With Beth Gardner

Safety warnings for parents must be written. Waivers Release Forms Signage posted around the gym.

Safety warnings for preschoolers must be VERBAL and

must be repeated OFTEN.

Three purposes of a good warm-up:

1. Increase Heart Rate and Core Body temperature.

2. Engorge Muscles with Blood

3. Move Muscles and Joints through Appropriate Range of Motion for the Activities

Ballistic vs. Dynamic Stretching

Ballistic stretching includes bouncing during the stretches.

This tears the muscles and nerves. It should be avoided.

Dynamic stretching is defined as moving through the various stretch positions using short “hold times.”

While older children and adults require longer hold times during their stretches, preschoolers require very short hold times of about 12-15 seconds.

The window of flexibility is between ages 7-9 years old.

Two Keys to protecting the spine:

Keep the Spine as straight as possible during stretch to alleviate over-stressing the lower back.

Eliminate unnecessary torque

Avoid Yoga Plow Stretches

Keep the Head Up during butterfly, straddle and pike stretches to help alleviate over-stressing the lower spine.

Lateral Stretching: Avoid Unnecessary Twisting and Torque to the Spine

Protect the knees during splits. Prior to splits, the foot should be in front of the knee so that the knee angle never bends further than 90 degrees during the lunge.

Use the adapted hurdler stretch

Know the children’s names

Keep children within your field of vision

Place rotations facing away from the rest of the gym

Have enough stations to keep the children busy

Maintain one spotting station within a rotation. Adapt activities if needed.

Teach Parents in your Parent and Tot Classes Safe torso and above the elbow spotting to avoid Nursemaid’s elbow

Make sure that as you spot forward rolls in preschoolers, that you support the neck and lift at the hips. Be sure to teach parents how to spot appropriately so they do not push their children down the mats.

Double-bouncing on the trampoline Staying with the class

Outside information from articles and

certifications like the passive Heimlich

If a preschooler is going to be on top of the bar, as in a support position, the bar should be set chest-high to the preschooler. If the bars are too high, mat up to meet the standard.

Remember that preschoolers have small hands and can easily slip off the bars, especially on the standard uneven bars.

DO NOT allow parents to place hands on top of their child’s hands while holding the bar. This can cause the same injury as grip-lock.

When a preschooler is performing skin-the-cat, the bar should be matted up so that the child’s feet hit the floor before the child hits full extension. This is to protect the shoulders.

Ligaments in a preschooler’s shoulders are not ready to hang unsupported until around 18 months old.

Like other events, the preferable spotting technique is torso spotting

Remember to spot between the elbow and shoulder to avoid nursemaid’s elbow, never between the elbow and wrist

Spot Inversion. Anytime a preschooler is upside down, they need to be spotted. They will release at unexpected moments.

The same standard for bar height applies to the beam for preschoolers. If the child is going to be on top of the beam, it should be set at a height chest-high to the preschooler.

Keep the children on floor beams as much as possible

Remember to spot to avoid Nursemaid’s elbow

Torso spotting is the best spotting method.

One child per trampoline

Teach the children how to stop the bounce by bending their knees

Double-bouncing

Teach the children to stay in the middle

Nursemaid’s elbow

Physiology of the Preschooler Large Heads

Unstable musculature

Strength

Lack of flexibility within the shoulders

Spondolysis is the pars fracturing in the spine usually around the 4th or 5th Lumbar vertebrae.

Left untreated, Spondolysis can become Spondylolisthesis. This condition causes chronic back pain.

Seal stretch and Abdominal sag

Crab walk / Tabletop

Supported bridge work

Start the children with feet elevated at least 8 inches. This applies not only to the preschool-aged child, but also any beginning gymnasts, regardless of age

We do not use single point spotting such as draping. The whole back needs to be supported as the children bridge OR spot at the shoulder and thigh to avoid placing pressure at a single point on the spine.

Down’s Syndrome / cervical neck x-ray

Add stations to help children who have sensory integration needs into your regular classes.

Safety rules apply to special needs kids too

Floater coaches