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Step 1
Instruct the children to practice rounding out their backs and rolling back and forth on it. Have them grab the back of their legs, press their chins into their chest and rock back and forth on their backs. Encourage them to increase the motion of the rocking, so that they are almost the point where it'd be more comfortable to roll over their head instead of continuing back into the roll.
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Step 2
Locate an incline mat--a mat that is shaped like a wedge of cheese. Have the children sit on the high end of the wedge and lean back until their head touches the ground below them. At the same time, instruct them to place their hands flat on the floor on each side of their head. Gently guide their legs over their body and help them come back up to a standing position.
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Step 3
Graduate from the wedged incline mat to a regular gymnastics mat. Double up one edge over so that there is a slight step from one mat to another. Have the children go from a sitting position into a roll, placing their hands flat on the ground behind their head and bringing their body all the way up and around. Encourage them to push off using their hands to get their body up and around.
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Step 4
Guide your preschoolers in doing backwards rolls without any inclines to start them off. Once this is practiced for awhile, they should be able to do an unassisted backwards roll.
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Step 5
Practicing hand stands against walls can help develop the upper body and arm strength preschoolers need to develop to do a proper backward roll.
