8 min read
June 15, 2023
As the summer approaches, here at Gymfinity Kids, we will have a group of Preschool Independent Gymnasts and Mini Ninjas who are ready to graduate up to ‘Big School’ in September. How exciting! We celebrate this momentous occasion with a Preschool Graduation and we hope you can be there to celebrate with your child and watch them receive their certificates at the end of class ceremony… and toss their little graduation caps in the air!
With this move to Big School, they’re also ready to graduate from our Preschool and Mini Ninja classes and join our recreational Gymnastics and Ninja classes, which is a delight to see. We can’t wait to continue their journey, watch their confidence grow, and see them develop fantastic skills.
Read on to find out more about our Preschool Graduation and what this means for your child at Gymfinity Kids.
Gymfinity Kids: Preschool Graduation
Why do we celebrate the move to ‘Big School’ with our Preschool Graduation?
We wish to celebrate every achievement for the children and the changes in their lives, so we put on a Preschool Graduation to celebrate their achievements and give them a hearty confidence boost as they step into a new routine and environment.
We understand that moving up to Big School is a big deal for children and can often present a lot of change, both physically and mentally. By celebrating the move from Preschool and Mini Ninjas to our bigger recreational classes, we aim to instil a sense of pride and achievement in every child and encourage them to keep working hard to be the best they can be!
What can you expect in the Preschool Graduation?
Similar to our Award Week, the Preschool class will run as usual but will finish slightly earlier for the graduation ceremony. Your child’s coach will give a speech on the big move, and that the relevant children are graduating out of our Preschool classes and are ready to move up into our recreational Gymnastics and Ninja classes.
Each child will be presented with their certificate whilst in their provided graduation caps and gowns, and there will of course be a photo opportunity for parents! We invite parents to take a photo of their child with their certificate at the end of class, but please avoid getting any other children in the background of your shot due to consent.
Parents, guardians and family members are welcome to attend, however, if there are more than two who wish to attend, please speak to your club directly as there may be limited space available.
What skills have the children developed during Preschool Independent Gymnastics and Mini Ninja classes?
Throughout the child’s time in our Preschool classes, they will have worked on developing a wide range of both gross and fine motor skills. From balancing to jumping, rolls to baby cartwheels and handstands! They will have developed strength and skills using the gym equipment and assistance from our coaches, which will be beneficial to their new class as well as day-to-day life beyond the gym.
What does graduating mean for their progress in our in-house Awards Scheme?
Once your child graduates out of Preschool classes, they will automatically be put onto our Gymnastics or Ninja Award Schemes starting at Level 1. Their profile which you can view from within your account will reflect this, and you will be able to see the new skills that they will be working towards for their next Award Week.
Find out more about our In-house Award Scheme and celebratory Award Week.
Starting recreational Gymnastics and Ninja classes at Gymfinity Kids:
What can the graduated children expect from the new classes?
Our Gymnastics and Ninja classes are slightly larger in class size and busier. You will notice that the coach-to-child ratio increases to 1:8 and we often have multiple classes running at the same time on the gym floor.
Whilst the coaches endeavour to give each child an equal amount of 1-2-1 time, there are also times when the children get to work independently or with their classmates. Each week, your child’s class has the opportunity to work on three different pieces of equipment. By the end of the month, they should have experience with every piece of equipment in the gym!
What can parents do to help the transition to Gymfinity Gymnastics and Ninja classes?
We recommend moving your child up to the new class before they start their new school to give them ample time to settle into the new class environment. If your child feels nervous, you can bring them into club to chat with their current coach about the new class and what to expect.
You are also very welcome to bring them into club on an evening or weekend to watch some classes from the viewing area – it may give them a better idea of how the classes will run.
If you know which day you’d like the new class to be on, you can come into club to meet the coach and find out more ahead of your child’s first class with them. Please note that coaches sometimes change with the timetable, so we recommend speaking directly to your club to arrange a meeting with them.
Big changes can take a lot of adjustment, and this takes time. Keep communicating with your coach and child. And know that we will do everything we can to make the transition as easy as possible for both you and your child.
Why do we recommend starting the classes before September?
Our summer period can be our quieter times in club due to many members being away on holiday. Starting your new class before September gives your child a gentle introduction to the class so that when the new school year starts, they have already settled into their new group.
September is our busiest time of year for new members joining, so we encourage existing members to book into the new classes before then to secure their spot.
Beginner Gymnastics and Ninja classes at Gymfinity Kids
What additional skills can the children expect to learn in Beginner Gymnastics and Ninja classes?
Your child will start building on skills already learnt in their Preschool or Mini Ninja classes, perfecting them and building strength so they can progress to bigger variations and harder skills!
Our Gymnastics Award Scheme covers 10 levels with skills ranging from rolls and handstands to tumbling and big bar skills. Equally, our Ninja Award Scheme covers 12 levels building up from Ninja rolls to large vaults and tumbling tricks on the floor!
Take a look at our in-house Award Scheme to get a clear view of what skills we cover at each level.
How your child can progress from Beginners Gymnastics and Ninja to higher levels:
When it comes to your child’s progression, we keep you updated via email and in person, but we always recommend speaking to your coach directly. They have the best idea of how your child is doing and how they can help them improve in class to make the next step.
Moving your child to a different age group can be done yourself within your Members Account online, but we ask that you wait for a coach recommendation before moving up to an Intermediate or Advanced level class. This is due to the level of skill needed to be able to safely participate in these higher-level classes.
If your child is particularly interested in moving up a level, we also recommend booking a 1:1 session with your favourite coach! This will give your child ample time to work on specific skills at their own pace and can be booked directly in club with your coach.
Find out more about 1:1 sessions and take a look at the kind of progress 1:1 sessions can produce!
What happens in the Gymnastics and Ninja Competitions?
Our Gymnastics Competitions and Ninja Showdowns provide our children with the opportunity to showcase their hard work and skills. The children are divided into small groups to compete on a floor routine and vault piece against children of similar age and ability from both their club and other Gymfinity clubs.
All children will learn the competition pieces regardless of entering as we believe it’s a fantastic skill to practice and provides a fun change of pace for the class. We want every child to come away with a sense of pride and achievement – all receive a participation award, as well as the gold, silver and bronze medals according to performance.
In the run-up to our competitions, you will have the opportunity to sign your child up for an intensive session to get in extra practice time. It’s not mandatory but can prove useful in building skills and confidence for competitions.
For more detailed information, please speak to a member of staff in club.
