As a cautious and responsible parent, it’s easy to let the notion of extreme sports put you off taking the kids to a BMX bike park or skatepark. Fair enough, for your littlest kids. But for school-age kids who are not into swimming or indoor team sports during the winter, consider that they might find a heart-pumping, agility building, thrilling sport that will tear them away from their digital devices for an entire afternoon.
If that sounds appealing, here are some fun extreme indoor sports for kids and places in Toronto to get started.
Ninja Skills
TV shows like American Ninja Warrior and Titan Games showcase amateur athletes jumping, climbing, and swinging through an obstacle course. Your kids may want to recreate the thrill of these programs by bouncing off the couch or swinging on the towel rack, but fear no more!
The GTA has its own ninja course at Ninjaz in Woodbridge, and kids and teens are welcome. The Kids Ninja Course has Floating Boards, Cargo Net Tubes, Sea of Rings, Triple Traverse Box with Monkey Bars, and so much more. Ninjaz, 6260 Hwy & & 11, Woodbridge, https://www.ninjazcanada.com/.
BMX Biking
We’re lucky in the GTA to have an indoor BMX bike park; the closest indoor facility according to avid bikers is in Ohio, which has made for a long biking-free winter for devotees of the sport in the past.
Joyride 150 is well-equipped for kids of bike-riding age. There are bike and equipment rentals, and a special beginners area for kids to practice on “lines” and “skinnies” in the parlance of the sport. Joyride 150, 150 Bullock Dr., Markham, www.joyride150.com.
Skateboarding
For those of us who grew up skateboarding and want to introduce this sport to our kids in a more structured and safe environment, C.J. Skateboard Park and School is the perfect place to do it. Scooters are also allowed too, and note that safety gear including helmets, knee pads and elbow pads and wrist guards are a requirement for kids. CJ Skateboard Park and School, 560 Hensall Circ., Mississauga, cjskateboardpark.com.
Trampoline
Kids love to jump up and down on beds, so why not provide them an even bouncier environment to really let it fly? Toronto has several trampoline gyms to choose from, including Just Bounce and Sky Zone Trampoline Park. Just Bounce, 3731 Chesswood Dr., justbounce.ca. Sky Zone, 3 locations in the GTA, www.skyzone.com.
Circus Skills
Kids never threaten to run away and join the circus anymore, but that doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy the high-flying acrobatics that go along with circus performance. Everyone can benefit from the strength and flexibility training that basic circus skills offer, and adrenaline lovers will enjoy the aerial elements of the sport.
Toronto Circus Centre and Cirque-ability both have kid and adult classes; the latter has combined classes, so the whole family can get moving together. Cirque-ability, 106-213 Sterling Rd., www.cirque-ability.com; Toronto Circus Centre, 822 Millwood Rd. and 1300 Gerrard St. E., www.torontocircuscentre.com
Climbing
Compared to you and me, most kids can climb like spiders. That’s why you should try a climbing gym with them this winter and let them show you their awesome upper-body strength and endurance as they tackle walls and bouldering.
Boulderz Gym, with two locations in Toronto even has drop-off classes for kids as young as age 4. Boulderz, 1444 Dupont St. or 80 The East Mall, Unit 9, www.boulderzclimbing.com.
Scuba Diving
Inspired by Toronto institutions like Ripley’s Aquarium and fuelled by a love of ocean-life like dolphins and whales, a lot of kids want to grow up to be marine biologists. Even though we’re far from the ocean here, kids 10 years of age and up can start preparing by learning how to scuba dive. That doesn’t mean dunking them in the lake, but rather, they start in the environs of an indoor pool. Toronto Scuba Club, classes held at various locations, torontoscubaclub.com.
