10 Reasons Gymnastics Lessons Are What Toddlers Need

Being involved in physical activities of all kinds has an amazing effect on toddlers. But gymnastics in particular has specific benefits that parents want to make sure their toddlers are developing.

To explain more about these specific benefits, it’s important to understand the senses that we are “born” with and ones that need to be developed.

Our senses are (as defined by Dr.William K. Pediaopolis in his paper entitled The Five Senses):

“A system that consists of a group of sensory cell types that responds to a specific physical phenomenon, and that corresponds to a particular group of regions within the brain where the signals are received and interpreted.”

That’s a bit heady so let’s bring that definition back to earth by saying that senses are the psychological capacities that we have as organisms to gather data for our perception The five senses that are common knowledge to us: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. The nervous system has a specific sensory system or organ, dedicated to each of these senses.

We actually have the ability to detect several stimuli beyond these five well-known senses: including the ability to detect temperature, kinesthetic sense, pain, balance, and various internal stimuli.  Some experts calls these senses as well. But exactly what constitutes a “sense” is up for debate and that adds a little confusion to what some officially deem as senses.

Animals also have “senses”, with the strength of those senses varying between species. Even various animal types have differences in how strong a particular sense is among their specific breeds. For example, some breeds of dogs have a stronger sense of smell than others.

Animals can also sense things that humans cannot, such as the ability to sense electrical and magnetic fields and detect water pressure and currents.

There is a child development expert, Gill Connell, who explains how humans actually have seven senses and not simply the five common ones noted above in a book he co-authored,  A Moving Child is a Learning Child.

The two additional senses defined by Connell are the sense of balance – also called a vestibular sense – and an intuitive sense of space and position – also called proprioception. Connell is one who feels that these abilities are automatic to adults. They, however, they may not be automatic to kids.

Where can kids develop this best? Where could they possibly explore the ability to crawl, climb, jump, hop, roll, balance, flip, and swing safely?

Gymnastics provides the perfect environment where toddlers can use their senses to develop coordination and confidence.  Since the gymnastics environment is colorful, padded, fun – and safe – it’s the perfect one for supporting toddlers’ developmental progress.

In promoting your toddler gymnastics classes, be sure to share with parents these areas where participating in gymnastics benefits the developmental progress of toddlers:

  1. Vestibular – sense of balance
  2. Proprioception – understanding space and position
  3. Social Skills – taking turns, sharing, peer interaction
  4. Classroom Skills – listening, following directions, staying with class
  5. Active Play – establishing exercise is fun
  6. Confidence – learning new skills, encouragement
  7. Courage – overcoming fears, trying hard things
  8. Strength – use/development of muscles
  9. Flexibility – stretching
  10. Foundation – preparation for future activities

Providing a basis for solid development of very important “senses” and skills is an amazing bonus to learning to do the physically demanding and challenging movements on beams, bars, mats, horses and rings.

Gymnastics ROI with Management Software

Resources: Moving Smart blog, “The Five Senses” by Dr.William K. Pediaopolis in association with the University of Delaware, “Allegory of the Five Senses”, The Walters Art Museum

About the Author:

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After studying graphic design at the University of Georgia, Jill held several positions in media and marketing including Art Director, Editor and Marketing Director. As a student of dance, she has spent plenty of time in children’s activity centers and puts that experience to work for her in the work she does with Jackrabbit. In addition to her interest in dance, Jill also enjoys sports, gourmet cooking, entertaining, singing and spoiling her five grandchildren.

4 Comments

  1. Jeremy Thompson November 28, 2017 at 2:11 AM - Reply

    It’s appreciated that you mentioned how gymnastic will be able to provide my daughters the safe, fun, and engaging activity to help boost their balance, coordination, and confidence. I simply love that idea since my daughters are quite the shut-ins. That is why I would like them to have an activity to have after school to help develop themselves for the better. Hopefully, enrolling them in gymnastics will spark that missing passion in their eyes. Thanks!

  2. Scott Adams January 4, 2018 at 11:16 PM - Reply

    I like that you talked about how gymnastics can help children develop their physical senses. I have been looking for an activity for my two-year-old to try. I can see how gymnastics would be a good idea because it could help develop her sense of balance.

  3. Jesse Ford January 2, 2020 at 2:35 PM - Reply

    Thanks for mentioning that gymnastics classes can promote a sense of balance, social skills, confidence, strength, and flexibility. My wife and I are thinking about putting our daughter in tumbling classes next month because she has a lot of energy and natural strength and we want her to be able to develop as an athlete. I think it’s a good investment if we put her in a reputable tumbling course so that she can be taught proper techniques and build stronger and more flexible muscles.

  4. Alex Shephard August 31, 2020 at 10:51 AM - Reply

    My son will be turning 3 next month and I am so excited for his ballet classes! I know most of the children are females but I think that this is the best way for him to learn his balance and at the same time, just have fun. He likes dancing very much and at the very young age, he appreciates classical music.

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