Your kids can challenge their athletic abilities and show off their agility when you go to the ninja gym at I-Power
Open gym, classes, school’s-out days and more are among the offerings at the new I-Power Ninja Gym in Champaign
Editor’s Note: I-Power is a sponsor of chambanamoms.com.
I-Power is a staple in the Champaign-Urbana community and in addition to their main gym and preschool facility, they are excited to have a space dedicated to “Ninja Warrior” enthusiasts in their new ninja gym.
Mark your calendars: There will be a FREE open house in the Ninja Gym on Saturday, February 19 from 4-5 p.m. You must pre-register to attend this free event.
Looking to burn off some energy indoors, so that your kids can be active no matter what is happening outside with the weather? What if beams and bars aren’t really their thing? Enter ninja gym at I-Power! All the ninja warrior fans you know will be thrilled when you visit ninja gym for an hour of action-packed, sweat-inducing fun in Champaign.
We visited ninja gym for the first time during an open gym, which is a great chance to get the lay of the land and see what your child thinks of the ninja experience. During this supervised (but unstructured) hour, you will be expected to stay with your child while they try out the different obstacles and play. You can register online ahead of time or, if spots are available, pay when you arrive.
Before you go
Make sure your kids have comfortable clothing. And they’ll be asked to remove their shoes and socks, so keep that in mind, too. Our kids got sweaty quickly in the ninja gym because they were playing so hard.
When you arrive
Head to the ninja/preschool facility, which is located at 221 S. Staley Road. This is just south of the main gym on Staley, but in the neighboring parking lot. Make sure you sign your waivers and pay, if you haven’t done those things ahead of time. Your kids will be shown where to go by the staff member in charge. And then the fun begins!
It is important that your kids are tuned in to what is a safe option for them and what may be pushing them beyond their limits. It is good to challenge themselves, of course, but the equipment is set up in a way that obstacles of varying difficulty are intermingled with one another. Again, the staff member will be helpful during your visit, guiding the kids on what to do on each obstacle and how they might attempt it. It was clear they did NOT want our kids just running around and hopping on and off equipment in a haphazard manner. Visits to the ninja gym go most smoothly when kids go through the obstacles as they are designed.
The kids we brought to the ninja gym were all elementary-aged. Everyone had a good time on the different obstacles and, as parents, we appreciated how easy it was to see our kids in the whole facility while standing/sitting in one spot of the gym. It was not terribly large, so you could call across the room to your kid to get their attention if need be. Please note that for ninja classes at I-Power (as opposed to the open gym), there is a note on the door that parents are not to be inside the gym during class so that kids are not distracted. Classes have a session-end exhibition that parents are invited to come in and watch.
Our oldest chambanakid in attendance suggested that this gym might be best suited for the K-4th grade age group. Some of the obstacles were not as much of a challenge for those of greater height, so younger elementary kids might be the age-group sweet spot.
Now that being said, we know there is programming specifically for teens at the ninja gym. We imagine the challenges are modified for that taller age group.
This equipment is the real deal and your kids will definitely have the chance to test their strength and agility while visiting ninja gym.
For more information on I-Power Gymnastics and the ninja gym, visit the website.