Little Red Block

This little tool is one of my favorites from preschool! You can get a mat just like this from most gym suppliers.  I love it much better than the old flat cartwheel mat that used to be used to teach cartwheels.  I use it for cartwheels, but also for almost every skill!  Here are just a few of the things I use it for in classes:

It also makes a get step stool for the extra little ones for bars, beams, etc. 

Tony Chestnut

Welcome to my favorite alternative head, shoulders, knees and toes!  

I sing the song normally, but I won't make you suffer through that.  I sing and act it out very slowly for my parent-tot classes.  You will be surprised how many pick it up fast!  Make sure you practice, practice, practice before you sing with a class (especially with parents!)

I also love to use this one for my school-aged field trips.  It is a great gathering time activity when we switch from one activity to another.  I gather them with the song (do it one time slow, and then one time fast to challenge them).  Once they have sung, the attention is on you and you have time to explain the rules of the next activity.

Hula-Hoops without Hula-Hooping!

I am going to post a couple videos that have some great ideas of things that you can pull and use at home or at the gym to incorporate hula-hoop!  Most kids these days actually don't even know how to hula-hoop so these can be great introductions to them.

Video One:

Now, most gyms won't have bleachers, but I love to tie the hula hoops to different areas of my gym to make baskets and targets.  You can tie them between parallel bars, hang them from the bars or beams, etc.  I always make sure to emphasize that these skills build to bigger gymnastics skills later!  They not only help with hand eye coordination, but they also build grip strength for bars.

Most of the basketball/baseball games they describe will be too much for a preschooler though in this video, but you can for sure do those with your school-aged kiddos!

Video Two:

I liked this video because it goes over fun ideas on how to actually teach hula-hooping.  Again, more for school-aged.  With hula hoops on the ground, you can also do musical chairs but with hula hoops using different ways to go around as she demonstrates.

Now, for those preschoolers (and parent-tots), here are some of my FAVORITE grab and go activities!

1)  FETCH!  Have grown-up or coach just roll the hoop and kiddo has to run (or skip, or gallop) to go catch it and bring it back!  For more of a challenge, kiddo needs to catch up and go through the hoop while it is moving!

2)  Hoops make great boundaries!  Set up a station inside your hoop!  Grip changes for bars holding the side of the hoop, stretching inside, push-up hold inside, etc.  It works even better if you have those velcro arrows or lines so that you can stick the hula-hoop to the ground.  It takes away the temptation that most kids will have.  

I also use the hoops as a transitional tool sometimes.  It turns into our space ship and everyone has to grab hold as we travel to our next station.  Helps to keep all your kiddos with you!

3)  Spin and stick!  I do this one sometimes for warm-ups and vaulting stations.  I spin or toss the hoop and the student needs to run and jump into the middle and show me their "stick-it position".  

4)  Through the tunnel!  Have a friend hold it while you go through.  Remember that importance on crawling?  Try to emphasize those crawling moments!  For parent and tot classes, I will line up the parents with their hoops so that there is a tunnel of hoops for the tots to go through.  

Do you have more ideas of things to do with hula-hoops?  Do you have something else you would like some extra ideas on?  Feel free to email me at anniegymfinity@gmail.com

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 

When should I put my child in gymnastics?

I have had my parents in town visiting for the past week.  As part of their visit, they have stopped by to see me work.  After watching one of my classes, my mom made a comment along the lines of "Wow!  You really have those kids down to a routine and they follow directions and behave so well!"

It really made me think.  I often get the question of what age should my child start gymnastics or why would I put my child in a gymnastics class so young?  My answer to what age: As soon as you can get them enrolled in a quality program!  Wait until you have the right teacher and gym to fit your family, but then take them as soon as possible.  Try some places.  See what works.  

I've started classes with as young as 15 months where we start with activities as simple as ones like this:

They become accustomed to being outside the home, away from mom/dad and starting to explore the fun things a gymnastics facility has to offer.  They overcome fears and try new things while building manipulative skills.  I also work with beginner kids from junior high (I have even done classes with beginner adults!) who greatly benefit not only from the exercise, but the confidence building, and friends they make in class.  Whatever the age, get them started!

NOW.  The big one.  I am friends with a lot of young moms.  My siblings and in-laws  all have little kids.  There are lots of young moms at my church.  "My child is too young for a sport, especially gymnastics.  They won't really do anything.  It's a waste of money and time."  Why oh why should you put your child in gymnastics class when they are 16 months....18 months...2 years....3 years...?  

1.  Sociality.  I made up the word, but I think you can catch my drift.  They learn to play nice with kids, how to wait their turn, how to listen to a coach, how to stand in line, etc.

2.  A non-family adult role model for your child.  "Coach Annie would be so sad to hear that you didn't eat your vegetables at dinner.....Coach Annie wants you to go to bed so you can wake up and play with her tomorrow...."  It works.  Sometimes having that outside family figure is just what it takes to reinforce good behavior.

3.  Manipulative skills!  Gymnastics leads to betting reading skills, specifically due to the manipulative skills we teach in classes.  Eye tracking teaching body awareness and trains the mind in a way most schools can't.

4.  How to set goals, 

5.  Build self esteem.

And my favorite:

6.  How to do gymnastics safely.  They start with rolls, hanging on the bar, walking on a beam and jumping on a trampoline and before you know it, they are tumbling, flipping on the bars, leaping on the beams and sticking their landing on the vault.  The little drills lead to the big skills when done in a safe progressive manner.  (Again, finding the right gym with the right coach)

Most gyms will offer a free trial class.  Find a certified USAG club near you through usagymclub.com.  See you at the gym :)