More kids heading to the gym

As with many parents, Diana Ennen had trouble getting her daughter Amber to exercise.

So two years ago, Mrs. Ennen decided that Amber was coming to the health club. Now age 10, Amber is using the stair stepper, lifting hand weights and doing situps on a stability ball.

"She's lost some weight," said Mrs. Ennen, of Margate, Fla. "Her clothes fit better. You can tell she's firmer."

It may sound like a grown up routine, but many parents are enrolling their children in fitness centers or buying child-sized equipment for a workout more grueling than ballet or Little League but cheaper than hiring a...