Cheerleading is a sport that is great for athletes of almost any age. From toddlers to thirty-five-year-old professional entertainers, cheerleading is a fun and exciting activity for all!
Parents and guardians who are interested in getting their children involved in a low-impact sport at a young age will be delighted to happen upon cheerleading. Some organizations offer weekly classes that may be attended by children as young as three years of age. The toddler classes are designed to help children learn how to perform simple chants and cheers, how to do basic gymnastics techniques, and the importance of living a healthy and active lifestyle.
What are the Benefits of a Toddler Starting Cheer?
The benefits of a toddler participating in a cheer program are numerous. For some young children, ages three and four specifically, this may be their first foray into taking instruction from adults other than their parents.
In this safe and nurturing environment, toddlers will learn from caring adults who don’t mind if they get a little loud because a cheerleader needs to support the team with a proud and strong voice. Toddlers may also benefit from joining cheer classes because they will have the chance to interact with other toddlers.
Kids at this age love engaging with others and mimicking. The motions and movements taught in the cheer classes will be simple enough for children to imitate and have lots of fun in the endeavor.
Besides being introduced to new adults and other students, toddlers can find joy in becoming a cheerleader. This sport encourages kids to be the best versions of themselves and to show pride in their local schools, sports teams, and even in the accomplishments of other athletes.
Cheerleading classes for toddlers are usually filled with laughter and mirth as clapping hands, shouting in a controlled manner, and performing a basic stunt can all be part of the courses.
What Should Parents Expect During Lessons?
Cheerleading lessons for toddlers usually take place once a week, during a weeknight day. Each class will last around an hour, with occasional water breaks given to the students.
Parents will be asked to sit near the activity and observe only. Facilitators will lead the toddlers through cheers, chants, and possibly even introduce jumps, kicks, and cartwheels or other basic stunts to the kids.
What Will Their Child Learn when Starting Out?
Toddlers who are just starting out in the field of cheerleading will learn the proper way to clap their hands. Most seasoned cheerleaders recognize that there are two claps which can be utilized to achieve both the desired look and resounding noise that is required. One clap will require the athlete to hold both hands flat, like blades.
The palms and fingertips will connect at the same time, creating a clean and crisp clap, both in looks and sound. The second clapping style tends to be louder and more useful when in an outdoor environment. For this version, cheerleaders cup their hands around one another, allowing the palms to make the most of their impact.
This sound will be deeper, and it will resonate throughout a football field or stadium.
Clapping is an important part of cheerleading, and after students are taught the proper techniques, advisers will introduce chants. Chants are short and repetitive. Most people, when they think of cheerleading, picture athletes performing chants.
These are the activities in which most sports spectators can recall being engaged in during a match or game. Chants like: “Go Team Go!” and “Beat that Team! Go All the Way!” are popular with instructors who are teaching toddlers because they are easy to remember and repeat.
Once the toddlers have mastered chants, they will move onto cheers. Cheers differ from chants in that they do not always rely on audience participation, nor do they include repetitive portions, except perhaps at the conclusion. During a cheer, the cheerleader will vocalize as well as clap and perform complicated motions.
The movements taught to accompany these cheers may be unique or they may follow a formula or pattern. Stiff arm movements and kicks are often employed when a toddler is first learning to perform a cheer.
Once a toddler has shown their ability to pick up clapping, chanting, and cheering, the instructors may decide to spend a little bit of time teaching students how to perform rudimentary stunting skills. Toddlers usually start with somersaulting, both forward and backward. Other rolls, like log rolling, may also be taught at this time.
While these rolls are generally not performed during cheerleading exhibitions or at sporting events, they are skills learners are taught when they first enter gymnastics classes. Mastering these skills builds confidence in students and allows them to be better prepared for attempting more complex stunts like the cartwheel and the round-off.
Many cheer instructors also incorporate dance into their classes. Sometimes, dances may be used at the beginning and ending of the classes to warm-up and cool-down. Other ambitious instructors will teach short dances to students.
Toddlers respond wonderfully to music, and they like to move along to the beat, so some facilitators take advantage of those natural abilities and use dance liberally throughout the cheer courses.
What Should Your Child Wear?
Each cheer organization has their own dress code for their students. Some will require uniforms, but most, at the toddler-age will not. When arriving to classes, cheerleaders should come dressed in comfortable clothing and footwear. Toddlers should be wearing closed-toed tennis shoes that fasten tightly.
Shoes that may slip off feet are not desirable. A good pair of tennis shoes is one of the best pieces of equipment in any cheerleader’s wardrobe, as that comfortable and supportive pair of shoes will protect them from incurring injuries to their toes and ankles.
Once parents have selected the appropriate tennis shoes and socks for the task, the student should come wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Cotton or moisture-wicking clothes are the best for this sport as freedom of movement is a must. Whether they are tumbling or jumping in place, children will want to feel capable of moving their arms and legs without any hindrance.
For those organizations that require students to wear uniforms, parents can expect to invest in shoes, socks, shorts, t-shirts, cheer tops and bottoms, as well as bloomers or spankies that will go underneath the cheer uniform. Perhaps the second most important part of the cheer uniform (right after the proper footwear) will be the hair accessories.
Students will always need to have hair ties, bows, or other scrunchies affixed so that they are able to see everything and everyone around them. For some, hair bows serve as more than functional parts of the uniform; they allow kids to show their personalities and fun-loving spirit.
What Age Can Toddlers Start Cheerleading?
Some cheerleading classes will be available for toddlers beginning at age three. These classes are designed for pre-school age children, so three- and four-year-old kids may attend. Often these cheer classes use a blend of gymnastics, dance, and cheerleading to provide an hour-long lesson to their students.
Most studios or organizations have classes that begin in the fall, around the first part of September. Those courses last until the end of December. Students may then resume their classes after the winter holidays in January. Cheer, dance, and gymnastics courses will have their spring sessions from January through May.
For adults who want more cheerleading options for their children, it is advisable to wait to enroll them in courses until they are five years of age. At five years of age, many local school districts become involved in the matter.
Once a child enters kindergarten, that kid will have a variety of activities ready to serve their needs. Local high schools will offer clinics for younger children, ages five- twelve. These clinics will be the most cost-effective way for parents to allow their children to experience the sport of cheerleading.
For a nominal fee, high school students will instruct younger children for a week or two. The sessions will take place after school for approximately an hour at a time. At the conclusion of the course, young children will be invited to participate in the high school’s varsity or junior varsity sporting events by performing cheers on the sidelines.
Many young children love this peek into what awaits them when they get to high school. Plus, the investment and time-commitment are minimal for adults.
Competitive cheerleading does not begin for youngsters until age four. For adults who wish to enroll their students in clubs that will lead into competitions for their tiny champions, they will need to wait until their toddlers are at least age four before locating such a spot.
Tips on Finding a Good Coach or Studio:
- Determine what you want for your child. (How much time do you want them to commit? What do you want them to learn?)
- Search for studios near your home. (You will be much more likely to take your kid to cheerleading camp if it is conveniently near your residence.)
- Check your budget and decide how much money you want to spend on cheerleading. (Some clinics can cost very little, but exclusive and competitive clubs can charge a great deal to keep children in the proper uniform and to help pay for competition entry fees.)
- Ask friends who may have done this previously. (Adults who have put their children into cheerleading clinics and groups will be willing to share their experiences. All you must do is ask.)
