My Gym Reminds Families to Connect During National Family Week

SHERMAN OAKS, CA--(Marketwire - Nov 13, 2012) - The Thanksgiving holiday is traditionally a time for families and friends to reconnect. But, for more than 40 years, Thanksgiving Week has also been National Family Week, celebrated this year from November 18-24. The event highlights the importance to children of having strong family ties and a supportive community and encourages families and civic organizations to plan activities that help children connect their lives to the lives of people living around them.

"Thanksgiving week is a perfect time to think about strengthening the bonds between family members, families and friends, and families and communities," says Chief Marketing & Entertainment Officer for My Gym Enterprises, Matthew Hendison. "Activities in which caring adults provide positive role models for children -- like playing games or volunteering -- can make a lasting impression on a child and help shape his or her sense of self, family and community."

At My Gym Children's Fitness Centers, children are encouraged to view fitness as fun and to work toward individual goals that are personally fulfilling -- which helps build self-confidence, according to Hendison. Families are encouraged to participate in setting and tracking progress toward those goals -- which reinforces fitness as a family priority. 

"We shine a spotlight on this event each year because we think that the message it brings is an important one," says Hendison. "It's the same message we bring to our My Gym families -- children form their attitudes from the adults around them -- whether the subject is fitness, education or giving back to their communities."

To schedule a free trial class, book a birthday party or for more information about all their programs and schedules, please visit www.mygym.com.

About My Gym Enterprises
Established in 1983, My Gym is a leading fitness center destination for children with more than 260 locations worldwide, including international locations in China, France, Canada and Brazil among others. More than 30 additional locations are planned to open worldwide in the next 12 months. My Gym combines innovative, early physical education/pre-gymnastics classes with state-of-the-art facilities to empower children -- ages 6 weeks to 13 years -- by helping them acquire the skills, confidence and positive self-image needed to become healthy young adults. My Gym's award winning, structured, noncompetitive, and age-appropriate classes and birthday parties enhance children's overall development through games, music, exercise, sports, gymnastics, puppets, special rides, and fun. The children gain strength, balance, coordination, fine and gross motor proficiency, agility, flexibility and social skills. In 2012, My Gym launched their new interactive Building Blocks Program to all enrolled children aged 2.5 years and older. The Program helps children work toward specific milestones in their physical, cognitive and emotional development and then celebrates their achievements with stickers, progression ribbons, medals, trophies, graduation certificates, and more in periodic Building Blocks Acknowledgment Ceremonies. The My Gym television show, "My Gym At Home" airs on BabyFirstTV, a 24/7 channel focusing on children's development. For more information about My Gym and the location near you, please visit www.MyGym.com.