Each month we ask our customers about the biggest questions, topics and challenges on their minds – and how we can help. This month’s edition of The Buzz talks to two incredible Fitness On Demand partners: Deni Mazzei, CEO of Adventure 2 Learning about how active educational programming can really help kids, and Heather Bohannon, Director of Wellness and Community Impact at the YMCA of Southeast Missouri on how her club uses content with incredible results.
TOPIC OF THE MONTH:
When summer rain storms or dangerously hot weather drives everyone inside – especially kids – how can on-demand content keep everyone occupied, engaged and active?
Q: Fitness On Demand: Deni, your content can be really effective in engaging kids minds’ and their bodies. Do you have any content tips for parents or clubs trying to find ways to keep kids entertained and active in their programs?
Absolutely! The summer weather can be crazy, but fun, active and engaging content can definitely help – whether it’s for an after-school group, a family or other gathering. Adventure 2 Learning specializes in active content programming that helps kids learn while they’re moving. One of the great things about our content is that it doesn’t really require any additional equipment, like weights. Anyone wanting to take part can just follow along with what’s happening on-screen. My only suggestion for comfort would be to ensure you have a little bit of space around yourself and anyone else in your family/group who’s participating. And I definitely recommend letting loose and allowing yourself to have fun. As a parent myself, it’s really exciting to see how engaged your child can be with the content and characters in educational and active programming.
Q: Fitness On Demand: Tell us, how does Adventure 2 Learning create challenges that kids are really interested in and will complete?
A lot of kids love Adventure to Fitness content because of the immersive storylines and relatable characters in each episode. Fan favorites include Serengeti Stampede, Dino Disaster, Icelandic Meltdown and Chinese Challenge, where they’re learning about things like the Great Wall of China, Pandas and bamboo among many things. Older kids gravitate to content like our Fitbound series, which includes everything from HIIT-style workouts to yoga and mindfulness, which can really help stressed kids. Most programs are 30 minutes or less, with some just 10, and really help them get moving and get the wiggles out when they’re inside for long periods.
We also have some programming where kids can compete with their friends or classmates to see who can run in “mega mode” the fastest.
Q: Fitness On Demand: What really sets Adventure 2 Learning apart from other youth content programming?
Well really, whatever content you use to engage kids (and families) the important thing to remember is for clubs or parents to make it fun and enjoyable for the kids. If they don’t realize that they’re necessarily “working out” or doing some fitness routine, they're more apt to participate. And the same goes for the educational side of it. By infusing educational components organically into the storyline of many of our episodes, kids view it as a journey. And if used consistently, like throughout the school year, most kids can visibly and physically feel that their endurance, strength, and flexibility have increased - and that’s incredibly rewarding. We’ve had some incredible feedback from parents, teachers and school groups.
Heather Bohannon, Director of Wellness and Community Impact at the YMCA of Southeast Missouri
Q: Fitness On Demand: Hi Heather, tell us a little about your club and how you got started with all of the great fitness activities you offer for the community?
We have kids both at the YMCA and in our summer camp program, that’s been running since the 1950s, that come from some pretty disadvantaged neighborhoods. We’re actually in one of the poorest areas and most rural areas of Missouri where a lot of the kids and families we see aren’t able to prioritize health and fitness, and things like travel are out of reach. We take our obligation to care for the community in any way we can very seriously. Since covid we’ve been providing families and kids with free meals and we’ve developed some great relationships.
Q: Fitness On Demand: We know you have had a ton of success using content programming at your YMCA with your amazing kids programs. Can you give us some perspective on how it’s been working and advice for other clubs?
When we started working with Fitness On Demand our amazing success manager Marina really opened our eyes to how on-demand content, including Adventure 2 Learning, can really help with what we’re trying to do at our camp and club. The youth content section has proved really useful in taking pressure off our instructors (nobody can complain about instructors when it’s an on-demand class) and we have been able to create some new experiences for them and our community members
Health and wellness isn’t always a popular or priority topic with a lot of our families, so content like Adventure to Fitness makes it fun and easier to engage kids. When they’re staying active bit also seeing and learning about palm trees and monkeys, it’s an absolute win. We’ve also started using the streaming functionality of Fitness On Demand in some really helpful and fun ways too.
One of our team members, Jessica, for instance, has been on a mission trip to Honduras and able to stream some of her experiences to the kids. And we’ve started streaming Italian cooking classes to members too. Next up, we’re looking at creating content packages for parents for when kids go back to school – things that are fun but help them take a brain break when they need it.
Have specific questions or want to discuss how to use on-demand content like Adventure 2 Learning in your club or facility? Our friendly team is just a click or call away! Contact us today through our website, or reach out to our experts at 952.567.2710
Author
Ashley Miller
Ashley Miller, a dynamic Digital Content Manager at Fitness On Demand, propels brand visibility through strategic digital initiatives. She takes the lead in partner relations, while also overseeing content quality and skillfully curating exercise programming. She dedicates herself to developing impactful narratives that contribute to a thriving fitness community.
