Ring around the Rosie

I used to hate this song.  I was a history major in college and so this song is a little perverse for me.  But then I was teaching at gym and the coach there (Miss Deborah) did this song with her littles and did the second part that I had never heard before.

Ring around the rosie, (hold hands in circle and skip around)

A pocket full of posies,

Ashes, ashes, we all fall down! (sit down)

Cows are in the meadow,

Eating buttercups,

Thunder,(pound the floor with hands) Lightning, (clap your hands)

We all stand up! (stand back up)

Great transition activity, social activity, ending time, gathering time, etc.  I've started doing this one with ages about 18 months and up.  They won't sing along yet, but they absolutely love to play.

Caterpillar

I had the privilege of going to a gymnastics educational clinic yesterday!  I love love love learning more about the sport from people who have been in the industry and have so much knowledge that they want to share. 

One of my favorite things about going to these clinics is being reminded of drills/games you haven't used in a while.  Such is the case with the lovely caterpillar.

One person kneels down to crawl.  Another person gets behind them and grabs their ankles.  Then they both try to crawl together to get from point A to point B.  I have used this one in parent/tot classes, all the way to team.  For parent/child classes, take turns having the parent or the child be in front.  You can vary it up by having them caterpillar up/down a cheese, across a zig zag, etc.   For team I adapted it so they need to be in a push up position and make it a longer line with more people.

  

Gymnastics for boys?

Most gymnasts are girls.  I have only coaches at one gym where it is closer to probably fifty fifty in terms of boys and girls enrolled in gymnastics classes.  

I would like to put forth the argument that boys and girls should both be enrolled in the sport as they develop...and then can choose to go separate ways as they get older.

I mean, did you ever go to those dances and see those cool break dancers?  The best ones I ever saw at any dance were all former gymnasts...who learned the skills at the gym.  I mean, check out this Olympian breakdancer?

I start them smaller.  I do ALOT of obstacle courses with boys, even into grade school aged.  I coordinate some "parkour" skills mixed with correct gymnastics and form skills.  When I say parkour, I mean something fun like this that is SAFE and controlled, but also let the boys get out some of their energy.

All my preschool classes work on all the different gymnastics equipment.  Keep them all involved and build your program for both genders!  And help your little superhero by enrolling them in a class that will help them develop athletically, cognitively and socially! :)

And I'll leave one of my favorite pictures of the USA Gymnastics Men's team for you