Delta’s Jnr Gym Kids Groovers class is our first independent gymnastics class, designed especially for children in pre-prep and kindy!
Moving to an independent class is a big step for our under 5’s. Every fun activity in our Groovers program aims to help children with a smooth transition to big school. While Groovers are having fun moving, learning gymnastics skills and interacting with their friends and coaches in the gym; they also are developing physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally, ready to take on their kindy year and prepare for BIG school!
There are many ways you can help support your child’s independence.
Below are some tools we are using with our Groovers on the gym floor:
Groovers Move
Physical literacy! Groovers are learning how to move and strengthen their bodies in every gymnastics class. Ask your Groover to share some of their new gymnastics moves with you – preferably not off the coffee table!
Groovers line up
Our train line between activities and gymnastics apparatus is a great way to get children used to lining up for school, moving safely as a group and following their teacher – toot toot!
Groovers follow a routine
Knowing which day is gymnastics day and what happens in each gymnastics class (fun warm up, activities on 3 apparatus & goodbye stamps) helps get used to routine! Attending gymnastics class regularly supports consistency which children thrive on and which helps their learning.
Groovers are social
Groovers experience a sense of belonging at gymnastics – their green coloured drink bucket, their groovy warm up, their Groover train, their own coach, their gym, their Gym Kids class. Making friends, working together and negotiating with their peers & coach at gymnastics is another awesome socialisation skill, transferable to kindy and school – and one which sets children up for life!
Groovers improve their language skills
The language of movement is a rich one – prepositions, verbs, directions, body & skill names, not to mention the language saturated in the Jnr Gym Kids themes. Singing together in warm up, asking questions and responding to their coach and interacting with their friends, help further develop language skills for our Groovers. Ask open ended questions about how they moved in class today (eg. Straight or wiggly? Like an elephant or a bunny? Fast or slow & strong?)
Groovers emotionally regulate
Playing with rules in exciting games, practicing control, waiting for cues to go and stop when asked, all help Groovers learn to emotionally regulate. Emotional regulation is one of the invaluable prerequisites to being able to pay attention & learn as requested by teachers. A little praise for great control in class goes a long way!
Groovers learn
At gymnastics, Groovers remember a series of instructions and sequencing, they judge distance and speed, learn spatial awareness, cause & effect. They change direction and calculate force & timing! Most importantly they learn resilience & how capable they really are! How busy are our Groovers!
What clever and amazing children you have! Jnr Gym Kids – It’s how we grow!