Elementary Gymnastics Physical Education Lessons: Stations and Circuits
Gymnastics is a terrific activity, especially at the elementary level. It develops areas such as spatial awareness, body awareness, self-confidence; as well as increasing areas like strength, flexibility and endurance.
AIMS OF A GYMNASTICS PE LESSON
Fun
Physically challenge the students
Keep students reasonable active throughout
Give them new experiences of movement
Increase their confidence in learning how to move their own bodies
Develop coordination, gross and fine motor control, flexibility and core strength
Opportunities to experience success and achievement in their physical capacities
Provide a strong foundation on which to develop more advanced skills
Equip students with tools that will make participation in other sports easier and more enjoyable
WARM-UPS
These can be games or fun activities which incorporate a lot of the gymnastics positions, landings or locomotions.
Animal movements and locomotions, particularly for the kindergarten and grades one and two are good for developing coordination and strength: bunny hops, frog jumps, donkey kicks, kangaroos, elephants, bear walk, crab walk, etc.
Warm-up games can also incorporate spatial awareness and use of direction, levels and tempo.
IDEAS FOR CIRCUITS AND STATIONS
Circuit focusing on landings (feet and hands)- forwards, backwards and sideways- can be set up using mats and benches. In between the activities, different locomotion exercises can be used so that children do not simply walk in between the tasks.
Upside down benches make great beams- mats can be placed under the narrow strip to soften the edges of the benches, should the children fall off. Lines on the floor can also be used to practice beam and balancing skills. Beam activities: walk forwards, backwards, sideways, same on toes, jumps and leaps, turns and balances.
Mats can be used for rolling, donkey kicks and other animal movements. Mats can also be placed against the wall for the children to practice handstands (stomach facing the wall), sometimes called "Sticky Bugs".
Mats can be arranged in such a way that it creates an incline for practicing rolling activities. This can be one station if mats are limited or several inclines can be used if there are enough mats.
Hoops can be placed on the floor either in a line, to practice hops and jumps, or as a target for children to land in when jumping from a bench, gymnastic table or box top.
Various tables or platforms of any kind are great for jumping from. Aims of this can be to practice landings and to practice various shapes or turns in the air.
If using the above landing practice, progress to the forward and backward shoulder rolls. Inclines can be available to practice the skills initially, but then the child can perform a jump from a height, a landing (on feet first) and then a fall or a roll.
Benches or box tops can be used to make a first introduction to cartwheels. "Bunny hopping" over the bench or box top with hands on, makes the feet go from one side of the hands to the other, and then legs can start to kick higher and one at a time.
Circles on the floor or mats can be used to practice cartwheels. Stand on the circle with both feet, with stomach facing into the circle. Hands and feet stay on the circle at all times and stomach faces the circle at all times.
Foot patterns and foot combinations are a good activity for older grades. This is particularly important when teaching the 2-footed take off (for a vault, for example). From a run, jump onto 2 feet on a board or trampette, to land on 2 feet. This foot pattern can be practiced using hoops on the floor. The 5 basic jumps are: ONE FOOT-TO-TWO FEET / TWO FEET- TO - ONE FOOT/ ONE FOOT TO THE SAME FOOT/ ONE FOOT - TO - OTHER FOOT / TWO FEET - TO - TWO FEET.
Ropes can be used to practice climbing and swinging. Swinging: Start from a bench or table/platform. Encourage a jump backwards first and then hold the rope close to the body. Drop on the outswing. With the younger children, just ask them to take the rope away from the centre a little and see if they can pick up their feet and swing to the same distance the other side. Climbing: Pull with arms, push with legs. When reaching a height, hands must walk back down the rope until it's safe to drop.
Ropes can also be used for strength holds - Hold up legs, hold 2 ropes and get feet up over head, or all the way over.
