What are your preschool kids working on

[momofthreegirls]

My three year old is in a Tiny Tumbler class, and she is learning:

Floor- Forward Rolls, Backward Rolls, Straddle Rolls, Cartwheels, Tables, Bridges, Headstands, Different Body Positions (Straight, Tuck, Hollow, Pike, Straddle, etc.)

Bars - Front Support, Casts, Pull-overs, Skin-the-cats, Rolling forward over the bar, chin-up holds

Beam - Walking forward, sideways, backwards, knee-scales, forward rolls, straight jumps

Vault - Running and jumping off the board, squat-ons onto matt stacks

Trampoline - Different jumps (straight, tuck, straddle)

The teacher usually sets up a circuit for the kids (there are 6 in her class). She works with them on one station, and they do the other stations independently. She puts little rubber feet for them to follow in between the stations so they don't get lost.

 

[emacmommy]

We teach skills very similar to marie83. We have a babies class for walkers on up, but pull them out as they show they can have fun without mom and follow basic instructions as they are being given, usually around 3yrs. Our preschool classes in general are 3 yrs - 5 yrs. If a 5 yr old (and occasionally a 4 yr old) shows they can follow sequential directions independently, show social manners, and maintain behavior/focus for their entire 45 min class, we graduate them to a standard school age rec class. We are a small community so we don't have the numbers to form true "hot shot"/advanced preschool classes.

It's kind of nice to have mixed ages/development levels in our preschool classes, as we usually have some really good role models for the younger or less socially developed kids to follow. I expect a lot of verbal reminders and encouragement for 3 yr olds, often constantly verbalizing to keep them on track and in line. Parents often either apologize for their children's behavior, but I usually tell them at that age I expect that and they will learn and develop as they see what is encouraged as correct. Runners and the "touchy feely-always hands on someone else" behavior is about the only thing I strongly discourage. I use a lot of high fives and encouragement when I see good behavior. More so than when I see skills done right.

We play lots of games and set up circuits which I run one of two ways. Stay at your "job" until I say to switch (I do this a lot for the little ones until they get the idea of a circle), or a true do one one skill and move around the circle circuit.

I also feel preschool gymnastics is more learning social skills, fine and gross motor skills and just a love to have fun. We don't focus on teaching USAG "developmental" skills in particular... that's for school age gymnastics in our program.