What are your preschool kids working on

[littlekateskate]

I have two kids basically in the preschool classes at our gym. I was curious what other preschool classes did or were doing. So what are the main theings your kids are working on in their classes?

Well my 4 year olds class (4yr old boys and 3 yr old girls) is working on walking across beam. Walking feet up the wall, cat flip on bar, crossing monkey bars.

And my 5 year olds (kindergym) class is working on...

Bridge kickovers on wedge mat, handstands, bridges, donkey kick on beam, pullovers, leg kicks on beam, scaling on beam.

[moimoi16]

3 year olds:
Floor: - bridges, teddybear stands, handstands (put hands on ground and kick so both legs are off the ground), forwards rolls down incline, tuck jumps, straight jumps, star jumps. I make the kids walk like various animals across the floor (Tall giraffes, bunnys, frogs, crabs (hand and feet on ground, tummy facing celing, walk head first and make sure their bums are not draging on the ground), bears ( hands on feet on ground, straight legs), dogs (crawling), ect)

Beam: ( I try and get the kids to do what they can on the lowbeam by themselves so that they are not always relying on help) - forwards walking, backwards walking, sideways walking (tummy facing each wall), kicks, small hops, straddle pike and tuck sits on beam (most kids have troubles with balancing at this age)

bars: tuck, straddle, and pike holds, and then tuck straddle and pike inverted (with toes on bar). Front support, small casts if you feel comfortable teaching them to do that, swings on high bar, get kids to touch toes to high bar

vault: I just incorperate a springboard into their floor circut so they get the feeling how to jump on one ( in my opinion, 3 years old is to young to use an actual vault)

4-5 year olds:
- i normally do relatively the same stuff as above, but i also include:

Floor: head stands, forward roll to straddle sit, backwards rolls down incline

Bars: pullovers (put a block under their feet so they are closer to the bar), casts big enough that their hips come off bar, monkey walking across high bar

Beam: walking on toes (compared to flat feet for 3 year olds), scales, straight jumps, stork stands (bring one foot up to opposite knee, and balance for three seconds), rainbow walking ( start up tall, gradually as they walk get lower to the beam, and then get taller again as they get closer to the end {lowest point should be around the middle}), various jumps off the beam to nice landing.

vault: get them to do a short run, jump off a spring board, and make the shape you say in the air (ex: star, straight jump, tuck) , then land on a thick mat.

** I'm sorry if you do not understand what i mean in anything i said above. I tried to explain what what i thought needed to be explained, but I am from Canada, so i know that our termonology, and the US termonology is quite different. ***

Best of luck!

[Robindq]

The kids I coach at that age are doing pretty much the same:

3&4:
beam:walking forewards and backwards on (low) beam...straight jumps...stand on one foot (stork stand), jumps off the end (tuck, star, sticking landing)
bars: bird perch (front support), swinging, V-hang
Floor: front rolls (no hands getting up), cartwheels progressions
Vault: mini tramp jumps and straddle onto a block and jump off.

5&6 :
beam: front rolls, tuck jumps etc
bars: pullovers, backhip circles, casts, walking across bar in bird perch, V-hang on high bar
Floor: kick up to handstand (with block), cartwheels, roundoffs, bridges with feet on block (working up to kickovers)
Vault: straddle onto block, jump off (sticking landing)

...

[moimoi16]

Oh and one more thing. I would never teach a 5 year a bridge kickover, or donkey kick on the beam. They are to young, and most do not have the required upper body strength to do those moves safely. If you are concerned about anything your childrens instructor is teaching them, just talk to them and express your concern. I know as a coach myself, I like to hear parents input in these classes.

Preschool gymnastics is supposed to be fun oriented, so that the kids grow interested in the sport, and enjoy themselves. Remember, you are not trying to train olympic athletes at age 4.

[gymdog]

Quote:
Originally Posted by moimoi16 rainbow walking ( start up tall, gradually as they walk get lower to the beam, and then get taller again as they get closer to the end {lowest point should be around the middle})

Nice idea! I do the "waltz step" (two down, two up) but I like this idea a lot.

[starmaker]

Well my four year old is in an advance rec class with 4, 5 and 6 year olds. They are working a lot on form- tight body, straight arms, pointed toes etc.

On bars- pullover, front support with nice form, small casts, back hip circle, swings and some conditioning like pull ups, L holds, leg lifts, etc.

On floor- forward roll, forward roll straddle up, headstands, handstands, cartwheels, backwards roll on cheese mat and floor, bridges(no kickover though)

On beam- Mostly work on high beam- walking, backwards, on toes, leg kicks, tuck jumps, straight jumps, forward rolls, releve holds, v sit etc.

On vault- running, jumping on several mushrooms of different heights and finally jumping on a springboard and jumping on stacked mats either in a squat or forward roll. And I think they are starting handstand flatback.

On tumble track- straight, tuck, straddle, split and seat jumps.

Conditioning- pushups, sit ups, leg lifts, arch ups, hollow holds, squat/straight jumps, pull ups (all for about 20 minutes)

I think that is about it for now.

[TeamDad]

My almost 5 y.o son just started hotshots. I'm not sure what you call anything they're working on, but it looks like the fundamental building blocks of the six men's events and some stretching and conditioning.

I've been working with him to get over the excitement of it and to listen to his coach and sit still and wait his turn without fooling around. I asked him how he liked gymnastics and he said 'it makes my body hurt'. I had to laugh and explain that he is using his muscles differently and that what he is feeling is his muscles getting stronger.