From the beginning of term 1, 2013 children living in Traralgon and Sale in Victoria as well as Belconnen, Palmerston and Forde in the ACT, will have the opportunity to enrol in Ready Steady Go Kids.

The program, which caters to children between the ages of two and a half and six years, teaches them the basic skills required to perform ten different sports, including soccer, tennis, hockey and AFL/rugby.

Five sports are taught each term, and they change every two weeks to avoid the onset of boredom.

By focusing on helping them develop age-appropriate motor skills and highlighting the importance of good sportsmanship the program aims to promote positive attitudes to exercise from a young age.

New ACT franchisee, Leonie Collis was compelled to start up Ready Steady Go Kids in the region when she went to enrol her son in the program and realised it wasn’t offered in Canberra.

“I felt that Canberra kids were really missing out on something special; that it wasn’t fair,” Collis said. “So I decided to do something about it.”

“The program is a great way to help kids and parents understand that active pursuits are easy, great fun and accessible to everyone,” she adds.

Amy Bennetts, who is a primary school teacher and fitness instructor, is the Gippsland area’s new franchisee.

She heard about the program from a friend in Melbourne, who she said raved about it. Bennetts subsequently organised for her own children to try out the program on their next visit to Melbourne, a moved that prompted her to open up a franchise in her local area.

“Having three young children myself, I know the importance of getting kids involved in exercise early,” she said.

“The chance to teach kids so many different sports just seemed too good to refuse.”

Stuart Derbyshire, director, Ready Steady Go Kids is thrilled to have both Leonie and Amy on board, explaining that they are both incredibly enthusiastic about the program.