If you want you to start your kids off with a flexible and fun childhood, then gymnastics might be a good thing to encourage your child into. Gymnastics is a fun sport that has been in the mix since years, and people usually start training for it at a very young age. Parents who want to put their child into gymnastics usually wonder what age should child start gymnastics. Well, the ideal age to start a kid off with gymnastic is when they’re 5 years old.
Some parents even enroll their kids when they are 2 or 3 years old. You can basically enroll your child at any age after they have hit two, but there are many things you must consider before doing so. If you want to bring up an athletic child and are interested in enrolling your child into gymnastics, then you must continue reading. Over here you will learn everything about child gymnastics, and when is the right time to encourage your kid to pursue it.
What Are The Benefits Of Starting Early?
Gymnastics comes with a set of benefits, especially when your child starts at an early age. If you want to enroll your toddler in gymnastics, then these benefits mentioned below will even encourage you further to do so:
Helps Discipline Your Child
It is every parents dream for their child to follow proper discipline, and sometimes it can get difficult teaching that at home. Gymnastics will require your child to follow a proper schedule, requiring your child to be on time for every session and to commit. This helps maintain the discipline of your child, and also gives them a sense of responsibility while helping create the perfect timetable for them.
Helps Develop a Strong Bone Structure
There is a lot of physical training involved in gymnastics, so by encouraging your child to take part in physical activities, you help them develop strong and healthy bone structure. Your child will engage in safe weight bearing, and other activities which greatly help stimulate bone density.
Increases Self-Esteem at a Young Age
Self-esteem is something every child should develop, and doing that at an early age is one of the best things a child can experience. During gymnastics, your child will be exposed to different skills and stimulus that helps establish a sense of good self-esteem whenever they try out new things, especially if they find it challenging.
Develops Proper Cognitive Growth
Children at a young age especially toddlers require proper cognitive growth, and gymnastics is the best place for that to happen. A child’s brain is compromised of two sides. One includes the creativity and visualization side, while the other engages in analytical thinking. For both of these sides to remain engaged at the right time it requires proper exercise which happens in a gymnastics class.
Makes Children More Socially Aware
A gymnastics class encourages children to participate in every activity, at the same time being involved with others around them. This helps them in developing a sense of group or team work. A gymnastics class is the best place to create a safe social environment for your little one.
Having such social interactions at a young age help children build their future relationships and behavior as they grow older. This also helps children become more confident in the future.
Helps Build Coordination and Awareness
Your child will have the chance to engage in different types of leaning for which they will have to adapt to vocal and visual cues with the help of the right sounds and tangible materials. All of this will help build your child’s motor skills, encouraging proper body awareness and coordination.
These skills play an important role in the growth of your child, and how they handle different situations in the future.
Keeps Children Safe from Different Diseases
The best way to keep away from deadly diseases is by maintaining a strong immune system. Though children usually have a stringer immune system compared to adults, it is best to start maintaining that from a young age. Gymnastics involves a lot of exercise and physical activity; hence it is the best way to promote a healthy lifestyle. It is the best preventative measure of diabetes, heart diseases, cancer, obesity, and many other diseases your child could be prone to.
Encourage Children to Exercise More
By starting gymnastics at an early age, your child not only meets their daily exercise needs, but will also adapt this in their everyday lifestyle as they grow up. Children tend to get lazier as they age, especially under the influence of electronic devices. Encouraging physical activity at an early age will get your child in the habit to exercise every day. According to the American Heart Association, a child must engage in physical activities everyday for 1 hour.
How Do You Know Your Child Is Ready?
It is best to first know if your child is ready for gymnastics before you begin to enroll them. To know that there are certain things you may start to notice in your child which is a big signal that its time for some gymnastics. Mentioned below are a few signs your child may portray that gives you the green signal that they’re ready for gymnastics:
Full of Energy
Small children are usually overloaded with high energy, that at times it can get annoying for the adults. If you notice your child being hyped up and energetic all the time doing something or the other, then it’s a major sign that you should put them in gymnastics. This sport will help them challenge their energy and use it appropriately.
A Child Who Never Gives Up
If you notice your child struggling to sit on a chair or sofa, and even though they can’t they still keep trying, then they are surely the perfect fit for gymnastics. Gymnastics is a sport that requires you to keep pushing. Even though gymnasium teaches children to never give up, but already having this instinct will help your child flourish in gymnastics, and become a pro within no time.
Gets Excited During Activities
If your child shows major interest in activities like running around the garden or jumping on the trampoline, then they will most likely show the same excitement for gymnastics too. This means your child looks forward to something fin and rewarding, and surely that what gymnastic delivers.
Shows Consistency
Even if your child isn’t able to carry out a certain task like climbing one step of stairs, but continues to try harder next day then that’s a sign of consistency. If they try to get better every day by crawling or climbing more than one step every day, this showcases the consistency in their behavior. A consistent kid is the perfect fit to a gymnastics class
Is Always Climbing
If you find your child continuously climbing stairs, tables or the bed, this means they have really good upper body strength. This could come in very handy at a gymnastic class. Once you enroll them in gymnastics you will notice the naturally flourish in learning different skills with the help of their strong upper body.
Naturally Talented
You can tell your kid is a naturally talent gymnastic when they exceed the normal levels taught in a basic gymnastic class. You may also notice them do some gymnastic moves at home without even going to a class if they are amazingly talented.
Have Good Balance and Coordination
If your child has good coordination and balance when they walk, eat, or when catching something or do, then this could come very handy in a gymnastics class. These are the basic skills taught in a gymnastics class.
Shows Competiveness
Get your child involved in family activities; maybe have a play ball time with all your family members. If you notice your child get competitive when throwing or catching the ball, then they are a true gymnasium. Competiveness is what you need in a gymnastic class to carry out all activities, and also in different environments.
What Do Young Children Learn In Gymnastics?
There is a lot young children will learn in gymnastics which mainly directs to physical learning, but also encourage cognitive learning. Every class may get a bit more challenging, and your child will keep learning something different. If you’re a parent and are not sure what your child will learn in gymnastics, mentioned below are a few things your child will learn during their gymnastic session, and will give you an idea on what to expect:
Commands and Demonstrations
Auditory commands and visual demonstrations are the first two things taught to your child in their gymnastics class. These commands and demonstrations will allow them to carry out other activities that involve exercise. They will also be taught kinesthetic practices that will allow them to carry out everything in full motion. Without these basic skills you can’t expect a toddler to automatically start performing certain tasks or exercises, unless they are exceptionally talented.
Different Exercises
You child will learn many exercises during their first few gymnastic classes, but a few of the main exercises usually taught in the first two classes is the forward roll and the backward roll. These exercises will be taught in a way where your child is exposed to both visual and auditory motions so that they can carry out the exercises properly. These exercises involve a lot of body movement and will prepare them for other challenging activities and exercises.
Once your child starts getting comfortable with these few things taught in the first two gymnastic sessions you will notice your little one develop certain skills. These skills will include flexibility, strength, good listening skills, and getting comfortable with different equipments. These are the few main traits the instructor will train your child to develop in gymnastics. These things won’t only come in handy for a gymnastics class but also in their daily lifestyles, especially once they start getting older.
Drawbacks for A kid Starting Gymnastics at a Young Age
There are few drawbacks that you may notice in your child if they start gymnastics at a young age. Every child has a different growth; hence it is not necessary for every kid to experience this, but there could be a possibility. This doesn’t mean you should stop your child form engaging in gymnastics. The best thing to do is consult your kid’s pediatrician before enrolling them. The possible drawbacks linked to young children and gymnastics are:
- Risk of a major injury
- Late Puberty
- May have a negative impact on your child’s development and growth
Takeaway
Gymnastics is surely a fun sport, and its benefits outweigh the possible drawbacks. If you want your child to have an energetic and healthy lifestyle, then you should surely consider enrolling them at the earliest age possible, whenever you feel like it’s the right time for them.