How to keep children fit and healthy

With summer holidays now over, ringing in the new academic year, developing a proper routine is probably lingering on our minds. Finding motivation to get back on track often poses a challenge for school children after several weeks of all-nighters and the downtime they had enjoyed.

While the adults can seek refuge in a gym to help burn off the holiday indulgence, the young school children can consider a gym too for helping them prepare for the academic year ahead.

Pursuing a fitness route can be a good option to consider to help get the young ones get back on track. Following a popular fitness based summer camp, Wellfit in Jumeirah Village Circle is continuing dedicated fitness classes for children throughout the week, to cater to the demand for after school activities.

The summer camp attracted children of all fitness levels for children aged 5-11, where a number of playful activities were on offer to keep them energised. Building on the popularity, the gym is offering packages for children aged 3-15 with an annual membership or alternative flexible contracts for the family to train together. With the family plan, the adults can access the gym and also have an unlimited access to dedicated group classes for families where the young ones can tag along too.

Don’t worry too much about strenuous exercises as they are primarily focused on working on attention spans and to spark the young participant’s creativity.

There is a schedule, which runs throughout the week with an early start on the weekends. From Monday to Friday the kids classes run between 3:30pm and 6pm and over the weekends kids classes start at 9:30am while there is also a class for the family to train together in the afternoon.

The classes are divided into separate age groups where children between the ages of 3 and 4 will have their own session, 5-7 years are classed as the second bracket, 8-11-years-old will be clubbed together and another age bracket of 12-15 years-old.

The range of activities include ‘mini marines’, games, pod war challenges, obstacle courses, jiu-jitsu, karate and mini-tennis, kids yoga and their signature high intensity interval training class called ‘Blackout’, which also involves punching aqua bags.

How much does it cost?

Family package: Prices for the family membership start from Dh990 dirhams a month as a flexible payment option which does not bound the members to a contract. They can also opt for an annual membership of Dh8,390 for the ‘Active living family’ which covers two adults and one child.

Children only: Access to gym facilities are only open for those aged 16 and older, though the young ones can be enrolled for annual membership worth Dh3,500 which lets them join the dedicated classes

How does fitness benefit a child?

One can argue that if they want their children to lead a fit and healthy lifestyle, they should start them young. Here are some benefits that a fitness camp can help a young student.

Time Management: Considering the type of activities on offer and a set schedule, children will have the opportunity to work on their communication skills as well as teamwork.

Determination to excel: The children can review their own performance and progress which would encourage them to put in extra hard work every session.

Concentration: The activities have been designed to offer an interactive way to help a. child develop agility, coordination and improve their reaction time.

Better posture: It is believed that children with good postures have a longer attention span in the class which in turn would yield better academic performance, according to the trainers. Family Activities Coordinator at Wellfit, Ndumiso Masango adds, “Our aim through these activities is to provide a nurturing environment for kids to have fun, whilst learning healthy lifestyle habits.” He further added, the program is not aimed at finding the next big athlete, “but we’re getting them to move, knowing how the benefits of movement and fitness can help in making easier decisions.”

Verdict:

Most adults would be aware of how regular exercise can help in elevating one’s mood, thanks to the release of dopamine and serotonin. Similarly, it is expected to help a child with their overall growth. The participants of the fitness classes appeared to have been enjoying their time competing against their peers and overcoming the challenges posed by the obstacle course. Yes, a gym membership for the young ones can be an added cost, thought it could outweigh the cost of an after-school activity or preventing a disruption of the routine, courtesy of an afternoon nap. On the bright side, fitness programs may help in performing better in the Physical Education classes, which usually tend to be quite challenging after a long summer break.

wknd@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai