Gym Kids Level 1
Vault
Vault
GK100-Running
Running is a skill that needs to be practiced at this stage. Their runs are not yet very efficient and sometimes they stumble as they figure out where their feet are while they are running. Limit the distance at first to keep your littles near you.
Vault
GK101-Jump On One Leg
Let's challenge our little one's balance and control. We will now have them try to jump or hop on one foot. You will notice that they kind of jump sideways at first as they learn to keep their body balanced and learn to push the floor away during the jump.
Vaulting
GK102- Climb To Box
This will be their first introduction to climbing up onto blocks, low vault or similar apparatus. They will need to use their own strength of course, but also balance, awareness and coordination. They should show control before jumping off to a motorcycle onto a soft mat. Assist as needed.
Vaulting
GK103- Motorcycle
Motorcycle is a nickname for the body shape we seek for a good landing position. They should have their feet straight, knees bent, shoulders slightly forward and arms out in front. They should be able to control this landing and be able to get into this position with ease, before moving on to harder skills.
Vaulting
GK104- Jump On Floor With Both Feet Together
Let's get those legs moving! Now your Gym Kids will learn to jump off both feet and land on both feet. This might seem easy to you, but for little ones it's a challenge to get all the joints to move in sequence. You might notice that at first they jump more off one foot than the other or that they push like they are going to jump, but don't actually leave the floor. Development will come along as they gain control and their brains understand the sequencing.
Vault
GK105- Donkey Kicks
Let's get the gymnasts up and moving! Jumping jacks challenge the strength and endurance of your gymnasts. Have them bounce from stretched to star, stretch to star. Repeat this action for the number or time that is appropriate for your group's age and level.
Encourage good form and using their feet to push off the floor. The more fatigued they get the more form issues you might see, so keep pushing for good form.
Bars
Uneven Bars
GK110-Swing On Rings To Motorcycle
A swing on rings in tuck helps your Gym Kids develop their grip strength, their core strength and understanding the feeling of swinging and aiming for a good motorcycle landing.
Swinging also stimulates the brain and enhances the child's feelings of calm, stimulates development and causes the brain to learn about the world around them. Swinging or rocking is something caregivers do automatically to help calm a child.
Remember to have them land in a motorcycle position to keep them safe and for them to learn to control their bodies as they move and stop.
Uneven Bars
GK111- Long Hang On Bars
A long hang on bars will be the start of some skill independence for your youngest Gym Kids. They will grip the bar and lift their feet off the ground to a hang. You may need to help lift the onto the bar to get them started.
Try to have them hang with a long body shape and when they jump off they should try to land in motorcycle.
How long they can hang is dependent on their grip strength, age and stage of development. Some 3's will have tiny hands and can only hang for a short time, others are a bit further along the development pathway and will be able to hang longer.
Uneven Bars
GK112- Small Swing On Bars
Teaching the child to swing may require your help at first. They are still navigating moving while in contact with the ground and it may take a few tries to figure out how to move in space.
Have them jump off a block and use momentum to reach out for a prop/foamie or object on the other side of the bar, encourage them to hang on while they swing back to their take off spot.
Always be ready to assist if they are unable to hang on.
Uneven Bars
GK113-Straddle Hang
This is very similar to the long hang, but now we have the legs apart in a straddle position. This will help develop their core muscles and also helps them learn a variety of shapes and positions.
Uneven Bars
GK114-Swing On Rings
Swinging on the rings is a little easier than on a bar. The ring itself is a little smaller in diameter and moves will them.
Have them stand on a small box, grasp the rings and lift their feet off the ground. Momentum will carry them forward and eventually back to their starting point. Always bring them back to a good landing in motorcycle position.
Uneven Bars
GK115- Front Support With Assistance
A front support on bars is learned by having the child lifted or jump to a support on the bar, where their hands are taking their body weight, their hips are against the bar, legs straight and together.
Stay near by at first to ensure they have their balance and can control the front support. Teaching them to lay in a pike on the bar or to jump back to the floor to motorcycle will help them recover if they lose their balance. You can also spot them by supporting their shoulder with one hand and the other near their feet to prevent them from tipping.
Balance Beam
Balance Beam
GK120-Walk On Floor Beam
Walking on a floor beam seems easy to us, but is a challenge for our young gymnasts at first. They will likely keep stepping off the side until they learn how to balance their body. Their brains will collect information as they learn this skill and help them learn to stay upright and on the beam.
Have them walk one foot in front of the other, arms can be out to the side and keep looking towards the end of the beam.
As with all skills, they should exit to a motorcycle position.
Balance Beam
GK121-Jump Off Low Beam To Motorcycle
Walking on the Balance Beam helps develop the Gymnast's balance and agility.
Begin on a lower beam and work their way up to a higher beam based on their skill, confidence and ability.
Walking forward, one foot in front of the other with their arms out for balance. Their eyes should be looking forward to where they are going, rather than down at their feet.
Sideways they can slide one foot out and then bring together or if they feel confident you can also try grapevine.
Backwards they will look forward only and learn to understand their body in motion while travelling backwards.
Balance Beam
GK122-Step Over Small Objects On The Beam
Let's add a little challenge to walking across the beam. You can use any soft or small prop. Using something that relates your lesson plan makes the learning more fun!
As they walk they will step over the object and place their foot on the other side. This will challenge their focus, their balance and their coordination.
Floor Exercise
Floor Exercise
GK130-Soldier Position
Soldier Position is when the gymnast stands with their legs together, their arms at their sides and a nice tight shape.
Floor Exercise
GK131-Star Stand
A Star Stand looks just like it sounds! They stand with their feet apart, arms out wide and a nice tight body. Now they look like a star.
Putting their bodies into different shapes is teaching them body awareness for later skills.
Floor Exercise
GK132-Tuck Position
Your littles are learning all the different shapes we can make. This one is the tuck position. They can do it sitting down, standing on their feet, laying on their back, in the air and on their hands (with help).
The knees will be bent and they are also bent at the hips. Hands can be beside their knees, holding their knees or on the floor.
Floor Exercise
GK133-Straddle Position
Precision Jumps are similar in goal to Dominos. They will need to jump from object to object without falling off.
Set up a circuit of several different blocks, panel mats or cheeses. Varying the heights and slopes will help challenge the Ninja's skill.
Ensure that the choices are suitable for the Ninjas in your class.
Floor Exercise
GK134-Kick Forwards And Backwards
A front or back kick is now increasing the locomotion and making it a bit more challenging.
They will take a step, kick and lift their leg and then place that leg onto the beam. How high they kick will be dependent on how advanced they are. Our young gymnast doing the demo is quite advanced.
This skill will help them build more balance, more coordination and flexibility. They will need to focus more or tip off the beam!
Keep them on a lower height until they are able to be successful.
Floor Exercise
GK135-Jump Forward Off Two Feet
Jumping forward off two feet is again a multi-purpose skill. It develops their coordination, as they work to get all joints to work together.
They start with feet together and swing their arms forward. As they get their arms moving forward they should push off with their feet and jump as far forward as they can.
Giving them a target is very helpful in helping them envision where they need to go.
This strengthens their legs, builds coordination, helps with sequencing in their brain and helps them learn how to move their body.
Floor Exercise
GK136-Bear Walk
Bear Walk looks easy but it requires coordinating all four limbs in a rhythm. This is why we include it in our early learning.
They will walk hand, hand, foot, foot and maintain their balance and rhythm.
Floor Exercise
GK137- Log Roll Down Incline
Log Roll down an incline is a really fun skill that does wonders for brain development!
Crossing the midline, stimulates the brain and triggers a response that develops more neurpathways. And this happens while the child is having so much fun, rolling down a hill.
They should try to stay in a pencil position, with their arms up by their ears. Try to have them keep their legs together and roll down straight.
Floor Exercise
GK138-Front Roll Down Incline
Front Roll down the cheese is the child's first attempts at rotations forward.
Make sure they tuck their head under and lower themselves to their shoulders as they roll forward. They help to create the rotation by pushing off from their feet and pulling their hips over their shoulders. They should try to rotate to a tuck position first, then to their feet and finally to stand.
Floor Exercise
GK139- Spider Handstand
Spider Handstand, who doesnt love spiders!
The gymnast will walk feet up the wall or incline into a handstand position. Only the nose and toes should be touching the wall
The goal is to teach proper handstand body position, gain shouler, arm and core strength
Spring
Spring
GK150-Jump On Trampoline
Jumping on the trampoline is a lot of fun! We need to start small through and ensure that they are able to maintain balance and control. For really little ones, put a small, soft mat on the trampoline to absorb some of the bounce. Small children still have a larger head compared to their bodies and this can make bouncing on the trampoline more of an issue. Keep it small and safe until you know for sure they are ready for more.
Spring
GK151- Stop In Motorcycle
The stop bounce is very important in absorbing the landing on the trampoline.
As the child lands they need to absorb the force through their legs and maintain control of their body. They should be able to do this on demand. Remember to teach the "motorcycle" landing to get control of a landing as quickly as possible.
Spring
GK152- Soldier Jumps
Learning a good straight jump will lead to strong skills later. So don't under estimate the need for a good straight jump!
The child will push off the trampoline equally with both feet, and in this jump, keep their arms at their sides.
Tehy should be able to maintain straight body, stay in the same spot and land in motorcycle.
Spring
GK153- Open -Close On Trampoline
Just like the straight jump, the child needs to be able to stay in control while changing shape.
In the Tuck Jump, the Ninja will push off the trampoline, circle their arms upward and then open their legs slightly, land and then jump again, landing with them together.
Always ensure they can land safely.
Spring
GK154- Doggie Position
A doggie position isn't really a skill, it's a safety technique for later skills. It also helps the child get a better sense of how the trampoline works and is great for younger children.
They will be down on the trampoline on their hands and knees. We are looking for them to support themselves without sagging in the middle.