• static positions • balances • supports
• rotations • ground work
My mission is to help you as a teacher to provide your learners with the opportunity to benefit from the physical, mental and cognitive advantages of gymnastics. Gymnastics is a great tool for developing a child’s motor skills, coordination, strength and balance, with discipline and control - If you need a complete elementary PE program for gymnastics, check out this unit.
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I've outlined some of the foundational skills - Once you learn the basic positions, balances, supports, rotations, and ground work, you’ll be able to build on, and develop your gymnastic skills!
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Firstly, watch the videos (where I demonstrate them to you), then a few examples using equipment. You can then refer to the key pointers below...
"Making shapes & holds using strong, tight bodies"
tuck sit
• Sit on your bum
• Bring your knees up to your chest
• Tuck your chin down to your knees
• Hold each leg with 1 hand (don't 'hug' your knees)
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L sit
• Put your legs together out straight
• Point your arms straight up in the air
• Keep your back straight/upright
• Your body should look like a capital L
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lying down pencil
• Lay down on the ground
• Put your legs together out straight
• Put your arms straight above your head
• You should be strong like a pencil
straddle sit
• Sit on your bum
• Spread your legs out wide apart
• Keep your legs straight, don't bend your knees
• Put your arms out and point to your toes
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pike
• Put your legs together out straight​
• Point your arms out straight and point your toes
• Keep your back straight/upright
standing pencil
• Stand up straight
• Put your legs together
• Put your arms straight above your head
• You should be strong like a pencil
"Keeping a posture stable, on or over objects"
tuck balance
• Balance on your bum only
• Bring your knees up to your chest
• Tuck your chin down to your knees
• Keep your legs off the ground
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flamingo
• Balance on 1 leg
• Put your arms out straight to the sides
• Bend your other leg to point your knee out to the side
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V balance
• Balance on your bum only
• Put your legs out straight together and
lift them off the ground
• Have your arms out straight in front
• Your body should look like a V shape
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arabesque
• Balance on 1 leg​
• Put your arms out straight to the sides
• Put out your other leg behind you as far as you can
• Keep your head up
"Holding your body strong & stable using your core muscles"
front support
• Hold your body like in a push up position
• Have straight arms, shoulder width apart
• Put your legs out straight
• Keep your back and bum flat/straight
- don't stick your bum up
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back support
• Have your belly facing up
• With strong, straight arms, point your hands
towards your feet
• Put your legs out straight
• Push your hips up to stay straight
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"Keeping a posture stable, on or over objects"
half turn
1. Jump up and swing your arms up across your body up into the air
• As you jump and turn, try to keep straight and strong on the air
2. Turn to land facing the other way, landing on both feet in the motorbike position:
• Arms out straight in front of you, knees bent to land softly
full turn
1. Jump up and swing your arms up across your body up into the air
• As you jump and turn, try to keep straight and strong on the air
2. Turn all the way around to land the same way you started, in the motorbike position:
• Arms out straight in front of you, knees bent to land softly
log roll
1. Lay down on the ground with your legs straight together and arms above your head
2. Hold/tense your stomach to stay strong and roll, staying in your pencil/log shape
egg roll
1. Lay down on your back in the tuck position - bring your knees up to your chest, and tuck your chin in
2. Hold your ‘egg’ shape and roll, try not to ‘crack’
forward roll
1. Stand up straight, then bend over to put your hands flat on the ground in front of your feet
2. Tuck your chin in to look through your legs
3. Roll over and tuck as you roll
• Pat the top of your back, that’s where you want to roll onto, not on to your head
4. Try to stand back up onto your feet after you have rolled
* The first few times students attempt these, it’s very important the teacher assists by gently supporting and rolling them over onto the top of their backs, not onto their heads
backwards roll
1. Sit down and make a 'neck shield'
• Put 1 hand flat just below your neck, then the other hand flat on top
• Point your elbows up to the ceiling
2. Holding your neck shield, bend over to touch your knees with your nose
3. Quickly push back and roll over backwards, try to tuck your knees to your chin in as you roll
4. Try to stand back up onto your feet after you have rolled
* The teacher can help the students get a feel for the roll by assisting the tuck as they go over,
pushing their legs
"Movements across the floor using the different positions"
bunny hops
1. Put your hands flat on the ground, keeping your arms straight and knees bent
2. Push off the ground with both legs at the same time to kick up and kick your bum
• Keep your arms strong and straight
3. Land back down on both feet
donkey kicks
1. Put your hands flat out in front of you on the ground with your arms straight
2. Have 1 leg straight out behind you (‘donkey kick ’) and the other leg bent
3. Kick up to lift your back (donkey) leg high in the air
• Still keeping your arms strong and straight
4. Land back down in the same position
scissor kicks
1. Put your hands flat, shoulder width apart out on the ground in front of you
2. Have 1 leg straight, the other slightly bent
3. Kick up off 1 leg and when both legs are in the air, make a scissor action with your legs
• Keep your legs as straight as possible
4. Land back down on the other leg first
handstands
1. Stand up straight
2. Put your hands flat, shoulder width apart out on the ground in front of you
3. Kick up with 1 leg into the air, then bring up your other leg to be both straight
* Students must not practice this on their own – the teacher can aid individually to help support and stop them from falling over onto their heads
cartwheels
1. Stand sideways on to the way you will be going
• The pattern for a cartwheel is“hand › hand › foot › foot”
2. Step and put your first hand down, then your next hand
3. Spin over in the air and then land with your first foot, then second foot
• Keep your arms strong and straight
Right-handed
- Put your right hand down first, then left hand, then land with your left foot, then right foot
Left handed
- Put your left hand down first, then right hand, then land with your right foot, then left foot
side jumps
1. Put your hands flat on the ground with your hands turned facing to the right (straight arms)
2. Keeping your hands on the ground, jump with both feet over to the other side
• You should end up facing the other way
round offs
1. Take a small run up, then plant your hands on the ground facing to the left
2. Push off with your legs (keep your hands on the ground) to get them over to the other side
3. Land with both feet at the same time, facing the other way
And there you have it! I've given you what you need to get started, but this is only the beginning. Now take the time to check out my complete elementary PE Gymnastics programs (grades K-3 and 3-6), where you'll have access to 60 activities for the:
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You'll also get exclusive access to online videos for each station – Here you’ll be able to watch each station in action, see what the skill looks like, and see how to explain it/teach it to your class - You can even play it to your kids before you start, to make it even easier for you!
You can download it direct from my site here , or over at my TPT store...
