We've literally tried it all - every sport, all the art classes and all the unstructured play. My oldest is just a talker and my youngest is a boundary-pusher. Both are amazing kiddos, and both need different things from activities. We were invited to try a class at the brand new Mission Grit™ facility off of Carmel Road in South Charlotte last weekend and I have two words: Game. Changer.
Ok, so before we go further, Mission Grit™ is a powerful concept that helps children to become strong physically, develop inner strength, adopt effective cooperation skills, gain unparalleled confidence and adaptability. Through fun adventure obstacle courses, fitness exercising, exciting scenario-based quests and creative team-building challenges, the concept was inspired by the founder's experience in the Israeli Special Forces, life circumstances and over a decade of creating unique child development concepts. All of the lead instructors are military Veterans who continue their service through mentoring and empowering children - and it's truly amazing to watch how the kids flock to them!
So what does that mean for my kid?
When we arrived at the brightly colored space, the kids were welcomed by the owner and lead instructor, Paul. He firmly, and encouragingly told them exactly what was expected of them. His rules were paramount to their success and they knew, immediately, that he meant business. It was this that established their trust. For my talker, this was absolutely going to be a challenge. Paul kindly answered his questions, but also made sure that he understood that he would not be interrupting class - rather waiting until Paul had given instructions to ask.
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The kids then were let through a series of obstacles. This week's theme was "Six Simple Machines" and the kids were able to learn about them, hands-on, while they were weaved into the obstacle courses. Some required physical strength - like the pulley and the screw wheel- (none outside the bounds of their capacity) and others required patience - like the ramp. They all required teamwork, focus and listening. Each obstacle was the foundation for the next, and by the end of class, they had strung together roughly 7 obstacles - and after each round celebrated their accomplishments.
At the end of class, the kids were rewarded with an extra special challenge: they worked together as a team to pull a car. YEP! Ten 5 to 8-year-olds pulled a Toyota 4 Runner about 200 feet and it was incredible. They were so proud of themselves and we, as parents, watched in awe.
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How does it work?
Mission Grit™ offers weekly classes by age through The Xplor™ program. To keep it fun, educational and developmental, every week they create a whole new awesome experience by completely altering the obstacle course structures, fitness tasks, and the overall weekly theme.
What are the benefits?
Mission Grit™ has set out to develop:
- Gain high levels of confidence
- Elevate self-esteem
- Develop strong social skills
- Non-competitive environment
- Discover personal leadership voice
- Adopt positive disciplines
- Develop analytical mind
- Adopt “I can” vs. “I can't” mindset
- Learn to control anger
- Embrace failure
- Feel a sense of accomplishment
- Increase focus
What other options are available?
Mission Grit™ not only offers after-school and weekend programming, but also offers 100% private Birthday Parties - where the whole facility is yours for 90 minutes! , Team-building events, Leadership Summer Camp, Spring Break Camp and School's Out Camps.
How do I sign up?
It's easy. Head to their website and claim your free trial! Or you can email Paul for more information. For more information, check them out on Instagram and Facebook. Mission Grit™ is located at 6311 Carmel Rd, Charlotte, NC 28226.
