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When we do cheer clinics for the little ones at our school, we like to play Simon says with their motions.

School supply stores will have plastic boxes shaped like a big treasure box.
 
-I am a culprit of the whole treasure box thing, but I have to say, I really don't like it. I'm not a fan of bribery. And if only some kids get it (sometimes continually) others start to feel bad about themselves. Like I said, we do it, but it's really not my favorite way because they're really not learning anything, other than "I get candy."
-I also don't like the "who can do it the best" approach at that age. Who can do it the best has absolutely nothing to do with how hard a kid practices and everything to do with how old they are. Obviously a six year old can do a better cartwheel than a three year old.
-I've found that the desire to please you is often very strong and can be used as a good tool. For example when going through motions in a sequence, say "Who can show me the first motion we do?" Or "Who an show me the first jump we do in our jump sequence."
-Use clear and consistent terminology. Littles don't know that get :clean, tight, ready, sharp, set) all mean the same thing.
-Come up with some sort of hand signal or visual/audio cue to remind them to pay attention. We all had those in elementary school (give me five, teacher claps, kids clap, two fingers up)
 
INeverStopCheering said:
-I am a culprit of the whole treasure box thing, but I have to say, I really don't like it. I'm not a fan of bribery. And if only some kids get it (sometimes continually) others start to feel bad about themselves. Like I said, we do it, but it's really not my favorite way because they're really not learning anything, other than "I get candy."
-I also don't like the "who can do it the best" approach at that age. Who can do it the best has absolutely nothing to do with how hard a kid practices and everything to do with how old they are. Obviously a six year old can do a better cartwheel than a three year old.
-I've found that the desire to please you is often very strong and can be used as a good tool. For example when going through motions in a sequence, say "Who can show me the first motion we do?" Or "Who an show me the first jump we do in our jump sequence."
-Use clear and consistent terminology. Littles don't know that get :clean, tight, ready, sharp, set) all mean the same thing.
-Come up with some sort of hand signal or visual/audio cue to remind them to pay attention. We all had those in elementary school (give me five, teacher claps, kids clap, two fingers up)
Click to expand...

Yes yes yes!!!


Ashley
 
Well the treasure box thing has worked very successfully for our mini/youth director. She has a method and usually the entire team gets rewarded not just one or two. I wish I could remember some of her techniques when talking to the young one's but it's been a few years since my youngest has been on one of her teams.

If her mini's can win NCA year after year, she is doing something right! ;)
 
I'm also a new mini coach. Last year I coached junior 1 and this year I've been assigned our Baby Boas (mini 1). I'm really looking forward to working with the little ones and getting them started with good technique.

Any tips for ADHD kids would be fantastic. I have one little one who is all over the place. I need some tricks to keep her focused.

Thanks!
 
retiredl5cheer said:
I'm also a new mini coach. Last year I coached junior 1 and this year I've been assigned our Baby Boas (mini 1). I'm really looking forward to working with the little ones and getting them started with good technique.

Any tips for ADHD kids would be fantastic. I have one little one who is all over the place. I need some tricks to keep her focused.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
For the beginning with spacing things, we used cones. But to keep them focused we called them their "puppy". It's easier to keep them focused in one spot if they have a little 'friend' with them if that makes sense.
 
Last season we would have our mini 1 do run throughs of their routine and have a different kid sit out and watch each time. They would give their "critiques" at the end and pick the next person to sit out and say something positive about them ("I pick Allie because she smiled and did facials the whole time" etc). We would do this maybe once a month and it helped SO much. It gave them the chance to see the routine through the eyes of their coaches and see why we told them to do certain things. The feedback they gave was usually pretty similar to things we'd been telling them, but it seemed to stick with them better when it came from their teammates.


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We like to encourage the kids to be sharp/clean/tight/one time by playing "The Fierce Game"!

So basically we pick a section of the routine to work on Dance/motions/jumps/etc and whatever three girls (or boys) that are the "fiercest" get to sit and watch the group do it again, and then they get to pick out "the fiercest" ones during that round. We had to explain before we started that facials, being tight, and on time is key to be "fierce". And of course we as coaches had to demonstrate how to be "fierce" and how not to be, which the kids loved. But it made our girls better performers and made them challenge each other.

We also have a "Team Goal Chart". Its basically like those attendance charts where we put goals in the name slots of the chart and then fill in the sections with stickers every time our jumps are together, or we pulled skills on time, or sometimes as easy as "everyone tried their hardest" or "wore their cheer shoes". lol When they fill up the line, then we might let them play a game for the last 10 min or bring popsicles to the next practice or even having a themed practice the next week. Depending on how big/hard the goal is. Plus it gives us a chance to review how practice went at the end of practice everyday by going through the stickers we earned.
 
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