Preschool Gymnastics Ideas

Parents often find themselves constantly trying to find ways to improve their child's development and overall health. This can be overwhelming and quite a daunting task due to the sheer amount of information that has to be considered. The preschool age in itself is a hard one to master; there is not only a lot a parent has to keep up with, but they also have to take into consideration their growth, development, and social skills. One of the best ways for parents to help their child’s development is to put them into a sport. Preschool Gymnastics has shown that it not only has a great benefit to a child's gross and fine motor skills, but it also has a huge impact on cognitive and social development. Additionally, social skills are critical in setting a child up for success in their future endeavors. Sports such as gymnastics have been shown to increase all of these in young children. When children are put in a safe and fun environment, they excel in this area. Teachers and coaches create lesson plans that are meant for preschool-aged children. They are fun, intuitive, and are filled with gymnastics games such as relay races and Simon Says. They teach children basic gymnastics skills such as jumping on a balance beam and forward rolls. They also have many teamwork-building exercises that help aid in the building of social skills and effective communication. Gymnastics is a fun way for kids to grow and master skills such as balance and coordination. It is also a sport you can take home, just make sure you are being safe. One extremely important safety practice is having the correct preschool gymnastic equipment, like a safe ground for your child to do the exercises on. An example of a safe floor would be a home air floor mat. These are perfect for when you want to practice at home, as it provides a cushioned and safe landing for any exercises you may want to do with your child. Additionally, it easily folds and stores. Here is a link to learn about the best gymnastic preschool equipment for home use. Some exercises you can do with your child: • Forward roll • Balancing on one foot • Touching your toes • Stretching • Cartwheels

Warm ups

Before you do any tricks or exercises with your child, you must warm up to prevent injury. Easy warm-ups such as jump rope and running in place are some great ideas. Stretching muscles is also important, examples such as the seal stretch, the pigeon, lunges, and more are great ways to start. Parent participation makes stretching and warming up so much more fun, it also helps improve the relationship with your child. You can also work with your child and make warm-ups more fun. For example, you can do preschool gymnastics games as a warm-up. Simon Says is a very popular one. It teaches your child how to listen to directions while to have them do warm-ups. You can say things like; “Simon says to do 5 jumping jacks” or “Simon says to touch your toes”. This way your child is having a fun interaction while learning different skills. Preschool gymnastic skills help a child build fine motor skills that will stay with them forever, so it is important that they start to master them at an early age. The balance beam is an amazing way for kids to start to conquer fine motor skills, such as balance and coordination. Simple practices with the air beam are a great place to start. The air beam is a safe way to get acquainted with the balance beam, it is filled with air, made with strong material, and is close to the ground to help keep your child safe from injury. Some preschool gymnastic ideas to do on the air beam to do at home; • Walking • Bunny hops • Balancing on one foot • L-kicks • Relvé (standing on just the ball of your foot) • Backward walking

Forward Roll

A forward roll is a basic yet fun preschool gymnastic skill to learn. This trick prepares kids to gain confidence in being upside down. 1. Have their hands to the sky 2. Help them go into a ball 3. Show them where to put their hands on the floor 4. Have them look between your legs a. Make sure their neck is tucked 5. Tell them to push off with their legs 6. You can help them roll over by supporting their legs 7. Have them stand back up after with their hands to the sky Backward Roll Similarly to a forward roll, the backward is fun, but it is a harder trick to learn. This will help prepare them for backward tricks while building strength. 1. Have their hands to the sky 2. Help them go into a ball 3. Put their hands by their head 4. Have them sit down 5. After tell them to push their legs off a. Make sure their neck is tucked 6. Then have them roll b. You may need to help them the first few times Trampoline/Jumping Exercises The trampoline is a fun way to incorporate exercise while expanding a child's developmental skills. While it is not recommended that a child use a full-size trampoline until they are older, an equally fun, but safer option would be an airspot. The airspot is safer, more affordable, easier, and also more convenient than a traditional trampoline. Easy exercises such as bunny hops and jump kicks are incredibly fun and will keep your child exercising. Some more examples of what you can do on the airspot include: • Tuck jumps • Running in place • Seated bounce • Planks • Jump splits

More Beginner Gymnastics Exercises

Having your child do preschool gymnastic exercises is amazing for their growth and development. Continuing this past a child's preschool years provides the benefits for a kid's development. Children advance and continue cognitive development along with social skills. They should be doing beginner gymnastics exercises once they become more advanced. Talking to a coach or a teacher is the best way to determine if your child is ready to advance. Additionally, in order to get a deeper understanding of the sport it is always insightful to get the perspective of a seasoned parent who has had the experience in the sport with their child. Signs your child is ready to move up levels: 1. Boredom a. When a child seems bored with what has been given to them and it seems to be too easy 2. Perfected basic tricks a. This varies per level b. Showing interest in harder moves and tricks 3. Understands basic language a. Equipment names b. Names of skills (and know how to do them) 4. Follow simple instructions a. Be able to understand and execute basic instructions Gymnastics is a fun sport that has many benefits for a child's growth and development. Although, having the right equipment and knowledge is key. It is extremely important to stay safe while having fun. Get your preschool gymnastics equipment online!