Taking part in recreational gymnastics from a young age comes with many benefits for toddlers and preschoolers. As well as helping them to develop their co-ordination and build their self-esteem, its all about having fun and focusing on interactive play and their social well-being. Preschool gym classes encourage toddlers and preschoolers to be active in a safe, monitored environment.
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As well as helping them to develop their co-ordination and build their self-esteem, it’s all about having fun and focusing on interactive play and their social well-being.
Preschool gym classes encourage toddlers and preschoolers to be active in a safe, monitored environment.
Benefits of recreational gymnastics for toddlers & preschoolers
Why recreational gymnastics?
It's common knowledge that as a baby grows, they become a little more interested in their surroundings, a bit more physically sound and slightly more adventurous.
As parents it can be both exciting and a little nerve-wracking watching your little one attempt to do more, play more and risk more, especially because they are growing at such a fast rate.
A recreational gymnastics programme developed with toddlers and preschoolers in mind offers a safe and stimulating way to aid their curiosity, playfulness and sense of adventure.
What does recreational gymnastics involve?
Gymnastics you say? Bet you’re imagining your toddler or preschooler attempting a triple backflip, not entirely.
Kristina Ineson, Gymnastic Programme Manager from YMCA North Shore describes recreational gymnastics as being lower key and more suited to toddlers and preschoolers age and ability,
“It’s just all round fun for younger children and at YMCA we focus solely on interactive play and social wellbeing.”
Toddles and preschoolers start by attending preschool gym classes that encourage them just to be children in a safe and monitored environment.
They learn how to climb, slide, balance, jump, crawl, hang, swing and experiment at their own, individual rate.
It’s all the fundamentals you would like to encourage your toddler or preschooler to reach out and do, but with a safety net of both staff and parental supervision provided.
8 Benefits of recreational gymnastics for young kids
Some of the benefits your toddler or preschooler will gain by attending a preschool recreational gymnastics class includes:
1. Quality bonding time between a toddler or preschooler and their parent.
2. Growth and development with a focus on fundamental movement patterns.
3. Growing essential motor skills.
4. Building confidence, self-esteem and body awareness.
5. Interactive playfulness, improving emotional intelligence.
6. Coordination, strength, flexibility and hand-eye coordination.
7. Critical social stimulation and sensitization.
8. Recreational gymnastics is a great fitness foundation, cross training for a variety of sporting and recreation activities as they get older.
Watching toddlers and preschoolers progress through a specially designed programme, Kristina has found what she truly loves about gymnastics;
“Some of our children have been with us for 10 years, starting from 2 years to currently 12 years old. I’ve enjoyed seeing kids grow with confidence and self-esteem as they progress and achieve.
We have had kids over the years who have been told they wouldn’t ever jump, and now we see them landing on both feet.”
In later stages, as children progress, they can still build on the core of recreational based gymnastics.
“They learn certified gymnastic skills and are awarded for their achievements. That does not mean we lose focus on the fun environment; they can learn at their pace, and it isn’t competition focused”.
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Source: This article was kindly written for us by YMCA Auckland.