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Children’s Fitness News
Read our children’s fitness blog written by Sarah Gillespie to get new information
‘Thank you for teaching me to not give up’
For the 6 weeks I was there we talked about how everyone can improve their strength and flexibility and everyone can get better and better with time. I taught them that their only focus was their own ability and not to worry about what anyone else could do. Then I encouraged them to keep going, to keep trying and to keep improving
What we forget to do as adults is encourage the building blocks of fitness in our children as they develop. We also forget that the little things are the big things. It’s not about winning and being the best, it’s about seeing the success in being able to touch our toes!
Fitness Fun for the Long Run
In my role as CEO of RINKA, an organisation that actively promotes the importance of fitness being fun, I am often asked ‘Is competitive sport wrong for young children?’. My answer to this is always, ‘no, competitive sport is fantastic for the children who ENJOY it’.
In my opinion it’s all relative. Is competitive sport good for teaching discipline, drive, motivation, skill and technique? Of course it is. It is harmful for children on teams? Absolutely not, provided they are there by choice and love the sport they are playing. Is competitive sport suitable for all kids? No. Not every child has the drive to be the best and that’s ok!
However, regardless of whether a child wants to take part competitively or recreationally, the emphasis must be on enjoyment.
Wishing you and yours a Healthy Holiday
Focus on teaching your children the importance of family time, the magic of icy cold nature walks, the enjoyment of reading together, the wonderment of telling old stories, the sentiment of age-old traditions and the fun of starting new ones!
When it comes to your child’s diet and health over Christmas remember one simple thing – they can only eat what you provide. Their nutrition is in your hands.
The greatest gift we have to give is inclusion
It is vital that every child, regardless of their skill or ability, is given equal time and attention and is made to understand that the only person they need to do better than is the person they were yesterday! I hear so many stories about kids sitting on the bench, or kids never picked for the team and these stories often come from adults who have never forgotten how being left out felt!
Is Confidence the Missing Piece in Children’s Fitness?
How does confidence relate to health and fitness for kids? Well in a word, it is everything. Throughout our RINKA journey we have met children with every imaginable personality trait and those who lack confidence and self-belief are the ones who need the most encouragement.
Fitness isn’t something to be ‘fitted in’
Fitness isn’t something that should need to be ‘fitted in’ to a schedule. This makes it a chore – another thing to tick off an already very long to do list. Families and schools need to embrace fitness as a way of life. We need to focus on the abundance of benefits we gain from exercise and see movement as a blessing! Children are naturally creative and energetic- it is our responsibility as adults to provide them with the space to be so!
The importance of free play
Free play is unstructured by nature and isn’t meant to be lead by adults. It’s a child’s opportunity to think for themselves and to do what feels natural and enjoyable and it most certainly isn’t meant to be passive – no computer games, phones or screens allowed!! Allowing children to get bored is very important. Let them feel the boredom and then let them come up with an idea themselves of how to overcome it.
Live life your way
One of the many benefits of being a RINKA instructor is the freedom to design life in your own terms. Many of our instructors have young children and didn't want to return to the corporate world of work. Instead they wanted a career that complimented their home life....
Our business is helping you to build yours
At the very beginning stages of RINKA, I had one vision in mind – a business support network that allowed instructors to focus on doing what they loved most, without the stress of trying to figure out all the other parts! RINKA instructors all have one major thing in common – they love to work with children! But that doesn’t mean they know how to run their own business or how to turn their love of working with children into a viable career. This is where RINKA steps in!
Egg-citing Easter Energy Burners
The Easter break is a full two weeks and if the weather isn’t great, cabin-fever will set in. Off-set the sugar overload by repeating some of the activities we did this week in class. A quick trip to your local Euro2 store will equip you with all the bits and pieces needed and after that it’s over to you and the kids to enjoy! Even 30 mins a day will go a long way towards increasing their movement and keeping them active over the break.
The Benefits of Proprioceptive Input
The proprioceptive system is located in our muscles and joints and provides us with a sense of body awareness, whilst also controlling force and pressure. Proprioceptive activities involve providing intensive input to the muscles and joints. In simple terms, it is our...
RINKA Ireland awarded the coveted Business All-Star Accreditation
Yesterday, the 12th of March, RINKA Ireland was awarded with the coveted Business All-Star Accreditation, at an award ceremony in Croke Park and it was a fantastic day! There were 90 CEO’s in attendance, with inspiring guest speakers including Dr Briga Hynes of the...
The Heart of RINKA Awards 2018
The event was about celebrating the different capabilities, talents and interests each child has and recognising the challenges that the nominees face on a daily basis. ‘The award wasn’t about being the best, or trying to come in first place. It was simply a day out to let these awe-inspiring children and their parents enjoy and to give us a chance to say we see you, we’re proud of you and keep going.
RINKA is voted Best After School Activity Provider
At the Family First NI Winter Awards in the Sligo Park Hotel on Saturday night, RINKA was titled the Best After School Activity Provider and CEO, Sarah Gillespie, was there to accept the award. ‘This is definitely a team win. Our network of instructors across the...
Grasping the basics – the importance of fundamental movement skills
A high level of fundamental movement skill competence in childhood leads to a number of positive health and physical outcomes. Children who possess high FMS levels have a greater chance of maintaining good health, are more likely to participate in physical activity and possess better fitness in later life. The younger we can teach these skills to our children, the better.
Take a walk on the wild side! The benefits of animal walks for children’s health
As the evenings close in around us, it can be increasingly difficult to get children outside and so burning off that excess energy takes a little more effort. Animal walks are something you can challenge your child to do in the smallest of spaces! (And I challenge you to do them too!)
Is Children’s Fitness finally gaining recognition in the health and fitness scene?
Last weekend, the 12th and 13th May, RINKA, was amongst a host of celebrity presenters at Irelands leading health and fitness event, WellFest. Alongside big names like Joe Wicks (aka the Body Coach), Davina McCall, The Happy Pear and Kathryn Thomas, I was there with...
How can your child benefit from after school activities?
I am often bewildered to hear about the comings and goings of the kids that come to my classes weekly – they have far busier social lives than I do! Getting your kids involved in afterschool activities is fantastic for their little minds and bodies but often there is...
Springing forward into the longer evenings
The clocks change this Sunday bringing in longer evenings and (hopefully!) milder weather so now is the time to make sure the kids get outside and reap the benefits of fresh air and outdoor play.
Beating Boredom with Bubbles and Balloons
Children are blessed with a natural curiosity and an imagination that we as adults have forgotten. Giving them the opportunity to develop both attributes is something we should strive for – they are, after all, what childhood is all about!
But how about tying this together with some energy-burning too? Two birds with one stone so to speak! Well I recommend you break out two old reliables – bubbles and balloons, and get set for an afternoon of giggles!
Sarah Gillespie
Blog Author