If you have a child that loves and breathes gymnastics, then this is for you! From D.I.Y crafts to gymnastics-related challenges, we have put together a list of fun things that will keep them entertained for hours.
1. Gymnastics/Fitness Challenges
Time to get moving with these gymnastics and fitness challenges! Not only are these challenges a fun way to keep your kids physically active, but they also help with improving their learning skills.
- Pull Up Challenge: How many can they do in a row?
- Core Strength Challenge: Try doing this with your gymnast and see who can hold their plank or sit up longer!
- Handstand Challenge: How long can they hold their handstand?
- Flexibility Challenge: This clock challenge will definitely test gymnasts' flexibility. What number can they do?
The possibilities for challenges are endless. What are you waiting for? Go get creative and help them test their limits!
2. Head To Your Local Gym, or Train at Home!
From kindy gym to recreational and competitive gymnastics, PCYC, YMCA and other gymnastics clubs have a wide range of classes or programs that cater to kids of all ages and abilities. This is a great way to keep the kids out of the house, get them physically active and help them make some new friends!
Find a training centre near you and discover a program your child might be interested in. We also has a wide range of gymnastics equipment and safety matting that will definitely get your kids flipping and tumbling at home.
3. Colouring and Puzzles
Colouring, solving puzzles and word searches assist with children's cognitive, psychological and creative development. Children holding crayons, coloured pencils or markers and choosing the colours that they want to use allows them to develop a connection between what their eyes see, what their hands do and how their brain reacts to this information. This helps build strong hand-eye coordination, helps improve motor skills and strengthens their hand and wrist muscles. It also helps children learn about shapes, lines, forms and patterns which allows them to build more of an understanding of the structure and spatial awareness.
Check out our Pinterest board below to download some fun colouring sheets and word search puzzles for your gymnasts!
4. Baking
This cold, chilly weather calls for some scrumptious treats! We know it can get a little bit messy in the kitchen but it's a good way to spend some quality time with your child! Baking also provides many benefits for kids and helps develop their fine motor skills as they hold the measuring cup and stir the ingredients around with a spoon.
Try doing simple sugar cookies or vanilla cupcakes and decorate with fun gymnastics toppers. Check out our Pinterest board below for some inspiration!
5. D.I.Y Gymnastics Crafts
As you probably already know, children only have one level and that level is 1000. They constantly want to be doing something otherwise they get bored. Aside from keeping your children in one spot for longer than a couple of minutes, making crafts provide other benefits.
Regularly engaging in arts and crafts helps with your child's fine motor skills, boosts their confidence and encourages them to experiment with colours, shapes and textures in a fun and relaxing environment.
Check out some fun D.I.Y project ideas below!
- D.I.Y gymnastics-themed jewellery:
Help your gymnast get creative with a gymnastics-inspired necklace or bracelet! Perfect for them to wear or as a gift to their gym buddies. These pieces of jewellery can be created using materials you might already have such as ribbons, yarns, buttons, plastic lacing cords, beads and more. They are also many kits that you can buy at craft stores filled with charms and pendants suited to your child's age and interests.
- Gymnastics medal displays:
There are many ways in which you and your gymnast can put together a display stand that shows all of their trophies and ribbons. There really are no limits to this project - only your imagination! Check out our Pinterest board above to help you get started.
- Gymnastics Paper Chain:
To create this paper chain, you will need two pieces of paper, a pencil, tape and scissors.
Start with folding both sheets of paper together lengthwise and cut along the fold line. Tape two pieces of paper together to form an even longer piece of paper. After that, fold the paper into a fan shape. Draw an outline of a gymnast on the front. Make sure that their arms and legs go off the ends of the pages when doing this. Use this as a guide and cut around it. Unfold, colour and customise to your liking. For step by step demonstration, check out our Pinterest board above.
- Create a Throw or a Blanket with Ribbons:
Does your gymnast have a lot of ribbons just laying around? Turn them into a blanket that they can take and use between competitions!
This is not only a fun way to utilise your gymnast's achievements, but it also teaches them the basics of sewing and allows them to have the creative freedom to create something they can use over and over again.
- Memory book or scrapbook
Collecting all the photos throughout your gymnast's progression in the sport and helping them put together a scrapbook of all their memories is a great way to see how far they have come. This is also something that they can hold onto and look back to in the years to come. Get creative and use a whole range of materials, such as cardboard, stickers, ribbons, and other memorabilia to create something that is sentimental to them.
Hope these ideas have inspired you! Don't forget to tag us in your creations on socials!
