work on basic gymnastics skills (forward and backward roll) and progressions for more challenging skills (handstands and cartwheels), basic sequencing, staying with a group and following directions, as well as social interaction skills.
Have your little one move and groove in this energy-filled 60-minute combination class! The first 30 minutes focus on building rhythm connections to a variety of music and dance styles; exploring creativity and using our imagination and self-expression to build confidence. Each class finishes with 30 minutes of gymnastics, where we build fundamental movement skills. All classes start in the Mind Body Studio and end in the Kid Zone.
Our movement education program provides children with a safe, fun, kid-oriented environment where we focus on the total wellbeing of each child. Through themed lesson plans, the students experience a variety of bouncing, tumbling, swinging, balancing, rhythm, and body awareness activities, with gymnastics skills developed along the way.
Musical Bears is a lively preschool class fostering creativity, coordination, and a love for music in young minds. Utilizing our bouncing bears area, our program supplies an engaging and nurturing environment where children can explore a variety of music and the art of movement through playful activities.
Each class incorporates a warm-up, obstacle course, skill & station practice, and group time utilizing fun games, relays, parachute, and more! With an increased attention span and improved strength and flexibility, progression of skills are acquired more easily. Combinations of skills are presented to improve their memory. Social skills, problem solving, and creative thinking are emphasized. Target skills: tuck, straddle, and straight jumps, run, jump, and roll, inverted hang on rings, hopping on one foot, cartwheels over block, and so much more!
This 90-minute combination class features two specialties in one class! In the first 45 minutes, children will develop their skills learning basic tumbling and preschool gymnastics through stations, circuits, and games. The second half of class features a 30-minute swim class taught by a YMCA swim instructor. Children will be accompanied by their gym instructor and MUST come prepared with their bathing suit on under their gym clothes. Drop off in Kid Zone/Pick up in the Forese Family Pool. Those interested in participating in only the gym portion of this class may do so, space permitting. Please contact Donna Carpenter at 203-920-1639 or by email.
This structured class focuses on movement education and creative expression through the use of developmentally appropriate gymnastics skills. Our preschool program is a great way to improve your child’s self-confidence, flexibility, body-awareness, and listening skills.
Runs fall through spring.
Tuesdays: 5:30-6:15 pm
Wednesdays: 12:15 – 1:00 pm; 3:15-4:00 pm
Thursdays: 3:15 – 4:00 pm
Fridays: 12:15 – 1:00 pm
Saturdays: 2:00 – 2:45 pm; 2:45 – 3:30 pm
*Open gym times are subject to change and will vary during vacation weeks.
Location: Kid Zone
Fee: Free with a New Canaan YMCA Membership | $20.00 for non-members
Advance sign-up for Bouncing Bears Open Gym times is available online three days in advance. Non-members and local Y reciprocity members must also purchase a day pass to participate in Bouncing Bears Open Gym.
Please note: For the safety of all, each Open Gym time is limited to 15 children on a first-come, first-served basis. Parents are required to stay and supervise play. Please pick up an Open Gym pass at the Front Desk.
For additional information and any questions about Bouncing Bears Open Gym, contact Mason Capozza, Youth Program Associate, by email.
Have your kids aged out of our Pre-K open gym? We are excited to offer drop-off open gym for kids ages 5-8! Drop-off open gym is a great opportunity for school-aged children to have fun and get their energy out while bouncing, swinging, jumping, and more in our Kid Zone! Advance sign-up for Bouncing Bears Open Gym time is available online three days in advance through our membership portal. Note: This is a drop-off program but parents must stay onsite near the program space.
Wednesdays: 4:45-5:30
Fridays: 4:15-5:00
*Open gym times are subject to change and will vary during vacation weeks.
Location: Kid Zone
Fee: $20 for New Canaan YMCA members | $30.00 for non-members
Advance sign-up for Bouncing Bears Open Gym times is available online three days in advance. Non-members and local Y reciprocity members must also purchase a day pass to participate in Bouncing Bears Open Gym.
Please note: For the safety of all, each school-age Open Gym time is limited to 12 children on a first-come, first-served basis. Parents are required to stay and supervise play. Please pick up an Open Gym pass at the Front Desk.
For additional information and any questions about Bouncing Bears Open Gym, contact Mason Capozza, Youth Program Associate, by email.
Come celebrate your child’s special day with us here at the Y! Our Bouncing Bears gymnastics area is perfect for little ones to jump around with their friends. Bouncing Bears Birthday Parties include one hour in the Kid Zone followed by an hour for pizza and cake for up to 15 guests. Please note: each child must be at least two years old and parents are required to stay on-site for extra supervision. If interested, please contact Mason Capozza, Assistant Director of Programs, by email.
Time: 11:00 AM-1:00 PM
Family & Youth Member Fee*:
$300/without pizza, $350/with pizza
Non-Member Fee*:
$400/without pizza, $450/with pizza
*Parents may purchase additional food at their own expense.
Missed classes due to illness may be made up in another class during the session, space permitting. Please schedule a make-up class in advance with your class instructor or by contacting Mason Capozza, Assistant Director of Programs, at 203-920-1651 or by email. If a class is canceled by the Y due to inclement weather or an emergency, every effort will be made to offer a make-up class.
Please note: if a participant cannot attend the make-up class, no credit/refund will be issued.
For additional information and any questions about Bouncing Bears programs, please contact Mason Capozza, Assistant Director of Programs, at 203-920-1651 or by email.