Gyminy Crickets

The Gyminy Crickets Play Club is an innovative program for preschool kids in Kimberley

1 of 3The Kimberley Gymnastics Club and Gyminy Crickets team. — Lisa Crane photo

2 of 3Coach Mike at work — Lisa Crane photo

3 of 3Coach Mike, coach Charity (program co-ordinator) and coach Josh pose with their Gyminy Crickets participants. — Lisa Crane photo

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Gyminy Crickets Play Club is a unique program offered in Kimberley, British Columbia. Participants from ages three to five enjoy a wide range of activities that are developmentally suitable and active, and include music, song, early literacy and numeracy. The program is facilitated by the Kimberley Gymnastics Society. 

“The Gyminy Crickets Play Club is designed for kids to come in and learn social skills, learn how to follow direction, prepare for school, socialize and have fun,” said Charity Ashby, program co-ordinator.
“They need to have fun.

“(The children) learn school readiness through play, games and crafts, and the gymnastics portion is designed so that they can get active, develop their dexterity and develop the foundations for sport later in life.”

Learning and developing gymnastics skills is an important part of the program; through this, the children learn spatial and physical awareness, and build their self-esteem.

Ashby said the program provides an opportunity for the kids to free play—which is an important part of socializing—and the structured part of the day follows. 

“We have circle time, where we usually learn a letter, and then move into movement and interactive singing,” said Ashby. “If the kids are super active and need to exert, we exert. I love it.”

Ashby said the chlldren also need some downtime, and this gives her an opportunity to read a story that is based on the weekly theme or letter.

Ashby tries to facilitate a group activity that will bring everyone together.

“When we were working on the letter A, we made apples, and the kids put their name on it and put it on an apple tree,” said Ashby. “The kids love it and it brings them together as the Gyminy Crickets family.”

Ashby facilitates a daily craft, and snack time is when the children learn to wash their hands and sit at a table together. The day plays out with gymnastics; this really sets the program apart.

“This is the introductory level of gymnastics,” said Ashby. “Children come in and experience it in a fun way and learn the basic skills. This is where the kids fall in love with the sport—it is a great opportunity. Gymnastics is recognized as a foundation sport for other sports.”

The Kimberley Gymnastics Society was established in the '70s as a response to community demand. The City of Kimberley now owns the club building and continues maintenance support. The society is non-profit, run by a board of directors, and it relies on the support of parent volunteers.

The gymnastics club provides gymnastics programs for children from 18 months to young adults. It has special needs programming and offers competitive gymnastics, trampolining coaching and recreational gymnastics. It serves independent as well as public school needs. Other services include birthday parties and family drop-ins on Saturdays.

For more information and scheduling, see the website. Programs are coached by trained and experienced instructors.