Recreational tumbling for kids is one of best ways to build a child’s self-confidence. Who doesn’t want to be the cool kid on the block who can do all kinds of unique tricks? And what parent doesn’t want their child to be healthy, fit, and happy with who they are?

When a child has learned a skill, sport, or hobby they feel confident at, it helps them feel more secure in their identity. The strength, flexibility, and skills kids learn in tumbling becomes like a protective coating. It guards them against the negative pressures they’re bombarded with in today’s culture.

If you’re looking for a fun, non-competitive, confidence-building form of exercise for your kids, read on!

Benefits of Recreational Tumbling for Kids

What is recreational tumbling?

Recreation is defined as an activity or pastime that promotes refreshment of health or spirits by relaxation and enjoyment.

Tumbling includes everything from the basic forward roll to front and back tucks, layouts, and twists. It goes way back to Medieval times as a stand-alone form of entertainment. Today, we see it most often in gymnastics routines, though it is also incorporated into parkour, dance, and cheerleading. And you’ll still see street tumblers at various places across the country.

When combined, recreational tumbling is a fun and engaging way for kids to stay active and healthy.

6 Healthy Benefits of Recreational Tumbling for Kids

1. Increases flexibility. Stretching exercises are a necessary part of tumbling classes. A good coach will notice when a tumbler’s legs, back, shoulders or other areas are in need of special attention. Good flexibility is not only needed for tumbling. It prevents many injuries in other sports and in life as well. Torn muscles can easily end a child’s athletic pursuits and greatly limit mobility in general.

2. Develops full body strength. Learning how to tumble increases muscle strength even though the student may not feel it! They’re having too much fun to realize they are actually giving their whole body a workout. Both small and large muscle groups benefit. Both right and left sides of the body along with upper and lower body parts are exercised as well. No lop-sidedness.

3. Develops spatial awareness. This is the ability to recognize where your body is when at rest and when moving. It begins with coordinating the movements of your body parts to maneuver safely over, under, through and around obstacles. Good spatial awareness helps kids learn new movements, including advanced aerial tumbling moves.

4. Improves coordination. As young tumblers gain spatial awareness, coordination improves and clumsiness begins to disappear. This alone is a huge confidence builder for kids!

5. Improves balance. Balance is also closely tied to spatial awareness. It requires a combination of both physical and mental training. Kids learn where their body’s center of gravity is. Through repetition of skills, their bodies learn to coordinate each body part. Once perfectly aligned, movements become second-nature, just like walking or running.

6. Improves cognitive skills. Visual perceptual skills and motor skills must work together. “Hand-eye coordination often requires fine motor dexterity, fine motor strength, shoulder stability, core stability, and timing.” During tumbling classes, kids also learn problem-solving skills. They must figure out how the body should move while performing certain actions. Problem-solving is an essential skill for anyone who wants to get through life!

Getting in Shape through Recreational Tumbling

Have you looked around lately and noticed the amount of children who are overweight, even obese? According to 2020 research:

• In the 1970s, only 5 percent of children in the United States ages 2–19 were considered obese.
• By 2020, the CDC found that number had risen to19.7 percent.
• The United States ranks among the top 5 countries with the highest childhood obesity rates.
• Research shows that 70 percent of obese kids will be obese adults.
• Only 13.8 percent of elementary, middle, and high schools combined provide adequate daily physical education classes for at least four hours a week.

It’s time for American kids to get in shape so they can lead full, happy, productive lives! Tumbling classes are one of the best ways to get kids started.

3 Ways Recreational Tumbling for Kids Will Get Them in Shape

1. Trampoline. Kids love to bounce on trampolines! It’s fun to experience ‘flying’ and it’s easy on the body. It’s low impact, increases spatial awareness, and is the perfect introduction to how much fun exercise can be. Kids develop strength and gain confidence as they safely engage in a variety of body movements and learn new skills.

2. Weight management. For those who need to shed some pounds, tumbling targets and tones almost every muscle group. While jumping on the trampoline, rolling on mats and learning basic skills, kids burn off calories. The result? Weight loss and muscle gain!

3. Cardiovascular workout. Not everybody wants to run across soccer fields or join the cross-country team. Yet they still need to get the heart pumping. Tumbling can easily fill that need. Tumblers may spend several minutes on the trampoline, then go to circuit training on the floor. They work on skill development as they move from station to station. As students progress through levels, they learn to put individual skills together. For instance, they learn to do a round-off, then how to do a back handspring. Next comes the back tuck. These skills turn into tumbling passes. Tumbling passes turn into tumbling routines. Watch students go through several tumbling passes and you’ll agree it’s good cardio work!

The Non-Competitive Nature of Recreational Tumbling

Competitive sports certainly have their place in the lives of many children. But not all kids want to compete. They just want to have fun and be challenged without the pressure to perform. Recreational tumbling for kids fills that desire.

There’s no judging or scoring. No one student is made to feel better than the next student. It’s all about fun and personal growth and achievement. It may eventually turn into more as they gain skills and confidence. But until then, it’s just recreational.

Remember the definition of recreation: Recreation is defined as an activity or pastime that promotes refreshment of health or spirits by relaxation and enjoyment.

Kids come away from classes feeling more alive, in better moods, and more relaxed. They feel good about who they are. That’s real recreation!

Their Future Starts Now

Parents want their kids to choose and enjoy healthy, active pastimes, not only when they’re young, but all throughout their lives. Enrolling in tumbling classes near you could have a lifelong impact on your child’s future.

Give them a robust start in a sport that encourages a positive attitude and love for exercise. Watch them build the self-confidence that helps them resist negative peer pressure. Watch doors to new opportunities open that they may otherwise miss.

At EmethGym, we are doing just that!

“Emeth is a great gym! My daughter had a wonderful time working with the coach in the intermediate tumbling class. He made the classes fun and I definitely saw improvements from week to week in my daughter’s skills as well as her confidence! Thank you, Emeth!”

If you’ve been searching for tumbling classes near you, and live in Northeast Ohio, we offer free trial classes. Get your kids started today on their journey toward a healthy, fit future full of opportunities!