Flexibility camps not a big stretch for kids
A healthy lifestyle starts at a young age and summer
camps are a great way to create and reinforce that attitude. Some camps offer fitness and flexibility programs that introduce the fun side of staying fit, as well as build skills to promote health and wellness throughout a child’s life. There are few sports that encourage better all-around fitness than gymnastics.
has Gymnastics been listed as a foundation sport by the International Olympic Committee because of its combination of balance, strength, flexibility, co-ordination and stamina that provides a base for any other sport or physical activity. “No matter if you’re going to go skating or swimming, or you’re going to do track or you’re going to do any of those other sports, it’s a really great foundation for everything,” says Calgary Gymnastics Centre program director Kayla Bonnell. “It’s a really great sport to get involved in, especially at a young age.”
The Calgary Gymnastics Centre provides two different summer camps for kids age three to 13. Pre-school camps offer morning, afternoon, or full-day options for three- to six-year-olds. gymnastics This camp equipment introduces such kids as to trampoline, bars, beam and floor with a focus on teaching the basics of movement, fitness and motor skills in a fun and playful way. For kids aged five-and-a-half to 13, a full-day recreational camp is also available to expand their skills and get more in-depth gymnastics technique instruction. Both camps are available as either day-to-day or full-week options.
While gymnastics is the focus, both camps also feature crafts and games. Full-day camps also include a number of field trips to places such as the Olympic Hall Of Fame, Telus Spark science centre, the Calgary Zoo and Calaway Park.
A second fitness activity that has seen a rise in popularity for both adults and children in recent years is yoga.
Bikram Yoga Northwest offers two different summer camps designed to teach kids the basics of yoga through fun, games, music, dance, crafts and play.
and Little teaches Sprouts kids runs age from four July to six 16 about to 20 movement and posture through games involving storytelling, mimicking animals, drumming, chanting and role playing, among others.
For the older kids, age seven to 11, Sprouts runs from July 23 to 27 and offers a more in depth focus on proper yoga technique though still with an eye
towards fun. Cheryl Grivell, owner of Bikram Yoga Northwest, says while promoting flexibility and fitness are two obvious reasons to take part, they are just two of a large number of benefits children can get from
practising tastic self-confidence, “Yoga because for yoga. kids it is it builds builds fan- body awareness — they’re working with their peers — and taking on a leadership role. They learn about their breath; they learn about their voice through song — there are a lot of different levels,” says Grivell.