Gym for 4 year old

dynabook · 2025-01-15T08:35:27+00:00

Morning everyone, My 4 year old does gymnastics twice weekly and has done for a year. She's come out of the 'tumble tots' class now and is in a more structured class and for now, is wanting to stick to this and keep going with it. She's expressed that she wants to practice at home. I did gym for 15 years and I help her with her stretches at home and splits etc. is there any equipment anyone would recommend at home? I'm thinking of a floor beam perhaps and a couple of mats. But unsure really on what's good as I'm not a qualified teacher and don't want to hinder any progress. TIA!

Blabla81 · 15/01/2025 09:18

My daughter is 8 now and trains 8 hours a week but she’s only ever had a pull up door bar for strengthening, paralettes and a few variations of mats and air tracks. We used to have a floor beam for my eldest many years ago but found it was in the way more than being used so got rid. We leave the proper gymnastics to be done in the gym as learning skills incorrectly can hinder progress (parents do get a telling off for this in our gym 😆).

Original poster

dynabook · 15/01/2025 09:56

Blabla81 · 15/01/2025 09:18

My daughter is 8 now and trains 8 hours a week but she’s only ever had a pull up door bar for strengthening, paralettes and a few variations of mats and air tracks. We used to have a floor beam for my eldest many years ago but found it was in the way more than being used so got rid. We leave the proper gymnastics to be done in the gym as learning skills incorrectly can hinder progress (parents do get a telling off for this in our gym 😆).

Ah I thought as much. Thank you. Perhaps I'll leave it and just get some floor mats. My brother is one of the coaches at the gym and he said not to bother so I'll listen to the professionals. DD would like some bits at home so I'll skip the equipment and just get some mats and perhaps a door bar.

In September she's due to start training 4 hours a week. 8 hours a week is very committed, did your DD start with a couple of hours a week and work her way up through the classes? It's all changed now since I did gym!

OP posts:

Blabla81 · 15/01/2025 10:29

dynabook · 15/01/2025 09:56

Ah I thought as much. Thank you. Perhaps I'll leave it and just get some floor mats. My brother is one of the coaches at the gym and he said not to bother so I'll listen to the professionals. DD would like some bits at home so I'll skip the equipment and just get some mats and perhaps a door bar.

In September she's due to start training 4 hours a week. 8 hours a week is very committed, did your DD start with a couple of hours a week and work her way up through the classes? It's all changed now since I did gym!

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Hi again
Yes she loves gym but because of such a huge waiting list where we are, she only started when she was 6.5 in rec - had been waiting for over a year. She was then moved to a development group after a couple of months and then a higher group doing the WAG grades so she’s progressed quite quickly. She’s naturally quite strong and doesn’t really stop doing conditioning at home - her own choice but her flexibility needs a bit more keeping on top of as she loses her right leg split so quickly.
I think as long as they enjoy doing stuff at home then let them, as long as it’s not dangerous (she’s had me going grey when on the trampoline sometimes).
Bridges are probably one of the first things to work on as this will lead to a kick over followed by back walkovers, - that’s where the mats come in handy - pushed up against a sofa to start with so she can raise her legs a bit first. Straddle levers too, as well as the usual left, right and box splits. Basically, I think they look at strength, mainly, to be able to move up groups. I’m waffling now. It’s hard for me to switch off from gymnastics sometimes 😂.

justkeepswimmng · 20/01/2025 13:06

My daughter is 10 and trains 17-21 hours a week.

A floor beam thats foldable, a mat and an airtrack and the main things hat i would say.

Bars will be useless soon as she wont be able to do any bigger skill on them so mainly a waste of money, the same for a proper beam.

or her i would say find some flexibility videos and strength/conditioning videos on youtube for her to follow as that is such a huge part of gymnastics.