Young gymnasts love animal walks and stretches as a playful way to learn gymnastics skills, gain flexibility, and have fun with their bodies and imaginations.

Fabulous flamingoes stand on one leg, much like gymnasts working on their stationary balance. Puppies (and not just the Parisian ones) bow with their front bodies to stretch before play. Cheetahs, jaguars, and even zebras are celebrated for their strength, speed, and agility. 

For more ideas about incorporating animal movements into your gymnastics coaching, elementary school curriculum, or just fun around the house, we like Skylark Sports’ blog post about Animal Walks and vestibular processing, and this easy to follow video from PhysEd Video demonstrating animal walks for early elementary education (below). Kick start your tumbling unit, or just have some froggy fun. 

Does your gymnast love animals? 

Warm up with Mod Zebra, spring into action with Wild Side, or take colorful flight with Toucan Do It. Whatever your gymnast’s mood, we’ve got an animal-themed leo they’ll love.