Fitness Classes When You Have No Childcare: 6 Fixes
“I’d love to come, but who would have the kids?” I hear this almost every week. It is the most honest barrier there is. No grandparents nearby, a partner who works late or away, or no partner at all, and paid babysitting at London prices just to go to an exercise class feels impossible. So this post is about fitness classes when you have no childcare: the realistic ways parents I coach actually make it work, plus how to keep moving at home on the days a class is out of reach.
First, a reality check
You don’t need to train five times a week. The NHS physical activity guidelines for adults recommend strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week and 150 minutes of moderate activity across the week. One class a week plus some short home sessions and brisk walking can get you most of the way. That makes the childcare puzzle much smaller: you are solving it for one or two slots, not every day.
Fitness classes when you have no childcare: 6 ways parents make it work
1. Use the hours the kids are already looked after
School and nursery hours are the obvious one. A daytime class during school hours means no extra childcare cost at all. If you work, look at the edges of the day instead: an early class before your partner leaves, or a slot on the morning you work from home. Many parents get their best training done in a window they already had and just didn’t notice.
2. Set up a childcare swap
This is the one I recommend most, and it costs nothing. Find another parent, from the school gate, nursery or your street, who also wants to exercise. You have their kids on Tuesday evening while they go to class. They have yours on Thursday. Same children playing together, two parents training, zero money spent. Three or four families can even run a rota.
Tips for a swap that lasts:
- Fix the days and times so nobody has to negotiate each week.
- Keep it simple: tea, a film, bedtime routine notes on the fridge.
- Agree a backup plan for when someone is ill.
3. Train after bedtime with a sitter “share”
If a sitter is the only option, share the cost. One teenager or sitter watching two families’ sleeping children in one house costs each family half. Evening classes after bedtime make this much easier because the kids are asleep for most of it.
4. Ask for one slot, not a favour every week
Family members and friends are often happy to help once a week if it is a fixed, short, predictable slot. “Could you have the kids every Saturday morning from 9 to 10?” is much easier to say yes to than random requests. Grandparents who already help with childcare might want to join in themselves, too.
5. Use the other parent’s time
If your children spend regular time with their other parent, protect one of those slots for training. Put it in your diary as an appointment with yourself. It is not selfish. It is maintenance.
6. Use weekend family time for active play
On weekends, you can be active with the children rather than away from them: park games, bike rides, a family walk up the hill. It is not a class, but it is real movement. My post on exercising with your kids has plenty of ideas they will actually enjoy.
Your home plan between classes
On the days a class can’t happen, keep the habit alive at home. This 20-minute routine needs no kit and can be done in a living room while children play or after they are asleep. Keep any weights or bands out of small children’s reach.
Warm up (3 minutes): march on the spot, arm circles, 10 slow bodyweight squats.
Main circuit: 3 rounds, 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest
- Squat to a chair: sit back until you touch the chair, stand up tall. Harder: pause at the bottom.
- Push-ups: hands on the kitchen worktop or sofa arm. Harder: hands on the floor.
- Glute bridge: lie on your back, knees bent, squeeze your bottom and lift your hips.
- Reverse lunge: hold a wall if you need balance. Alternate legs.
- Dead bug: lie on your back, arms up, slowly lower opposite arm and leg while keeping your lower back flat.
Cool down (2 minutes): gentle stretches for hips, chest and calves.
If even 20 minutes feels like too much, break it into little pieces through the day. My post on exercise snacks for busy parents shows how.
If you have recently had a baby
New parents often have the least childcare of all. Before returning to classes after having a baby, check with your GP first. The NHS explains that your postnatal check usually happens around 6 to 8 weeks after the birth, and that is a good time to ask about exercise. If you had a C-section or any complications, your GP or physio can advise on timing.
Where a bootcamp class fits
When you only have one or two child-free hours a week, you want them to count. That is why I keep SYP Bootcamp classes to 45 minutes, so you can be in and out with time for travel, and to a maximum of 10 people, so every minute is coached. We are indoors in a church hall in Archway N19, so a rainy evening doesn’t waste your precious slot. Every exercise has an easier and harder option.
If you are running on empty from broken sleep and juggling, SYP Recharge is built for energy and focus, leaving you feeling better rather than wiped out.
FAQs
Can I bring my children to a fitness class?
Most group classes can’t take children for safety reasons, especially with kettlebells and slam balls in use. Always ask the coach first. A childcare swap or home session is usually a better plan.
How do single parents exercise with no childcare?
By using time they already have: school hours, the other parent’s time, after bedtime and swaps with other parents. My guide to single parent fitness goes into this in detail.
Is one class a week enough?
One class plus some home sessions and brisk walking is a real, useful routine. It is far better than waiting for perfect conditions that never arrive.
What time of day is best for parents without childcare?
Whichever slot you can protect every week. For many it is early morning, during school hours, or after bedtime with a swap or shared sitter.
Book your first class
Once you have found your one slot, come and use it well. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in Archway N19, max 10 people, £15 a class, all levels welcome. Book your £15 class here, or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215 and I will help you find a time that works. If getting out of the house is truly impossible right now, online coaching with SYP Fitness lets you train at home with a plan built around your children.
About the author
Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.
