How to Run kids Programs for PTs!
Hi guys! It’s Travis here Today. As you may know I (like many other trainers), have a second job. I’m actually a full-time primary school teacher. What you may not know is that I cut my teeth as a personal trainer by working as a gymnastics coach for close to 10 years, working with kids between the ages of 6-14, both here in Australia and briefly in America. So as you can imagine, since I’ve been working with kids for over 15 years – this week’s topic is super close to my heart.
What I wanted to share with you today are the two most important aspects you need to implement when working with kids! A lot of these I learnt the hard way over over my 15 years experience… So, I wanted to save you some of the drama!
1: Fun!
This is one of the biggest differences between an “adult” and “kids” bootcamp! Obviously you want your “adult” bootcamp to be fun too… but even if it’s not “overly” fun – adults will still put in the work and do the task… Kids on the other hand are a different story… If they are not having fun, they are not going to be engaged and they will not do the activities…
The easiest way to keep the session fun is to have a wide repertoire of games you can call upon! You may need to rotate through these games quick so it’s essentials they are
a) Quick to explain
b) Simple rules (kids love rules)
c) Create great energy
The two biggest things you want to hear during the session are “laughter” and “team work talk”. If you’ve got these two things, you know your activities are going down well! Before we go to the second point. Be sure to get our 5 Tips to Grow your Bootcamp here.
2. Organisation!
This is another one the biggest differences between an “adult” and “kids” bootcamp! Obviously you want your “adult” bootcamp to be organized too… but even if it’s not “overly” organized – adults can somewhat organize themselves… Kids on the other hand are a different story… You organization needs to be at a different level! The essentials to implement are
a) How will you get them into groups?… Make sure you have an “activity” to get them into groups… e.g “everyone stand a cone” “e.g. everyone grab a partner and hold them”
b) How will you make sure everyone gets a fair go? Make sure you’ve got a range of activities so each child will feel some success!
Like running your bootcamp you won’t get it right first go, but further education along with experience can allow running kids programs to be super rewarding. If you’re interested in exploring kids programs check out our Family Bootcamp Package (5CECs) here.
IMPORTANT: Most of us would have seen on the news / social media that a young teenager passed away while working out in a gym on the weekend. I’m not going to make a judgement because I have no idea of the ins and outs of the situation, but I strongly recommend if you are working with children or young people that you make sure you are qualified and insured for everyone’s benefit and safety: yours, the young persons and their family.
