Rolly Pollies has been owned and operated by Jim and Danielle Fleckenstein since 2005. Following their mission to “develop children physically, intellectually and socially in order to build the self-esteem and confidence needed for a healthy and successful life” for the past 15 years, they’ve helped countless families get their children active and moving in a supportive, non-competitive environment. But it’s about more than just the children, Rolly Pollies is a place for the entire family to enjoy. With equipment built for adults, you’ll see parents bonding and playing right along with their children. Jumping on a trampoline, playing in a bouncehouse, or jumping into a foam pit is more fun when you do it as a family. Whether you’re at a gym class, open play, or birthday party, Rolly Pollies offers the fun and freedom to explore that allows each child to move at their own pace and enjoy family time together. Since opening their first location in East Amherst, Jim and Danielle have opened 2 other facilities in Orchard Park and North Buffalo all while having 3 children of their own along the way.
For the first time in 15 years, Rolly Pollies, along with many other businesses, has been shut down since March 16th due to the Coronavirus. It has been a challenging time for everyone, especially for young children whose routines and structure have been upended. To help create a sense of normalcy and maintain a connection to their students, Rolly Pollies has been working to create home videos that carry out their mission while shutdown. Jim and Danielle were tracking the virus before the WNY shutdown and quickly assembled staff members for a video shoot to record as much content as possible before New York State mandated closures and social distance was implemented. Since then, they’ve been editing and posting a variety of fun, home-based activities for children ages 3 months and up on their YouTube Channel. Subscribe to their YouTube Channel @RollyPolliesWNY and you will find many children’s exercise videos, songs, story times, American Sign Language classes, and more! Content is being added continually. The YouTube Channel is also a great way for children to see their favorite Roll Models from Rolly Pollies and sing the beloved “Friends Song’ over and over. The best part is that this content is free to anyone who wishes to enjoy. No membership or fees are required. It’s part of Rolly Pollies commitment to the community during these trying times. Here's a sample of what you will find on their YouTube Channel:
In addition to the YouTube Channel, Rolly Pollies is continuing its outreach by offering Mother’s Day Craft Kits for sale on their website that they will deliver to your door. Recognizing that children are not in school creating traditional Mother’s Day crafts with their teachers, Danielle realized that she will be missing her favorite part of Mother’s Day, and wanted to make sure children can still have the opportunity and materials to create special gifts for the Moms, Grandmas, and special women in their lives. These kits contain everything you’ll need, complete with easy to follow instructions. Each kit contains four easy to make crafts that children can complete with the help of an adult. Kits must be purchased by May 1st.
Jim and Danielle are also hard at work continuing their commitment to the safety and enjoyment of all families in WNY as they spend time in the facilities upgrading and enhancing their equipment and space. When it is safe to open, families will be greeted with freshly painted walls, some upgraded pieces of equipment, including trampoline beds and mats, and, of course, the cleanest children’s gyms in Western New York. Rolly Pollies continuous, ongoing commitment to cleanliness has been a hallmark of their service to you and a staple of their daily routine for 15 years, and will always be something you can count on.
Jim and Danielle and all the Roll Models at Rolly Pollies can’t wait to see everyone in the gym again, and wish everyone safety and health as we all navigate this time together. To keep in touch with Rolly Pollies, learn about their programs and parties, and stay up to date on any news or happenings, please visit their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram, or check out their website.
