NEWS / BLOG
Children’s Fitness News
Read our children’s fitness blog written by Sarah Gillespie to get new information
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!
Your child is not a puppy, don’t reward with food!
We are teaching children that sugary snacks = rewards for good behaviour. To reduce the sugar in children’s diets the first step must be breaking the association with reward.
What else can you offer as a reward or as an encouragement? How about creating a star chart. There are lots of printable designs online. Every time your child does something deserving of recognition they receive another star on their chart. Once they have collected ten stars they get to have a friend over for a play date or maybe they get to stay up a little later or have a day off from their chores?
RINKA makes fitness child’s play on RTE’s NATIONWIDE
Watch Video below RINKA, the innovative system of children’s fitness, is to feature on RTE’s hit TV show NATIONWIDE. RINKA is all about teaching kids that fitness is fun. The emphasis is on inclusion and participation. The kids don’t need to excel, they just need to...
We’re taking to the Road!
The RINKA ROADSHOW 2018 launches on April 16th, with the first stop being Longford.
The aim behind the ROADSHOW is to introduce our positive message about health and fitness to school kids who don’t have RINKA instructors in their local areas. We will be visiting as many schools as possible and giving them the chance to part-take in a RINKA workshop completely free of charge.
Our RINKA Buddy Bench Adventure in Athlone
On Monday, I was so lucky to spend the day with our Athone instructor, Sandra, delivering our fabulous RINKA BUDDY BENCHES to four of the local schools and what a heart-warming day it was! We were welcomed with open arms into every school we visited, and were over-whelmed by their enthusiasm and time they’d out into preparing for our arrival.
On each visit to the schools we delivered a session on friendship, teaching the kids the RINKA Friendship Chant and doing some simple visualizations on how it feels to be lonely vs how it feels to have friends. The insight we gained from the children we talked to was humbling. Our message on the day was simple – for hearts to be happy they need both fitness and friendship.
Beat the Bugs with Exercise
Recent studies have suggested that if you complete moderate exercise just a few times every week, you can drastically reduce the number of colds that you get every year. Exercise can boost your immune system and help your body fight off harmful diseases and even something as simple as the common cold. Exercise can boost your immune system by providing a boost to the cells in your body that are assigned to attack bacteria and help you fight off colds and flus before they get hold! What better reason to get out and about and get moving?!
Meet Sinead from RINKA Corbally, Limerick
Sinead McKinley is the newest member of our team, only starting classes this January. Despite only being up and running for three weeks, Sinead is already teaching 3 weekly classes with over 30 kids enrolled. As well as being a RINKA instructor, Sinead works full-time...
Why I do what I do and why RINKA is what it is!
'Life is nothing if not an adventure' 8 years ago today was a massive turning point for me in my life. I was a focused, competitive Irish Dancer, only weeks away from taking to the World Championship stage in Glasgow and up to my eyes in study, focusing on becoming a...
What is happening?! How have things got this bad? Hear my thoughts on childhood obesity
I just had to come on and give my thoughts on all of this here today. There's been a number of articles over the last few days that have talked about the...
Why I believe working with children is a gift
I think what I probably love most about my job is the fact that no two days are the same, no two classes are the same and the truth is no two kids are the same! I love getting to know each and every child that comes through my door and recognising the little person inside. I love the stories they tell me at the start of class, the ins and outs of what they did that day. I love the silly things they say and the simple, straight-forward outlook they have on life.
Are your kids getting their daily steps?
I started my day today with a brisk 3km walk and after a quick glance at my pedometer, I had clocked up 4,000 steps. I walk every day but if I didn’t make this deliberate move to get in my daily 10,000 steps I would never even come in close! It got me to thinking...
Developmenting fitness skills in a way kids understand
RINKA classes provide an all-inclusive environment where elitism and perfection are not expected, but where the goal is participation, inclusion and enjoyment. Children learn through play and master the skills they need to develop through play, therefore we must teach on their level and in a language they can understand.
Healthy Habits for The Festive Season
According to new research, childhood obesity rates increase during the holidays. We are all too familiar with the festive bulge that attacks our jeans in the New Year but have we ever stopped to think about the impact the extra food, drinks, snacks and lack of routine the party season has on our children?
Parents need to be mindful about the number of treats kids have over the holidays. Here are a few simple ideas to keep your kids feeling fresh and content and allow them to start the new year revitalized after the break.
Let’s Get Creative
Here at Rinka we are interested in all things active but that doesn’t mean we aren’t big champions of all things creative too. In fact, our classes promote creativity in an active way. It is vitally important for your child to have outlets for their developing personalities and what better way than sticking, painting, gluing and coloring! But how can you help your child develop their creativity at home?
Tips and Tricks for Sneaking in Their Five a Day
It is every parent’s familiar battle. The dreaded dinner time groans of ‘But I Don’t Like It’!! Even though they happily munched on their carrots six months ago, now even the smallest nibbles of broccoli seem impossible! But do not fear. As with many things in their early years, their dislike of vegetables and all-things-healthy is a passing phase and in the meantime here are some simple suggestions to help sneak in their five a day.
Bringing your child to a class for the first time?
The most important thing to remember is that your fear is greater than theirs!! This is what we see week in week out with parent’s bringing children to our classes for the first time. We hear the same worries ‘They may not stay if I don’t stay too’…… ‘I’ll just sit over here in the corner until I’m sure he’s happy’….. ‘I don’t think she’s really going to like it but I’ll give this week a go’…… ‘He’s very shy you know, this isn’t his thing’……
How to Beat the Indoor Fidgets
As the winter begins to creep in on us, rainy evenings are becoming more and more frequent and the familiar chant of ‘Mammy I’m bored’ can be heard in most homes!! Here is a very simple idea to help entertain even the most bored child at home; creating a rainy day box.
Let’s Burn Energy! Encouraging your Child to be Active
Encouraging children to be active helps them to burn off excess energy and will leave them (and you!) in a better mood.
Here are three very simple techniques you can easily adapt into your weekly routine to bring more action into your children’s lives.
Sarah Gillespie
Blog Author