- Builds strength.
- Mastering a skill feels empowering…and proves that hard work pays off.
- Kids love to cartwheel! Being able to cartwheel is like riding a bike–once you’ve got it…you’ve got it. Forever!
- 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.
- Develops grit … a child choosing to keep trying a skill repeatedly. Teaches how to fall down, regroup and get back.
- Increases balance.
- Offers opportunity to be social outside of school in a small, fun group setting. Encourages friendships by working together.
- Builds confidence. Confidence spreads quickly to all areas of life. On and off the mat.
- Enjoying the excitement of jumping off of high mats, on bouncy trampolines and over challenging objects in a safe setting. Simply fun!
- Children naturally love to move in all different ways. Gymnastics is all about movement.
- Patience is practiced daily…whether waiting for a turn or working to achieve a desired skill.
- Students learn how to fall now so that they can safely fall later both in and out of the gym.
- The thrill of a new skill after months of hard work.
- Teaches children that hard work is necessary to reach goals. Not everything happens in an instant.
- Improves motor skill development.
- Improves motor planning.
- Builds strong bones.
- Introduces fitness at an early age which will lead to healthy habits that last a lifetime.
- 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.
- It is the sport for all sports! Start with Gymnastics and go anywhere. Best physical foundation.
- Increases upper body strength while swinging and supporting oneself on the bars.
- Teaches the value of repetition.
- Children work toward their personal best, and support their classmates in theirs.
- Increases reading readiness.
- Balancing and achieving skills on a 4” beam that at one point seemed intimidating, makes almost anything seem possible.
- Improves hand/eye coordination as well as foot/eye coordination.
- Increases attention span.
- More and more research supports gymnastics as extremely beneficial to brain development.
- Improves focus.
- Children of all abilities can participate and benefit. Wonderful for children with special needs and different learning styles.
- Persistence is encouraged and necessary. Children must repeat skills to accomplish them, a reminder that you must work hard to find success.
- Increases flexibility.
- Increases bone strength with weight bearing exercise.
- Being upside down can actually make one feel happier and calmer.
- 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
