Obstacle Course Classes, Camps, B-Day Parties & Team Building for Kids & Teens in Northern Chicago Area, IL
Here, at Hot Ground Gym® (HGG), our recreation center near Chicago is revolutionizing the way kids stay active, learn, and grow. Our Arlington Heights and Libertyville teams are military veterans and former first responders with the skills and experience to provide educational, fun, and “one of a kind” kids’ activities and fitness classes.
Here at Hot Ground Gym® (HGG) we're revolutionizing the way kids stay active, learn, and grow. Our indoor obstacle courses and team-building challenges are designed to engage kids physically and mentally and to stimulate their character, in a super unique and fun environment.
Our kids’ fitness approach is ideal for building physical and mental character while providing them with engaging indoor children’s activities that they’ll genuinely enjoy. Your kids will leave each session with strengthened problem-solving skills and help them build self-confidence. Our kids’ gyms are perfect for families in Arlington Heights and Libertyville and nearby areas such as Palatine, Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Vernon Hills, Grayslake, and Mundelein.
Our Kids & Teens Activities in Libertyville and Arlington Heights, IL
We work with kids ages 5-14 years old, from K-8th+ grade. Scroll down to check out our programs.
Whether you are on the hunt for a children’s gym, super fun fitness classes, or a private team-building event for teens, you’ll find it here at Hot Ground Gym®.
Make no mistake; this is not a “boot camp”, but a high-energy, disciplined, and fun learning environment. Divided into 3 age groups, our after-school classes for kids consist of indoor obstacle course fitness activities and team-building challenges to build physical and mental strength.
Looking for summer, winter, spring, or no school day camps to excite your child? HGG has you covered! We offer half and full-day options for all our camps except the summer camp (by the week only). The experience consists of group/team challenges, mind games, “target practice” (fun hand-eye coordination activities), obstacle course training, and more.
Voted the “best active birthday party in the Chicagoland area” several times. Step outside traditional bday celebrations with our private 90-minute party. The event is filled with amazing obstacle courses, team-building missions, and of course, time for food and cake. We have a special way of cutting the cake; the bday child (And us ;) will use a real military sword!
We offer team-building events for kids and adults who want to switch up their wellness routines and push themselves to new limits. Our team-building events are perfect for teams, sports groups, religious organizations, or any type of group looking for growth-fueled experiences.
Contact Us for More Information about Indoor Physical Activities for Kids Near Chicago
At Hot Ground Gym, we offer fitness programs ideal for teens, while our energizing kid-friendly classes will get young ones moving and having fun. We know exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, so let us help you get started on the right path today.
WGN's S.E.E. Chicago featured an episode about Hot Ground Gym® where they covered in detail how our programs work and why this is the best place for your child!
Benefits of Our Children’s Sport Programs
Our indoor obstacle courses and team-building "missions" are designed to engage kids physically and mentally and stimulate their characters a unique and fun environment for training.
We have been serving Northern Chicagoland since 2014. Since then we have found that the biggest three benefits of our programs are confidence, fitness, and positive peer interactions.
Our "HGG Approach" to training is Physical, Mental, and Character Development.
We target the physical, mental, and character growth during the pivotal childhood development stages to teach skills like resilience, cooperation, perseverance, and leadership.
HGG is held up by our "5 Pillars of Confidence"
Improved Teamwork
Whether your child join Hot Ground Gym solo or are surrounded by a team, you will leave each session with a strengthened sense of teamwork.
Strong Leadership
HGG refines leadership abilities and shows children the skills necessary to be leaders in all aspects of life.
Obstacle Course Fitness
We Introduce fitness to our members in a uniquely engaging way through our indoor obstacle courses for kids. These courses are designed with safety in mind and are ideal for all fitness levels.
Self-Discipline
Discipline is always conveyed in an approachable manner so you or your child can learn to set boundaries in any given situation.
Smart Problem-Solving
No matter the physical or psychological problem you’re up against, our programs are designed to teach real-world problem-solving skills to children and teens.
Our Story
Hot Ground Gym® (HGG) was founded in 2013 by a former United States Marine and a former Israeli soldier. Our vision was to create a revolutionary concept of child development. A concept that encompasses a combination of our collective military service and know-how, the desire to prepare children for the challenging walks of life, and is facilitated in an environment which mirrors the love we feel for our own children. The mission of HGG carries forward today with a strong-willed team holding true to the ideals and principles from which it was founded upon. HGG is owned and operated by military veterans and former first responders. Our team of owners and instructors is what separates HGG from the rest. Our no-nonsense approach to development, teaching, and training, that is derived from our service connected experiences, which is tempered by the fact that “these are children, not soldiers”, allows us to cultivate a self-confidence instilling environment that is truly unique, beneficial, and super fun.
We have dedicated our lives to the physical, mental, and character development of children. Our slogan is “Strengthening the Future”. We nurture the potential of every child that comes to us through the programs we offer.
We moved here nearly a year ago, and started our son shortly after the move. Since then, he has grown in confidence, independence, compassion, trust, and respect. He has the diagnoses of ADHD, oppositional defiance disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, and anxiety. He hasn’t had a single tantrum since his third week with Sam at Hot Ground. He is kinder, more respectful, and genuinely wants to have better and more meaningful relationships with peers. The teamwork and relationship model offered here is unique in that the kids depend on any random group as the class days vary. The outward focus seems to be physical development, but the true focus is mental, social-emotional, and community growth. Sam absolutely loves the kids as they are, wherever they are, and is building up each person as that individual needs to be built up. He is a true gem, and my son looks forward to each class, excited about each one.
Hot Ground Gym provides an awesome physical workout, builds character and teaches teamwork! My 8yo son has really looked up to the instructors and my 4yo daughter wants to follow in his footsteps. From classes, to leadership camp, to birthday parties, I highly recommend!
I was looking for an alternative to martial arts for my son, and learned about Hot Ground. I'm extremely impressed by what they do. In addition to challenging parkour, which he loves, they teach practical life skills that go beyond anything I've seen elsewhere (except possibly the Boy Scouts). My son has been learning first aid and other life-saving skills, survival techniques, and more -- and I'm seeing a big improvement in both his physical confidence and emotional maturity. The coaches are great with kids, striking a nice balance between good-humored and no-nonsense, which the kids definitely respond to! The facilities are very well-maintained, and I like the fact that they take the kids outside when the weather's good. I've decided to try a week of the summer camp this year as well, and we'll see how that goes. Hot Ground isn't inexpensive, but the price (especially for the camp) is in keeping with most other after-school activities.
We highly recommend Hot Ground Gym classes because they offer a fun, physical after-school activity coupled with learning opportunities in social and emotional learning. The kids get to burn energy by climbing, jumping, swinging on ropes, etc. While the kids are "playing" they're also learning about teamwork, confidence, cooperation, responsibility, leadership and problem-solving skills. Hot Ground Gym is owned by veterans who are great role models. We also love the small class size, individualized attention as well as the beautiful new facility and reasonable rates for classes.
We have two daughters, ages five and seven. At Hot Ground Gym they get a good work out but don’t even realize they are exercising because they are focused on the obstacle course tasks. These classes safely challenge the kids to try things they normally wouldn’t get to try: climbing over walls, running up ramps, climbing ropes, etc. Sam does an amazing job breaking down the ever-rotating obstacles into separate skills and then training those skills and muscle groups. My daughters are growing in confidence and resilience. We are so glad to have found HGG!
We found Hot Ground Gym (HGG) by accident because of my daughter’s interest in Parkour or Ninja-type obstacle course activities, kind of like the American Ninja Warrior tv show. There are two aspects to HGG’s approach that made this place a great choice for our child’s after-school activities: 1) classes offer far more than a fun, physical after-school activity where the kids get to burn energy by climbing, jumping, swinging on ropes, etc; and 2) while the kids are “playing” they’re also learning about teamwork, confidence, cooperation, responsibility, leadership and problem-solving skills. That is the backbone of this whole company which is run by veterans—teaching kids very important life skills during the classes through the different activities. Other important details which factored into our decision choosing HHG included: 1) small class size; 2) individualized attention; 3) beautiful new facility that is very clean; and 4) very reasonable rates for classes. We started our child at 1 time per week but are moving up to 2 times per week since she loves it so much.
Find our group activities in Arlington Heights and Libertyville, IL, not far from the neighboring areas of Palatine, Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Vernon Hills, Grayslake, and Mundelein.
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FAQ about Our Chicago Kids Activities
Can kids take part in fitness classes together?
While you are absolutely welcome to watch your kiddos as they complete our classes, our children’s courses are only meant to accommodate those within the intended age range of 5-14.
My child is kinda sporty but currently hates “regular sports”. Is HGG a good fit for them?
For sure! Since our beginning, we have noticed that some students enjoy having a physical outlet but do not necessarily enjoy the pressures of “traditional sports”. Other students attend HGG classes in between sports seasons or still during a season. We also have several “success stories” where children have trained in our program for a while, then moved on to a traditional sport with more confidence and excelled.
My child is shy. Will they be able to work in a team?
If your child is prone to shyness, we can fix it. Our 5 Pillars of Confidence, which are part of our unique system of child development, are aimed at helping your kiddo start feeling comfortable around other children and develop teamwork and leadership skills.
Can parents observe their kids’ activities?
Sure! While you can drop off your kiddo and run some errands in peace, you can just as well stay for the whole time of a class, camp, birthday party, or team-building event.
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