Trampoline & Tumbling vs. Gymnastics: Which Sport is Right for My Kid?

Trampoline and tumbling, also called TNT, is a form of gymnastics that is growing in popularity, while traditional gymnastics, also called artistic gymnastics, remains strong as well. Both offer exercise, social interaction, and a chance to boost self-esteem and confidence. How can you judge which is the best type of gymnastics for your kid?

TNT Explained

You may be less familiar with the details of TNT gymnastics. Artistic gymnastics is featured every four years in televised Olympic competitions, so you may have seen athletes doing routines on the familiar types of apparatus. However, trampoline and tumbling gymnastics, sometimes called power gymnastics, is less familiar to many parents in the US because only the trampoline apparatus is included at the Olympic level. In power gymnastics, tumbling takes place on a long runway which the gymnast moves along while performing various tumbling skills. On the trampoline, tumbling skills are transferred to an airborne setting. The double-mini trampoline allows the athlete two jumps; advanced-level gymnasts perform tumbling skills between the jumps and in their dismount, while lower-level participants may simply jump from the first surface to the second and then perform a skill while dismounting.

Which Is Best?

There really isn’t any best type of gymnastics. Choosing one or the other depends simply on what your child prefers, so be sure to involve your budding gymnast in the decision. Talk about which type or types of apparatus is his favorite. If he yearns to swing around and around on the high bar then artistic gymnastics might be your choice. On the other hand, if he dreams of turning somersaults while soaring high above a trampoline, TNT is probably right.
An extra consideration for girls is the use of dance in artistic gymnastics. Girls and women use dance moves on the balance beam and during their floor exercise routines. Make sure your daughter understands this before making a decision. If she doesn’t want to do those types of movements or thinks they’re silly, she’ll probably prefer the straightforward tumbling and trampoline routines.

See for Yourself


Stop by Tumblebees to see all the types of apparatus up close and maybe watch a class in progress. Talk to us about your dilemma. We may be able to help you decide on TNT or traditional gymnastics for your child.

Let’s Celebrate Gymnastics!

National Gymnastics Day is September 17 this year and gymnasts throughout the United States are gearing up to celebrate. Gymnastics in the U.S. has never been better with the Final Five fresh from Rio decked out with medals galore. Check out the social media contests sponsored by USA Gymnastics, and then take a moment to learn where it all started and how gymnastics has come so far.

Where Gymnastics Began

Tumbling seems to come naturally to humans. Depictions of tumblers have been found in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and Chinese stone carvings. However, the first known structured use of various physical exercises occurred in ancient Greece when activities including running, swimming, throwing, wrestling, and weight-lifting were combined with tumbling movements to help young men develop the skills needed for combat. Later, after the Romans conquered Greece, these skills were organized into more formal competitions in gymnasiums.

With the fall of ancient Rome, gymnastics virtually disappeared except for tumbling, which was used by traveling troupes and court jesters for entertainment through the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Interest in reviving gymnastics skills appeared in the 1800s, particularly in Germany, although the emphasis was on physical training rather than competition. Later in the century, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Greece in 1896, gymnastics competitions were among the sports. By 1924, men’s gymnastics was a regular part of the Olympic Games lineup, and in 1936 the first women’s gymnastics medal was awarded in an all-around competition. Women’s individual events joined the roster in 1952.

In the United States

During the later nineteenth century, immigrants from Europe brought gymnastics with them. Clubs and societies began to form for the practice of the sport and competitions began to grow in popularity. However, it wasn’t until the 1950s that the sport really took off. Later such Olympic stars as Olga Korbut in 1972, Nadia Comaneci in 1976, and Mary Lou Retton in 1984 helped little girls keep dreaming of medals. Today, USA Gymnastics is the umbrella organization for thousands of gymnasts in the United States.


Today is a good time to explore the benefits and fun of regular gymnastics activity for your son or daughter. If your kids aren’t already signed up for classes, the start of the school year is the perfect time to try out this popular form of exercise and relaxation.

Gymnastics: the Foundation of All Sports

Have you ever wondered which age is the right one to start your child in gymnastics? While the answer to this question is dependent on many variables, and there is no correct age that suits all children, in general, most preschoolers are ready for a gymnastics class. The kids don’t see it as another hour of structured time that takes away from their play time; they see it as their play time. They get to climb, run, jump, and be with other kids—a sure-fire recipe for fun.

Gymnastics as a Foundation for All Sports

Participation in preschool gymnastics helps children grow in many ways. While they gain physical strength and flexibility, a gymnastics class is also an opportunity to work on those all-important social skills, such as waiting your turn. Children also develop emotionally as they learn to cope with the rigor of practicing a new skill over and over. Will this help them learn to dribble a soccer ball or shoot baskets or hit a softball? You bet it will. Will they find it easier to work with teammates? Again, the answer is yes.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of gymnastics is a growth in confidence that translates to greater achievement in sports and academically. A preschooler who has learned she is capable of performing gymnastics tricks will be able to use that confidence in a year or two as she learns how to add, subtract, read, and write. Think back to your elementary school days. Which kids always knew the answers? The confident ones!

Preschool Classes

Here at Tumblebees, our preschool gymnastics classes are carefully designed to meet the needs of this young age group. Our youngest gymnasts, those under the age of 2, participate in class along with a parent or guardian. As each child grows in skills and confidence, and adds another year, parents/guardians transition out of the class to our observation area. Your child knows you are still in the gym, but by 3 years of age, they are ready to focus on the teacher during class.

Does your child need to start at the youngest age? Not at all. While we believe that an early start allows more time to build skills and confidence, it’s never too late to jump in and join the fun!