Jump & Jive Welcomes Children of All Abilities to Play and Belong

Children of all abilities deserve accessible play and spaces where they can move, grow, and belong. Jump & Jive in Keene is a small indoor playground and adaptive fitness center that was designed for just that purpose, whose mission is to create a welcoming space for all children.Owner JeanMarie Rodriguez is an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) and a certified personal trainer. She works part-time as an OTA at the practice of local pediatric occupational therapist Hannah French and she also consults with the New Hampshire Dance Institute on their adaptive dance team's classes and summer camps.She opened Jump & Jive back in 2021 following the closing of Leaps & Bounds Physical Therapy in Keene when owner Melanie Greenwood decided to relocate during the pandemic."I wondered, 'what am I going to do?'" Rodriguez recalled. "Individuals needed to still learn that movement is fun and not scary, so I started with offering personal fitness for special needs clients and worked with them on goals like increasing endurance."Her primary goal as a trainer is to look at the whole person and develop a plan that meets their individual needs, she explained. She also assists families of special needs children with goals related to movement such as self-regulation and emotional regulation.From there, she decided that she wanted to offer more than fitness training, so she opened an additional space where families could come for private play time with their children, as well as small group play or family gatherings.Although Rodriguez wants to clearly point out that she does not offer occupational or physical therapy services or treatment at Jump & Jive, she has used her knowledge and experience to create an accessible and welcoming space that meets many sensory needs.Since 2021, her business model has slowly expanded its offerings and grown into its current footprint at 320 Marlboro St. in Keene, which includes a large play space with a climbing wall, trampolines, a swing, and other sensory-play equipment; a smaller space with imaginative play items like a kitchen and train table; an office and fitness space; and a birthday party room. For families of children with special needs, booking a space for private play time is often a way to provide a calm space without the stress of crowds that offers comfort and safety for sensory-rich play experiences.As a professional who is also certified in youth fitness, Rodriguez said the space provides fun ways for children to build strength and confidence through movement by looking at the whole person, not just their disability."The play gym is really needed in this community," she said. "Some might call it a hidden gem of the community. It's a place built for all abilities."She said the space is designed for ages one up to eight or 10. She offers memberships as well as individual booking times, and a weekly playgroup called Wiggles & Wonder is held twice weekly for families who may want a little more social interaction.Although she can sometimes accommodate drop-ins, she said that booking time in advance online is strongly encouraged to ensure that the spaces are available and open as her hours can sometimes vary. Mom groups can book meet-up times online, and birthday parties are also available.Keeping the experiences affordable is key to Rodriguez, who is a mother of three now-adult children but remembers being a single mother with a child with learning differences and the need for safe and affordable places to play outside of their home. She saw a gap in the community back then, and her hope with opening Jump & Jive was to fill it.Although season changes and the weather have a huge impact on her number of bookings, she said business has been good and she sees a good mix of both families with special needs children and neurodiversity who need a quiet, safe space, as well as those with typical development who need a space simply to play and have fun.Although she will consider expanding more should opportunities arise and does have future goals of adding another large play space, for now she's pleased at the slow steps she's made to grow with intention and thoughtfulness."It's grown organically so far, which is nice," she said. "There's no pressure; no push."She added that the owner of 310 Marlboro St., has been extremely supportive and helpful and that the location has been a great fit for her business.A Keene resident since the age of 9, Rodriguez is committed to supporting the community where she has spent most of her life."I want to make sure every child has opportunities to play, and I want to give back to this community," she said. "It's been a lot of love. ... I'm very proud of what has transpired for Jump & Jive and for the community." Jump & Jive is at 310 Marlboro St., Suite 201, in Keene. For more information or to book time at Jump & Jive, visit jumpandjive4all.com. Contact 603-852-8792 or jumpandjive4all@outlook.com with questions.