Health & Fitness for Children : Gymnastics

Warming Up the Little Munchkins

• With appropriate music the children will be encouraged to get up and groove.
• All coaches must start every class with a captivating warm-up that lasts around 10 minutes.
• Stretches come to life the more imaginative you are. Make up moves resembling the movement of animals that the children know. Slither like a snake, crawl like a lion, flap their arms in the the air like a bird or butterfly.
• Ensure that children hold the stretches they do.

Positions

Fundamental body positions include:

• tuck
• straddle
• pike

Gymnastic coaches will demonstrate how to land safely to all children, with knees slightly bent and arms up. They will ensure all children understand and can achieve a safe land.

Consider Age Difference

All coaches will know to adjust their lessons depending on the age group they are working with. Older and more advance children who have taken part for a number of years will obviously be more flexible and confident to try out more harder routines. Whilst a younger group of children will focus more on bunny hops and lion crawls helping them understand how to move in different skills whilst also strengthening their body.

Equipment

Based on experience and age, a gymnastics coach will find the appropriate equipment that best fits your child’s ability to perform an activity. All gymnastic routines will be done on mats. In the beginning all children will learn to achieve simple goals like cartwheels and handstands before moving onto anything more advanced.

Performing

Normally near the end of many gymnastic lessons children will be given 10 to 15 minutes time in groups to perform a routine or show off something new they’ve learned in the lesson. This way each skill can be monitored, giving the appropriate corrections and praises for the skills they’ve gained. As a parent you can request a gymnastic instructor to keep a simple diary of how your child’s progressing, what new skills they’ve learned and completed successfully. A sticker chart may be a good way to keep you children up to date with their own progression too.