Staying active during the school year and summer can help kids and teens maintain their overall wellness. Gymnastics is a great activity to get kids involved while helping them socialize, learn new skills, and persevere through challenges. 

Consider enrolling your child or teen in gymnastics lessons at the YMCA for their health and happiness!

Benefits of Gymnastics for Kids and Teens

Gymnastics training for kids and teens provides many advantages. This comprehensive exercise program combines many skills into one sport, such as discipline, balance, flexibility, strength, coordination, communication and more.

1. Improves Discipline

Gymnastics is a challenging sport that can result in injury without proper concentration and practice. Participating in gymnastics lessons teaches the importance of following rules and instructions from coaches. Regularly attending gymnastics classes proves hard work and dedication pay off.

2. Strengthens Social Skills

Gymnastics classes are an excellent opportunity to make new friends and interact with peers while learning to work as a team and respect others. With regular classes, they also work on listening, following directions, being quiet and taking turns.

3. Builds Strength

Gymnastics training helps build strength while staying in shape. Whether they participate in gymnastics for fun or competitively, they will have a regular warm-up routine that prepares them to move their bodies. Exercises could include sit-ups, push-ups, running and stretching. 

Kids can build foundations for overall muscle strength, power and endurance. In addition to physical strength, gymnastics also fosters a strong character.

4. Fosters Development

While gymnastics teaches coordination, flexibility, balance, and strength, it also helps their minds. Regular physical activity promotes cognitive development. The constant and intense gymnastics training moves open neural pathways in the brain to help increase focus and concentration.

5. Improves Problem-Solving Skills

Learning and mastering new skills takes time. When your child has difficulty mastering a new skill, they can seek help from coaches and friends instead of giving up. Creative problem solving and working towards a solution encourages personal growth.

6. Gymnastics Is Fun

While children and teens learn many lessons in their gymnastics program, they also have fun! Making friends, learning new skills and jumping into foam pits are great ways for children and teens to express themselves.

Gymnastics Training at the Greater Philadelphia YMCA

Life is all about balance, which you will find plenty of during the gymnastics training programs at the Greater Philadelphia YMCA. We offer gymnastics lessons for kids and teens of all skill levels. Our professional coaches can help your kids leap into their gymnastics journey.

Get your children involved by finding a gymnastics program today at your local branch.

 

Join a Gymnastics Team

Our gymnastics teams are dedicated to developing excellent athletes and great team members. Through competitions and regular practices, the YMCA teaches the character virtues of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.

Find gymnastics teams at the following branch locations:

Gymnastics teaches athletes lessons they can carry with them throughout their lives. Our gymnasts achieve success at all levels of competition. Find out how your child can get involved with one of our teams!

What do parents think?

At the Y, we are dedicated to providing gymnastics programs that are challenging and fun! Take a look at some feedback that parents shared about their child's experience in one of our gymnastics programs.

Gymnast Friends

YMCA gymnastics programs are affordable and fun. I am never worried about the safety or well-being of my children because I know the Y staff really love what they do.

- Parent, Phoenixville Y

Child gymnastics

I really appreciated how easy going the instructors were with the kids. It was a wonderful low pressure way for my daughter to get to try out something new and she loved it.

- Parent, Spring Valley Y

Balance beam practice

You have helped build our daughters self confidence and bring her out of her little shell. We're so excited to continue on with her gymnastics classes!

- Parent, Phoenixville Y