Holiday Shows 2012

Flip’s Holiday Shows 2012

Monday, December 17

            4:00-5:15  All Level B Girls Classes

            5:30-6:45  Wednesday and Tuesday Level A Girls Classes

            7:00-8:15  Level C and Level 3 Girls Classes     

Tuesday, December 18

            4:00-5:15  All Kinder 3 Girls and Little Flipper girls

            5:30-6:45  All Big Gym Boys Classes (Kinder 3, A, B, C, 4)

            7:00-8:15  All Tramp and Tumbling Classes (1, 2, 3, 4)

Wednesday, December 19

4:00-5:15  All Monday and Thursday Level A Girls

            5:30-6:45  Monday and Tuesday Mini Classes

Thursday, December 20

            4:00-5:15  All Monday and Tuesday Kinder 1 Classes

            5:30-6:45  All Wednesday and Thursday Mini Classes

Friday, December 21

            4:00-5:15  All Kinder 2 Classes

5:30-6:45 Wednesday and Thursday Kinder 1 Classes

Saturday, December 22

            9:00-10:15 All toddler Classes

*Remember that shows take the place of your regular class for this week.*

Week of November 26th!

We hope you had a great Thanksgiving Break! Just some information for the upcoming week:

*This week's theme is Hollywood week! It's all about spolighting your child, making them feel special and that they are number one. Giving them a boost in confidence and raising their self esteem.

* Congratulations to Nicole Danielle Knepper, Michele Bueno Backes, Danielle Bousha', Angelise Morrison, Jenn Critchley, Sandra Gold, Margo Benson Wilson, Kimberly Atwood Morton, and Natalie   Larson Tibbs. You have been entered into our November Giveaway. Names will be entered into a random name selector and announced this Friday! Thank you to everyone who has entered!

*Saturday is our FREE Flip's Fitness Preview from 10:00-11:00am. There will be a mini-gym session for kids 3 and up while the workout is going on. Make sure to sign up in the office to reserve your spot.

Gymnasts of the Week

 

Emily Dickson

Age: 7

Emily’s Favorites:

Food: Pizza

Color: Pink

Movie: Tangled

Thanks for being a hard worker and having such a great personality!!

 

    Charlotte Morrison

Age: 3

Charlotte’s Favorites:

Food: tomatoes

Color: Pink

Movie: Madagascar

Charlotte is an amazing listener and as a mini can already teeter-totter!!

Ethan Andrew

Age: 8 1/2

Ethan's Favorites:

Food: Steak

Color: Red

Movie: Star Wars

Thank you Ethan for always being such a great listener and for working hard!

 

FLIP's FITNESS

The First ever Family Gym! 

No babysitters or daycare needed! Come get your 

workout on, while the kids exercise in the mini gym.

FREE Preview Day: December 1, 2012 @ 10:00-11:00 am

This class is a combination of strength training and 

cardio/endurance. It's for everybody. Work at your own

pace and at your own level. But more importantly, it's FUN.

"I want everyone to see a difference, to see results, but I want it to be fun, and I want everyone to learn something new. You don't know how strong you really are, until you push yourself. "- Kaitlin

Classes will be held every Monday and Wednesday morning from

10:00 -11:00 am.

And, It gets even better!

Instead of making a monthly payment, and missing a few classes, this will be a punch pass. So you only pay for the classes you

can attend! 

10 Session Punch Pass: $70

Discounts offered for multiple family members

Purchase your punch pass at our office or email 

Kaitlin at kaitlinphelps@hotmail.com for more information.

Tuesday Trivia

Tuesday Trivia: What is the estimated number of turkey's eaten on Thanksgiving?
If you answer our question correctly (or close to) you will be entered in our monthly giveaway.

Tuesday Trivia

Since this week is all about creativity, who said these famous words?
“Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not. ” 

Congrats Keith Paananen

Congratualtions Keith Paananen you are the winner for our Monthy (October) giveaway! Thank you for answering our trivia questions each week. You have won a free private session with one of our best coaches. Come into the office to schedule your session. *All winning names were entered into and chosen through a random name selector online. Watch for our trivia questions on Tuesday so you can win our Novembers giveaway!

Creative Week!

Theme: Creative Week
Concept: To sare the experience, not direct it.

It is fun to have this idea for the actual concept, although it is something we do in every class. Maybe I shoudl say that it is our hope that you are not directing your child in class. It can be difficult to give up control. As adults, we have certain expectations for our child. Let go of your expectations and allow your toddler the freedom to make their own choices. Yipee for mistakes, falls, bumps, and problems to solve. If you steer your child away from a tunnel that already has children in it because you know that so many children will cause a clog in the tunnel, then you have robbed your child of learning and problem solving on their own.
Let your child explore while you act as the saftey net and the mouth piece of information. Creative Week teaches children that they are important and an individual. They should get the message loud and clear that their idea's are just as good and important as our idea's.
*Academic smarts are easy to find, but creativity is rare and precious. -Robert Sternberg

Roll like a Pumpkin!

This week's theme is all about Halloween! We can't wait to see how everyone is dressed up! 

The toddler concept behind our theme: Imagery

Teaching children to "roll like a pumpkin' is called imagery. You may know it as reffered to as a simile. Children like pretending they are something else. It helps to make a point or to help a child understand a concept. Learning to roll is no easy task. The natural reflex of being up side down is hard because the body tries to get back into an upright position. A child that learns how to roll, even if it is down a wedge mat, has overcome the reflex. 

Remember to keep the chin tucked, to protect the neck. And get out there and roll yourself. Be Brave!

Answer to our Tuesday Trivia:

The answer to our Tuesday Trivia Question:
Tuesday Trivia: "Stretching improves__flexibility___ and increases _blood flow_."
Thank you to everyone who answered!
Don't forget that next week's theme is 'Roll like a Pumpkin' and students and parents are welcome to wear their costumes.

This Weeks Gymnast Spotlight

Abby Gappmeyer

Age: 5

Abby’s Favorites:

Food: Macaroni

Movie: Vampire Dog

Color: Pink

Abby has AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL straight legs 

on her cartwheels and handstands! Thanks Abby!

Brighton Johnson

Age: 6

Brighton’s Favorites:

Color: Purple

Event: Bars

Food: ice creamBrighton comes to the gym every week 

ready to work hard and try new skills with a smile on her face! 

Dawson Kerr

Dawson’s Favorites:

Food: Spaghetti

Color: Green

Movie: Avengers

Dawson is always a great listener and tries all the tricks while giving 100%!! Thanks Dawson!

REMINDER: Costumes and Closing Early

This next week is Roll Like a Pumpkin Week! Don't forget to have your kids cosutmes to class. We will be closing early on Halloween Day! Can't wait to see all of our students dressed up! Thank you for all you do as parents!

New Trivia Question and Last Weeks Answer

I apologize for not posting last weeks trivia answer over the fall break.

The answer to the trivia question was: Presription drugs, Vicodin
Keith Paananen
Kristen Gardner
Holly Uptain Leonard
You have all been entered in our monthly giveaway for October! Thank you for participating.

This week's theme is 'Point and Flex' and were focusing on stretching and flexability. Without flexability, your speed and agility in any sport, can't be at it's maximum potential. This week we will be using a rhyme with our students at the beginning of class, and you can practice at home with your kids. Do this while pointing and flexing your feet, legs extended and knees flat to the floor.
"Point and flex, and point and flex and give a little tap, tap, tap." (Tap your toes together)
Point and flex, and point and flex and give a little clap, clap, clap.
Point and flex, and point and flex and bring it to your lap. (Bring knees to butterfly position and stretch.)

This week's trivia question is:
"Stretching improves _____________ and increases________________."
Good luck.

This weeks Gymnast Spotlight

Ivy Franco

Age: 10

Ivy’s Favorites

Food: Pizza

Color: Pink

Movie: The Lorax

Ivy thanks for being such a GREAT listener and working hard!!

Jaycie Dorenbosch

Age: 5

Jaycie’s Favorites

Food: Shrimp & Fish

Color: Purple

Movie: Brave

Jaycie thanks for having a GREAT attitude and an AMAZING follow through!

Brooklyn Roberts

Age: 5

Brooklyn’s Favorites

Food: Noodles

Color: Pink

Movie: Anastasia

Thanks Brooklyn for coming to class with a smile and for your hard work!!

Trivia Tuesday!

Trivia Tuesday:

Illicit drug use among teenagers has been rising, largely due to increasing popularity of marijuana. Marijuana use by adolescents declined from the late 1900's until the mid-to-late 2000's, but has been on the increase since then. In 2011, 7.2 percent of 8th graders, 17.6 percent of 10th graders, and 22.6 percent of 12th graders used marijuana in the past month, up from 5.7 percent.
Daily use has also increased; 6.6 percent of 12th graders now use marijuana every day, compared to 5 percent in the mid-2000's.

Next to marijuana, what is the second most popular drug among teens?
(Bonus: Your name will be added twice if you can name the category and specific drug.)

'Hugs Not Drugs'

Theme: Hugs Not Drugs
Concept: Before and After

I have been wanting to fit this concept in somewhere for a long time. Coming up on, if not already involved in, the process of "potty training". The hardes part of this wonderful feat is trying to get a two year old the understand the concept of "tell me before".
Hopefully, today's class will help your child comprehend what in the world we are talking about. Your child will hug the teacher before h/s rolls over the steamroller and will hug you after the steamroller. Then after climbing out of the 'Tumblebugs Pit' your child should hug you before goind down the barrels and hug the stuffed animal after jumping down the barrels. Use your imagination to make up your own "before and afters." I am counting on this day to help send us on our way to big boy underwear Heaven! In the weeks to come, give us some feedback on whether or not this helped you.

Answer to Trivia Tuesday...

The number one cause of home fires is SMOKING! Keith Paananen you've been entered into our monthly giveaway. Don't forget, everyone can try again next Tuesday.

Creating a fire evacuation plan for your family.

Creating a fire evacuation plan for your family and teaching your children what to do, could be the difference of everyone making it out alive.
Death by smoke inhalation is the number once cause of death during a fire. This could so easily be prevented if families have a plan that is practiced every six months, and family members know ahead of time what to do and where to go.


The link below is a template for creating a fire safety plan for your family.


http://www.firesafetycouncil.com/english/home_escape_plan.pdf

This Week's Gymnast Spotlights.....

This week our coaches picked three students who stood out and wanted to recognize them as being exceptional.

Laynee Hall

Age:7

Favorite Food: Rolos

Favorite Color: Purple

Favorite Movie: Tinkerbell

Thank you Laynee for being a good

example in class, and always being nice.

 

 

Sadie Stucki

Age: 4

Favorite Food: Casadillas

Favorite Color: Pink and Purple

Favorite Movie: Megamind

Thank you Sadie for being

such a hard worker and for being

kind to everyone!

 

 

Gabriel Garcia

Age: 6

Favorite Food: Pizza

Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Movie: Avengers

 

Thank you Gabriel for being such a  

GREAT listener and student!

FIRE SAFETY!!!!

FIRE FACTS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!

The relative risk of children under age 15 dying in a fire is lower than the general population. However, when dividing the young into subgroups, 52 percent of all child fire deaths occur to those 4 and younger.

When dividing the young into subgroups, fire injuries are highest in the 4 and under age group, decline in the middle years, but rise again in the 10 to 14 age group. This is a different pattern than deaths, which decrease as children age.

Boys are at higher risk of death from fire than girls.

KSL  NEWS June 12, 2012

"Officials were on-scene Tuesday working to determine the cause of the fire and the child's cause of death. It is believed an overloaded power strip may have been the cause of the fire and that smoke inhalation killed the boy (2yrs)."

KLS NEWS July 22, 2012

...."Scharman said the boy tried unsuccessfully to extinguish the blaze before heading upstairs through the smoke to help his grandmother, who used home oxygen, and one of the family's dogs to safety.

"The 15-year-old attempted to put the fire out by beating on it with a shoe and then some towels," Scharman said. "Unfortunately, in this case, it probably made it worse."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At FLIP's this week, we are teaching our students the importance of knowing all about fire safety. From calling 911, to getting out safely. Our reactions to smoke and fire is mostly likely to panic. But if we have 'practiced' the situation over and over again with our families, we have a much better chance of getting out safely. In a recent study, it was shown that an entire couch was completely engulfed in flames, and the room black with smoke before the fire alarm even sounded. By that time, you have minutes before it becomes too late.
Practice stop, drop and roll with your children. Make a plan and show them how to escape from every room in the house.
Because this week is National Fire Safety week, you can go visit the nearest fire station and let the kids learn from the best. Prevention is always best.!!!

Western Week!

This week's theme is all about pretend play and learning what it means to get in touch with nature. When we help our children to dream and let them pretend that they are whatever they dream of being, we give them the opportunity to feel that they are amazing. Whether it's a superhero or a fire fighter, they pretend that they are the most important person in the world.
This last week while eating lunch in our backyard, my three year old was too busy playing to eat.. so I reminded him to sit and finish his chicken nuggets. His reply, while perched on a rock, "I'm saving the world ya know!."
Being a cowboy this week during pretend play is all about getting back to nature, and learning to make things with whats handy. Cowboys are known for their lasso techniques, their gun shooting abilities and being able to live in the desert in a tent they made themselves. Make a fort with your kids, make something that resembles a hand gun, and gallop your horses around the house. While your busy taking out the bandits and bank robbers, your kids will be delighted to have you be a part of their make-believe world.

This Weeks Theme: Pencil Week

As everyone starts their school year, kids are excited to see their best buds on a daily basis, take some new classes, and wear their new school clothes and backpack. Parents on the other hand, are looking forward to having some 'time off', while the kids are busy learning. But this week's theme, is all about staying involved with your kids extracurricular activites. The more you are involved, the more you know about your child's life, outside of your home. As busy as our lives are as parents, try to stay as involved as you can... join the PTA, become a room mother, or a team coach. Staying involved sends an unspoken message to your children, "I'm here. What matters to you, matters to me, and I want to be a part of your life."

Sidways Week

Theme: Sideways - Teaching Toddlers about changing direction.
Concept: Forward, Backward, and Sideways

DID YOU KNOW that moving sideways stimulates the brain? When you move sideways left, the right side is stimulated and vice versa. Why stimulate the brain? It is like turning the power switch on, learning is enhanced and expanded. It is easy to see how moving the body increases academic learning.

The equipment (toys) are set up to offer varied opportunities to move forward, backward and sideways. Remember to start by being the leader. Your child loves to mimic you! Once your child is actively engaged in play, your role should switch from leader to follow/safety net. Try to help your child as little as possible. Let them try everything they want to. You just catch of necessary.

Red, White and Blue Week

 In light of upcoming Holiday, we thought it would be fun to share some of the facts about our Nation's colors...
"The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."
"The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun." (this from a book about the flag published in 1977 by the House of Representatives... )

* In 1896 (Jan. 4th), when Utah became the 45th state, the United States added a 45th star to our Flag.
* The American flag first flew over a foreign fort in what country? A: Libya — over Fort Derne, on the shores of Tripoli.

RED

* is the color with the longest wave length and is always the highest arc of the rainbow.
*is reportedly the very first color a newborn can see.
* increases respiration rate, raises blood pressure and stimulates us to take immediate action.
*If RED is your favorite color you are extroverted, exciting, energetic and a natural born leader. You bring excitement to the world. On the flip side, Red lovers can also be moody, bossy, restless and opinionated.

WHITE
*In our culture, white means purity but in many African cultures, white symbolizes death.
*Medical professionals started wearing white in the early 1900′s so dirt and grime, which was feared to cause infection, would show better.
*If white is your favorite color you like cleanliness and order. Your home and clothes are immaculate. You tend to be a cautious buyer and a shrewd trader. The negative is that you can be critical and fussy.

BLUE
*Blue has a calming effect on our bodies and has been shown to slow down our metabolism and heart rate.
* Native Americans in the South West paint the front doors of their adobe houses bright blue to keep the evil spirits away.
*If Blue is your favorite color you are trustworthy, responsible and sensitive to the needs of others. You are generally conservative and aspire to harmony, serenity and peace in your day to day life. Because Blue lovers have a highly developed sense of responsibility, they can have issues with perfectionism.

This Week is 'Fairytale' Week

Theme: Fairytale
Toddler Concept: Make Believe

Folk lore, fairy tales and mythology are essential for children. Besides providing entertainment at a young age, these tales "hide a wealth of insights just below the surface" (Young, 1997) which are discovered as the stories are remembered as the child grows, they also provide children with a sense of imagination. Denying children of imagination and creativity can be dangerous. It is believed that "creativity and play engage the childlike energies that can leave us in a state of depression if they depart" (Young, 1997). Young children are obviously dependent on their parents. When a child uses his or her imagination to play, it‘s how they learn, not only using their skills of creativity, but their observation. They know how to cook in the kitchen during play time from observing their parents, or learn that if they try, they can cross the enchanted pond.
As children grow, the stories they were told or saw at a young age are understood on deeper levels, they begin to relate to or understand characters from their favourite stories. An interesting belief is that a lot of us unknowingly follow these journeys or ones very similar in our own lives. The hero's journey reflects the journey of life, the growth and experiences we all face as we take our place in society and accept our responsibilities. In our lifetime however, we face more than one journey, every challenge or change we face in life is in itself a journey, even young children, either at primary school or before even, take these journeys, from new friendships formed to a change of school or city. An easier way to understand and recognise these journeys is when something new enters our lives and we are forced to take a different view on the situation, adapt a different opinion or face our fears. So we now begin to see the importance of fairy tales for children, they expose children to learning through creativity and imagination, how these stories grow and unravel as the children themselves grow and somewhat prepare them for the challenges ahead.

'Over and Under'

Theme: 'Over  and Under'
Concept: Defining relationships in space

One of our goals at 'FLIP's is to help our children learn the ideas and information which help them understand the world around them. The words that define relationships in space are vitally important because they are part of the basic framework for future learning. Children pick up many of these words in daily interactions but they may not understand others.
A child needs to understand the concept of "beside" before he/she can move on to recognizing and repeating patterns. "Behind" and "in front of" are used by parents and teachers throughout the day. How often have you told your child to look "under" a piece of furniture to find a lost object?
This week we will be having our students complete obstacle courses in which they have to repeatedly go over and under objects. At home, practice these and others to help your child learn relationships between space and objects. Have them find and point out things around the house that are over something or under something, Then you can move onto 'inside, outside, on top of, behind and etc..' and your child will begin to understand patterns.
Happy Monday!

This week is 'Heal the World Week'!

Theme: Heal the World
Concept: Everyone has potential to change the world!

At FLIP's this week, we want our students to know how important and unique they are. That in being themselves, they hold all the potential to heal the world. In a time when the world needs so much change, we are showing our students that by little things, they can make big changes. By keeping our world clean, recycling, helping others, and being our best selves, we can not only heal the world, but inspire others to do so as well.
At home this week, focus on your children's unique abilities, and help them explore the endless possibilities that lay before them. Your child could be the next olympic gold medalist, or the next President of the United States. Show them how to take care of our earth by keeping it clean and helping others... and show them that by helping the world and others, they are also helping themselves. Teach them that they can be the difference and the change that the world needs.

Spring Break is over, but we hope you all had a great week. We are excited to announce the winner's of our 'Flips' Giveaway'...
Kassandra Namba
The Olsen's
Sean Martin
Randall Family
Jeff and Holly
Thank you for following us on facebook and our blog. We hope that yoy refer back to our page for tips and news from our gym. We love you guys.

Stuck in a Rut? Follower's Giveaway....

We all experience it.. whether in the gym, our diet, our job, and even at home as a parent. We all get stuck in a rut. I hate when I've been working hard and all of a sudden, I'm not seeing results anymore. Our bodies and our minds need change and to be re-motivated. Muscle confusion is the biggest and best way to continue seeing results in the gym. You can't keep going to the same cardio or yoga class over and over and expect to see results. It's why we all get the winter blues.. We're stuck in the house doing the same routines over and over. So we want to know, what do you do to get out of a rut? What's your favorite way of changing things up?
*Don't forget to become a follower of our blog and like us on facebook to be entered to win one of 10 gift cards to 'Plates and Palates".

Hopping Week!

Theme: Hopping Week
Toddler Concept: Balance and Fall

At FLIP'S we believe that making mistakes are wonderful opportunities to learn! Every day your toddler is learning something for the very first time. For example smelling a flower, holding a bug, or tasting new food. Toddlers learn by doing. They need the freedom to be curious and explore. An adult plays a very important role in this exploration; toddlers need you for information. While the child is touching, holding, watching etc.. you, as the adult, should be vocalizing what is happening. This gives the child much needed information about the event no matter how simple it may be.
In this environment (the gym) we encourage falling, bumping, tripping etc. We feel that mistakes can be made safely here and will teach valuable spatial skills along with aiding in motor development. It is not always easy to allow your child this kind of freedm; (we tend to save our children from these experiences). So, step back and let the learning begin.

Pac-12 Championship Guide

With the Utes looking for their first ever Pac-12 Championship, hosted here at the Huntsman Center,
do they have what it takes to win? Were all cheering them on here at Flip's.

 

Here's the Breakdown:

Saturday, at the Huntsman Center

Afternoon Session, 2 p.m.

Arizona

Final ranking » 17

Season high » 196.525

Coach » Bill Ryden, 14th year

Top all-arounder » Aubree Cristello (39.475)

Of note » Posted season-high of 196.525 in final meet of regular season

Washington

Final ranking » 22

Season high » 196.35

Coach » Joanne Bowers, 6th year

Top all-arounder » Ruby Engreitz (39.325)

Of note » Posted 196 or higher two meets in a row

Arizona State

Final ranking » 26

Season high » 195.875

Coach » John Spini, 32nd year

Top all-arounder » Beate Jones (39.3)

Of note » Lost to the Utes 196.15-194

California

Final ranking » 49

Season high » 195.875

Coach » Danna Durante, 1st year

Top all-arounder » Mariesah Pierce (39.15)

Of note » Scored season high of 48.75 on balance beam and second-best score on floor of 48.525 in last meet

Evening Session, 7 p.m.

UCLA

Final ranking » 4

Season high » 198.05

Coach » Valorie Kondos Field, 22nd year

Top all-arounder » Vanessa Zamarripa (39.625)

Of note » Leads the league with 15 conference titles

Utah

Final ranking » 7

Season high » 197.55

Coaches » Greg Marsden, 37th year and Megan Marsden, 3rd year

Top all-arounder » Corrie Lothrop (39.575)

Of note » Went 3-1 against Pac-12 teams this year with the loss being to UCLA

Oregon State

Final ranking » 8

Season high » 197.4

Coach » Tanya Chaplin, 15th year

Top all-arounder » Leslie Mak (39.675)

Of note » OSU won the Pac-10 last year, Mak has scored at least 39.4 or higher six times this year

Stanford

Final ranking » 11

Season high » 198.05

Coach » Kristen Smyth, 11th year

Top all-arounder » Ashley Morgan (39.3)

Of note » Last won the conference in 2008, was off last week

Practicing and Living with Intention...

Intention (n.)
1. a determination to act in a certain way
2. what one intends* to do or bring about (source)


Do you give any thought to what you intend to do before you jump onto the parallel bars, pick up a dumbbell or before you climb out of bed in the morning? Your intent with a particular action is important. Thinking through an action or your next step in your day, causes you to do everything with meaning and importance. Instead of climbing out of bed, and "rolling with the punches", what if you faced the day with your defense up, and you became the one throwing the punches?
What if each action what thought through before it was performed? Our time at the gym would be much more beneficial, our relationships much stronger. Living with intention, means thinking ahead and being prepared.
During a recent training session, my coach/trainer mentioned that 15 minutes of exercise, if done with high intensity (the level at which you cannot easily carry on conversation) and intention, is always better than any amount of time at the gym done without.
At Flip's, we want to coach with intention, giving your kids most attention possible and giving them the the ability to practice with intention.
As a parent, boss, coach or whatever your title may be, living with intention will change your perspective of everyday life. I've found myself with more patience and understanding with my young children, and instead of reacting to their antics and tantrums, I am able to focus and parent with intention. I've noticed a difference in my time at the gym as well as my relationships with friends and family members.
What could you change if you started living with intention?

VIP Week

Theme: VIP week
Concept: Loving Individually

 Growing up in a family, whether you have 2 siblings or 6, can be hard no matter what number you are in the birth order. Where a child places in the birth order can have an effect on how he sees himself. Many experts believe that a child’s place in the family is intertwined with the hobbies he chooses, the grades he’ll earn in school, and how much money he’ll make as an adult. Birth order isn’t the only factor that contributes to how a kid turns out, but giving it consideration can help you understand your kids’ personalities — so you can help them succeed in their own unique ways. So this week at Flip's we are celebrating individuality. We want each student to feel like VIP. Doing this at home, and spending one on one time with each child, making each of your children feel like VIP will strengthen your bond with them, and give them more confidence to face the world.

This week is 'Lucky Shamrock' week!

Theme: Lucky Shamrock

Toddler Concept: Traditions, Routine and Consistency

Family Traditions give children the very important sense of belonging, and also provide routine and consistency. Children learn that every year, Christmas, Easter, Birthdays and other Holidays are always set aside to be celebrated. A break from school and work to be together. Besides the sense of belonging and security that these routines give to children, they also provide something that is equally as important and that is family time together. Increasingly, as our society becomes faster paced and as economics demand that both parents work, time with children is becoming scarcer. Keeping the traditions each year guarantees that you are spending some time with the kids, and these will never be wasted moments. Once the all too short time between the birth of our children and their leaving home is over, few parents will look back and wish that they had spent more time at work. Most will long for the days when their children needed them and depended upon the
Teenagers often shake their parents’ faith in the value of traditions because they need to spend so much time with their friends. They are often just testing. Insist that traditions be inviolate and that all family members attend. Years from now you will see your children keeping the same traditions in their families.
If your family has few real traditions, add some of your own. Try to have something for each season and holiday that is done the same way each year.

This week at Flip's we'll be focusing on routines and the importance of consistency.

This week's theme is Space Week...

Theme: Space Week
Toddler Concept: The fantasy element of play (flying.)

Play lets children make important discoveries about the self—including their own likes and dislikes. They continually shift activities to maximize pleasure, while discovering what is easy and hard to do and what makes them happy or frustrated. They learn to understand the feelings of others and develop empathy. These skills are crucial for healthy peer relationships.
Play fosters language skills. Pretend play encourages language development as children negotiate roles, set up a structure, and interact in their respective roles. Adults support language by commenting on or labeling children’s play (“I see you are washing that baby,” “That’s a big blue painting you’re making!”). Such comments provide a language-rich environment and naturally reinforce concepts and build on the play.
Language is tied to emotions, which are expressed and explored through pretend play. Pretending gives children the freedom to address feelings, anxieties, and fears. Through fantasy, children re-create and modify experiences to their liking. They foster a sense of comprehension, control, and mastery. This can enhance feelings of security.
So this week at Flips, were pretending to be Buzz Light Year, Peter Pan, Superman and all our favorite childhood flying hero's.

Theme: Superbowl

Concept: Family Traditions

Family traditions can be a way to reconnect and create a much needed sense of belonging, and for those no longer part of a “traditional” family set-up, setting traditions can be even more important. Traditions don’t have to be time-consuming either, although it’s worth taking a moment right now to think about the fact that spending time together is what family traditions are all about.
We all tend to think of the holidays when we think tradition, and certainly holiday traditions are important, but there are many simple everyday ways to bring tradition into your family life. Something as simple as sitting down and eating a proper family meal together can become a daily or weekly tradition. Even takeout night, or sandwich night can become a tradition if you create a regular slot for it, surround it with little rituals and stick to it.

Theme: Stretching

The Importance of Stretching

Few realize the importance of stretching before a workout. Many think that you can just jump into working out and forget about stretching. If you are one of those who has the habit of doing this, you must get familiar with the importance of stretching.
Reduces Injury to Your Muscles
Stretching reduces injury to your muscles. When you do not stretch before a workout, you have a higher risk of pulling your muscles or possibly causing permanent damage to them. Because you do not want this to happen to you, you need to engage in stretching every part of your body before starting your workout routine. You will have trouble making stretching a habit at first, but the more you do it as part of your routine, it will become second nature to you. It will become habit. That is a good one to have.
Makes You Flexible
Stretching will cause you to become more flexible. This is because you are stretching the stiffness out of your muscles. When you are more flexible, your workout will be able to be completed more successfully. When you are stiff, the opposite will occur. You will not have a successful workout at all. Your muscles will have the rubber band effect on you, which can make it quite difficult to do even the most simplest of exercises.
Decrease Muscle Soreness
Stretching will enable you to decrease muscle soreness. When your muscles are not stretched out as much as possible before a workout, you will experience more muscle soreness compared to if you do stretch out your muscles.
Now that you have been made aware of the importance of stretching out your muscles before a workout, you need to not forget to make stretching a part of your routine. After all, your body will thank you for making this decision.

This week is all about Make Believe Play

Theme: Disney
Concept: Emphasis on Make Believe

Research has shown that pretend play is very important for a young child's development in number of ways. First, children develop and hone a number of important social skills in the midst of zooming cars and fort building. In fact, when another child is involved, they are able to practice turn-taking, sharing responsibility (for the direction of play), and creative problem solving. For instance, when the play comes to a stand-still because of a surprising "obstacle", children must think quickly and cooperatively to develop a plan for the next direction of play. Working through these challenges together, lends itself to further social skill development.

In addition, children practice language skills within the context of pretend play. During play, children often experiment with language and voices (e.g., mom calling the children to dinner). Parents and teachers can facilitate this process by introducing new words into the play.

Finally, pretend play inspires the imagination and thinking skills. Pretend play naturally involves the question, "And, what happens next?" If the right creative materials are available, the sky is the limit in answer to that question!

We're Back!

First, we want to thank everyone who participated in our 'Customer Appreciation Day'. We had a blast watching the kids interact with their teachers, and spend the morning showing us their favorite tricks. We love your kids and are grateful to call each and everyone of them a part of the 'Flips' Family.

This week's theme: Family Week
Concept: Before and After
Knowing this concept is very important when it comes to potty training. How will we teach it? Before you swing like a monkey, make a monkey sound. Before we go under the parachute, all the kids need to be off. After parachute time, we will do stamps. After stamps, who needs a hug?

Here are ten reasons for bringing your child to this class.... (there are truly hundreds of reasons.)
1. Their first experience with a teacher is magical.
2. One on one time with a paren in their world.
3. Stimulate the brain.
4. Motor development (fine, motor and small).
5. Increase cognitive awareness (learn concepts.)
6. Socialize (problem solving.)
7. Learn that their choices are valued.
8. Balance, spatial awarness, attention span.
9. Learn to take turns and share.
10. Stimulate the imagination.