7 Things About Our 2021 Outdoor Kid's Fitness Program

7 Things About Our 2021 Outdoor Kids Circuit and Fitness Program

By: Sumera Garcia-Quadri

1. We instruct for kids!

   Kids are not mini-adults. They're kids! Our program combines age-appropriate games, music, and fitness and circuit drills to create a fun experience to help our little friends ages 7 to 11 learn the fundamental movement skills (FMS) outlined by the Coaches Association of Canada

   Each class contains a warm-up and cool down, fitness drills, and pair and circuit activities relating to the sport skill for that week. To see the FMS we're teaching, click here
   

2. We have a 0 bullying policy

   We do not believe in “tough love” or the “no pain no gain” philosophy. Because if you're in pain, the only thing you'll gain is an injury and that's anything but fun!

   Our instructors provide constructive feedback and options that aim to encourage kids to keep trying a movement or activity that may be difficult. When it comes to peer to peer bullying, we do not tolerate bullying in any form. This includes verbal and physical bullying towards their peers or instructor. To find out about our bullying and warning policy, click here

3. We're beginner-friendly

   We adapt our instruction for multi-levels, especially for kids with basic movement skills. To keep kids motivated, we encourage them to go at their own pace and offer various options. Our program is also designed to teach a new FMS each week which means your child can join in at any time.

4. We're trained to work with kids

   Sumera and any instructors under her have a love of kid's fitness and experience working with kids through work, sports teams, and/or education. Additionally, all instructors will have training in CPR and First Aid and a police check. To know more about Sumera, click here

5. We're Embracing The Outdoors During Covid-19

   Due to routine gym and community center closures, this program will be offered for the first time outdoors at a local park in the High Park area. For more info on what happens when we cancel or reschedule a class, click here.

6. We're seasonal

   We're offering our program from May 2021 to July 2021, multiple times a week, and at different times. We have lunchtime hours for kids homeschooling, after school hours, and weekend mornings. To see the tentative schedule and/or join a waitlist, click here.

   Our program will adhere to COVID-19 protocols at that time

7. We May Be Able To Come To You!

   If you're in the west end of Toronto, have a large park by you and a group of 6 kids (maximum 8), we can try and bring this to you! To find out about our program syllabus, park, and schedule, click here.

5 Highlights From Our Summer Outdoor Kid's Fitness Program

By: Sumera Garcia-Quadri

Before Fall rolls in, I wanted to take a moment to share some of the key takeaways from our first outdoor kid’s fitness program in the High Park area.

1. We had a total of 18 kids registered across 2 sessions - that showed me that there was more demand for a program like this than I had imagined (YAY!)

2. We never had to cancel a class due to rainy weather (YAY!)

3. All of the parents were highly flexible and communicative -parents were always ready to reschedule a class in case of bad weather and awaited my email updates 2-hours before a class start time. I was lucky to have parents disclose their child’s needs ahead of time so that I could plan accordingly to support them in a group setting

Please note: I am not trained to work with children with special needs, but I do my best to accommodate all children where I can. If I cannot, I have an honest discussion with the parent(s) on what I feel is best for them when it comes to this type of program. That may include having the parent(s) assist in the class and/or issue a refund back to them so that they can enroll their child in a program that fits their needs.

4. Every child enrolled participated in ALL of the activities - I encouraged children to learn core fitness exercises through games and circuits that ranged from non-competitive to competitive at their own pace and by encouraging them to try different levels/variations as long as they did not have injuries.

5. All of the kids got along - It’s not easy to participate in a group activity with people we don’t know! That is why I was blown away by how well the kids came together in such a short period of time to get to know me and their peers.

We have a 0 bullying policy and I am proud to report that we had 0 bullying - this includes hitting, object throwing, name-calling, gossiping, and swearing.

What’s Next?

We’re gearing up for an outdoor Kid’s Fitness program this October with a Halloween element to it in hopes of keeping our little friends motivated to burn off some extra sugar before Halloween Day!

For more info on this 4-week session/to join a waitlist, click here

How To Keep Your Kids Active This Winter

In the winter, there are a variety of exciting outdoor physical activities to get your kids involved in. Kids, however, may find participating in winter activities more of a chore than a pleasure due to the cold weather conditions. And for parents, the costs associated with paying for winter apparel, equipment, and/or lessons for activities like hockey and skating, to name a few, can be a burden. The good news is that there is still a fun way to keep them active without all of the hassles.

Indoor Group Fitness Classes Are A Great Option

Group fitness classes are great for both parents and kids because there are a variety of options and price points to choose from, most take place after school or on weekends, and are held at a local community/health center, united church, library, or your child’s school. Talk to your child’s school’s office secretary or gym teacher about what’s available there. Depending on where you live in Toronto, some programs may be free and/or at low cost at community centers. In the chance that your child cannot get into the program they want, local libraries can help you search for free instructional books or videos on how to learn the activity that your child is interested in. They may also offer free craft programs to keep your little person’s hands, arms and creativity flowing.

How Me and My Instructors Are Keeping Kids Active

In an effort to encourage healthy active kids and physical creativity, we are offering affordable Girl’s Dance Fitness and Mom and Baby Fitness classes in both the Bloor West and The Annex. We also run free, safe, girl’s fitness programs in partnership with social and health centers across Toronto during certain times of the year.

To sign your child up for a class this winter, please view the schedule.