Kiera Rain
October 25, 2017 11:43
This place (foam) Rocks! We first visited East Bay Sports Academy for toddler gymnastics, and then heard from a playdate friend that they go to Encore, so we checked out Encore the next week. What a MAJOR difference for toddlers! At East Bay Sports Academy, I was running around after my almost 2 year old, sweating, and trying to keep him away from the groups of big kids doing their training. There was not another single boy, of any age, at the gym. Just one male instructor working with the teen girls. His class had 3 girls who were 1-2 years older, and the class was structured. Being his very first time, he didn't know the structure or rules and was too curious to sit down and wait, he wanted to explore instead. The instructor was very sweet, and we had an overall good experience. But when we checked out Encore, what a DRASTIC difference! There were as many boys as there were girls, all toddlers/young kids during his scheduled time, no big kids taking up the majority of the gym. My son could run around all he wanted, trying out all the different equipment and play set-ups. There were safety railings so I didn't have to worry about chasing after him everywhere. The space was decorated with fun colors. Our teacher was Elky, and although I liked the other instructor at East Bay Sports Academy, Elky outshined her, too. It was a completely different demeanor and vibe at the two gyms--and Encore is definitely toddler oriented during his set time classes (Encore hosts all ages, including adults). Elky explained that their gym is fun and there to promote parent-child interaction and a healthy lifestyle, as opposed to being a professionally training gym for competitions, like East Bay Sports Academy. Both are great gyms, just Encore was a shoe-in fit for us! I HIGHLY recommend going there! We signed up right-away and pre-paid for 2 months because he loved it so much. The other families were so warm and welcoming, also. It was playdate style. At Sports Academy, I was the only parent participating. Check it out--you won't regret it!