The Preschool Gymnastics Tools I Still Use as a Mom: Play Scarves

As a gymnastics coach, there was a lot of creativity that came with creating lesson plans and keeping kids engaged while coaching. As a mom, it’s a whole other ball game! But there are a few things I used all the time as a preschool gymnastics coach that have come in clutch with my son… most of them on a daily basis!

The first thing being PLAY SCARVES!

These are so much fun and lend themselves to open-ended play. We love to crank up some music and dance with them. They are great for spinning and swinging around. You can play games with them, like dropping them from the top of the staircase and having your kiddo try to catch them. Then you can trade places.

Kids love putting them on top of their heads to “hide.” It makes for great sensory play, from the way they feel to how they change the colors you see. They make perfect blankets for stuffies or capes on your shoulders.

We have also used different colors for “scene play,” like using a blue one as a lake for all his elephants and tigers to get a drink.

The list goes on and on. It’s really so fun. Can you tell I love them as much as Cody does? I truly believe they are great for every age and lend themselves to a million different activities.

Need a few minutes of peace?

If you’re looking for a few minutes of peace (dare I say enough time to drink your whole cup of coffee?!), here’s an idea:

Find an Oball, an empty tissue box, or even a shoe and stuff the scarves inside. Your kiddo can pull them out, and if they’re old enough, stuff them back in!

This works for as young as six months and at least up through preschool.

Want to get moving?

If you’re looking to get moving and get laughing with your kids, try this:

Pull out the scarves and turn on “Dance, Freeze, Melt” by Mr. Eric & Mr. Michael — but you have to commit. Dance with all your heart and “melt” to the floor like you’re competing for an Oscar. That will get the best results, and soon enough your kids won’t be able to resist joining in.

I would also recommend your favorite song to move to! The more genuine you can be, the better.

Ready for a little challenge?

If you’re looking for something to challenge their hand-eye coordination, visual tracking, and timing, give this game a go:

Find a staircase and drop the scarf off the side for them to catch. For itty-bitty ones, have them lay on their back and sit next to them while you drop it gently toward their face or belly.

For those who need a challenge, drop multiple scarves and have them catch only a certain color, or have them do a spin before each catch.

Catching helps kids practice watching something as it moves, figuring out where it’s going, and coordinating their hands to meet it. Those skills come into play with all kinds of things as they grow — from feeding and dressing to drawing, throwing, and eventually sports.

Anyway, did I just write a whole blog about play scarves?!

Yes. Yes I did. 😆😉

Here’s the set I ordered for my son for $8 over a year ago, and it’s held up: https://amzn.to/4cfTqjP

[affiliate link]

I dream of one day having a whole set from Sarah’s Silks. ✨🤩

https://www.sarahssilks.com/collections/best-sellers/products/mini-playsilks?variant=32007497482353

Have fun!