I am the mother of a six year old boy and I spent my evening at my local PCYC last night and I sat there thinking how much I love it. So, I wrote a post!
25 reasons I LOVE my PCYC
We’re members of the Sandgate PCYC in Brisbane’s north. We’ve been members since my son was a tyke and an occupational therapist recommended he engage in more sensory activities (read: smashing yourself up against soft gymnastic mats for fun). We looked around for options and found our local PCYC had a kinder play program. We signed up and the rest is a happy history. Since then we’ve used it for just about everything sporty in my son’s life and we love it – here’s 25 reasons why:
- It’s cheap to sign up – $60 for all-you-can-eat family access – capped for big families
- It’s run by good folk; the counter staff are there for the “good karma” not just the wages
- Its mandate is community engagement, not profit.
- It has awesome facilities.
- The classes are a bargain – $7 for an hour of karate is a winner! (price correct at time of writing)
- They only charge for classes you attend. This was a big one for us because kindy germs meant we missed 6 of our 15 swimming lessons – OMG the cost!
- It gives kids an early impression that “police are there to help”.
- The instructors are nice and you know they’re doing it for love, not dollars
- Reclaim your weekend. While little Sarah does kickboxing upstairs, Connor can do gymnastics downstairs, while you use the gym (if you’re that way inclined). No more running from field to field fitting in all the kiddy activities.
- Rainy days rock. Being indoors, there’s something to do on every rainy day.
- Kids make friends based on interests. Unlike school, the kids make friendships based on an interest in sport.
- Parents make friends based on interests. If you’re not one of the school “clique” you’ll find like minded parents hanging around too.
- This:
14. Sport is good for kids and mine needs all the help he can get overcoming his mummy’s “unco-ordinated” genes
15. Older kids can go to blue light discos, slumber parties and other “big kid events”
16. There are classes for adults too, so it’s a community for kids to “grow up in”
17. Cheap school holiday care. I repeat CHEAP school holiday care.
18. School holiday care is not a bunch of kids on iPads. It’s all about adventure, education, physical play and cool outings.
19. Our PCYC has a community garden attached where families can grow fresh fruit and veggies – there are too many benefits to list right there.
20. There are a squillion sports to choose from – and because they’re “casual” you can try all of them out.
21. Because it’s kids of all ages and levels of ability, nobody ever feels like the “bad one on the team” – it’s not like that at our PCYC
22. They cater to under 3s right up to adults in gymnastics activities. Perfect for fine and gross motor skill development.
23. They’re close and well located. Generally there’s one every few suburbs and in a space where you can easily park.
24. They sell coffee. Let’s face it, if you’re going to be sitting there watching kids do classes, you want to sit indoors with a coffee!
25. The PCYC is an organisation founded to help make kids and communities stronger. It’s about giving kids options and firing up passions.
Considerations for joining your Brisbane PCYC
Yes, it’s all sunshine and rainbows at our local PCYC but there’s a few little things you need to consider. If you’re joining a PCYC for gymnastics (ours is very, very proactive in the gymnastics community) you’ll also need to join Gymnastics Australia. This is a cost you must consider because it’s not cheap for families. PCYC classes happen mostly on weekdays and weekday evenings, so classes for little ones can keep them up past bedtime. Our local PCYC doesn’t have air-conditioning but is essentially a gigantic tin shed. This can be rough in the middle of summer. School holiday programs are AWESOME so you have to jump on them – you will miss out on a spot otherwise. They don’t tend to have “great” food, be aware that you might need to take your own snacks if you aren’t keen on low quality food.
We are in complete love with our local PCYC. Not all PCYCs offer the same sports and activities as ours but check your local branch for what’s on offer. I thoroughly recommend trying it out!
Try kids gymnastics northside at:
Caboolture: 5495 7143
Deception Bay: 3293 0166
Redcliffe: 3385 1900
Sandgate: 3269 5358
Or go to the PCYC Gymnastics website.
Find more sports & exercise ideas here.
