Fun fitness classes for kids that focuses on motor skill development & movement fundamentals for to set up for sucess later in organized sports
Author: Lauren Keating
Lauren Keating is a freelance journalist, who specializes in health, nutrition, and fitness reporting. Along with being the creator and writer of That Runner Mom, she also writes for RunnerClick.com. She was a former trends reporter for Tech Times and was previously a contributing writer for Fit Nation Magazine and covered a nutrition beat (as well as covering other miscellaneous topics) for Brooklyn News Service as part of Brooklyn College. Lauren is the author of the children's book
Ready, Set, Run!" (available to purchase on this site), and has completed 7 half marathons when not chasing after her two babies.
Those Runner Kids is proud to announce the upcoming toddler exercise class at Morning Glori Farmette on Oct. 12, 2021 at 10:30 a.m.
This class will specifically cater to babies/toddlers walking age – ages 4.
The class will introduce little ones to running and other exercises in an age-appropriate way. This includes running drills around small cones, working on core strength and balance on balance beams, and fine and gross motor skills. This class is Halloween-themed! So expect your toddler to play “catch the ghost” and to run with (a small, lightweight) pumpkin!
The class is held at Morning Glori Farmette in Marlton, NJ—an alpaca farm! Kids end the class with a meeting and feeding with the alpacas.
All kids get a Halloween-themed finisher medal & a copy of the children’s book Ready, Set, Run!
Those Runner Kids is proud to announce the expansion to include BIG KID outdoor classes this summer in Medford, New Jersey.
Starting the second week of August through the final week that leads into the first week of September, this mini summer season includes four weekly classes. Summer classes are held at Freedom Park at the multi-purpose field behind the playground.
BIG KIDS classes are 45-minutes, and follow the same structure of the toddler classes. This includes stretching, a dynamic warm up, and lots of games and activities that work on gross motor skills, general muscle strengthening, agility, speed, and endurance. The activities are appropriately progresses for kids in this class, best for ages 6-10.
The end of each class is dedicated to playing through the obstacle course. Obstacles change each week and help to work on core strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness, and general muscle strengthening.
All games and activities are presented as PLAY. While the kids love to race each other during relays and other sprints, this program is all about having FUN. Those Runner Kids does help develop athletic and fitness skills, but the core belief is that children are introduced to exercise in a fun and exciting way.
Class ends with a stretch and cool down.
Those Runner Kids is created by Coach Lauren, RRCA, ACE-CPT, ACE Youth Fitness Specialist. Coach Lauren also has fun summer-themed games and a FOAM PARTY planned for summer classes!
Foam Party on the beach. Cute little girl having fun and dancing.
Classes are outdoors. Masks are not required for running around, but social distancing is enforced. Coach Lauren is fully vaccinated and encourages children who are sick or families that may in contact with COVID stay home. Refunds will be issued for those affected by COVID.
There will be one rain date for August classes. Date and time TBD.
Young children need a healthy and safe environment where they can burn off energy and get their exercise in. What they need is active play mixed with some structure—and hey, maybe even learn a thing or two.
As a mom of two active young kids, I found that there aren’t many activities my littles ones can do together that works on skills that are important for their growth and development. Although we are members of other great toddler programs, there are limited classes that focus on running. And this running momma (or should I say That Runner Mom) hopes that not just my kids, but also all children can learn to love the sport at an early age.
After all, it is such a natural movement for little kids!
The main goal of the kids’ fitness classes I created is to introduce toddlers to concepts of running and fitness in a fun and engaging way. During each class, participants work on various age-appropriate skills that are designed to help them master the basics of movements to set them up for athletic success in the future.
Skills taught at Those Runner Kids include fine and gross motor skills that include: running, jumping, throwing, catching, as well as picking up objects.
Running just to burn off energy so they sleep at night is great, but these classes give kids the tools to work on so many other skills to help in their development.
After studying the psychology behind what motivates kids at a young age, as well as how to present exercise in terms of their age and development, Those Runner Kids classes are tailored for the abilities and needs of toddlers and preschoolers.
This includes working on stability, mobility, and flexibility, and coordination development including balance, spatial awareness, rhythm, and reactivity.
Also included in Those Runner Kids classes are speed and agility. This includes acceleration and deceleration skills, which are important later in athletics in sports like soccer and basketball.
But at the heart of these classes is an introduction to running and concepts of running including form and getting ready to finish the program with a 50- and 75-yard dash (where all runners get a medal!).
Again, all of these skills are taught in an age-appropriate way. Skills are presented as games and are designed to be fun and engaging. It is structured play where kids get to discover their bodies and movement. But they don’t feel like it’s exercise. It’s a great way for them to get close to meeting the recommended 60-minutes of exercise a day.
Each class ends with a cool-down period that includes breathing exercises to get them back at a resting state. Then there is a reading of a children’s book in the health and fitness space to further open them to concepts of living a healthy life.
The time has come when it is starting to get a little too cold to spend a lot of time outdoors. For little ones, this means lots of energy and boredom as we enter the holiday season. And for parents, it means searching online when shopping for the best toys to serve as gifts this 2020 holiday season—especially those targeted for active kids.
It’s so important for kids to keep their bodies moving throughout the day. Remember that at this age there doesn’t have to be structured exercise. Fitness should be fun and can be done using these items that any active kid love.
Kids Spin Bike
Think of this as the Peloton for kids. The Fisher-Price Think & Learn Smart Cycle allows kids to burn off their energy while indoor spinning this winter. It uses a tablet (not included) such as a Fire Tablet or iPad to combine gaming with exercise. Games include racing and driving, as well as educational games for spelling, phonics, and reading.
This gift is best suited for active kids ages 3 to 6.
Indoor Trampoline
Get even your baby enjoying active playtime with an indoor trampoline. The Galt Nursery Trampoline is perfect for toddlers and those as young as 1-year-old. It has a handlebar with padding and is easy to store with removable legs. This is a great way for dodders to work on balance and leg and core muscles.
Little Tikes also has a great option that is suitable forbids that weight up to 55 lbs.
Parents with multiple children should check out the Merax Kids Trampoline that also for two kids to jump at once! Even parents can jump on this one with their kids.
Obstacle Course Equipment
Step-A-Logs are essential when creating an indoor obstacle course. Consider this a balance beam that helps kids work on balance and motor skills. These are attached by rope so they won’t get lost and it’s easy to arrange each beam to change the course design.
These are best for kids ages 3+.
Pair it with stepping stones to add further coordination and conditioning. This option from Sunny & Fun is great for both outdoor and indoor obstacle courses.
Climbers
This Climbing Tower is one of the most wished things on the 2020 Holiday Gift Guide on Amazon. Not only can kids climb up, down, and side to side, but they can also hang on the top monkey bars.
This climber is best for kids ages 3 to 8. Parents should consider it makes up a lot of space, so ideal for those with large basements or to be put in the backyard.
Little Tikes nailed an option for younger kids with the Little Baby Bum Wheels on The Bus Climber and Slide. It plays music and allows toddlers to imagine they are driving the bus before climbing and sliding.
This indoor and outdoor climber is best for those ages 1-4 years.
Yoga Cards
Yogi Fun has a kit that has yoga cards, rhyming poems, dice, and actives that are all tailored for children. Get your kids active this winter by introducing them to yoga in a fun way.
This Yoga Activity Mat allows kids to learn the poses in each stage of the movement. It can also double as a play mat and is a great addition to any home gym or playroom.
Similarly are these Yoga Activity Blocks that allow for kids to land on a new move to make a game out of stretching and working on strength and stability.
The best toy to gift an active child during the 2020 holiday season is this magic wand called Magic Moves. It yells out commands while playing music and putting on a light show—all while the kids dance, stomp like a dinosaur and leap like a frog. There are over 90 commends and it can be played with multiple children. Ages 3 and up.
As parents, we all want our babies to check off tasks and accomplishments off their milestone charts. And these are everything from saying their first work to finally walking. There are four categories of childhood development: cognate, language, physical, and socio-emotional. While they all have an important role in the overall growth of your 1-year-old, motor skills are one that is worth highlighting.
When it comes to physical development, parents want their children to progress with their balance, hand-eye coordinator, and both fine motor and gross motor skills.
Fine motor skills are the ones that are important for being able to perform everyday tasks. This kind of motor skill includes the use of the small muscles of the hands. examples include using a pencil, scissors, and building things such as Legos. For this reason, these skills are crucial for excelling in early academics.
Other examples of fine motor skills including using utensils to eat, tying shoelaces, zipping clothes, brushing hair, and dressing dolls.
Gross motor skills are the skills that use all the muscle and are used for everyday functions as well as to be able to play and engage in sports activities. These include whole-body movements. Examples are sitting up in a chair, balancing, climbing, walking, running. It also includes sections like kicking a ball and throwing and catching a ball.
While all kids develop at their own speed, parents can encourage activities that help their little ones work on their motor skills. And this is even as young as 1-years-old.
Fine Motor Skills
1-year-olds can work on their fine motor skills through art. This includes the following ideas:
Painting
Using sponges (to paint or just to play in the water!)
Playing with play-dough
Playing with kinetic sand (theme it and add in tiny treasure from the Dollar Store to make fun sensory boxes!)
Color with crayons
Allow baby to use a fork and spoon at mealtime (it will be a mess, but worth it for working on the skill!)
Give baby finger foods and encourage self-feeding
Let them help you turn the pages of a book at storytime.
Gross Motor Skills
Your 1-year-old has been working on their gross motor skills even as a newborn by doing things like tummy time. By the time a baby reaches the first birthday they are probably crawling. Here are some other ways to continue working on gross motor skills:
Walkers, baby toy strollers, and other toys that allow re-walkers to hold on and practice walking
Playing at the playground (have them run around, swing climb, jump, slide, etc!)
Baby in-door trampoline (it helps work on balance and engages those leg muscles1)
Pedal cars (this is a great way to introduce them to one day riding a bike)
Baby obstacle courses (make sure to have them crawl through tunnels, jump over things, balance on a beam, climb up and down things, etc. Help guide them!)
Those Runners Kids is a children’s fitness program that introduces little ones to exercise in a fun way. By taking a playful approach that includes games andobstacle courses, children are more likely to enjoy running and exercise in general as opposed to finding it a chore.
Instead of feeling that exercise is “too hard” or that they are “too tired” to try, Those Runners Kids classes are presented in a way that it feels more like active playtime than a gym class.
Classes are for babies, toddlers, and children ages 1-5. There are sibling discounts, and children are broken up into appropriate ages for specific activities—perfect for a mommy and me class for those with young children of different ages.
Led by certified running coach Lauren Keating of That Runner Mom, all classes include a warm-up, stretches, and various games. The core of the program is running, and at the heart of the program is the beloved obstacle course to showcase different skills taught.
An introduction to running, children are taught running form, breathing techniques, and running strategies from an early age. These are broken down into fun activities that include mini sprints and games designed to get kids running around. By the end of the program, participants become Those Runner Kids as they compete in an Ultimate Obstacle Course and fun run. All participants end the program by earning a medal.
Those Runner Kids classes launch spring 2021 in the Medford, NJ area. Classes are held at a local park, and there is a COVID precaution plan in place. This includes limited participants in each class, hand sanitizer on-site, sanitizing all equipment used before and after each class, and parents are encouraged to wear masks and practice social distancing.
Those Runner Kids 