Frequently Asked Questions
Parents, please watch this 5-minute video to help you understand some important considerations when choosing an activity provider for your child.
The only way to register for our classes is through our online portal. Click on the Enroll Online button on the top of the page and fill out all of your child's information. Our online registration availability is reflected in real-time, so if the class time and day you are looking for do not appear on the list, that means the class is full. At the end of the process, you will be given a Registration Receipt.
Here at Gymfinity, we run our programs on a month to month basis. We have found that families look for flexibility in their schedules. By going month to month, we won't tie you up with long and restricting sessions and contracts. It also allows us to prove ourselves every 30 days; if you don't think we are doing what we promised, you can withdraw by filling out the Pause Form.
No. Well, sort of. Gymfinity offers a 100% money-back guarantee for the first two weeks of your enrollment. If you're not satisfied for any reason, you will get your money refunded, no hard feelings. We believe so strongly in our classes and our teachers that we're pretty sure your child will love their experience. We don't believe in keeping your money if we cannot provide what you are looking for in classes, teams, or other programs.
Note: Our $75 annual membership fee is non-refundable.
Because we are! We hear from our families that have been to other area programs about how much better we are in terms of providing a cleaner and healthier atmosphere for your children. That's not news to us (but we do love the compliment). We spend a lot of time cleaning our gym and lobby. Mats and activity surfaces are sanitized each week. Floors are made safe for bare feet, and the air is filtered and cleaned for healthy breathing. You won't find any dust bunnies lurking at our place. We take the health and comfort of our families pretty seriously. You would expect that from someone in our position, wouldn't you?
Inclement weather closings coincide with the Madison School District; if they close for a full day, so will Gymfinity. NO make-ups, credits, or refunds are given for inclement weather closing. In the event of inclement weather on the weekend, closures will be at Gymfinity discretion. Families will be notified via email and social media of all gym closures.
Please check out our Birthday Parties tab at the top of the page. For more information on Birthday Parties click here.
We currently offer two options for open play: Friday Funday Open Gym (for ages 6 and under) every Friday from 10:00-11:30am and Saturday Open Gym (for ages 5+) from 12:15-1:45pm. Please check out our Open Play tab at the top of this page to learn more and reserve your spot in advance.
Gymfinity prides itself on being an instructional program; therefore, we have limited open play times, and priority is given to offering our classes. Times are scheduled for different age groups to be sure that little ones aren't intimidated by big kids, and the bigger kids are not stumbling over the babies. Numbers admitted are limited to be sure there is room for the kids to play and play safely.
Parent's Night Out (PNO) is a time when you can leave the kids (independently potty trained 4 to 12 years old) with us. We'll provide dinner, games, and supervised play from 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Take in a movie, go out to dinner, or stay home and chill; you deserve a break. Click here to learn more and reserve your spot today!
Gymnastics provides children with the skills they need to participate in later sports. Many children who begin with tumbling and gymnastic programs grow up to compete in other sports such as football, dance, cheer, swimming, soccer, or baseball. A good gymnastics program will teach children agility, coordination, and a strong sense of body awareness, as well as provide them with esteem building opportunities and growth. The most important benefit a child will gain from a Gymfinity program; however, is having fun & lots of it!
Other benefits include:
- Flexibility
- Muscle endurance
- Power
- Balance
- Cognitive understanding of skill and motion
- Social development of teamwork while maintaining individual goals
- Focus
This one is simple. The answer is, “yes.” But only if you want your kids to learn to be respectful, develop concentration skills, develop self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-discipline. If you want them to be able to think independently but also be a team player, become physically fit with better balance and agility, then gymnastics classes are for them.
At Gymfinity we incorporate the six pillars of Character (as designed by CharacterCounts!): Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Good Citizenship (T.R.R.F.C.C.) We use these secular and apolitical values in hiring and training staff, teaching and modeling behavior with students, and as values in business operation. Though we do not "lecture" the kids with overt character lessons in class, we do follow the T*E*A*M (Teach-Enforce-Advocate and Model) strategy during classes.
Gymnastics and T&T activities are an excellent foundation for kids to establish healthy movement patterns. Like the way we learn letters before reading or numbers before adding, movement patterns develop into sport skills and physical skills that give children a leg up on healthy activities that will last their whole life. Not to mention that physical activity assists in cognitive development as well. The Greek philosophers had it right when they to train for a "sound mind in a sound body," as it's the equal balance of one that allows the other to grow and strengthen.
There are many benefits to be gained from doing trampoline. Post-WWII Americans (developed by George Nissan, 1914-2010) learned that jumping on trampolines not only makes for an enjoyable activity but also helps in making the body healthier and more fit. With several different research efforts, it has been established that jumping on trampolines do help improve health. What else can trampolines provide?
- Trampoline helps improve blood flow within the body.
- Lymphatic circulation is improved.
- Every muscle of the body is moved and exercised, making it a great overall exercise.
- Spatial awareness is improved making children more efficient in movement both in the air and on the ground
- Joints are also exercised whenever you jump on trampolines, giving us stronger, healthier bodies.
- It has been found through numerous research efforts that trampoline exercises help delay the inevitable and rapid aging process, not just because bouncing makes us feel like a kid.
- Trampoline exercises also help prevent obesity. (No kidding).
- Above all, trampoline exercises are fun to do!
No. In the last few years, trampolines have been very popular because parents and kids see the equipment as a fun outdoor tool. Jumping and rebounding on trampolines can be great fun as well as a fantastic form of exercise but…. many times, children haven’t learned the safety skills that are so important in bouncing on a tramp. We have seen trampolines set up close to buildings, trees, or significant dangerous “things” that could make a trampoline fall turn deadly. We have witnessed trampolines placed on the inclined ground, rough ground, or even concrete. This, again, is exceptionally unsafe, and it is vital to use sound judgment when buying, building, placing, and utilizing a trampoline. If your child is bouncing on a trampoline in your yard, we encourage you to sign them up for a class. At Gymfinity, we will teach them how to safely stop and show them acceptable bounces and behavior on the trampoline. Like all things, adult supervision and wisdom are essential to a home trampoline. Here are a few other tips regarding trampoline use at home:
Declare to your insurance carrier that you have a backyard trampoline; an accident could lead to the unfortunate and untimely discovery that you are “uncovered.”
Do something to prevent the use of the trampoline when you are not home. Just like a swimming pool, the law defines trampolines as an “attractive nuisance.” That makes YOU liable when someone hops your fence (you have a fence, right?) to use your tramp.
Your child will not inherently develop excellent skills and techniques. When skills are performed without technique, they can become less controlled and, therefore, more dangerous. In 2012, The American Pediatric Association stated that any activity done on a trampoline should be done in a gym that teaches the activities under an instructor that can supervise the safety and development of the child. “Trampoline Safety in Childhood and Adolescence,” in the October 2012 Pediatrics (published online Sept. 24), - See more on the American Academy of Pediatrics website.
Trampolines get old. Springs stretch out and can fracture and leave sharp ends. Trampoline beds can become worn and slippery, and frames can rust and become unstable. If you do have a backyard trampoline, be sure to inspect your equipment frequently and always after winter.
Rarely Asked Questions
These are questions that most parents are thinking but rarely ask. We try to provide you with all the information you need to make a good decision about your children's activities. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we forgot anything here or anywhere on our site.
Gymfinity's owner, J Orkowski, was the USA-Gymnastics Safety Educator Wisconsin for over ten years (until the system went to an online education program). As an educator, J was responsible for training all of the coaches in Wisconsin (as well as northern Illinois and Minnesota) in safely teaching and coaching kids in gymnastics. You can bet that he runs a tight ship when it comes to his program here at Gymfinity. There are strict standards to which all staff and programs must comply, and every teacher is required to attend safety training annually. There is no other club that we know of that has such stringent safety requirements for their staff. With that said, Gymfinity takes every precaution to provide a safe environment and teaching stations, but no program can be 100% free from accidents. We do want you to rest assured that your kids are in good hands.
Gymfinity's staff is very trustworthy and professional. Gymfinity prides itself on providing a thoroughly trained staff that is qualified to work with your children. Staff training and education is not an option for our crew; each instructor is required to earn educational credits each quarter to maintain their teaching status. The training and qualifying start way before that, though. Each applicant is given a national background check before being hired. After hiring, training extends through the first year, regardless of incoming experience, to guarantee that every teacher understands Gymfinity's progressive program and curriculum. All staff, including the owners, are evaluated annually to maintain a quality that exceeds the standard; that's what you deserve for your family, and you should accept nothing less.
Whoa! Gymnastics and trampoline & tumbling are amazing activities and sports, and we LOVE our competitive programs, but competitive gymnastics, trampoline, and tumbling is not for everyone. When kids start in the preschool program, they all begin at age-appropriate skill levels. If we deem a child as having the potential for the team training program, we will come to find you, the parents, and have that discussion at that time.
Just like USA-Gymnastics (the governing body of gymnastics in the US), Gymfinity has levels of development. Our developmental gymnastics and trampoline/tumbling curricula follow progressions to allow constructive challenges and ample growth for every child. We assess kids when they enter the program to be sure they are at a level/class that not only will provide that challenge, but will provide success as well. There is a team track separate from the developmental programs; if your child is ready for it, we will be in touch.
Gymfinity was never meant to be a program for competition gymnasts only. We have top rated developmental programs in gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling. Our EveryBody Kids Fitness program is - literally- for everybody or everybody. Our love of children and the belief that kids need to be fit is the foundation for all of our programs. Gymnastics and trampoline are great vehicles for kids to be healthy and competent at movement but may not be a competitive outlet for every child, and that’s OK.
Well, anyone can buy a ticket to see the games, but the real answer is "probably not." The gymnasts that we see on television once every four years are "elite" gymnasts. The Olympics are a great dream, but not a very realistic goal. Though we do train athletes at very high levels of competition, we set our sights on surpassing perceived individual potential. If that means national or international competition, then so be it. Still, in most cases, it means a (very realistic) goal of a college scholarship, good healthy participation, and years of fun.
**AT THIS TIME, THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AT GYMFINITY IS ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.**
Yes. For consideration of a scholarship placement we require: A letter from the parents of the child, requesting consideration, a brief description of why a scholarship is needed over regular participation (statement of financial need) and a letter from a non-relative, usually a teacher, that attests to the child's involvement and interest in gymnastics or fitness. At this point, the request goes before our board of directors, and consideration is given. Scholarships may be a percentage off of regular tuition or a grant of a specific amount.