The Developmental Classes are for ages 2 - 5.
Developmental gymnastics describes what
others might call “preschool” gym, but we like to think that we are
developing young gymnasts. Where
other programs like to start with three year old children, we accept two year
olds. Although we do contain them
more than other ages, we do enjoy the period of acclamation that starting with
the younger age affords us. At two,
children are just beginning to learn their social skills (wait your turn, sit,
asking permission, etc.), and we expect to spend a lot of time on reinforcing
those skills (some days more than others). We also expect that they are more
unpredictable than other ages, but we also feel that something can be learned to
help prepare the child for the upcoming 3-year-old classes.
We do think that some gymnastics can be learned at this age, however, we
are also quick to inform that they are two, and we will not hold them to the
level of discipline that we will expect from the older ages.
It is just a sport and we can afford to play a little more at this age.
In later years, the gymnasts are grouped according to their
gender and then further segregated by their skill level.
The boys work on six events: horizontal bar, still rings, pommel horse,
vault, floor exercise, and parallel bars. Girls
work on balance beam, uneven parallel bars, vault, and floor.
Developmental gymnasts begin their career grouped simply by age.
Boys and girls meet together to work on all pieces of the apparatus.
That is, the boys walk the beams and the girls swing the rings.
At this age, each piece of the equipment offers something to the
development of their coordination and/or strength.
With two or three year olds, we are mostly working on
introducing equipment, rules, terminology and skills that involve basic movement
(hop on one foot, bounce, roll, run, etc.), and other social skills.
Then by the age of four, we can still work on the terminology and basic
skills, but also begin to work on true gymnastics skills (cartwheels, pullovers,
squat-on, etc.). Children involved
with the developmental program should emerge as gymnasts with intermediate
skills. We strongly urge that
parents with 6-year-olds moving from the developmental classes to the
progressive classes request an evaluation of your child for proper placement.