Hoop, ball and ribbon play
Ready when: nothing needed.
What you are learning
Handling the apparatus of rhythmic gymnastics: rolling, spinning and stepping through a hoop; rolling a ball along the arms and throwing and catching it; making circles, snakes and spirals with a ribbon or scarf. It builds rhythm and coordination.
Words on this card Shapes, Apparatus, Vault, Rhythmic gymnastics
- Shapes
- Body shapes. Tuck: knees hugged to the chest. Pike: legs straight, folded at the hips. Straddle: legs straight and wide apart. Star: arms and legs spread wide. Straight: the body long and tight.
- Apparatus
- The equipment gymnasts use: vault, bars, beam, rings, a hoop, a ribbon.
- Vault
- Artistic apparatus. Vault: running and springing over a padded table. Bars: swinging on high bars. Beam: a balance beam 10 cm wide. Floor: a sprung square for tumbling and dance.
- Rhythmic gymnastics
- Routines to music with a hoop, ball, ribbon, clubs or rope.
Set up
A hoop, a soft ball, a scarf or ribbon on a stick.
Weather: calm weather outdoors
Show it first for the one teaching
- Roll the hoop along the floor and run beside it; then step through it.
- Roll the ball from one hand along both straight arms to the other hand.
- Throw the ball up, clap once and catch it with soft, open hands.
- Make big circles with the ribbon, then snakes along the floor, then spirals in the air.
Your part while they practise
Call the task; no corrections at first, except for danger.
Step by step
- Hoop: roll it and run beside it, step through it, spin it round the waist.
- Ball: roll it along straight arms and back.
- Ball: throw it up, clap and catch it with soft open hands.
- Ribbon or scarf: circles, snakes and spirals in the air and along the floor.
How much: 3 tasks with each apparatus 10 min a session 3 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Copy the pattern
One makes a ribbon pattern for 8 counts, the other copies.
Who plays: 2 players against each other, taking turns to lead.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- The leader makes a ribbon pattern while you count to 8
- The follower copies it on the next 8 counts
- Swap. 5 patterns each
- Fair play
- A grown-up leader uses only two kinds of movement.
- Points
- The follower scores 2 points for an exact copy, 1 point for a close copy; the leader scores 1 point when the follower misses a part.
- Fouls
- No points for that pattern
- The ribbon touches a person
- The leader's pattern is longer than 8 counts
- Stopping in the middle
- Winning
- The most points after 5 patterns each.
- 4 points for 1 star
- 7 points for 2 stars
- 10 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
A bigger, slower ball.
Throw, turn once, catch.
What you will see, and what to say
- the ball is gripped to the body
Open hands, let it roll
Soft palms. - the arms bend on the roll
Long arms, like a slide
Straight arms make a track.
Self-check
5 throw, clap and catch in a row.
Stop and get a coach when
The child wants to join a rhythmic gymnastics club.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains apparatus handling, rhythm, coordination.
awiseathlete.com/sports/gymnastics/gymnastics-b6