A health programme aimed at encouraging young children to be more active in Kaitaia completed its inaugural year last week and organisers couldn't be happier with how it all went.
Te Hiku Hauora Heath Promotion kaimahi [operator] Louisa Cooper said the Quikfit Kidz programme, an active class for children run in a gym environment at Club Physical, was designed to to get children off the couch and away from their TVs and computer devices.
Classes were held every Thursday during the school terms and attracted an average of 20 tamariki [children] ranging in age from eight upwards. Through these classes, the children improved their fitness and made improvements not only in physical skills like skipping and lifting, but also gained confidence, instruction, and endurance skills.
Last Thursday saw the last class for the year taking place with the theme being the WOD (workout of the day) and saw children and their parents working out together through a sequence of crossfit-styled exercises.
"Some of the parents struggled with aspects of the physical activity," Cooper admitted. "However they did it and that's what counts - parents there to support their tamariki."