New Children's Gym Aims to Get Kids Active

Keeping physically fit isn't just a challenge for adults these days. As society becomes more and more technologically advanced, it is a well-known fact that our nation’s children are spending less time outdoors, instead replacing that exercise with time in front of a screen or other electronic device.

While this has caused an increase in the number of overweight children throughout the country, one local gym decided to do something to buck the trend.

Riverside Health and Fitness Center, which has been operating for 20 years at its location just over the Washington Township border along Route 57 in Mansfield, has recently opened “Riverside Kids”, a new initiative to get kids exercising and having fun.

Riverside Kids, which, alongside Riverside Health and Fitness Center, sees most of its business come from Long Valley, is run by AnnMarie DiTommaso, the sister-in-law of Riverside owner Mike DiTommaso.

“I have two kids myself, so I know the importance of trying to get kids started with sports and physical activity, and there’s nothing in this area to fulfill that at all,” said DiTommaso. “We’ve had the gym for 20 years there, but my kids really couldn’t do anything there because they were so small. Having a place for kids gives them the opportunity to do that.”

“It seemed like a natural transition, having Riverside for so long that we would do something with the kids,” continued DiTommaso.

Riverside Health and Fitness members receive discounted rates for Riverside Kids—they get 20% off of the enrollment for their children, and also do not have to pay an initial registration fee.

“It’s a big discount for being a member,” said DiTommaso. “We have families that have two or three kids enrolled in classes because the price is great and the convenience is right there.”

Riverside Kids features nightly classes, which start for children as young as 10 months and run all the way up until age 14. In addition, Riverside Kids features an “Open Gym” period at different times on weekdays, where parents can drop off their children while they run errands or get in a workout of their own at Riverside.

“The whole convenience thing is a help too,” said DiTommaso. “Parents enjoy that they can drop their kids off (to) have a lot of fun. They can go get their workout in, run errands, or go shopping.”

The opening and success of Riverside Kids helps the overall mission of Riverside Health and Fitness Center to become what DiTommaso called “a total family fitness destination,” all while encouraging a healthy lifestyle that begins during childhood.

“They can take children from a young age to attend Riverside Kids,” said DiTommaso. “Then (the children can) go to Riverside Health and Fitness and continue their fitness routine.”

For more information, visit the Riverside Kids website: www.rhfckids.com.