"We need to create an environment where our youngest New Zealanders have fun being physically active and set them on the path to a healthy active lifestyle throughout their life," Sport and Recreation Minister Trevor Mallard said in July 2003 when he launched the Early Childhood and Physical Activity Reference Group at a Wellington pre-school.

He added that it is important to raise caregivers' awareness of the benefits of physical activity for young people and provide them with opportunities and tools to make it happen.

For some years before Mr Mallard made his all-important speech Harbour Gymnastics had already established the environment and the tools for both parents and young children to learn through movement and activity.

Since 2002 former kindergarten teacher Robyn Bickle has led Harbour's classes where parents are actively involved as coaches in their children's physical development. 

The fully equipped gymnasium provides a challenging and safe environment for youthful explorers to develop the holistic learning skills provided by movement. While activities like climbing, sliding, balancing, jumping, crawling, hanging,  swinging and throwing look to be purely physical they have proved to be inherently connected with the cognitive, social, cultural, emotional and spiritual dimensions of learning and growing.

Parents are involved right from the start of their child's journey into school years. They are active participants in the physical experience provided by the Centre's motor development equipment. They also encourage, support and delight in their children's success.

These opportunities are not always available to parents in drop-off day-care centres and kindergarten. "Parents don't come to the classes for me to show them what to do, they come to be involved with their children," says Robyn.

Kinship with others parents of the same aged children is also a draw-card, she says. 

Communication is an important part of the learning process for children and parents. "We work together to provide the children the best start making sure all those basis, that help children grow and learn, are covered."

Learning to listen, then carry out instructions, is an important skill children get to practice in the sessions.

Robyn role models language that works with young children and the numerous activities they can do at home or in the park. But she says the language is not that hard to master. "It's about tuning into your child's world and taking the time to break it down so children can understand it." 

"Young children are also not going to achieve without praise and encouragement," says Robyn. Teaching parents by role-modeling praise that matches the positive action or activity instead of praising the child with simply a "good boy" or "good girl" really validates what the child did. It encourages them to try again or try something harder. Then their confidence grows.

For 45 minutes a music backed, exciting learning process happens at Harbour Gymnastics 15 times per week. Parents and children learn with each other and about each other. 'It's a truly rewarding experience for me and for them," says Robyn.             

Variety is also key to Harbour's full classes and burgeoning waiting-lists. Purposefully designed activity circuits are changed every three weeks to provide fresh, challenging experiences.