Kids’ gym in Bali to strengthen bodies & minds

In July, thousands of lucky Western Australian families will fly to Bali for the winter school holidays. There, they’ll spend a week or two floating around hotel pools, enjoying exotic food and drinks, visiting temples and waterfalls and enjoying Bali’s famous hospitality.

And instead of worrying about the kids 24/7, parents will get a much-needed break with Balinese nannies and daycare services at hotels that cost a fraction of what they cost back home.

But leisure is only one part of the modern travel experience. Learning, doing new things and expanding one’s horizons is a big part of it, too. That’s the philosophy behind Keizan Kids, a popular kids’ gym program and nanny service in Bali that combines movement and mindset education.

“When I was a kid, I was an athlete and had really good coaches, but we only worked on the physical side of things. Nobody ever taught me about working on mindset — how to deal with stress or a mistake on the field,” says Keizan Kids founder Liz Dias, a former school teacher from Canada.

“So when I moved to Bali six and a half years ago, I came up with the idea of a kids’ exercise program that incorporated both.

“So I approached a CrossFit gym — they thought I wanted to do a CrossFit for Kids thing — but I told them I wanted to teach kids how to enjoy physical education, but also teach them how to be resilient and mentally strong and speak for themselves,” she recalls.

“They loved the idea and that’s how Keizan Kids was born. We’ve just marked our fifth anniversary and, in that time, taught thousands of kids.”

So, what exactly happens at Keizan Kids classes?

“We start with our mantra: I am strong, I am brave, I can do hard things, and from there we go onto a warm-up game and then comes the best part, the workout!,” Liz says.

“It’s based on teaching the main technical moves every child needs to master. How to push and pill, how to safely pick up things and carry — we give them weights, little kettlebells and dumbbells. Kids love picking up heavy things and showing off. We also teach them how to lunge, hinge, and we work one grip strength.

“There are a lot of studies that show the correlation between grip strength and longevity, so we have them hang on bars a lot. We also get them climbing ropes and swinging around, which is really good for building core strength, as well as little obstacle courses.

“And if we still have time, we do this thing where we copy animal movements, pretending to be lizards or bears. The kids love it!”

There are several different ways for kids to experience Keizan Kids during their next holiday in Bali.

Liz holds classes for kids of different age groups from Monday through Thursday at two different gyms in Canggu. An adult (either a parent or nanny) must accompany little kids, though Liz can arrange transport.

“Some of the expat parents, they send their seven-year-olds on motorbike taxis!” Liz says.

“But with a bit of notice, I can organise a trusted driver to pick up your kids, bring them here, wait during the class and take them back afterwards.”

Liz also holds camps for kids at the Canggu Community School in July where they spend the entire day doing physical education as well as arts and crafts and cooking. Alternatively she can be hired to come to a hotel or villa with her assistants to work with kids.

“I just got a call from a family coming over from China and they want to do a special birthday party. I can curate an entire day with your children.

“We recently did a trip with a group of kids to a local garden where they picked vegetables from the ground and made a meal together. Another time, we took these kids to a Balinese home, and they made kites together with local kids and then took them to the beach to fly them. Everyone spoke different languages, most of the time nobody knew who was saying what, but everyone had a ball!”

fact file

+ Keizan Kids classes are held on Monday afternoon at BYND Fitness, 18 Jalan (street) Pipitan Sari, Canggu, and at Wanderlust Fitness Village on Jalan Raya Padonan, also in Canggu, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday afternoons. + Classes are $21 or $140 for a 10-pack. Classes and programs held at a hotel or villa are $124 per hour. + School camps will take place this year on June 15, June 22, July 13 and Jul 20. $314 per kid.

+ Contact +62 812-4317-3400 or instagram.com/kaizen.kids.bali