For some parents, the mention of another event for their kids might elicit an emotion akin to the stress response: When did this get added to the calendar? Where do they have to go? How will I manage carpooling?
Kids’ events at Life Time offer a less stress-inducing scenario: Parents can plan for their kids to participate in events at a convenient club location, and parents can leave or stay there while the events are taking place.
Most importantly, it’s an opportunity for healthy fun for their young ones and tweens, too. “My kiddos love the Life Time Kids events,” says Jenny Gogliotti, member at Life Time in Chesterfield, Mo., and mom of four (7, 5, 3, and 9 months old). “They enjoy playing games and sports, making crafts, and spending time with their friends.”
Every weekend, Life Time hosts themed Parents Night Out events, featuring exciting games and activities that give kids a chance to play, create, and connect with friends their age.
Tweens get their own unique version of the fun at these events too, with special activities designed just for them. Plus, some clubs will host exclusive Tween Takeover events throughout the year.
When parents drop their kids off for these events, they can spend time on their own in the athletic country club or leave the property to get other things done on their to-do list (or wish list!).
“We love that this is a safe and engaging environment for our kids to spend time at while we get to go out to dinner,” says Gogliotti. “The kids look forward to the Parents Night Out events as much as we look forward to the break. It’s so much more convenient than trying to find a sitter.”
Check out more about the Parents Night Out events taking place in January and February:
January
Monthly Theme: Winter Wonderland
The Snowlympics
Ages: 3 to 13 years old (ages may vary by club)
Length: 3 hours
Let the games begin! Kids can dive into wild, snowy challenges (that are indoors!) and team battles that unleash their inner champion. Kiddos can create an ice skate cheer sign, snowboarder art, and put together a snowflake geoboard. They’ll have fun in the gym playing games like “snow cone sprint” and “avalanche attack.”
Winter Glow Party
Ages: 3 to 13 years old (ages may vary by club)
Length: 3 hours
Lights out, glow on: Neon games, glowing crafts, and an epic blacklight dance party will make this winter night shine bright. Kids will get started with glow-in-the-dark puffy paint and Aurora Borealis scrape-art projects. They’ll then keep the party going with a “glowing snowball dance” and “glow snowflake freeze dance.”
Snowball Bash
Ages: 3 to 13 years old (ages may vary by club)
Length: 3 hours
Kids, get ready for a flurry of fun. Indoor “snowball” fights, frosty games, and winter treats make this bash “snow” joke. Kids will start with crafts, including snowball painting and snowball slime. Then, they’ll migrate to the gym for some winter-themed fun: kids will play “melt the snowball,” “snowball sprint,” and “frosty fort knockdown.”
Arctic Adventures
Ages: 3 to 13 years old (ages may vary by club)
Length: 3 hours
Kids are going to want to bundle up for this one: They’re in for thrilling adventures where they’ll brace for the arctic chill and tap into their inner polar explorer. Kiddos can create igloo stamp art and snow dough made from lotion, cornstarch, and glitter. They will then enter the chill zone, playing gym games like “penguin waddle relay,” “ice kingdom challenge,” and “snowball siege.”
Cozy Pajama Party
Ages: 3 to 13 years old (ages may vary by club)
Length: 3 hours
PJs on, fun mode activated! Kids can arrive decked out in their favorite pajamas for a night of cozy fun. They’ll participate in gym games like “pajama party color dash” and “pop the popcorn” and make cozy-themed crafts, such as winter hats, winter mittens, and dreamcatchers.
February
Monthly Theme: Game Day Hearts
Touchdown Takeover
Ages: 3 to 13 years old (ages may vary by club)
Length: 3 hours
At this Parents Night Out, kids are going to score big time. This theme is all about teamwork and strategic football plays. Kids will participate in themed gym games like “football pin kickoff” and “field goal frenzy.” There are also football-themed crafts, including making footballs and touchdown twirlers from paper plates.
The Cupid Bowl
Ages: 3 to 13 years old (ages may vary by club)
Length: 3 hours
What happens when touchdowns meet heart strings? The result is the ultimate celebration of friendship, fun, and football! Kids will get their blood pumping with gym games like “cupid’s football hunt” and “capture the hearts.” Then, they’ll cool down while making heart-themed crafts such as beaded hearts and cupid’s sidekick made from cardboard or cardstock.
Hero Training Camp
Ages: 3 to 13 years old (ages may vary by club)
Length: 3 hours
Train like a hero: At this event, kids will test their skills in thrilling challenges and heroic missions. The challenges include a “hero agility test” and “hero protector challenge.” They’ll also create superheroes and sidekicks from craft sticks and pipe cleaners.
Mascot Madness
Ages: 3 to 13 years old (ages may vary by club)
Length: 3 hours
Kids are in for the wildest mascot party ever filled with games and team spirit. Kids will craft mini megaphones, team spirit poms, and team spirit keychains. Then, they’ll play gym games like “protect your team mascot,” “runaway mascots,” and “mascot mayhem.” This theme is all about nonstop fun!
Common FAQs About Kids Events
Shelly Forsberg, director of kids and aquatics at Life Time, shares answers to commonly asked questions from parents.
Life Time Editorial | What can I expect if I sign my child up for a Life Time Kids event?
Shelly Forsberg | Each event has a theme, and we build the curriculum around that so there are always fun, new activities for kids to take part in. There is a new theme each week to help accommodate family schedules and to allow for a greater chance for every child to attend. Kids’ events occur every Saturday. Depending on the club, there may also be additional events on Fridays.
Regardless of the theme, every curriculum follows an intentionally designed format: There’s always arts and crafts time, a STEAM project, a gym game or a sports activity — or some combination of those. Then, we always serve dinner, which is usually pizza and juice.
Events typically last two to three hours and can accommodate kids ages 3 to 13 years old (ages may vary by club based on state requirements). All children must be potty-trained. Tween Takeover events are generally for kids ages 9 to 13 years old, though that may vary by club as well.
Our Life Time Kids team members go through training before being entrusted with your kids. This training includes CPR training, a child-development course, and a classroom-management course to ensure your kids are in the safest hands.
LTE | Do parents need to stay at the club while their child is attending an event?
SF | No. Parents can leave the club or stay on site. Most often, we see parents using this time in the club, whether that be to take a fitness class, use the space and machines on the workout floor, relax in the sauna or steam room, grab a bite to eat in the LifeCafe, or hit the pickleball court with friends.
LTE | Is there a cost to these events? And do you have to be a Life Time member to participate?
SF | All Kids events are included at no cost in Junior Memberships. Your child does need to be on a Life Time Junior Membership to attend the events.
LTE | Is there a no-show policy for Parents Night Out events?
SF | To better serve our members and ensure we can accommodate as many families as possible, a $25 fee per child will be charged to your club tab for any reservation not canceled at least five hours prior to the event. This policy helps us manage resources effectively and allows families on the waitlist the opportunity to attend.
If your child is on the waitlist, there is no penalty if they are pulled from the waitlist less than 24 hours in advance.
LTE | How do I sign my child up for an event?
SF | Reservations can be made up to 30 days prior to each event. View the schedule on my.lifetime.life or in the Life Time app by clicking “View All Events” and under “Activity,” filtering by “Kids.”
