What does your preschooler wear for gymnastics class?

[BabyBearsMom]

DD1 is starting gymnastics (tumbling) next month. What should I dress her in? If she had the choice it would be a leotard with attached tutu (then again, that would be her what to wear choice every day. I was thinking just warm up pants and a t-shirt although she told me "I need a lee-tard, cuz my tummy will show when I do my moves and it will get cold if I wear a shirt."

[lizzywednesday]

DD1 is starting gymnastics (tumbling) next month. What should I dress her in? If she had the choice it would be a leotard with attached tutu (then again, that would be her what to wear choice every day. I was thinking just warm up pants and a t-shirt although she told me "I need a lee-tard, cuz my tummy will show when I do my moves and it will get cold if I wear a shirt."

Does the place have any guidelines? If not, honestly, for freedom of movement, my first choice would really be a leotard. (I took tumbling at about your DD1's age and then gymnastics - at a serious gym - when I was 6-7 yrs old. I wore a red s/s leotard for the tumbling classes and a powder blue l/s one for the gymnastics ones.)

Yes, it's a pain, especially for bathroom runs, but I think your DD1 will be happiest with that in the end.

[BabyBearsMom]

It is just at the rec center, very low key and no specific requirements. DD1 took a ballet class there last quarter and there was no specific requirements for clothes but all of the girls wore leotards, tutus and ballet slippers (not toe shoes, just the flat slippers) but I think that was more that the moms wanted to see their little girls in ballerina clothes, kwim?

[cono0507]

DD wore a leotard, occasionally with gymnastics shorts over it.
We started out with a gymnastics leotard and from Target, then went on to buy them through fundraisers at the gym. Not sure if Target still carries them but they were reasonably priced and didn't wear out before DD outgrew it.

[YouAreTheFocus]

My ds is nearly 4, he's been in gymnastics for about a year--first at a rec center and now at an independent gym. At both the locations, boys and girls basically wear comfy play clothes--boys are in knit shorts or pants and tees, girls are in leggings and tees. They don't allow any jewelry or accessories, dresses, tights. Everyone's clothes basically stay in place, it's not like they're doing lots of flipping around at this point :)

[TwoBees]

DD is 3.5 and has been doing gymnastics (Little Gym) since she was 18 months. In the summer she wears soft shorts and a t-shirt. In the winter, she wears leggings, sweats/fleece pants, or other soft, loose pants and a long-or short-sleeve t-shirt.

Some of the girls will occasionally wear leotards, but I think it's just their personality and/or dress-up. :) It's not required or even mentioned.

[Simon]

Ds2 and all the girls in his class--preschool level at a full gymnastics school--wore t-shirts and shorts. Ds wore athletic pants a few times but I think they did restrict his leg movements some, but the teachers said it was OK if he wanted to wear them. The tween girls wore leotards with bike shorts or other capri legging covers.

[LMPC]

DD wears gym shorts and a tshirt. We tried the leotard but she complained of wedgies, so we switched back :)

[crl]

Dd wore knit pants and a knit shirt. No buttons or zippers to dig in and hurt and I refused to allow her to wear dresses because I thought they would interfere, although some of the other little girls did wear knit dresses. None of the kids wore leotards.

Catherine

[kristenk]

For an actual tumbling class, I'd suggest a leotard (most likely without attached tutu!). It's easier for the instructor to correct body position and see what's going on in a leotard. I know that DD would feel compelled to pull her shirt all the way down after every single time she did something, so that might be influencing my opinion!

Oh, and I'd go with a leotard that has shorts attached (also called a biketard if you look online, I think). So much easier to deal with!

For a little gym or similar class, I don't think it really matters all that much.

[stinkyfeet]

We used to do gymnastics/tumbling. Most of the girls in the class wore comfortable play clothes (like workout shorts/sweatpants with a t-shirt.) Some of the toddler girls wore leotards. In a toddler gymnastics class, play clothes are perfectly fine. You"ll find that the older girls who are on the more "serious" classes wear leotards.

[gymnbomb]

As a former gymnastics coach, I would recommend a leotard. It makes it much easier to assist the kids if needed (and easier to see/correct their body position), even at the lower levels where they are mostly just playing. She is right that her shirt will probably come up and expose her tummy when doing things like forward rolls, log rolls, stretches, etc. The ones with attached shorts are fine, and regular ones with bike shorts worn over them are fine if you're wanting something that covers a little more and is more likely to stay in place. Occasionally kids will even wear swimsuits (1 pieces without lots of ruffles) and that works fine too. Nothing wrong with the kind from Target, certainly no need to spend $$$ on a fancy gymnastics specific one.