8 Fitness Programs for Kids in NYC
The family that prioritizes appropriate regular exercise and physical fitness together stays happy and healthy together!
With mom and dad also working out, one way to incorporate fitness into a child’s routine is to find off-shoots of adult fitness trends (think Zumba, Crossfit, and yoga, for starters) that have been modified for kiddos.
Here are 8 places in the city that will get your kid moving and grooving.
Psst… Why Do Kids Get Nosebleeds? An Expert Weighs In On How to Curb Them
Brooklyn Boulders
23-10 41st Ave., Long Island City, NY
Rock-climbing (otherwise known as bouldering) is a great cardio exercise that also improves balance, spatial awareness, and motor skills. Brooklyn Boulders in DUMBO is a well-known rock-climbing center and they have special classes for ages 5 to 11.
Rock-climbing is something parents and children can do together both indoors and out.
Cross Trainers at Gymtime Rhythm & Glues
1520 York Ave., New York, NY
Cross Trainers is a class designed to take your little one’s physical skills to the next level. They work with gymnastics equipment and are supervised by a coach certified by USA Gymnastics.
Schedules are seasonal with extra classes during the summer.
EVF Kids
1623 York Ave., New York, NY
A Crossfit program for kids ages seven to 17, EVF Kids focuses on getting kids interested in physical fitness early.
It doesn’t matter if your child can run a mile or do 50 pushups, EVF’s fundamental program can work for them with only adjustments for intensity and stamina. Basic exercises, such as lunges and squats, are taught to all ages.
Gantry Kids
1019 46th Rd., Long Island City, NY
Gantry Kids, just over the East River in Long Island City, Queens, is a gym focused on children and their fitness. They have three different programs based on age.
MaPa and Me, for caregivers and pre-crawlers, is about providing a safe and supportive environment for parents and little ones.
Kids, ages 6 to 10, is more advanced and more nuanced with a focus on developing motor and physical skills while also encouraging self-confidence and assertiveness.
The Pre-Teen and Teen group, ages 11 to 16, is a more mature program in which the teens progress through a series of workouts, and includes an important group component that develops team work, accountability and responsibility.
Karma Kids Yoga
16 Madison Square West, 12th Floor, New York, NY
Karma Kids Yoga offers a fun and creative approach for infants through teenagers. Magical yoga adventures with puppets, songs, stories and games keep young kids engaged.
Classes for older kids include simple and challenging poses for increasing strength, coordination, balance, focus, and confidence. Included are kid-friendly music, fun yoga games and relaxation time with foot rubs.
Pre-and post-natal yoga, family yoga and private sessions are also available.
New York Capoeira Center
107 Suffolk St., #307, New York, NY
One of the hottest martial arts crazes on the fitness scene is Capoeira, a Brazilian style that focuses on technique, focus, and control and looks like a flowing dance.
Adults are trying it out, and now there is a way for kids as well. The center provides afterschool classes for children and your first one is free! The staff has experience working in New York City schools and is supportive and encouraging.
PopFit Kids
Various Locations
With locations throughout the city, PopFit Kids is a new-age workout based on the idea of Fun-ctional Fitness: Fun workouts that prepare you for everyday activities in organized sports or just an active lifestyle.
The focus is on being able to work your body any time and any place—no need for heavy weights or fancy machinery. Parents can get a quick workout in while their child is in the bath, or your children can get their body moving if mom or dad is on the phone.
The activities are safely done under heavy supervision and with reduced chance of injury because it’s based on the child’s own body and size.
Pop Fit trainers aim to help the children build confidence and teamwork abilities while starting a permanent love for movement and exercise.
Tiger Strong NYC
1521 York Ave., New York, NY
This activity center on the Upper East Side has fun for the whole family. Kids and adults alike can take classes like karate, ballet, tai-chi and yoga. Classes are offered year round and they’re even open on most holidays.
