Bath & Wiltshire Parent Review – The Little Gym’s secret ingredient

Local dad Tom O’Dwyer discovers that The Little Gym Bath offers something rare among children’s activities – a place where toddlers thrive and parents genuinely enjoy themselves too.

There is a moment, every Saturday at 9am, when the adults at The Little Gym Bath realise something unexpected: we’re actually enjoying this. This isn’t the usual trudge to another children’s activity where parents hover awkwardly at the sidelines. Something different is happening here.

The Little Gym sits, somewhat incongruously, next to Bath’s Wetherspoons – a juxtaposition that perfectly captures modern parenting. While the pub remains quiet, we’re next door, helping toddlers develop motor skills, social awareness and confidence.

What makes The Little Gym unusual is that it works just as well for parents as it does for children. Many children’s venues lean either towards the overly educational or the chaotically entertaining. This place manages to be fun, worthwhile and welcoming for everyone.

Most mornings begin with ‘Tumble and Tea’ – a brilliantly named session that sums up the appeal. Children tumble, stretch and climb while parents drink tea and, to their surprise, discover that a child’s activity can be sociable for grown-ups too.

This is where the magic lies. The Little Gym has created what every parent secretly hopes for: a place where your child is learning and thriving while you’re chatting to other adults. I often bring my backgammon set – yes, I’m probablythateccentric dad – and find other parents who have realised that looking after children doesn’t have to mean social isolation.

The staff, led by teachers like Sophie and managed by Fiona, are central to this success. Their warmth and attentiveness shine through not only in person but also in the 62 five-star Google reviews (and yes, I checked).

Again and again, parents praise how welcoming the team is, how children are genuinely known and cared for, and how the space has become a true community hub. One reviewer admitted to coming five times a week – which sounds excessive until you’ve experienced it yourself.

Fiona’s own response to a particularly glowing review revealed something telling about the operation: “Managing a small business can feel relentless at times, so it’s great to know we are making a good impression.”

That honesty shows how much effort goes into running the place – and it’s clear the effort pays off.

There is, in fact, a method to the apparent madness. The weekly rhythm – with its infectiously catchy songs (all ending with “…at the Little Gym!”), Mr Bubbles’ theatrical appearances, and the ritual distribution of stickers – gives children exactly what they need: predictable structure in which creativity and confidence can flourish. But it also gives parents something we didn’t know we needed: a weekly appointment with community.

The benefits for children are obvious. Balance beams and obstacle courses build physical coordination; group activities encourage cooperation; carefully staged challenges develop resilience. But the real winners might be the parents. Between conversations over coffee and friendly rivalries on the 5ft basketball hoop (probably not encouraged, but irresistible), The Little Gym proves that parenting doesn’t have to be a lonely pursuit.

In Bath, The Little Gym has quietly become part of the city’s social fabric, sitting alongside farmers’ markets, independent bookshops and other institutions that make a place more than the sum of its parts.

For anyone yet to experience this mix of child development and adult socialising, the challenge isn’t persuading you it’s worthwhile – the five-star reviews have already done that. The challenge is explaining why it feels different. So come along, bring your curiosity – and maybe even your backgammon set. You may discover, as many of us have, that the best children’s activities are those that remember grown-ups need community too.

And by 11am, when you emerge into the daylight and the idea of a pint next door briefly crosses your mind, you’ll probably pass. You’ll already feel satisfied – and you’ll be too busy humming those irrepressibly cheerful songs that all end “…at the Little Gym!”