Preschool tumbling includes skills that are age and level appropriate for preschoolers, such as rolls, handstands, and cartwheels. Little ones come into the gym and start with an exciting warm-up. This could be activities like jumping on the tumble track, bouncing on the trampoline, or building and knocking down pit block towers - a favorite for preschool boys. Following the warm-up is a stretch where preschoolers use their imaginations to fly their butterflies to far off lands (or McDonald's!), make pike stretch peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and become pancakes while in a straddle stretch.
Preschoolers get to participate in up to 20 different stations in the designated preschool area. The lesson plans are designed with stations so that each individual child engages in multiple repetitions of a skill before moving on to work on a different skill. These skills use age appropriate equipment, like the mini-fitness wheel, to ensure success. After engaging in tumbling stations, these children get a chance to cool-down with activities like the mat flip game, rolling in the barrel, or taking one last turn on the beloved trampoline. Preschoolers get to play on even more equipment in gymnastics classes for kids.
While preschool tumbling can improve rolls, handstands, and cartwheels, it has several other benefits as well. Working on these skills helps develop body awareness and coordination. Several tumbling skills require that the body is in an upside-down position, teaching these preschoolers how to use their bodies in different ways. Fitness for kids has never been more fun!
During these stations preschoolers are not only building up different tumbling skills, but they are working on social development. Tot Tumbling is another opportunity to have the little ones in a social setting where they are taking turns, following directions, and interacting with children their own age. Preschool tumbling gives children a positive environment to start building strength and coordination through stations. This includes crawling through tunnels, climbing over rainbow mats, and jumping on trampolines. One of the most important things about preschool tumbling is that it teaches young ones that physical activity is fun!