RINKA FOR PARENTS

Benefits of Children’s Fitness Programmes for Parents

Stronger, Healthier, Happier Children

At RINKA, we show kids that it’s not about being the best, it’s about feeling the best. We know it’s not easy to get kids up and moving but we’re here to help! Our classes help children find fun ways to engage with exercise and we teach them why they need to do it. We include challenges for them to do at home and teach them that it’s all about enjoyment.

FIND A CLASS

BOOK A CAMP

BOOK A PARTY

OUR FOCUS IS ON TEACHING KIDS THAT THEY DON’T NEED TO BE THE BEST TO FEEL THEIR BEST

Our classes are fun-filled, energetic and child-centred and we focus on three areas to ensure a holistic approach to improving their health and wellbeing:

Strong Heart: energy-burning cardiovascular exercises
Strong Body: muscular strength
Strong Mind: health and wellbeing challenges

Parents love our classes because they know we care. We are committed to helping each child improve in fitness and confidence at their own speed and in their own way. We know that every child has unique strengths in terms of fitness and exercise and we want to help them develop their skills and interests with confidence.

Children’s lives are competitive enough and therefore our classes are completely non-competitive and focus on participation rather than perfection.

We offer weekly classes, energetic birthday parties and fun-filled camps and our doors are always open to new members.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT RINKA FOR PARENTS

Participant guidelines - is the class suitable for my child?

We like to share the below guidelines with all parents when deciding if a RINKA class / camp is suitable for their child.

Has your child completed a term in preschool?
Is your child fully toilet trained?
Is your child comfortable with taking instruction and following guidelines?
Are they happy to attend class / camp without a parent?
Are they happy to mix with children and leaders they don’t know?
Do they attend preschool / school without any additional one to one supports?

If you have answered yes to all the above, we are sure your child would be happy and comfortable in the RINKA environment!

For the safety of our instructors and the other participants we cannot accept any behaviours that are negative to a group setting:

Displays of defiant behaviour
Kicking, spitting, biting etc
Running away or trying to leave
Not engaging with the group or taking directions from the instructors

Parents will be contacted if any of the above behaviours are displayed

My child has additional needs. Is the class suitable for them?

We welcome many children with additional needs into our RINKA classes and camps every year, and we are proud to offer a supportive, inclusive, and nurturing environment where all children can enjoy movement and fun.

Children with autism, Down syndrome, physical disabilities, sensory needs, and more have all found a happy place at RINKA — and we are committed to making every child’s experience a positive one.

However, as no two children are the same, and as RINKA operates as a group-based programme without the ability to provide individualised or one-to-one support, we kindly ask all parents to consider the following questions before booking:

Has your child completed a term in preschool or group care?
Is your child fully toilet trained?
Is your child comfortable with taking instruction and following guidelines?
Are they happy to attend class or camp independently, without a parent or external adult present?
Are they happy to engage and mix with children and instructors they don’t already know?
Do they attend preschool or school without the support of a dedicated one-to-one assistant?
Has your child never shown signs of being a flight risk or of needing close individual supervision?

If you can answer yes to all or most of the above, then your child is likely to enjoy and thrive in the RINKA environment!

Please note:

RINKA is a group-based programme, and we are not in a position to offer one-to-one supervision or permit external adults (including SNAs, support workers, or parents) in the teaching space. This is due to our safeguarding, insurance, and child protection responsibilities, which we uphold strictly for the safety of all children in our care.
If your child typically requires extra assistance, please contact us via email before booking so we can discuss their needs and determine whether we can safely accommodate them within the structure of our programme.

All participation decisions are made with care, compassion, and in line with Children First National Guidelines and our legal obligations under the Equal Status Act 2000.

We want every child to feel welcome, safe, and successful — and we’re here to support you in making the right choice for your family.

Do parents stay in the class/camps?

No, classes are drop and collect. It is our policy that parents don’t stay in our class or camps as it can take away from the supportive environment we like to create. Children who are very shy can be made to feel uncomfortable when there are extra adults in the room and children who love an audience can find it hard to settle when there are extra people watching! We also have it in our child protection policy that only adults vetted by RINKA can remain in the teaching space. Our instructors are very used to helping kids settle into class and will call you if there is any issue!

What do they bring to class and what do they wear?

All they need is a drink of water and comfortable clothing! Please ensure that children wear runners and that long hair is tied back.

You will receive extra information on what they need to pack for camp days when you register for a camp.

What do they bring to class and what do they wear?

All they need is a drink of water and comfortable clothing! Please ensure that children wear runners and that long hair is tied back.

You will receive extra information on what they need to pack for camp days when you register for a camp.

How long is each term?

RINKA runs from September to June, with breaks for Christmas and the odd holiday in between! Camps are run at Halloween, Easter and Summer.

Must I pay in full or can I pay weekly?

Our classes are payable on a monthly subscription and can be cancelled any time by emailing bookings@rinka.ie

We do not accept cash and all our bookings must be done online via our booking in system

My child is 2 years old - can they attend class?

Unfortunately, we don’t take children until they are three years old and recommend that they have attended a term at pre-school before joining us. Please note all children must be toilet trained before attending class and happy to stay on their own.

It says my preferred class is fully booked - can you squeeze my child in?

We take our adult:child ratios very seriously so if a class is fully booked you will be placed on a waiting list and informed as soon as a space becomes available.

I need to cancel my monthly subscription?

Simply email bookings@rinka.ie with 7 days notice before the 1st of the month