Building Stronger, Smarter, High Character Kids PH174

We noticed her speech was definitely years ahead of her age, her confidence, her ability to walk into a room and own it, and other people started noticing all of these social, emotional, physical things about her, and we’re like, “yeah, it really works.” Through physical activity you can really have an impact on a child’s social-emotional health, you can. Mental health, speech, everything. So, Matt said, if we want this for her, imagine how many parents would also be interested in this? This was five years ago, exactly five years ago, when we started KidStrong.”
- Megin Sharp, KidStrong Founder

Observe a KidStrong class, and you'll see what looks like a child's dream playground.  Kids climbing ropes, swinging from rings, crawling around obstacles.  While you can immediately see that these kids are becoming physically stronger and more capable, they're also developing life skills that aren't immediately visible to the naked eye.

KidStrong is a child development training center focused on brain, physical  & character development for young children. Their curriculum is designed with the goal of promoting a strong body, strong brain, and strong character.  Based on developmental science, they leverage knowledge from experts in the fields of pediatric occupational therapy, child development, sports physiology, and physical education to create a program focused on helping the entire family.  Classes include physical activity, public speaking, affirmations and more.

Founders Matt and Megin Sharp originally created KidStrong for their daughter Ella, to help her become strong and independent.  Megin has a Masters Degree in Physical Education, and Matt has a wealth of professional coaching and tech experience.  When Ella became old enough for play groups, they was dissatisfied with the un-structured approach of the options available to her, so they put their heads together and developed the beginnings of KidStrong.  What started as a small class of children in a warehouse has grown into a nationwide program empowering kids and families.

Matt and Megin have created an amazing program in KidStrong, and I was excited to learn more about how they developed the curriculum, the science behind the program, and to hear some incredibly heartwarming stories of how KidStrong is helping kids excel at life.

In this episode we discuss:

• Matt and Megin’s background and the inception of KidStrong
• Skills that children learn in KidStrong and how it helps their mental, physical and emotional development
• The importance of parents being part of the community, too
• How Matt and Megin protect the culture of KidStrong to ensure excellence across all locations
• The structure of a typical class
• Ways KidStrong helps children excel at life
• Stories of how KidStrong has helped families
• The importance of kids having coaches and role models beyond beyond their parents
• How families can get involved in KidStrong
• Three things Matt and Megin do on a regular basis that have the biggest positive impact on their health
• One thing they struggle to implement that could have a big impact on their health
• What a healthy life looks like to Matt and Megin

You can follow KidStrong on their website, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Links:

• CrossFit Maximus
• The Broad Jump as a Developmental Milestone
• A 19-Year Study Reveals Kindergarten Students With These 2 Skills Are Twice as Likely to Obtain a College Degree (and They Have Nothing to Do With Reading)

Related episodes:

Ep 17 - Juliet and Kelly Starrett on Standing Desks and Movement for Kids

Ep 68 - Pat and Taz Barber on CrossFit, Coaching, and Kids

Ep 73 - RISEing to the Occasion with Olympic Swimmers Caroline Burckle and Rebecca Soni

 

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.