Happy birthday to my beautiful 2 year old daughter! Wow, it seems only yesterday she was a little baby, and now she is a little girl with her own mind and lots of energy. For her second birthday, we decided to try My Gym, located at 133rd and Antioch just behind Sam’s Club. This was a great facility and they know how to manage a 2nd birthday party with 15 kids, ages 5 and under. I know what you’re thinking – why do I care?

At My Gym, kids can sign-up for age appropriate classes that are filled with exercise, free play and circle time. A “gym” like experience for little ones. We are so lucky in the Kansas City area to have a plethora of these types of places and constant entertainment for kids – especially in the winter when we need some way to burn off their extra energy. But, as I checked out the class schedule it got me thinking – what about working moms?

I have been doing extensive research on kids’ activities, like My Gym or tumbling classes or swimming lessons – you name it really. The trouble is, I work and I can’t take my daughter to any of these classes Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. That is when all of these businesses offer their classes for the young kids. Maybe I live in a false reality because I assume few families still have the traditional stay-at-home mom. Maybe businesses think that because my child goes to school she wouldn’t enjoy or need the extra activities in her life. Maybe few parents want the hassle of transporting their kids to something in the evenings or on Saturday mornings. Whatever the case, my daughter needs more activities – she has endless energy and goes stir-crazy sitting around the house. I don’t like for her to watch too much TV and in the winter it is often too cold to play at the park for a few hours on Saturday. What is recommended for families like ours? When will businesses start catering to the working families?

Now, My Gym does offer a few classes on Saturday, but wouldn’t open play be better – then everyone could come, not just the kids that fit a certain age range. Tell me, where do you take your kids to burn off their energy in the winter? I’m not looking for attractions, such as Wonderscope. What I’m looking for is a place that other working moms have found that cater to our schedules with structured exercise type actives for running, jumping, swimming and the like.

~Amy