If a number of your child's closest friends are, like your own kid, avid gymnasts, then having a gymnastic-themed birthday event is a great idea. But, not every one of your child's closest friends may be a gymnast. Here are two ideas to incorporate with a gymnastics theme for your child's birthday bash, all the while making the non-gymnast kids feel welcome too.
Exposure to Gymnastics
Many local gymnastics schools will open their facility to special occasions like birthday parties. Inviting friends of your child who are not gymnasts will give them a chance to be exposed to gymnastics.
- Kids Teaching Gymnastics to Kids
One excellent way to involve both the gymnast friends and the non-gymnasts is to let the kids takeover as instructors. This concept has a little bit of the show-and-tell behind it, which is especially fun for younger age groups. Make sure that skilled instructors are always present to monitor this activity, but let the kids take charge.
The gymnasts in the group can show the other kids by example how to do different gymnastics skills that they have learned. The kids who are not part of the gymnastics class, or team, will both marvel at the skill of their friends, plus get a firsthand display of something they may enjoy doing.
Encourage the gymnasts at the party to pair off with the kids who are not skilled gymnasts and help them learn a simple skill. This will provide a unique learning environment for the children, cleverly disguised as a birthday party. The partygoers will be having fun while developing some useful life skills, and maybe a new gymnast will emerge.
- Friendly Gymnastics Competition
Another way to involve both your gymnasts and non-gymnasts at a gymnastic-themed birthday party is to have a friendly competition. Split your children into groups based on who has gymnastics experience and who does not.
First let the gymnasts pick three or four skills they want to perform, and allow the other kids who are not part of the gymnastics team be the judges. Be sure to stress that it is a "friendly competition." The gymnasts will enjoy showing off their talent to their friends who can be a part of the game by being the judges.
Then designate some more simple gymnastic skills like tumbling or basic floor exercises for the non-gymnasts. In the same way, let the gymnasts be the judges. Once again, you will involve both groups of kids, the gymnasts and the non-gymnasts. The gymnasts will actually be able to get a little practice time while feeling they are having fun at a birthday party, plus the kids who have yet to take up gymnastics will gain some more exposure to the sport.
These are just a couple neat ideas to add some flare in your kid's gymnastics-themed birthday party. Adding things that will involve the non-gymnasts is very important, because it will ensure everyone has fun and all your child's friends can feel welcome.
For a gymnastics-themed birthday party, contact a business such as Brown's Gymnastics.
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