UPDATED OCTOBER 2, 2012
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Whether you are here on the Riviera Maya for one month, one year or more, keeping your children active and engaged can be a challenge. Children are not always content to hang out on the beach everyday. When we moved here, the options for children's activities
were extremely limited. As the city has grown, the demand
for quality children's programs has increased and the options expanded to meet
the growing need. As you may have already discovered, finding the right resources can be a challenge! You can only imagine the obstacles we faced eight years ago with no Facebook, no online
directories or phone books and nothing more than word of mouth from teachers and other
parents to draw from.
Many families, moving to Playa del Carmen with older children, come
hoping to continue the activities that the kids were involved with in
their home country. If your children play soccer you will find this task
much easier than if they play lacrosse. Almost all the private schools
have a soccer team but not necessarily a team for all ages. Very often,
families will need to look outside of the school campus for
extracurricular opportunities to meet their family's needs.
Last summer, in an effort to help local parents, we published an article with a list of Playa del Carmen summer camps
and "cursos de verano" for kids in the area. More recently, our good friend Sara Moen at Playa Maya News compiled a great
list of resources for families and children who are visiting the
Riviera Maya, either on vacation or for an extended stay. Working together with Sara to find the very best and most popular activities started me on
the path to uncovering what options are available for children
who are living here full-time and need well-structured sports and other extra-curricular programs during the academic school year. When we started really looking around, we
discovered many more activities than I had anticipated.
This is by no means a complete list. It is a work in progress. This information was compiled using my own personal experience and the experiences of friends and other families living in Playa del Carmen.
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Soccer - One of the greatest things about sports is that the spirit of
competition and fair play is universal. No matter what country you are
from or what language you speak, on the sports field it all comes down
to skill, stamina and experience. Signing your kids up for sports in
Playa del Carmen will go along way to helping them make friends and
learn Spanish. Soccer, or futbol, is by far the most popular sport and
nearly all the private schools have their own teams. Girls are allowed
to play on these teams but with the exception of the older girls team at
Instituto Tepeyac, you will find very few girls on the "cancha" come
game day. If your chosen school does not have a futbol team for your
aspiring Lionel Messi or Mia Hamm, there are league teams to consider
for boys and girls of all ages.
Liga Premier de Futbol Infantil y Juvenil Riviera Maya AC
http://www.ligafutbolrivieramaya.com
informes@ligafutbolrivieramaya.com
984-118-5330
Playa Soccer - Young children, youth, girls teams
Calle 86 Norte, west of 307
984-873-3354
984-152-4237
InterPlaya Youth Soccer
Mario Villanueva Stadium
Corner of Ave. 20 and Calle 34
Coach Mario Tejo
American Football is becoming more and more popular in Quintana Roo. Driving up through Cancun, I have spotted several football fields at the Preparatory and Universities that line the highway. The only team in Playa del Carmen is the Caballeros but they have been in existence now for a few years and have quite a few players and several age groups playing. I understand there is now a flag-football team for girls!
Los Caballeros de Playa del Carmen
Colegio Ingles
Miss Rosie Lagunas - Coordinadora de Academias Deportivas y Culturales
Coach Hernan Rodriguez Torrez
Km. 291.5 Carratera Fed. Cancun-Playa del Carmen
academias_deportivas@colegioinglesolaya.com
Head Coach José Luis Farías
Baseball - Information coming soon
Basketball - Information coming soon
Tennis - Despite the heat, tennis is a very popular past-time
here on the Riviera Maya. So much so, that it is a challenge to get
court time. Signing up for regular clinics is a good way to keep up your
game and get your kids involved as well. PLAY Tennis Academy is a very
popular tennis program for children in the region. They have classes for
all ages and levels of play. The multilingual tennis pros utilize a
teaching program based on PLAY+ STAY of the International Tennis
Federation. Using the new "PLAY + STAY"
method, kids of all skill levels learn the proper technique and
form for each of the strokes used in the fast paced game of tennis!
Children will develop important motor skills with the racket in a manner
suitable for children at all levels of play. PLAY Tennis also offers
private lessons, master clinics, tournaments and a summer camp for kids.
My kids attended last summer and loved it!
PLAY Tennis
Dir. Alvaro Flores
tenisproalvaro@gmail.com
984-806-4666
http://www.playtennisplaya.wordpress.com/
RIU Lupita Playacar
Playa Tennis Academy
Dir. Claudia Rios
984-745-0463
Pro Aristeo Luna
984-807-9032
aristeo.luna@yahoo.com.mx
Poliforum Multi-Deportivo
Ave. 115 and Juarez
Col. Ejidal, Playa del Carmen
Sailing - Sailing is a sport that brings its participants in continuous contact with nature and helps
develop self esteem and decision making skills in young people. A relatively new offering, the sailing club in
Puerto Aventuras is already attracting a great following. Captains in
the making train on easily maneuverable Optimist sailboats, perfect for
young ones. If you are thinking about signing up your child for lessons,
you will not want to miss the upcoming Copa Riviera Maya Optimist
Regatta scheduled for April 27 - 30, 2012 in Puerto Aventuras.
Club de Velas Puerto Aventuras
Dir. Daniele Gracis
984-127-1392
danielegracis@hotmail.com or atencion@colonos.org
The Porvenir Sailing Club is located south of
Puerto Morelos and just ten minutes north of the famous Playa del
Carmen, on the beach between the Blue Bay Resort and the
Haciendas Tres Rios Resort. This location provides fantastic sailing
conditions for beginners to advanced sailors in a relaxed, off-the-beach
sailing program. The Porvenir fleet is comprised of 6 Lasers, 12 Optimists, a 21 foot sailing coach boat and a 15
foot inflatable boat. The sailing program for beginners is run in
the Optimists. Sailing is on Friday afternoons (3-6 pm) and
Saturday's (11am-2pm). The sailing program for more advanced
sailors is conducted in the Lasers. Sailing is on Mon/Thu/Fri
(3-6pm) and Saturday's (11am-2pm). Porvenir offers excellent sailing
instruction from top local sailors. In addition, they often host National
and World-Class sailors from both America and Europe who provide young sailors with seminars on advanced sailing
tactics and sailing techniques.
Porvenir Sailing Club
Km. 301, Carretera #307 Cancun-Tulum
Club Manager: Alberto Bache - bachealberto@yahoo.com.mx
Club Partner: Bruce Stone - bruce@brucestone.com
984-116-3965
Golf -
All of the wonderful golf courses along the Riviera Maya offer golf
clinics and private lessons for players of all ages and skill levels.
You can check with your local pro to find a class that is appropriate
for your young Greg Norman. If your children are really serious about
golf, you are in luck! One of the finest golf schools in the world has a
base right here on the Riviera Maya. The Jim McLean Golf School has a
satellite at Mayakoba's El Cameleon Golf Course. El Cameleon is also
home to the Mayakoba Classic, the only PGA event held outside of the
United States. The Junior Elite Golf Camp
is a Play + Stay option more geared towards established Junior golfers
coming in from abroad but lessons can be arranged for children living
locally who would like ongoing instruction.
Jim McLean Golf School
Mayakoba Resort
Km 298, Playa del Carmen
mayakoba@jimmclean.com
Reservations for lessons and schools: 984-206-3088
Golf School: 984-122-5104
Martial Arts - Until we moved to Mexico, I knew next to
nothing about Martial Arts. When my then 6 year old son approached me
wanting to enroll in Taekwon do, I was surprised but open to the idea.
He began his instruction after school at Papalote under Marcos Carillo
and, as he progressed, moved on to taking more advanced classes in the
studio at Gran Fraternidad Marcial. Cole and his classmates, boys and
girls ages 4 and up, excelled under
the tutelage of Professor Carillo. I cannot say enough about our
experience with Professor Marco.
Something to note: If you are looking for a teacher who is going to
teach your kids to be "fighters", this may not be the studio for your
family. The focus is on personal growth and achievement, respect and
self-discipline. He helps the children to take the self-discipline they
develop in class
and use it in their lives outside of the Academy and off the mat. Cole
only stopped pursuing this sport late last year when he decided to
dedicate more time to competitive
riding. The center offers
instruction in Taekwon Do, Judo, Jiu Jitsu Brasileno, Aikido and Muay
Thai although you will need to check the age restrictions for each
discipline.
Gran Fraternidad Marcial
Ave. 45 and Calle 1sur, by Chedraui
984-803-0023
Taekwon Do - Mu Duk Kwon
Dan Marco Antonio Carillo
984-105-2648
Judo
Sensei Humberto Lobato
984-130-3869
Ji Jitsu Brasileno
Instructor Gibran Alvarez
984-146-9101
gilbrandemon@hotmail.com
Aikido
Sensei Hector Pavon
998-143-0142
Swimming Clubs/Teams - Swimming is somewhat of a seasonal
activity here on the Riviera Maya. While the water temperature in the
ocean fluctuates very little from summer to winter, our swimming pools
become quite cold during the winter months. For those who have just
arrived from the great white north, the chilly water may be just fine, a
welcome relief from the North Atlantic/Pacific or swimming in mountain
lakes and rivers. After a few years down here in the tropics, your
metabolism acclimates to the temperatures of the region and the thought
of jumping into a pool in January becomes less enticing! It sounds
silly, but you are going to have to trust me on this one. Competitive
swimmers will want to contact Nadadores de Quintana Roo for the best and
most up to date information on training and events.
Nadadores de Quintana Roo A.C.
998-848-3631
atencion@nqr.mx
http://www.nqr.mx
Escuela Manuel Acosta - Outdoors, unheated
Playacar Phase 2 entrance at Ave. 10
984-803-0652
http://www.escuelamanuelacosta.edu.mx/plantel_playacar.html
Colegio Ingles - Outdoors, unheated
Miss Rosie Lagunas - Coordinadora de Academias Deportivas y Culturales
Coach Hernan Rodriguez Torrez
Km. 291.5 Carratera Fed. Cancun-Playa del Carmen
academias_deportivas@colegioinglesolaya.com
Colegio Weston - Indoors, heated pool
Km. 298 Carratera Fed. Cancun-Playa del Carmen, Esq. Calle 80 Norte
984-109-2216
colegiowestonmx@hotmail.com
Kiin Ha Academica Deportiva - Indoors, heated pools
Calle 34 between Avenis 85 & 90
Col. Ejido, Playa del Carmen
984-206-1524 or 984-879-9930
kiinha@telmexmail.com
Horseback Riding - Despite my best efforts, both of my children somehow managed to inherit my passion for horses. It didn't rear its head until two years ago but when the bug bit, they both fell hard. We now have two horses and I spend a great deal of my Mom time at the stables or shuttling my aspiring show jumpers and their steeds to competitions. If you children are interested in horseback riding, competitive or otherwise, you will want to visit Hipico Playa del Carmen and the owner/director Paco Magallon. Honestly, I don't think there is a finer person to trust your children with, in or out of the ring. There is also a good club in Puerto Aventuras listed below. Living further north toward Puerto Morelos and Cancun? There is El Rey Polo Club to consider as well as Hacienda Andalucia, Centro Ecuestre del Caribe and the newest addition to the Quintana Roo equestrian scene, Instituto Equestre Nacional, all of which have fine facilities and excellent trainers. Very young children and those who are more interested in getting to know the horses and how to care for them may be well suited for Hipico Playa del Carmen's new "Cowboy Kids" classes organized by Paco Magallon's son, and accomplished rider, Diego. Rather than placing an emphasis on competitive skills, Diego helps his young students to first build a relationship with the horses in a manner inspired by Monty Roberts, the original horse whisperer. They learn about all the aspects of horse care as well as basic equitation skills. The only requirements for students? A love of horses...and carrots.
Hipico Playa del Carmen
Dir. Paco Magallon
Behind Rancho Guadalupano, across from Colegio Tepeyac
984-115-5826
hipicoplayadelcarmen@gmail.com
Hipico Los Corceles
Dir. Raul Molina
Behind the new Chedraui in Puerto Aventuras
984-131-5963
hipicoloscorceles@gmail.com
Gymnastics/Acrobatics If your children are already serious gymnasts or young gymnasts who show real promise in the sport you will need to look outside of Playa del Carmen to continue their training. There are some excellent training facilities and world class coaches in Cancun. If you children are promising competitors, you will be well advised to make transportation arrangements and utilize the more professional gyms. If your kids are just starting out or just want to have some fun, these local options can get them going so that they can learn the skills and techniques necessary to become proficient in the various disciplines of gymnastics. I hear that the acrobatics classes at Evolve and Center 8 are a blast!
Colegio Ingles - Olympic gymnastics
Coach Carlos Amnizade Quiroz
Miss Rosie Lagunas - Coordinadora de Academias Deportivas y Culturales
Km. 291.5 Carratera Fed. Cancun-Playa del Carmen
academias_deportivas@colegioinglesolaya.com
Evolve Gym - Circus arts, gymnastics
Calle 24 between 5th and 10th
984-803-0986
owner@evolvemexico.com
Center 8 Studio - Acrobatics
Dir. Tiffany Rothe
Instructor Cassandra Lindsay
Ave. 1 and Calle 42
984-267-2922
center8studio@yahoo.com
http://www.center8studio.com/
Yoga is a very popular activity for adults here on the Riviera Maya and now, a few classes just for children have begun to attract a loyal following. We favor the Friday classes at Yoga by the Way lead by instructor Eli Gregg in which yoga principals are woven into age appropriate teaching opportunities that the children can refer back to in their everyday lives outside of the yoga studio.
The Kids Way
Dir. Elizabeth Gregg
Yoga by the Way
info@yogabytheway
984-873-3583
Calle 26 between 5th and 10th
Col. Centro, Playa del Carmen
Kids Classes - Fri. 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Jardin de Shangrila
Calle 38 and Calle Flamingos
Col. Centro, Playa del Carmen
http://www.jardindeshangrila.com/
gamyoga@jardindeshangrila.com
984-108-5281
984-113-8367
Kids Classes - Mon. Wed. Fri. 4pm - 5pm
Casa Ananda Yoga del Corazon
Calle 34 and Avenida 75
984 113 7834
984 139 5956
Website: http://www.anandayoga.com.mx/
Email: ananda.yoga1@facebook.com
Kids Classes - Mon. & Wed. 6:30pm
Sat. 8:30am
Music/Voice - Without
a doubt, Explayarte is the place to go for music instruction in Playa
del Carmen. They offer instruction for all levels in guitar, base
guitar, violin, drums, keyboard as well as vocal instruction and chorus. Students
who attend the El Papalote's preparatory (high school) program, Bachillerato Naciones
Unidas, may also choose a "double-major", splitting their studies
between academics at Papalote and music at the Explayarte campus. There
are other music schools in town but we like this one for the
family-friendly atmosphere and the all-inclusive vibe encouraged by the
administration and the instructors. The teachers are kind and
enthusiastic and all the kids just love it there.
Explayarte
Dir. Luis Ernesto Lopez
luevargas@hotmail.com
984-859-3203 (3201)
explayarte@hotmail.com
Arco Vial south, across from Centro Maya
http://www.explayarte.com
Drama/Music Theater - Years ago, just before our family made
the move to Playa del Carmen, Rob and I happened upon a surprisingly
good production of "Jesucristo Superestrella" being performed in the
small park down by the Cozumel ferry dock. Flash ahead eight years and
my daughter is currently in rehearsals for an upcoming production of
"Seussical", led by the same director, Shane Southcott. After huge
successes with the reprise of "Jesus Christ Superstar" followed by
"Pippin" and "CATS", the musical theater program at Explayarte is now
really taking off! When an audition is announced, the hallways are
packed with aspiring actors and actresses, children and adults alike.
The fact that the school also offers voice and dance classes assures
that their students can work toward being "triple threat" performers. If
you live in Playa but your children dream about the lights on Broadway,
Explayarte is the place to be!
Explayarte
Dir. Shane Southcott
explayarte@hotmail.com
984-859-3203 (3201)
Arco Vial south, across from Centro Maya
http://www.explayarte.com
In Motion Artes Escenicas - Theatre for children, Acrobatics
Edificio Tendenza
Calle 14 and 10th Ave.
Col. Centro, Playa del Carmen
inmotionplaya@hotmail.com
Dance - Dance is inseparable from the fiber of Mexican culture. As such, there are innumerable dance schools in Playa del Carmen alone. They vary in size and in the disciplines covered. These are probably the best known and most well established and the academies to contact first in the quest for the right class for your budding ballerinas. There are also a varierty of traditional and folkloric dance classes are offered at La Casa de Cultura in Playa del Carmen.
On Stage Dance Academy
Dir. Clinzia Martina
Calle 24 between Ave 30 and 35
Col. Centro, Playa del Carmen
http://www.academiaonstage.com/
on.stage@hotmail.com
info@academiaonstage.com
984-879-4839
Mon. - Fri. 4pm - 7pm
Coppelias - Ballet, Jazz, Zumba , Flamenco
Calle 10 Norte between Ave. 20 and 25
Col. Centro, Playa del Carmen
coppeliasballet@hotmail.com
984 803-4136
8:30 am - 10 pm
Talulah - Ballet, Jazz
http://talulah.com.mx/
Calle 36 Norte and 90th Ave.
Col. Ejidal, Playa del Carmen
info@talulah.com.mx
984-140-1566
In Motion Artes Escenicas - Ballet (R.A.D. Graded),Jazz, Modern Dance, Irish Dance, Acrobatics
Edificio Tendenza
Calle 14 and 10th Ave.
Col. Centro, Playa del Carmen
inmotionplaya@hotmail.com
Dance 4 Fun - Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Salsa, Baby Dance, Cardio Dance
Bosque Real, Playa del Carmen
984-807-8226
984-109-1746
dance4f@ymail.com
http://www.d4fstudio.blogspot.com/
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Selecting a school and enrolling your child is only one part of a
well-rounded education for your child. The extra-curriculars they choose
can be just as important to their development as the academics. They
will certainly be essential as your child starts to make friends,
develop a social circle and assimilate into the life of a "Playa-child".
Just as no one school is right for all children, no one school is
likely to offer all the sports, art, music, drama and other activities
that your child wants to pursue.
I will likely be keeping this list of activities bookmarked and updated regularly as
more options become known to me. If you have anything to add to help fill out this list, please let me know by leaving a comment. I hope you all find this helpful and
informative and will share it with other families living on the Riviera
Maya.
PS. New families relocating to Playa del Carmen arrive with a variety of
concerns. Selecting a school for their children will undoubtedly be at
the top of the list. Recently, I wrote a series of articles about
choosing a school and educating your children in Mexico. Part 1 and Part 2 can be found here in the online edition of Mexi-Go Magazine. A list of private schools in the area with up to date contact information can be found here on Playa Maya News.
I moved to Mexico with my family in 2004 with the hope of offering our children a more global education and world view. Since then, we have traveled through Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, gathering friends and life experiences and learning a lot about ourselves along the way. When we are not out and about exploring, Rob and I own and operate BuyPlaya, a Playa del Carmen real estate company and FurnitureMex. "Life's a Beach" is a catch-all blog where you may find anything from restaurant reviews, to recipes, gardening tips, commentary about expat daily life, local events, information about moving to Mexico and educating children in Playa del Carmen. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.