The Little Gym of Lexington East

★★★★★Jennifer Patterson

So my son has been going to the Little Gym since he was about 15 months old, he is now 3 1/2 and is still going and has loved going since day one!! It is a great way to get your little ones in fun social scene as well as help with all their different developmental stages. I also can't say enough about all the teachers. It's obvious they put a lot of time and effort into planning the classes and making it fun for kids and parents. They all go above and beyond making sure all kids have a fun and positive experience. I've recommended The Little Gym to friends but thought I should also send out a review recommending it to parents searching for something that's not just FUN but also helpful in the development of your child

★Erica Stevens

My 3 year old had been going to The Little Gym since before she was even one. It had been a great experience until a couple months ago when things started to shift. Our daughter is autistic, and although she is high-functioning and high-masking, the way she experiences things and the struggles she has require support and accommodations to help her succeed. Moving into the preschool class was one such struggle, with that change bringing a lot of anxious and overwhelming feelings for her. Seeing this, the teachers told me I could sit in the room to help with the transition. I was in there to provide comfort and a safe space for her to take a break when needed. She knew that she had to sit quietly with me by the door or participate with the group and teachers, and she always did. We weren’t disruptive, we were just doing what needed to be done for her. On occasion I would walk her over to the next station and get her settled with the group before returning to sit by the door. She followed directions, and would simply come to me if she needed me. A simple accommodation for a 3 year old who deals with more challenges each day than most adults could handle. Evidently these very basic, non-disruptive accommodations, requiring nothing of the staff and impacting no one else, were an issue there though. A couple of months ago, after starting to build more confidence and adjust to the preschool class, my daughter started to become withdrawn and struggle more to participate. The only change was that one of the staff members, Kristen, started to become involved in the class. My first interaction with Kristen consisted of her telling me how long she’s worked with children and how many children on the spectrum they’ve had in class over the years. While that is great, it most certainly does not make her an expert in children, childhood development, or autism. From there, she would regularly try to “encourage” my daughter to participate in things with which she was not comfortable, ignoring every sign my daughter was giving that she needed space. Passive aggressive comments were made on the side. Yesterday I received a phone call from Kristen which started as an offer to move my daughter to a smaller class. But, she’s been in class with her friend group for the majority of our time at TLG and since social connections are already exceptionally difficult for her, we want her to stay with them. From there, the conversation turned towards “helping us meet our goals” in class. She is three, and it’s a recreational gymnastics class for toddlers. Our only goal is for her to have fun. The message very quickly became one of telling me that my daughter was digressing and that I needed to be less involved. Inaccurate examples were provided by Kristen, who could come up with plenty of them when it served her purpose but who was conveniently too busy in class to remember anything I tried to point out. Despite saying they wanted us to feel welcome and are accommodating, the actions simply don’t line up and the implication was that they know better what my child needs than I do (and, laughably, what her team of therapists has been working on with her too). In two different phone calls with Kristen, my husband and I both had to listen ad nauseam about how long she has worked with kids at the gym and how she worked at Shriner’s before that, none of which mean anything to us as they don’t qualify her as any type of expert on autism or even on children. Acceptance and accommodations are not words, they are actions. Kristen’s words mean nothing when there is clearly no changing her mind that she knows what’s best in this situation and she is clearly unwilling to allow the simple accommodations my child needs. I can’t put into words how heartbreaking it is that my daughter isn’t welcome there and that she will now not be going to her class to see her friends. But, as her parents, we cannot and will not put her in a situation that doesn’t put inclusion into action and allow her the support she needs. Ridiculous to be dealing with this in 2026.

★★★★★Bailey Milam

I highly recommend The Little Gym! I’ve been taking my daughter since she was 4 months old, and the progress she’s made in her motor development has been incredible. She’s now 11 months and already walking! The teachers are absolutely amazing—so kind, patient, and funny. They truly take the time to get to know each child and their unique interests, making every class a fun and personalized experience. We love TLG and couldn’t be happier!

★★★★★Jessica Basham

By far the best activity I could have chosen for my two daughters. Clean facilities, kind and supportive staff, and individualized attention all in a safe environment. We have been coming here for over five years and we know we'll be here for at least the next five. I feel like my daughters have more confidence and are less likely to be injured due to the skills they have learned at The Little Gym. I also love that they keep the focus on fun rather than competition, which is hard to find at the other gyms around town!

★★★★★Sadie Norris

We love the little gym! Our daughter has been going for 6 months now and she is loving it. The gym is always clean, safe and organized. The instructors (especially Ms. Nicole!) Are so energetic and caring, they lead the class so well and the kids truly enjoy learning and exploring.