Now there's a fun new way to Get Fit with Kristi and the Get Fit Kids. Children will love moving, twisting, and shaking to fun upbeat songs as they learn about the importance of physical activity. Kristi Dear makes exe... more »rcise fun with her joyful smile and positive attitude. A must have for every child!« less
"My kids aren't couch potatoes, but they are introverts. After various failed attempts to get them involved in this or that sport, martial arts class, or age-appropriate gym activity, I'd finally decided that all my kids (ages 4 and 7) needed was the enjoyment of chasing one another at the park or jumping on the bed. Still, I fretted a little about their physical engagement in the world. Early readers both, they preferred the quiet company of each other and their books. I tried modeling good exercise habits. They smiled and nodded. "Nice Tai Chi moves, Mom!"
I wasn't expecting much from an exercise DVD, but Kristi Dear's Get Fit Kids was an immediate hit. The top-notch graphics captivated my four-year-old daughter right away, and although her older brother thought the show was a bit "babyish," he eventually joined in. Well, knock me over with a feather! This short video is led by an engaging certified personal trainer (and a computer-generated teddy bear) and is a thorough aerobic work-out, complete with warm-up, sing-along songs about the major muscle groups in the body, and tips on how to avoid sugary snacks. We never had a real issue with healthy eating in this household, but given the constant media onslaught of junk food commercials kids are exposed to, it's nice to have our family's eating style so gently reinforced in this video.
I highly recommend this DVD to any parent who wants to give young children a wholesome head-start on positive lifestyle habits. -Deb Salazar
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Focused on healthy habits rather than body image and techniq
Adriane L. Adams | USA | 06/06/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"PROS: This DVD is appropriate for younger children. It encourages movement and works major muscle groups. The movements are pretty simple, but technique is not the emphasis anyway. The instructor is kid-friendly, not overly made-up or emphasizing body image. Rather, she could be the babysitter or the kindergarten teacher. Emphasis is on health, not appearance, which is great. She teaches the names of some major muscles (biceps, quads, hamstrings, etc.) and talks a little bit about healthy food and energy. (Healthy snacks give you better energy to play!) It is great for my 4 & 6 yr. old girls. They are not frustrated with complex moves or too fast a pace. They are not thinking about how they look or whether they are doing the movements "correctly." It is fun, holds their attention, and keeps them moving. If you are wanting a DVD that promotes health, good snack habits, and exercise without stressing specific exercise techniques or how your body "should" look, this meets that criteria.
CONS: I will say that it could be a little longer. It's less than 30 minutes so I don't know how much of a workout they are getting. Not to be used as a substitute for outdoor activity, but better than none on a rainy day. Some of the activities are not very vigorous, like wiggling fingers. It's definitely not a DVD for older kids. The children in the video are focused on using the right muscles rather than specific technique. I was also a little annoyed at the "snack break" segment. I think it lasts 2 or 3 minutes and just shows healthy food choices, but it interrupts because it comes between the workout and the cool down. And of course, the kids think they need a snack during this few minutes of time, which just doesn't work! I understand wanting to end the DVD with the cool down because it is focused on relaxing, but the snack part just doesn't work well where it is. I suppose you could always have your child begin cool down during this time by doing some simple stretches while watching the fruit go by... :)
Overall, this was a good choice for my kids at their level."
This is the best exercise video for children!!
G Lyndall | Little Rock, AR | 03/05/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As a father of four, and a teacher, I have seen so many children's exercise videos, but none of them live up to this one. Get Fit Kids is so creative and unique, and that's what makes it #1 in my book. Instead of just dancing around, Kristi, the kids, and the animated bear named JoJo Fitz, do real exercise moves that improves motor skills, balance, flexibility, coordination, self-esteem, and the list goes on. Kristi actually interacts with the children asking question's like do you know were your muscles are? She has the children feel for their muscles, teaching them why it's important to strengthen them, and move around.
I love the nutrition section of this video!!! Every time I show my classroom this section each one of them ask to eat healthy, such as asking for an apple, carrot, or grapes. Get Fit Kids is a must have!!!! Every child needs to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle from Kristi Dear. She makes it so much fun.
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Great
S. Sylvester | Lafayette, IN United States | 01/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Sure it's a little cheesy to adults but it's not FOR adults is it?? My kids (ages 2 & 4) just love this dvd. The great thing about it is that it's not a talking routine with aerobic instructor cues. She sings the routine and the cues are within the cute upbeat songs. She takes time in between segments to explain about different muscle groups too and the importance of eating healthy snacks. Not long after we got this dvd my 4 year old was out in the yard and was jumping up and down. He turned to me and said, "whew, I sure am using my hamstrings and quadraceps!!" which he sure was but I thought he was just guessing so I asked him to point to where those things are on his body and he nailed it!! A great dvd to get them moving in the winter and on rainy days and a learning experience too!!"
Great for Preschoolers
Busy Mom | 07/12/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I was looking for a tape for older children and this tape was not it. This tape is definitely geared for the preschool crowd. For that age group, I imagine it is great. I was pretty disappointed."