[AD] The girls were invited to review the free Gymfinity Kids taster session at their Leeds gym. When I told the girls that they were going on a Gymnastics and Ninja training session, they were ecstatic! Honestly, they could barely contain themselves. When I asked them which one they were more excited about, gymnastics or ninja training. They both immediately declared that it was the Ninja training.
One of the things they miss most from their life in South Africa is the outdoor sports and active lifestyle. I try to support them in keeping them as active as I can and so they do a fair amount of sports clubs both in and out of school. My youngest started gymnastics at the after-school club at the beginning of this term, but my eldest has always shown more of a preference for football and hockey.
What is Gymfinity Kids?
Gymfinity Kids is an indoor gym for kids. It is fully kitted out for both Ninja Knights training and Gymnastics training. They take kids from babies right up to 16 years old.
They have all the traditional gymnastics equipment, beams, bars and vaults, as well as monkey bars, trampolines, rings, slides etc. The entire floor area is springy and soft with a strict ‘no shoes’ policy.
What Was the Gymfinity Taster Session about?
The girls were invited to try out the FREE taster session at the Gymfinity Leeds gym. We arrived there at about 15.30, with the session due to start at 16.00. We were met by the manager of the gym, Jamie, who very kindly showed us all the facilities. He explained to the girls all the different exercises that they would be doing during their session. He then introduced us to our coach for the day, Jess.
The Gymfinity Kids taster sessions are free for anyone to sign their kids up for. The idea is that all the kids who book on to the taster session are given a chance to experience what it would be like if they were to join Gymfinity Kids gym.
After their tour and introduction the girls were asked which they were most interested in, Ninja Knights or Gymnastics. I fully expected my youngest to say gymnastics, but they both shouted for ninja training. Jess was then able to fit in a variety of the activities that they would do if they were to sign up to the Ninja Knights classes, with a bit of gymnastics thrown in too.
Warm Up!
The girls warmed up with all the other kids who were there for their regular classes. It was the first time I’ve had the chance to observe my girls in a fitness class environment for some time. The rules around parents watching kids are so very strict, especially at schools and swimming pools that I often have to wait outside.
Watching the two of them, I was surprised to see how well coordinated my 5 year old. I was equally surprised to see how unsure of herself my 7 year old was. She’s always so confident and tends to lead her younger sister on activities at home, but in a new and public environment she was quite unsure of herself.
It just goes to show that your kids are always a bit different at home than they are when you’re not around.
The warm up session involved the normal skipping and stretching exercises with a bit of a dance theme to it. It’s led by the coaches and all the kids join in together no matter which age group or classes they are signed up for.
Class In Session
After warm up, everyone separates into their respective classes with their coach and head off to a different section of the gym. When the classes are divided up the groups each work on a different area of the gym and rotate around to the different areas when they become available.
Jamie explained that they can have up to 60 kids on the mat at one time. They never have more than 10 kids per class and each class is led by experienced trained staff. There are always more coaches than they need to ensure adequate supervision at all times.
The Gymfinity Kids Classes
The girls were joined by one other little boy so there were just the 3 of them in their taster group. Jess carefully took the time to both explain in words and show them physically how to go through each maneuver. The girls were soon leaping and bouncing, tumbling, climbing and sliding their way around the first obstacle course that Jess set up for them.
As they moved around to try out the different zones I could see that they were having the best time. Jess was so patient with them, and confidently encouraged them through each of the different exercises they were doing.
She was also really good at recognising that they were working really hard and getting a bit hot and sweaty. They took frequent water breaks to keep them well hydrated. Thanks Jess.
The girls did not want their time at Leeds Gymfinity Kids to end. They kept wanting to try one more thing, just one more. The session was scheduled for 45 minutes and it was crammed full of different exercises in an effort to give the kids a chance to try out as many different ones as possible.
Evaluation Time
After the session was done, Jess took the time to complete an evaluation form for the kids on the taster session, and to sit with the parents of each child and discuss her recommendation.
I thought this was a really great thing to do. It wasn’t just about getting the kids to sign up to the classes, it’s about explaining what they recommend for each child, taking into consideration their age and ability (based on what they saw in the 45 minute session).
Recommendations for joining
It was recommended that my 5 year old could do with joining the Gymfinity Kids Little Ninja class with a view to gaining core skills.
Jess then recommended that my 7 year old should join the Gymfinity Kids Ninja Champs class. She remarked upon the fact that she would benefit from this by gaining confidence as well. This really touched me. The fact that Jess, who knew her for all of 45 minutes, saw that she did have the ability to do the classes but would benefit from a boost in her self confidence. Thanks Jess, this really made my mummy heart very happy. Thank you.
Overall we had a really great experience. The girls were very keen to be signed up to the Ninja Knights classes and I have agreed that once they have finished their current set of sport classes we can look at signing up at Gymfinity Kids.
One of the other important things I want to mention is that they have a No Photography session. The photos I took for the purpose of this review were authorised in advance. I agreed that I would not use pictures that include any other children. I completely respect this policy. It helps to provide a safe and secure environment for the children who use the gym. It also gives their parents peace of mind.
What Else Do Gymfinity Kids Offer?
I was also really excited to see that they offer Holiday Camps. As we visited during half term I got to see the end of the day of the holiday camp that was currently being held. I am pleased to report that the kids there all looked super happy (and tired! lol). I’m seriously going to consider signing the girls up for a few days in the summer holidays.
Here’s the link to check it out if you’re interested too. They also offer:
- birthday parties
- school and educational experiences
- baby balance classes
- adult classes, etc.
Where are Gymfinity Kids?
They have facilities around the country in the following locations:
Colchester, Leeds, Farnborough, Reading, Milton Keynes and Cambridge, with new facilities opening soon in Bracknell, Chatham, Maidstone and Wandsworth. They are expanding all the time so do keep your eyes peeled for a new Gymfinity Kids opening near you.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I was paid for my honest review of the Gymfinity Leeds facility and experience. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
such fun x x x