How to Do Trampoline Exercises in Preschool Gymnastic Lessons

Jumping on the trampoline is an all-time favorite for young gymnastic students. While trampolines help a gymnast perfect a stunt before they attempt it on the floor, they are dangerous. Monitor children at all times on the trampoline. Preschool children can develop balance on the trampoline with a few easy exercises.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Inspect your trampoline equipment. Make sure no springs are uncovered. Raised trampolines are dangerous and need spotters on every side. Professional gyms provide pits underneath the trampoline, lowering the surface to ground level to protect the jumper.

2. Begin with a simple straight jump. The gymnast will jump up and down to get feel of the trampoline. Very small bounces are sufficient.

3. Teach the young gymnast to stop the bounce quickly by bending her knees upon landing to absorb the rebound shock and putting her arms in front of her for balance. Stopping the bounce in this manner helps her develop the coordination to jump safely on the trampoline.

4. Instruct the preschool student to perform a tuck jump after she masters simple bouncing and stopping. Teach her to bring her knees upwards, towards her chest instead of tucking them backwards. The forward tuck is a fundamental move, used in more difficult gymnastic tumbling.

5. Move on to the straddle jump. A preschooler can perform small straddles on the trampoline, making sure she regains her foot position upon landing. Practice a couple of straight bounces, then a straddle jump and follow up with a couple more straight bounces and a controlled stop.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider constructing a trampoline pit if your gym is using an aboveground trampoline for safety.
• Trampolines are the most dangerous piece of equipment in the gym. Never allow more than one child at a time to jump. Although rare, when more children are bouncing, the rebound effect from 1 jumper can make the surface of the trampoline rigid when another lands.
• Teach children to fall correctly on the trampoline before allowing them to bounce.

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