When you have young children, finding the time to exercise or go to the gym can be challenging… yet it’s so important for our physical and mental health! To help you exercise with kids in tow, we’ve compiled a list of North Shore Gyms with creches & child-friendly Outdoor Fitness!
How do gym crèches work?
Some gyms, fitness centres and outdoor group fitness classes offer child-friendly exercise options for parents – in the form of creches or on-site nannies.
These are usually offered at certain times of the day (weekday mornings is popular!) or for certain training sessions. Some are included in the fees, whilst others might add it on as an optional extra. It’s best to check with your provider to see how they operate.
The creche operators will usually ask you to fill in paperwork letting them know all about your child and their needs while in their care, and you are generally welcome to stay with your child until they are settled and you are comfortable leaving them.
If you’re child becomes unsettled while you’re working out, you’re always nearby so can be contacted if needed!
Why is it important for mums to exercise?
The benefits of exercising are huge! Exercising after having kids can improve your physical and mental wellbeing. Some of the benefits of postnatal exercise include:
- Helps improve your mood, relieve stress and can prevent postpartum depression
- Promotes weight loss and improves your sense of wellbeing
- Increases muscle tone, strength and endurance
- Boosts your confidence
- Improves energy
- Promotes recovery and helps strengthen pelvic floor and abdominal muscles
- Great way to make new friends
- Opportunity to do something for yourself and have some ‘me time’
North Shore Gyms with creches
- Body Shape Female Fitness (Gordon)
- Flo Strength (Gordon)
- Millennium (Waitara)
- Phoenix for Mums (Waitara)
- Fernwood Fitness (Hornsby)
- FIT (Lane Cove)
- BlueFit (Lane Cove)
- North Shore Gym (Pymble)
Body Shape Female Fitness (Gordon)
Body Shape Gordon is the North Shore’s only ladies-only fitness centre, and had been serving the ladies of the North Shore for nearly 20 years. As well as 80+ weekly classes, cardio & weights training and personal training, they also have a Kids Club which is open 6 mornings a week (Monday – Saturday). Body Shape’s friendly and experienced team are led by Sally aka The Baby Whisperer who has been the Kids Club Team Leader for 17 years! The environment is fresh, clean, and stimulating!
During the week it welcomes all ages up to pre-school age and on Saturday mornings all ages up to 13 years. Body Shape’s Kids Club even keeps going through the school holidays and welcomes school age children during this entire period!
“Body Shape in Gordon have an amazing Kids Club!” – Talya
“My kids love the crèche at Body Shape Gordon. Highly recommend” – Jenna-Lee
- Cost = $2.50 per 90-minute session (no booking required). Unlimited children
- Find Body Shape in the Directory
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- Body Shape Gordon creche
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- Body Shape Gordon creche
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- Body Shape Gordon creche
Flo Strength (Gordon)
Creche at Flo Strength
Flo Strength isn’t just a gym… it’s a community. Whether you’re a mum yearning to reclaim her confidence after childbirth or a dad aiming to keep fit alongside his better half, Flo Strength is your sanctuary. Their dedicated crèche allows mums to engage fully in the group classes, knowing their bundles of joy are in capable hands (and nearby at all times). They also run a dedicated Mums & Bubs session weekdays at 9:30am, so you can meet other mothers on a similar journey.
- Address: 7-9 Merriwa Street, Gordon
- More: Find Flo Strength in the Directory
- Cost: Free creche! Book a FREE trial (and get a free coffee, too!)
Millennium (Waitara)
Mini Mills creche at Millennium Waitara
Mini Mills Club at Millennium takes care of babies from the age of age of 8 weeks, to 14 years! The creche is open Monday – Friday 8am-12pm and Saturday 8am-11:30am. Children can stay for 2 hours, and during this time they can engage in themed craft activities, drawing, reading, dress ups in the cubby house and playing with toys on their mat in a safe and fun environment.
“We always loved the creche at Millennium Gym in Waitara. My kids still love going there in the school holidays. Such a friendly gym and creche.” – Larissa
“Millennium Health Club offers a crèche at Waitara. They are 2 hours, offer to change nappies, have protected snack time and always have a craft/ activity going. They even helped transition one of my boys onto bottles for work and helped with nap schedules. nothing is too hard including toilet training. The staff retention is also amazing” – Ashley
- Cost: Single Visit: $5 for first child, $4 for 2nd child and $3 every child | 20 pack for $70
- Find Millennium in the Directory
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- Millennium Health Club – creche
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- Millennium Health Club – creche
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- Millennium Health Club – creche
Phoenix for Mums (Waitara)
Phoenix for Mums is run by Meli, a local Mum of two and Women’s Health and Movement Coach. She is passionate about educating Mums about their constant changing bodies and using exercise, not as punishment but as a way of putting themselves first, filling their cup, celebrating all the things they CAN do and for mental health.
- Address: PCYC Hornsby / Ku-ring-gai, Park Lane, Waitara
- Find Phoenix for Mums in the Directory.
Fernwood Fitness (Hornsby)
Fernwood Fitness Creche
Exclusive for women, their clubs are purpose-built for perfect balance. Think strength and weight training, state-of-the-art cardio equipment, high intensity exercise, group fitness classes to suit every style – from FIIT30 to Body Pump to Zumba, yoga and Pilates, along with a new reformer Pilates studio too! Members are supported by experienced personal trainers, world-first wellness programs, and a community of empowered women. Enjoy childcare services to watch your little ones (available Monday – Friday).
- Address: Westfield Hornsby, Pacific Highway, Hornsby
- Find Fernwood Fitness in the Directory
Northern Beaches Gyms with creches
- Energize (Belrose)
- Virgin Active (Frenchs Forest)
- G-Fitness at Harbord Diggers (Freshwater)
- Premier (Brookvale)
- FreshStart Fitness (North Narrabeen)
- BUMP (Dee Why)
- The Gym Factory (Warriewood)
Child-friendly Outdoor Fitness Training
- Mums Squad by Fit4Dream (Mosman)
- Next Step Fitness (St Leonards)
- Mums Going Strong Fitness (Willoughby)
- Karina’s Mumma Method (North Sydney, Hornsby, Wahroonga)
- Fit4Dreams (Balmoral Beach)
- Ku-ring-gai Active Mums & Bubs (Roseville Park, Monday 9:30am) $12
- BAS Health & Fitness (Berowra)
Mums Squad by Fit4Dream (Mosman)
Mums Squad by Fit4Dreams offers one-hour long outdoor workouts at Balmoral Oval starting at your pace, walking through their post-natal fitness programs with body-weight exercises progressing to jogging, boxing, weights, exercise circuits with resistance bands or medicine balls. Their nannies look after your babies and toddlers so you can get to spend time on yourself. You’re working with other mums facing the same challenges and sharing similar goals to you, so a sense of team grows organically and pretty soon you just feel part of something special. Find Mums Squad in the Directory.
>Next Step Fitness (St Leonards)
Next Step Fitness outdoor training
Next Step Fitness in St Leonards is passionate about helping you achieve and sustain a healthy lifestyle, long term. They focus on getting you active, fit and confident so you can feel better, sleep better, live better. Kids are welcome to the sessions! Find Next Step Fitness in the Directory
Mums Going Strong Fitness (Willoughby)
Mums Going Strong Fitness is run by North Shore Mum Magdalena Hawley. She offers a boutique group and personal training company designed for mums and specialising in core and pelvic floor recovery. They offer small group training with a nanny service. Find Mums Going Strong Fitness in the Directory.
Karina’s Mumma Method (North Sydney, Hornsby, Wahroonga)
Karina is a qualified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, and she runs child-friendly outdoor training session for mums. While you train, your baby is right beside you, playing with other babies, always under your watchful eye. You don’t have to leave them in a creche or worry about them elsewhere. Find Karina’s Mumma Method in the Directory.
Other child-friendly Outdoor training
- Fit4Dreams (Balmoral Beach)
- Ku-ring-gai Active Mums & Bubs (Roseville Park, Monday 9:30am) $12
- BAS Health & Fitness (Berowra)
