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.

Tumblebees is On the Move!

For parents of preschool-aged children, making time for a weekly gymnastics class is often difficult. If you’re working full-time, the class has to be scheduled in the early evening at the end of a long day of child care when your child may prefer to be home. Weekend classes often interfere with other activities such as birthday parties, family outings to museums, or trips to visit grandparents. This is why Tumblebees brings you the Tumblebus, an innovative way to bring gymnastics to young children at more appropriate times.

What Is It?

What on earth is the Tumblebus? It’s a bus—actually two buses that rotate on a monthly schedule—that brings gymnastics classes to kids at child care centers in and around the Greensboro and High Point area! The bus is filled with specially sized gymnastics equipment, including a trampoline. Also installed are a balance beam, rings, vault, and bar, all safely secured and ready for young children. Of course, the bus is also loaded with brightly colored tumbling mats for forward rolls and cartwheels. Kids love learning new gymnastics skills in this fun environment.

Program

Speaking of learning, the Tumblebus staff works from lesson plans developed every month that regularly add new skills to build on those learned the month before. The bus visits each location either once a week or once a month for group classes.  

Staff Qualifications

Tumblebus staff members hold all the same certifications as our gym staff including first aid with CPR certification and USA Gymnastics safety certification. They are knowledgeable in the areas of early childhood education, elementary education, and leadership, and are qualified to work with young children under North Carolina child care laws.

However, their most important qualification is that they love teaching gymnastics skills to preschoolers. They understand how beneficial regular physical activity is for kids and how much the sense of accomplishment in learning new skills adds to a young child’s self-confidence. Gymnastics is a foundation sport that incorporates social skills, like taking turns and listening to instructions, with physical attributes such as improved strength and coordination. All of these benefits help students transition to other sports such as baseball or diving and improve academic performance.

Benefits of Keeping Kids Active All Year

If your family is typical, your kids have probably spent at least part of their summer at a camp, either a local day camp or a sleep-away version, where the focus was on activity. Days filled with swimming, gymnastics, and sports are a great break from sitting at desks and are undoubtedly good for children. However, once the school year begins, kids still will reap huge benefits from physical extra-curricular activities all year round.

Physical Growth

The physical advantages are obvious. Active kids are stronger, have better stamina, energy, and coordination, and avoid extra weight gain. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, in 2012 the percentage of obese children between ages 6 and 11 was 18 percent and for teens and tweens it climbed to 21 percent. Avoiding excess weight gain in childhood and adolescence helps prevent other health problems in adulthood. 

One of the best known benefits—this actually applies to all ages—is that physical activity is a great stress reducer. Exercising muscles that have been underused all day releases tension, making it easier for kids to do their homework and pay attention in class the next day.

Cognitive and Social Benefits

Regular physical activity in extra-curricular activities such as gymnastics also promotes cognitive growth as children practice problem-solving skills on new problems in a different setting. Conversely, the skills they learn solving gymnastics problems will give them a boost in the classroom. Studies have shown that kids who are physically active perform better academically. 

Children also gain social skills from participation in gymnastics classes where they are required to listen to directions and wait for their turn. There’s also a lot of interaction between students during class as they help each other learn and practice each new skill. Perhaps the best benefit is that kids aren’t aware they are learning these types of skills. To them, the classes are just fun. They get to be with friends they may not see at school and they get to challenge themselves in different ways.

Finally, supervised extra-curricular activities promote safety. When your children learn new skills from a knowledgeable instructor, they learn how to do them correctly so they don’t get hurt. As they move through a class curriculum their confidence grows as they realize they can do these difficult movements. Confidence at gymnastics class translates to confidence everywhere else.

At Tumblebees, we have a variety of rec classes for your child, from gymnastics to rock climbing, parkour, dance and more! Learn more at tumblebees.com