Looking for Gym with Outstanding Childcare

Updated on June 18, 2008
K. asks from Dallas, TX
24 answers

I'm looking for a gym in the Dallas area with GREAT childcare. I'm currently a member of LA fitness but have been less than impressed with the childcare staff. I'm looking for consistent staff who actually play with the kids. I have a 3 month old and a 2 and a half year old in need of care. I'm not overly concerned about the gym itself and am willing to pay a little more for awesome childcare. Any suggestions?

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A.G.

answers from Dallas on

The gym I go to in Plano is great. Texins Activity Center off legacy and 75. The staff in the kids room is always on the floor playing with my son when I pick him up. Plus the kids room isn't that busy so many times he gets a lot of one on one attention. Let me know if you want more info.

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L.N.

answers from Dallas on

If you want to look into lifetime fitness, let me know. I just rejoined after being inactive for a year due to finances. So I am working closly with a guy to help me out with my rates. Let me know if you want me to get you a week trial for free to try it out!!
L. ###-###-#### ____@____.com

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J.F.

answers from Dallas on

K.,

We go to Town North YMCA. They have awesome childcare. Its not a bunch of teenagers watching your kids. Also everyone is CPR certified. The older kids do crafts, play games and when the weather is nice they go outside to the playground. The little ones play and sing songs. They also offer dance for ages 2 and up that is free with your membership.
The gym facilities, pool and classes are all great too. Oh, and they have a kiddie pool and splash park that are included in your membership. We have been very happy there.

J.

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C.A.

answers from Dallas on

The best child care I have seen was at Lifetime Fitness. They have great facilities and if I remember correctly they are actually a licensed daycare, although you might want to ask to make sure. I am currently a member of LA Fitness and they pull staff off of the floor if too many children show up. That is not the case with Lifetime. We initially switched to LA from Lifetime because LA was half the cost but I will switch back when I have my baby.

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J.Y.

answers from Dallas on

I have to say Lifetime Fitness as well. My kids BEG to go everyday! That's impressive, seeing as how my youngest won't even stay with her grandmother!

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T.C.

answers from Dallas on

I see you have gotten alot of responses about Lifetime. I have to agree with all of the positive feedback. I go to the North Dallas location(trinity mills and marsh) and my now 17 month old has been going since she was 4 months and the staff is FANTASTIC!! I even use some of them as babysitters on the weekends. I will say that the larger Lifetime Fitness locations scare me a little, my 6 year old is fine but for the younger one, it's very overwhelming and always toddlers just crying for their parent. But the NOrth Dallas one is great!! I also use a sitter who works at Telos and she's great, so I am sure that is a good place as well. Good luck!!

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K.C.

answers from Dallas on

I believe that Lifetime Fitness has the best childcare facilities. There is a lot to keep the kids occupied and plenty of staff. When I was going regularly, the staff knew my children by name.

K.
Mom of 3 ages 6.5, 5 & 3

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C.A.

answers from Dallas on

I belong to Lifetime Fitness in Plano and love their childcare center! I think you have to wait until the child is at least 4 months old, but the area for the little ones...which is where my 6 1/2 month old goes...is seperate and has its own employee that stays with them. This was a big deal to me, because i didn't want mine carted around into other areas where kids were coughing or sniffling...i am just paranoid with her being a preemie! And you also have to sign up the younger kids inadvance so they always know they have enough staff with them. Hope this helps!!

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B.N.

answers from Dallas on

Lifetime fitness has AWESOME childcare. I had to quit because it is a bit pricey, but I loved their childcare. It was the same person everytime I went in and they really played with the kids.

Hope this helps.

BTW which LA fitness is that? I'm a member there now and am just starting to take my little one with me...

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J.C.

answers from Dallas on

YMCA's are great! Especially the Town NOrth YMCA with all the new equipment and amenities.

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C.L.

answers from Dallas on

I go to 24 hr Fitness and everytime I take my daughter to the kid's club the staff are always playing with the kids. I am not talking about just rolling a ball or watching the kids they are actually running around with them and interacting! I was very pleased with what I saw.

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T.C.

answers from Dallas on

Lifetime in Flowermound is amazing.

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A.P.

answers from Dallas on

Lifetime Fitness!!!!!!!

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P.P.

answers from Dallas on

Lifetime Fitness, my daughter (6 yo) LOVES the play area and has made new friends.
Good Luck!

B.B.

answers from Dallas on

Lifetime Fitness was AWESOME!!! I was at the one in Flower Mound, but I'm sure that the others are just as good! They always remembered my son's name (I thought that was impressive with as many kids that go through there!). I have a couple of friends who also go there, and their older kids (ages 3-10) love going there also!

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K.B.

answers from Dallas on

Lifetime Fitness. I spent weeks looking for an exercise place with excellent childcare. Lifetime Fitness was the only one that held up to my expectations. They continue to impress me after being there over a year. I go to the one in Garland, but there are some in other locations throughout the metroplex.

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R.W.

answers from Dallas on

I agree with your conclusion about LA Fitness. I have older kids and LA Fitness works for me now, but it didn't when my kids were younger. I used to have a membership with Lifetime Fitness. The childcare is awesome and the kids have fun too. My kids were a couple years older than yours, but all of the kids were 'disappointed' when their mom's would pick them up - they weren't ready to leave!

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J.C.

answers from Dallas on

LIFETIME FITNESS for sure! We have been members for a while and love it! My 2 1/2 year old boys likes going to 'the gym'. They are very well organized and offer lots of things for the kids to do. Sometimes they let them go outside on the playground (thats adjacent to their childcare center) in good weather. If you want anymore on it, email me back. I just can't say enough.

B.H.

answers from Dallas on

I am sorry that I don't have any advice for you, but I, too,recently pulled my 3 year old from the LA fitness on Spring Creek and K in Plano for similar reasons. My child was attending for 8 months without problems, and suddenly started having tantrums when I dropped him off. I continued with this for three weeks, figuring that he was going through a stage...later to find out that "someone hurt" him, a "grown-up". He was having 10 tantrums a day at the time, and I was out of my mind, but they stopped completely and immediately after telling him he didn't have to go back. I am curious if you were attending the same LA fitness, and what prompted you to pull them from the childcare, if you would care to share.

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K.S.

answers from Dallas on

I just went through this process since the childcare was more important to me as well. I am a firm believer in playing with the kids and found that most gyms, including Lifetime, have a TV on at all times to help entertain the children. I am very opposed to this since I monitor my kids' screen time each day. I ended up going with the YMCA since most either don't have a TV or rarely use it. This is just something to think about.

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T.M.

answers from Dallas on

I just have to say Lifetime fitness is so fun my kids beg to go. As far as staff, find out who you like and go when they are scheduled.As with all childcare places, there are some hands-on employees and some with more of a superviser feel but they all seem to be nice at Lifetime. Also, there are some males working in the center at the Plano location that get the kids involved in games of all sorts. The boys all gravitate to the males. FYI,I went to 24hour fitness before and changed to Lifetime because of the gross lack of supervision. On more than one occasion, at more than one of their facilities, I found my children in unsafe surcomstances. Lifetime has designated areas acording to developmental stages so your child will be safe from older kids and unable to accidentally hurt a yonger child. The differant areas make it easy for the kids to be entertained throughout the yeasrs as well. Lifetime also offers lots of classes and even free party days. There are several places for kids outside of the child center like the 0 dept entery pool and cafe that make it worth the price. It really is a family centered gym. There are several locations around the Dallas area.Check one out :]

http://www.lifetimefitness.com/

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J.W.

answers from Dallas on

i go to express fitness in plano (spring creek and coit) - the childcare is wonderful! there are always two people or more in there with the kids and they are always on the floor playing with the kids (or helping my one year old adjust) - i would highly recommend them - www.expressfitness.com (they have great prices too)

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S.M.

answers from Dallas on

Hi, K.,

We belong to Telos Fitness Center at Alpha & Inwood, just across from the Galleria and we've always been very happy with the childcare. I have 4 children and #2 was just a toddler when we joined 5 years ago. They take great care of the babies, which is especially important to me!

Here's the link: http://telosfitnesscenter.reachlocal.net/index.htm

I hope you'll go visit!

S. M.

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L.D.

answers from Dallas on

We go to the Park Cities YMCA and I've been really happy with the child care, which is included if you have a family membership. A good mix of adults and older teens, and the only TV I've heard of is occasionally movies for older kids. There's a separate infant area and a cool indoor climbing structure in addition to the usual toys and such. There are also parent/child classes (swim, gymnastics) available that are cheaper for members. I'm pretty sure all of the Y locations offer similar programs - plus they all have pools!

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