parenting

4 reasons why gymnastics is great for toddlers

Want to know why gymnastics is great for toddlers? Read all about it below! 

With three children spanning from the ages of 21 months to 8 years old, we’ve done our fair share of gymnastics classes. I started my oldest when he was around 21 months and started the other two even earlier. And while some may think “they’re so little, what can they possibly do in gymnastics class?!”, it’s one of the best things we’ve done for them!

When we think of gymnastics we think of flipping and cartwheeling and all sorts of crazy stuff. But obviously your toddler isn’t doing a back handspring anytime soon. And if they are then congratulations, that’s amazing. But they do learn all sort of other amazing things. I’m basing our experience off of the classes we’ve taken; we’ve been members at both My Gym and The Little Gym so if you have those in your area, I highly recommend checking them out out. But I know there are a lot of local gyms as well with similar curriculums!

Depending on the age group of the class, they learn a variety of things. There’s usually some sort of circle time in the beginning where they share their name, do a task or a skill, and then a warm up. They have also read stories, learned sign language signs, done the alphabet, etc.

They are allowed free time to go explore around the gym but there is also some structure for group activities or the skill of the week. There has also been stories, bubbles, parachute, balls, etc. There are so many more activities than just the gym equipment but my little monkeys have always been huge fans of that!

why gymnastics is great for toddlers

So let’s break it down on why gymnastics is great for toddlers:

Physical activity: I think this is an obvious one. But toddlers have a lot of energy and it’s nice to get it out in a positive and somewhat structured way.

Peer interaction: Whether they’re an only child or have siblings at home, interacting with their peers is super important to their development. They will learn to wait their turn, share the equipment, work together, and more.

Gross motor skills: They’ll learn to use their arms, legs, and torso in a functional way by running, jumping, crawling, going under and over, throwing a ball, etc.

IT’S FUN! My kids have always looked forward to their class every week and I have loved watching them master skills and grow. Of course it’s bittersweet because I want them to stay little forever, but I know that’s inevitable. So gymnastics for my toddlers has always been a great way to let them learn independence and other life skills, but also allows me to participate with them.

They’re only little for so long and setting them up to succeed is one of the best things you can do for them. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below! xo

4 reasons why gymnastics is great for toddlers

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