I would love your opinions on my business idea of a children's gym!

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Hi everyone. I am thinking of opening a gym just for children and would really appreciate your thoughts. It would be based on an adult gym with mini equipment aimed at 3 to 10 year olds. There would be mini bikes hooked up to big plasma screens where children can race each other (or cycle independently), rowing machines, treadmills, twisters and cross trainers. There would also be two big sponge pits where the kids could take a big run and jump into them, a mini zip wire and a climbing wall. I also thought about getting an interactive shadow wall like at Cadbury's world where the children hit, move, wave etc objects (shadows) that fall down the screen. I would also hold classes such as cheerleading, mini step, yoga, ballet and jedi academy based on star wars. I would offer fruit and water during sessions and there would be a healthy eating cafe on site. If possible I am aiming to get some outdoor space for nice days where group activities could take place or equipment could be moved outdoors.
I thought about charging on a pay as you go basis £3.50 per hour or £5.00 per hour and a half The gym would be light, airy, spacious and well staffed by qualified workers. It would also be very secure. What does everyone think?

Insurance would be about £400.00 per month. Staffing would depend on which classes were most popular and how old the classes were for. It is early days!
I would hope for any profit (!), undoubtedly not a huge one initially and take it from there from a franchise point of view. From my business plan a clear profit of around £2000.00 per month would be achievable.

I think this is a good idea especially as it is pay as you go. My DC would love it I think (2 and 4) and it iwll definately be something different then singing or the average toddler group.
Have to be marketed carefully but think has great potential!

did you pluck any of your figures out of the air

and i agree gym equipment and little kids is a hard combo to sell

Thanks themildmanneredjanitor, I agree that ideally all the exercise you stated should occur, but do not see what harm using gym equipment would cause as an alternative. Particularly when it is raining or children don't want to go outdoors.

No I haven't plucked any figures out of the air zippitippitoes, I have spent a long time researching premises, costs etc. I just wanted to know what people thought of it as an idea really, not whether I would make a profit.
I have seen how much kids love the mini equipment so don't foresee a problem with the children wanting to use it. I am open to ideas though.

i'm a sheffield mum and i have to where in sheffield were you thinking?

there are an abundance of softplay places, there are numerous gymnastic and dance classes and then there are the peaks and numerous park spaces, so for me this would be a no.

It seems like another way to make children into little adults. Don't like the idea and can't imagine many of my riends would. We have waterproofs when it's raining.

Don't like these mini-adult thingmys personally.

also if i were you i'd be tempted to see if you could run taster sessions through other gyms, the one DH and i go have just started children climbing classes on the climbing wall.

this is the company that provides the equipment, tbh i'd concentrate on raising the age limit a bit. my 14 year old son keeps nagging for me to take him to the gym.

or how about a soft play centre with gym equipment for the mums?

southeastastra makes a good point. There are literally hundreds of activities/dance/music/soft-play/m&t groups, tumble tots etc aimed at your age range, but hardly anything for the 8-16 age range in comparison, I bet a gym for that age range would be a much better idea.

Would you consider a different plan, and provide child-focussed services/equipment/classes to established adults' gyms? (I can imagine there might be more profit in that too - fewer overheads, no facilities to maintain, reliable income from contracts from the client gyms?)

I suggest this because I was away this weekend & dh made great sob-story capital out of not being able to go to the gym because he had the children (who are 9 and 7.5), & his gym wouldn't let them in. But if he could have taken them to do their own parallel workout they'd have LOVED it (& his gym excuse would have inconveniently evaporated).

Ds, the 9 yo, can't get enough of rowing machines - and of course, being in London, we haven't any chance of making room for one at home. Hmm, perhaps that's a reason why Sheffield isn't as likely a market as London - as I imagine people living in Sheffield aren't so squished into cupboards as Londoners tend to be.

Who needs the dragons den when you have got mumsnet to piss on your bonfire

I think you have something, you just need to make sure that you are investing in the right direction. I can only admire your "niave enthusaism" and say go for it, but get lots of advice on the way - maybe you could consult local mumsgroups etc with questionaires about what they would be looking for from such a facility - big gym, little gym - i'd go for that!! Adult gym and childrens gym combined....just a thought

And yes, I agree (selfishly, of course!) with the people who say raise the age range - let's just say age 7+

ooh, great minds Bink - we could have something there!

i think children should be left to be children. a mini-gym Whats that about? dont you think this country is weight obsessed enough without encouraging children as young as three to worry about how they look.

My gut feeling, when reading your OP was 'noooooooo'.
Based purely on the fact that it is yet another 'adult' thing scaled down for children.
Children should not be conditioned to the idea of a gym. They should be riding bikes (real ones, not exercise ones), running through the woods/fields, climbing trees, skipping, hopping, playing ball games etc etc.
Not some class based on adult activity.

However, a gym for say 10 - 16 would be PERFECT! I would feel much happier with that idea.

But a gym for children as young as 3 just makes my heart sink. Sorry.

Ah, medhismummy summed my feelings up exactly and much more succinctly!

why thankyou

first reaction Nooooooooo
second reaction DDs would love this. although i think maybe an older age group would work better. our gym will alow over 13 yr olds to use the cardio equipment. maybe an age range up to what 'normal' gyms will allow.
although again i would prefer them running around the park and playing out - i think in an age of awareness of dangers that lurk 'out there' you idea could be a winner. good exercise - instilling a healthy message in a safe environment. when do you think you'll have a branch in my area?
can my DDs please move in and have a lovely time until they are grown up and civilised - sounds fun.

I hadn't really considered an 7-16 year old gym before now, but it sounds interesting. I don't know if gym equipment exists for that age range though so more research needed. I could split the gym in two for the two age ranges? I would like to make it clear though that the idea is on FUN, not solely fitness or making them into little adults! Of course we all like to think of our little ones running round the park etc, and they would always do that, but as an addition, a place where they can PLAY on lots of different equipment could be an option. I know that there are lots of play centres etc which is why I wanted something different. There are some gyms that allow children and they have their own area but I want one just for children. I have to say that all the local parents I have spoken to think it is a great idea and have said they would be more than happy for their children to go, but maybe they were being kind! What do your children think?

Mehdismummy, the idea is not about how our three year olds look, its about fun! My first thought when I saw the kids gym in San Diego was that it was going to be pretentious! On closer inspection it couldn't have been further from the truth, the kids were having a great time. What is the difference between that and a play centre. The focus is on fun and movement not on posing in the mirror!!!

another link for equipment