Jodi Rosenwasser Levine

1. Builds strength.
2. Mastering a skill feels empowering…and proves that hard work pays off.
3. Kids love to cartwheel! Being able to cartwheel is like riding a bike–once you’ve got it…you’ve got it. Forever!
4. Teaches courage. Children encounter things that will push them out of their comfort zone. Making a decision to trust themselves (and their coach) is a skill that will carry over to all areas of their lives.
5. Develops grit … a child choosing to keep trying a skill repeatedly. Teaches how to fall down, regroup and get back.
6. Increases balance.
7. Offers opportunity to be social outside of school in a small, fun group setting. Encourages friendships by working together.
8. Builds confidence. Confidence spreads quickly to all areas of life. On and off the mat.
9. Enjoying the excitement of jumping off of high mats, on bouncy trampolines and over challenging objects in a safe setting.  Simply fun!
10. Children naturally love to move in all different ways. Gymnastics is all about movement.
11. Patience is practiced daily…whether waiting for a turn or working  to achieve a desired skill.
12. Students learn how to fall now so that they can safely fall later both in and out of the gym.
13. The thrill of a new skill after months of hard work.
14. Teaches children that hard work is necessary to reach goals. Not everything happens in an instant.
15. Improves motor skill development.
16. Improves motor planning.
17. Builds strong bones.
18. Introduces fitness at an early age which will lead to healthy habits that last a lifetime.
19. Every field or stretch of sand turns into a place to tumble. Every tree branch turns into a bar. Every curb turns in to a balance beam.
20. It is the sport for all sports! Start with Gymnastics and go anywhere. Best physical foundation.
21. Increases upper body strength while swinging and supporting oneself on the bars.
22. Teaches the value of repetition.
23. Children work toward their personal best, and support their classmates in theirs.
24. Increases reading readiness.
25. Balancing and achieving skills on a 4” beam that at one point seemed intimidating, makes almost anything seem possible.
26. Improves hand/eye coordination as well as foot/eye coordination.
27. Increases attention span.
28. More and more research supports gymnastics as extremely beneficial to brain development.
29. Improves focus.
30. Children of all abilities can participate and benefit. Wonderful for children with special needs and different learning styles.
31. Persistence is encouraged and necessary. Children must repeat skills to accomplish them, a reminder that you must work hard to find success.
32. Increases flexibility.
33. Increases bone strength with weight bearing exercise.
34. Being upside down can actually make one feel happier and calmer.
35. It’s soooo much FUN! The best reason of all!

Jodi Rosenwasser Levine is the founder and CEO of Jodi’s Gym. She is a leader and expert in children’s fitness and has been sharing the joy of gymnastics to kids since 1982.

For information about all of the 35-year celebrations happening at Jodi’s Gym locations, please visit Jodisgym.com