Gymnastics Skills for Toddlers

Basic Skills

• Toddlers should be mastering skills that are developmentally appropriate. Jeannie McCarthy, a former collegiate gymnast and judge, notes that milestones for a 2-year old will be different than that of a 3- or 4-year-old student. Young toddlers will start by focusing on basic skills such as rolling, jumping and balancing. The toddler will also work on correct body position for moves she will learn when she is older such as the pike position. Toddler instructors might use an obstacle course that incorporate these basic skills.

Social Skills

• Just as learning the basic movements is important, learning to function in a social setting is also an important part of the gymnastics program. The toddler will learn the importance of listening and communicating with those around him. He will learn to share with other students in the class and the importance of working together through group activities, such as playing with a parachute.

Safety

• Safety is critical when dealing with toddlers. A toddler should only be expected to perform tasks that are age and developmentally appropriate. The adult should always tour the facility and speak with the instructor before letting their child attend class. Inspect the equipment the child will be using and ask about safety protocol. Ensure the facility has a first aid station and that all instructors are trained to handle basic first aide tasks.

Benefits

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents emphasize physical activity early in a child̵7;s life because as children mature, the allure of a sedentary lifestyle can grow. Gymnastics can be the emphasis on physical fitness that provides a lifelong love of remaining active. Aside from more obvious physical benefit, USA Gymnastics, which governs gymnastics in the United States, has studied the mental benefits of gymnastics in children. It found strength-training improves hand-writing skills by strengthening the arm and hand muscles. They also found that advanced visual and audio senses and spatial awareness needed for basic gymnastic techniques helps with development of math skills.