Gymnastics should always be kept fun. Sometimes us coaches get caught up in the competition and focus on skills and drills. It’s best to sometimes take a step back and remind yourself why these girls are in the sport: To have fun and learn the ways of the sport. The barrel is a great way to bring back the fun in gymnastics. It is basically a squishy mat that you can have the girls climb in and out. We usually use it for our preschool classes and the younger kids. They love climbing in and out of this mat. Sometimes the younger kids can get bored from doing the same drills, so spice up your obstacle course with a mat barrel from Mats Mats Mats. The link below will lead you to a colorful new mat that will excite gymnasts of almost all ages.
http://www.matsmatsmats.com/gymnastics/gymnastics-equipment.html
Gymnastics: Coaching & Doing 