In June, we held our first-ever CrossFit Kids summer camp at the box - and it was a HUGE hit! I know I’m speaking for all the coaches and volunteers when I say that our week with the kids was one of the most exhausting, fun and joyful weeks we’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing at Renew. But I love coaching kids because in their eyes - exercise is still play, and they were pumped to play that week! It’s incredibly refreshing!
What we did all week Kids are excellent little athletes. With the correct cues and coaching, those kiddos were able to perform each core CrossFit movement near-perfectly. Plus, teaching skill work before they develop mobility issues that plague many adults is a huge bonus. But let’s be clear - being able to teach and simultaneously engage kids is a true art. Attention spans are short, so we had maximized our campers’ attention and eagerness by turning our skill work into games. But coercing kids to get moving and play games is about as hard as saying ‘yes’ to free ice cream. Every day, we moved, grooved, mastered old skills, and learned new ones. We covered several skills, but the main ones were: box jumps, air squats, front squats, kipping, knee tucks, lunges, and forward rolls. And we had some brain games, too! Each day had its own “word of the day”, along with a five-minute interactive discussion time about why that day’s word is important to life, fitness, and otherwise. The words we covered were: teamwork, honesty, hard work, encouragement, and respect. What folks had to say about it As the saying goes: kids say the darndest things. Below are a few highlights from the week - as said by a handful of campers! "Crossfit Renew camp was very fun because we did so many new things like ninja warrior course, army crawl under tubes, monkey hangs and lots of jumping. Everyday was the best! It was awesome! I really liked all the coaches! Crossfit kids camp is the funnest camp I've ever been to in my life!" “I liked it when my coaches taught me how to use the pull-up bar and do squats. And I liked making new friends!!” “I liked learning front squats and eating snacks and talking to new friends. And learning how to kip and do a pistol squat!” We had a few new families join, which was super exciting! Luckily, we were able to get some great feedback from those newly-joined parents, as well as our steadfast group of CFK parents: I loved the coach to kid ratio, I think having more several coaches allowed all the kids to get the attention they need” “The kids came home exhausted every day but so pumped about all they had learned! It was great to see them grow in confidence throughout the week and come home talking about their new friends. One of my favorite things about CrossFit is the community and I'm thankful the camp created a fun, safe, and encouraging community for the kids as well.” “My son has never enjoyed team sports, and this is the first time he has been able to discover his real inner athlete!” “We enjoyed hearing their stories about each day. They were exhausted in such a great way. They are still talking about it! When they are playing, we'll hear "front squat" and "box jump". The communication from the coaches was outstanding. This program was definitely worth it!” “I loved that my kids were being exposed to exercise in a really fun environment. They were learning key exercise skills during games and didn't even know it!” Looking ahead One of my absolute favorite things about camp was when parents would show up to pick up their kids after every camp session, and the kiddos would be so excited to show their mom or dad what they had learned that day. That little glimmer of joy is what gets me amped to coach these kids; that we can inspire them to learn about their bodies, fitness, wellness, and more. As we officially wrap our inaugural camp, we’re already looking ahead at the next opportunity to get two dozen kids in a room and make them run around for 3 hours a day. So, stay tuned for a very exciting announcement in the coming months! Until then, we would LOVE to see you at our weekly CrossFit Kids Renew classes and family events! Check out more details about our Kids offerings, as well as helpful resources below! Our next Family WOD is THIS Saturday! Don’t miss it!
- Weekly CrossFit Kids Renew Classes: Every Tuesday at 4pm. Package details here.
- Free Family WODs: Third Saturday of each month at 10:30am
- CFK Take-Home WODs: Kid-friendly take-home wods are posted on our website, Facebook, and Instagram every Thursday at noon. Take-home WODs are designed to help our in-class kids practice the skills and movements we learn in class at their own home.