With Kerry Blake, Nominated Supervisor
Our Junior Kindy children have started an exciting in-centre program with local coaching experts, Triple Threat Gymnastics.
Says Nominated Supervisor, Kerry Blake, “It is perfect for this age group as they need to do some organised physical activities, and are learning about safety using the correct techniques. Gymnastics helps them to build respect for their bodies and how they move.”
Gymnastics is a fantastic foundation sport as it teaches fundamental movement skills, allowing transition into almost any sport. Children need as many opportunities as possible to optimise brain development and increase physical potential before they go to school. Educational research tells us that children learn best through exploring and discovering their abilities through physical activity.
Gymnastics offers some great benefits for young children, including:
Gymnastics stimulates cognitive growth
The left side of the brain is responsible for analytical thinking, and the right side for creativity and visualisation. To put it simply, your left brain would be the scientist and your right brain, the artist! In gymnastics, both sides of the brain are engaged. When young children are exposed to activities in gymnastics, the whole brain is exercised, encouraging rounded thinking.
Gymnastics develops strong and healthy bones
Gymnastics enables safe weight bearing, especially in classes suitable for toddlers and children. From early on, encouraging the use of the body, and placing normal pressure on the bones, increases and stimulates bone density for a strong and healthy skeletal system!
Develops strength, balance, flexibility, and co-ordination
Gymnastics improves all around muscle strength and is fantastic for balance and posture. This is important whether it be balancing on a beam, sitting at a desk in class, or walking upstairs or along the street. The flexibility developed at gymnastics assists with injury prevention and is beneficial for all other sports too! Gymnastics develops body awareness and co-ordination, allowing children to feel successful in physical activities throughout their day to day lives.
Increases coordination and encourages proprioceptive awareness
Young children should be exposed to different kinds of learning. In gymnastics, not only vocal cues are used to direct children, but also visual ones, through the assistance of tangible materials. This encourages both gross and fine motor skills development, building coordination and awareness of the body.
Instils an understanding of discipline
When a child commit attends training as part of a regular schedule, it instils an understanding of schedule and commitment. Gymnastics further cements the respect for discipline in the kinds of regulations it employs for safe and effective practice.
Fosters self-esteem from an early age
In gymnastics, children are being exposed to different stimuli and encouraged and supported to try new skills all the time. The positivity attached to attempts, perseverance and successes, no matter how seemingly small, only increase and establish a good self-esteem.
Increases social awareness and benefits
Gymnastics classes encourages participation from all within the class, whilst focusing on the individual. This is important in creating a social environment which is fun, new, and challenging for all. Encouraging social interactions which are well monitored from the onset is crucial to social behaviour and inclusivity as children get older.
Enhances Other Sports and Great for General Fitness
Gymnastics encourages a healthy lifestyle and children learn to love being active! The body control and awareness learnt at gymnastics, is beneficial for other sports, activities, and everyday life!
It’s FUN, play-based learning!
Jumping, rolling, tumbling, swinging, leaping, balancing – at gymnastics, there is so much fun in one lesson! Children learn best through playing and doing, and gymnastics is the perfect activity to support their development in a safe and fun environment, and they just love it!
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