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?

hmmm bookings I think would be less likely to work as often people go places on a wim, especially with children.

I've lost count of the times I've said I'll take my ds swimming on a friday and then he decides on Friday that he'd rather go to the park with his friends.

queens road b and q would be better, thats near the icerink isn;t it?

i can't wait to learn how to climb, although i recon i'll break something!

Yes I have done a SWOT analysis, my dad works in public relations and is going to use his skills and contacts. I have thought of leaflets, advertising in health centres, schools, on the internet, try and get a mention on the radio (or maybe an advert?), visibility from the road, Sheffield Forum, word of mouth, newspaper advert and anything else my frazzled brain can think of. Any other suggestions would be welcome though.

That's it! buy yourself some land with some trees and turn it into an adventure park with a purpose built building for classes.
Make it like a PGL holiday.

I would have parties. I thought of having free play, then a kind of fun activity like the cheerleading or jedi academy followed by healthy food.

ruthperrelli - for cheap ads biut probably aimed at right kind of market look for the paerenting publications called Chatterbox and Link (mainly cover south wess Sheffield)

what child wants healthy food at a party?

Get a website, it is essential, and get pay-per-click google ads.

Don't waste money on a lot of advertising at the begining, there are plenty of other means of marketting your business.

Lots of internet sites about that just list everything going on for kids in your area, you need to get on those.

healthy food can be tasty too wannaBe!

theres raring to go aswell

We had healthy food, on the whole, at DD's party. Most of it went too. We did have cke and buns as well, and a few crisps, but lots of healhy suff like fruit, veg sticks, dips, pitta bread, etc. DD choice it as it is her fave.

Lol. I know wannaBe but I thought I would have a go! It would of course be followed by a huge chocolate cake! By healthy food I mean pasta or faitas? Not brown rice and lentils!! Maybe they aren't healthy maybe its just me who is unhealthy!

My friend will set me up a website, and I will definitely get onto those ones for the kids activities in the area.

Thanks Hulababy for the pointer towards Chatterbox and Link.

I agree with mehdismummy and hippopotami on this one.

Personally, I dont go to the gym anymore. I prefer to get my exercise from a healthy life style, salsa dancing, cycling, and running around the park/forest with my kids. These are intersting activities. The gym is mindnumbingly boring.

The problem is, once you get the children used to the idea that the gym is the place to go to burn calories and be active, you are down the slippery slope to a very unhealthy life style in my opinion. Exercise is not about running on a threadmill or lifting weights 3 times per week, it is building activity into your life. Gyms take that away from people sadly.

I think a childrens gym is as bad as some playcentres in london.... cough...harkc...Cats where you teach children to play on slot machines from the age of 2.

I would never let my children set foot in a childrens gym. Gymboree on the other hand, is a place where young children run, skip, jump, slide, lift, carry, swing, hoola hoop while they are taking part in a fun story, building stamina and muscles in a fun and safe and educational environment.

I also thought about having a session for children with special needs such as autism, learning difficulties, adhd etc. My son has severe special needs and I know how much he would love such a place. It would be closed to the general public, supported by parents and would have limited places so as to be a quieter environment for the children. What does everyone think?

If you're erious about this I could help you with the healthy cafe.

definately a good idea tocater to special needs too.

I am very serious OverMyDeadBody, what kind of help could you be able to offer? Do you have an email address where I can contact you?

I think it's a dreadful idea. The thought of rows of 3 - 10 year olds watching plasma screen tellys whilst working their exercise bikes makes me feel quite depressed.

Sounds like it has potential - my son goes to a junior gym which has the Shokk equipment. Works well but would say more geared to the 10 to 16 age group (possibly in conjunction with more traditional soft play for younger ones). Good to provide something for this age group as seems to be less for them than younger ones (if they are not into organised sport) and nice to have somewhere safe for them to go with their friends. Perhaps you could price so that you can either do membership or PAYG (or PAYG with loyalty discount - every 10th visit free??)

haven't read thread but have you had a look at The Little Gym, tis a franchise.

Hi Swedes... I agree that the thought of kids running on treadmills watching telly would be dire...but I don't think that's anything like the vision RP has in mind. It's not about kids doing gym exercise the way adults do, just scaled down treadmills, etc.

It's about kids having fun activities, specifically designed for them which (almost) incidentally help them to increase/maintain their fitness levels.

Rather than send them to a run of the mill play area, where they bounce around and expend energy you send them to RP's place and they have fun with more hi-tech stuff (and what kid doesn't like the hi-tech stuff) and get fit at the same time.

I don't think it's meant to replace walks in the park, hopping, skipping etc...it's just an alternative place for activities. And with the amount of rain we had last summer, I know I'd have used the place lots!!!

I LOVE the idea of a unique area/specific activities/days for Special Needs children. Particularly when it's being planned by someone with first hand experience and empathy. I'd have thought, as well, that this could attract some kind of funding?? It's probably something worth looking at.

I like roquefort's idea of the loyalty discount too.

Good luck with the next phase of planning RP

Excellent idea. See this link "Children's Gym where I live" but I would scale it down equipmentwise tbh. Also offer an Open Session at the weekend - drop it as it were. They're very popular over here. Summer Camps - with half days then tie up with maybe an Art Camp for another 1/2 day. Apologies if I'm repeating what others have said, didn't have time to read the whole thread.

JJs playcentre in Macclesfield caters for children with special needs. They've got some lovely photos on their website!