The Little Gym San Marcos plans would bring a children’s gymnastics and enrichment franchise to San Marcos as the brand celebrates its 50th anniversary. A proposed location at 1468 E. McCarty Lane would introduce the company’s approach to building confidence through movement to another Texas community.
The concept combines gymnastics with play and age-appropriate learning. Its goal reaches beyond a cartwheel or a balanced landing: the company designs activities to help children practice listening, cooperation and trying something new.
A state construction registration identifies a 1,200-square-foot remodel with an estimated cost of $350,000. A local opening date has not been confirmed.
Fifty Years of “Serious Fun”
Founder Robin Wes opened the first The Little Gym in Bellevue, Washington, in 1976. An educator, musician and kinesiologist—a specialist in human movement—Wes envisioned a place where children could develop physical skills in a positive, noncompetitive setting.
The company’s official history describes a philosophy that connects movement with social, emotional and intellectual growth. The brand calls that combination “Serious Fun.”
The emphasis is on participation and progress rather than competitive rankings. For families exploring children’s activities, that approach helps explain how the brand positions itself within gymnastics and enrichment.
The Little Gym San Marcos proposal comes during the company’s golden-anniversary year. The milestone belongs to the international brand; the local facility remains a planned project.
How Three-Dimensional Learning Works
The Little Gym describes its curriculum through three connected dimensions. Each focuses on a different part of a child’s development, using physical activity as the common thread.
Get Moving centers on motor skills such as balance, strength, flexibility and coordination. Gymnastics gives children opportunities to practice how their bodies move and respond.
Brain Boost addresses listening, concentration, imagination and decision-making. The company presents these skills as part of the learning experience alongside physical movement.
Citizen Kid focuses on sharing, teamwork, cooperation and leadership. Group activities provide opportunities to interact with peers and practice working together.
These are the company’s educational aims, not measured outcomes for a future San Marcos class. The planned The Little Gym San Marcos location would bring the brand’s broader approach to the city, with local programming still to be confirmed.
The Programs Behind The Little Gym San Marcos Plans
The brand’s national program lineup generally serves children from four months through 12 years old. It includes parent-child classes, preschool gymnastics and grade-school gymnastics.
Parent-child sessions introduce younger children to movement with an adult participating. Programs for older children build on that foundation through increasingly structured activities and gymnastics skills.
Participating locations also offer camps and birthday parties. Those options describe the wider franchise, rather than a confirmed San Marcos schedule. Local enrollment dates, age groups, class availability and special events have not been independently established.
From One Gym to an International Franchise
The Little Gym began franchising in 1992, according to its corporate timeline. The business expanded internationally and opened its 400th location in 2018.
In 2021, it joined Unleashed Brands, a group of businesses focused on youth enrichment. The proposed San Marcos facility would become part of a concept that has grown far beyond its original Washington location.
The project also adds to the range of movement-focused businesses planning space in San Marcos. Texas Construction Media previously covered Crunch Fitness plans for the former IKEA space, a separate project serving a different fitness market.
Where The Little Gym San Marcos Is Planned
The state filing places the proposed gym at 1468 E. McCarty Lane, Suite 4. A publisher-supplied tenant layout separately identifies The Little Gym within the retail development, supporting the location context.
The layout also labels Donuts Pro, 7 to 7 Dental and B’s Mexican Grill, along with two available retail spaces. It does not establish whether every labeled business is operating or independently verify The Little Gym’s suite number.
What Comes Next for The Little Gym San Marcos?
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation registration, TABS2027003205, lists a 1,200-square-foot remodel and an estimated construction cost of $350,000. Drago Development LLC is the listed property owner, and Nove Studios LLC is the design firm.
Construction is estimated to begin January 25, 2027, with completion projected for April 25, 2027. Those dates describe anticipated construction milestones, not a confirmed opening schedule.
Local franchise ownership, staffing and enrollment details remain unconfirmed. For now, The Little Gym San Marcos plans point to a new children’s activity option built around the company’s longstanding idea that movement and play can support confidence and learning.