Elite Gymnastics

Self Confidence 

 

One of the greatest things we can give to a child is 

more self confidence. Gymnastics, with the many small challenges in each class, builds the confidence in themselves for 

every preschool student. Forget the cartwheels, building self 

confidence can affect every child in a major way for all of the 

other activities in their lives. 

 

Do you want a more self confident preschooler? Is this going to 

help as they get ready for kindergarten? Does being more self 

confident open doors for the children? Do they learn more be- 

cause they ask more questions? Do they learn more because 

they are confident in their abilities? Yes, yes, yes. Gymnastics 

opens an entirely different world of opportunities for a confi- 

dent young student. 

 

Listening and Following Directions 

 

Oh so important. Teaching the little ones to stop, listen and 

learn is unbelievably important. To get them to “stop” is a chal- 

lenge. To get them to look us in the eye and focus is a chal- 

lenge. To teach them to listen to our words without being dis- 

tracted with everything around them is a job in itself. Then to 

help them use our words and comprehend them, gymnastics 

gives us so many chances to practice these things with your 

preschooler. 

 

Listening and following directions starts the process of thinking 

before acting. There is a right way to act and to do things. Pre- 

school gymnastics activities create situations where listening, 

learning and following directions can be practiced. 

 

Discipline 

 

Do all preschoolers need to have activities in their lives where 

discipline and control are important?  Learning and being in- 

volved with rules? Learning what is allowed and what isn’t 

acceptable? All children need to have their basic discipline 

training at home reinforced with similar rules and regulations 

outside the home. The structured, and yet fun, preschool gym- 

nastics classes teach discipline and control. 

 

Your gymnastics teachers will also teach how actions affect 

others. Discipline isn’t just about rules and the 3 year old. It is 

about rules, the 3 year old and all of the other people around the 

3 year old. Gymnastics allows us to “practice” situations and 

help the preschoolers learn what is acceptable behavior and 

what isn’t. 

Movement and Coordination 

 

The vast majority of the life of a preschooler is physical rather 

than mental. So “their physical world” can be made easier, 

through gymnastics instruction, as we teach them what their 

body is like. What their body can do and better ways to do 

physical things. It is an easy thought for us as adults to under- 

stand that a coordinated child is going to have an easier way to 

go. Teach them to run properly. Teach them balance so they 

don’t fall down as much as others. Gymnastics allows us to 

work on their coordination every minute of every class. 

 

Do we want our preschoolers to be a better runners? Better at 

walking backwards? Better at skipping and leaping? Better at 

all of the physical activities that make up so much of their 

lives? Do you think that it will make them feel better to be 

more coordinated? You have done a great job parenting them 

by having them in gymnastics. 

 

Strength and Fitness 

 

Stronger 3 - 5 year olds? More fit? Good 

things? Is there a better activity for fitness and 

flexibility than gymnastics? The children are 

learning to handle their bodies and their body 

weight through gymnastics activities. So much 

is going on in every preschool gymnastics class. 

A lot of people think we are just teaching forward rolls. Far 

from it. Exercise is important. 

 

Bottom Line 

 

Several benefits of preschool gymnastics were highlighted here, 

there are more. But the bottom line is, if you want your child to 

be better prepared to handle the situations in life from 6 - ?, 

gymnastics can help. We are building a better foundation of 

skills and attitudes so that they have a better chance of being 

successful. 

 

The benefits of gymnastics are so far beyond forward rolls and 

cartwheels. Preschool gymnastics helps the child be more ag- 

gressive, more confident and happier in their journey as they 

grow. We want each of them to feel comfortable with their 

body and what they can do with it. We want to help them be 

successful now and in the future. 

 

 

You Have Done Some Really Good Parenting Here! 

 

 

You Have Made A Very Important Decision To Have Your Child Benefit From Preschool Gymnastics. 

Tom Burgdorf  GYMNET Sports 

Author/Publisher Parenting An Athlete Newsletter   E-mail: tom@gymnetsports.com