If your child wants to participate in a kids’ sport, gymnastics is a solid option for enhancing physical fitness and coordination, but it does more than that. Learning and mastering gymnastics will also help them do better in school in several ways. The following are a few main ways the activity can boost students' academics.

How Gymnastics Can Help Your Child’s Academic Performance

1. Exercises the Brain

While it’s certainly beneficial for kids’ fitness, the sport also exercises the brain in ways that can enhance their academic performance. When learning routines, they’re working their memory to organize the steps. Certain practice exercises—such as being told to start on one mat and end up on another—require planning and critical thinking. Developing unique routines, such as for a competition or showcase, encourages creativity and organization. 

2. Teaches Teamwork

Your child will need to work with others throughout their sports experience. Team competitions, practicing, and helping others in their class let them work on their communication and social skills. These experiences will prepare them for school group projects and activities and provide critical interpersonal skills they’ll need throughout their lives. 

3. Promotes Better Grades

Engaging in a sport like gymnastics keeps your child active and fit. Physical activity has been linked to higher math and reading grades, likely because it improves long- and short-term memory and leads to better sleep, enhancing focus and energy levels during the day. Getting exercise also contributes to a more positive attitude, leading to better relationships with their teachers and higher participation grades.

4. Encourages Perseverance

Gymnastics will also teach your child key attributes associated with success, such as determination. It teaches them that even if they’re struggling with something, they can practice it and improve. This applies to school subjects, projects, or concepts that they might be stuck on, so they keep trying even if they’re having a hard time.

If your child is interested in gymnastics, contact Legacy Gymnastics in Eden Prairie, MN. Since 2010, they’ve provided comprehensive gymnastics classes in an expansive 33,000-square-foot facility. All their instructors are certified with USAG, and they work with children from preschool age and up. Explore their classes online, or call (952) 746-8183 to enroll.