Fun

Gymnastics should be the most FUN sport available to children. The natural instincts to climb & jump are refined in the gym. Children should be desperate to get to the gym & reluctant to leave.

With beginners we do not teach gymnastics skills, but movement patterns:

• landings
• locomotions
• swings
• springs
• statics
• rotations

The beginner class should not be gymnastics specific. It’s FUN for children to accomplish new movements by themselves. Coaches merely ensure safety while kids learn on their own. To ensure maximum FUN:

• many gymnastics games every class
• high activity ratio
• high praise ratio
• reward individual improvement
• very little emphasis on skills, technique or form

It is EASY to have FUN in the gym with beginners.

The biggest mistake made by coaches? Too many line-ups! Line-ups are not fun.

At some stage, older children will ask to learn more advanced skills. At this point there is a risk of frustration. Go slow. Start with simple exercises done with excellent form; straight legs, good posture, toes pointed. Require many easy drills that the kids can do almost immediately.

Be careful not to make this mistake — asking all the kids in the group to do a cartwheel (for example) as some might get discouraged. The coach needs to watch closely the least skilled child in any group for signs of frustration.

Best strategy is to promote those children showing an interest in learning advanced skills into an advanced group, often practicing twice / week or more.

It is easy to see which kids are having FUN in the gym. They are smiling, laughing, at ease. The coach is happy too!

If you see unhappy gymnasts or coaches in your gym, revisit your goals. Start asking everyone how gymnastics could be more FUN.

Some photos on this page from Christchurch School of Gymnastics. <website>