How to Create Kids Workouts to Keep Your Members Engaged

Right now, many parents aren't only working from home—they're working from home, homeschooling kids, and looking to keep their families active and entertained.  

If you're a parent who owns a fitness studio or gym, you may be balancing the above while also navigating various changes to your business due to COVID-19.  

You, especially, understand how important it is to keep kids engaged and moving. So, provide your own family—as well as your clients' families—with exercise programming fit for all.  

Not a parent? Not a problem. Your clients with families will love that you're keeping their needs in mind.  

Here's how to get started:  

Make it fun

Kids, typically, are more into playing sports and having fun than "working out." So, focus on exercise programming that includes playing, dancing, and laughing, rather than jumping, lunging, or squatting (of course, you can sneak a few of those bodyweight movements in there too).  

Create an obstacle course, take your kiddos on an imaginary adventure (have them run away from something, jump over things, etc.) use a deck of cards, or roll a set of dice to make playtime/indoor P.E. more like a game and less like a structured workout. Our studio, McAlister Training, is famous among our clients for our "Deck of Cards" workout that associates bodyweight movements with each suit. (For instance, each heart card that’s drawn is jumping jacks. If a seven of hearts is revealed, the whole family does seven jumping jacks.) It works well for both parents and children alike.  

Lose the workout equipment

To make your kid-friendly workouts accessible to all ages, focus on bodyweight movements and yoga poses, or use sports equipment, stuffed animals, or pillows to switch it up. Dance parties are always a good idea, too.  

Align with their interests

Encourage your parent-members to customise workouts to their children's interests. For example, if kids are into basketball or soccer, have them incorporate a ball. Are they especially into music? Ask them to help create a playlist to groove to. 

Keep it short and sweet

A forty-five minute or hour workout might make sense for an adult but for most kids, it's too much. Keep workouts or challenges to thirty minutes or less and/or separate them into smaller segments for families to get moving a few minutes every day of the week. Remix Fitness in Horsham, Pennsylvania offers a free, thirty-minute “Remix Recess” on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons to get kids moving and give parents a break.

Involve the whole family

Parents lead by example daily (if you have kiddos, you know this intimately). Moving your body and staying healthy, especially right now, shows the entire family just how important it is. Get everyone in on the fun with movements that make sense for all ages (mom and dad included). 

Don't rely on live stream alone

Live streaming can be a fun, interactive way to engage your community (here’s how to get started). However, you'll want to share the recording for those who can't make it live or need to pause and don't want to miss out. With kids, things often don't go as planned—including exercising at home—but with a recording, clients can pick up where they left off whenever it works best. Check out these tips for filming pre-recorded workouts. 

Right now, families are finding their new norm (and a new schedule). As a fitness business owner, you have the opportunity to help your clients, and their families, make movement a part of that new routine. Plus, if you're a parent and a business owner, you'll help maintain healthy habits for your family, too.