Best Activities For Kids To Work Up A Sweat In Miami
Karate America
6800 NW 169th St
Miami, FL 33015
(305) 826-9085
www.kidslovemartialartsmiami2.com
Every kid wants to be like Jaden Smith in "The Karate Kid," so why not indulge that fantasy for real by enrolling them in martial arts? At Karate America, you can sign your son or daughter up for Taekwondo and your tweens and teens up for kickboxing. Uniforms are included in the price and beginners start out with a white belt, eventually advancing to the highest level, black belt. It's a fun way to teach your child discipline, focus and self confidence all while increasing strength and coordination during this aerobic activity.
Galbut Family Miami Beach JCC
3950 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33137
(305) 534-3206
www.mbjcc.org
The 2012 Summer Olympics just ended in August and no doubt your children are vying to become the next Gabby Douglas or Danell Leyva. So take them to the Galbut Family Miami Beach Jewish Community Center situated on the beautiful intracoastal waterway. It's a new 36,000-square-foot complex that opens in September 2012 and features an outdoor pool, basketball court, a fitness room and of course, a 1,900-square-foot gymnastics room. It's a dream for any future Olympian and a great way to improve flexibility, strength and overall health for any child.
Scott Rakow Youth Center
2700 Sheridan Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33140
(305) 673-7767
www.miamibeachfl.gov
Miami is the land of the sun, sand and waves but it's also home to the ice. The Scott Rakow Youth Center has an indoor ice skating rink so your child can get a wicked game of hockey on, skate like a figure skater or learn how to use their blades for the first time. Children beginning as young as six years old can learn how to skate on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The more experienced skaters can purchase a hockey package and join a league hockey team beginning in September. It all adds up to a great way to work up a sweat while staying cool.
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Westwind Lakes Park
6805 SW 152nd Ave
Miami, FL 33193
(305) 388-4771
www.miamidade.gov
If you have an extreme kid, then you need an extreme sport. Westwind Lakes Park has a skate park that is perfect for all skaters including rollerbladers, skateboarders, scooter riders, BMXers and even those old-fashioned skate enthusiasts. This place is great for beginners to learn or for avid skaters to practice their tricks on the concrete ramps, rails, stairs and hills. The more tricks they learn, the better their coordination, flexibility and cardiovascular stamina will be. Plus it's relatively inexpensive and the only equipment required is a skateboard and a helmet, both of which are available for rent in the park.
I9 Sports-Central Dade County
12468 SW 123rd Court
Miami, FL 33186
(305) 338-3128
www.i9sports.com
Get your kid to unplug from Madden NFL 2012 by joining a football team, a flag football team. I9 Sports welcomes both boys and girls to play the sport and it has locations near FIU, South Miami and West Kendall. Registration prices include eight weeks of play once a week, a weekly sportsmanship award, a t-shirt and a participation trophy. You provide the shorts (no red shorts), sports or tennis shoes and a mouthpiece. Each session includes a practice followed by a game which totals up to 1.5 to two hours of play and a great cardiovascular workout for your child.
Related: Best After-School Activities for Kids in Miami
Niema Hulin was born in Newark, NJ but raised in Lexington, South Carolina for the bulk of her formative years. In 2002, she moved to Miami after graduating from the University of Florida. Since then, Niema has worked in film, television and commercials as a Production Assistant and Production Coordinator. Some of her films have included Bad Boys II and I Am Number IV. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
