A mum in Llandrindod Wells has created a welcoming space for children to learn new skills and discover a lifelong enjoyment of being active.
When Callie Hammond realised there weren’t many opportunities for children in her community to enjoy gymnastics, she decided to do something about it.
With a newborn on her hip and a big dream in her head, she trained as an instructor and launched Back to Roots Gymnastics. Her vision was to create a safe environment where children can be active, explore movement and have fun.
Taking the next leap
Callie grew up in Missouri, USA, where gymnastics and dance were a huge part of her childhood.
Every tumble, every leap, every routine filled her with confidence, not just in sport, but in other parts of her life. When she moved to Powys - where activities can be harder to reach - she wanted local children to feel that same spark.
Callie got in touch with Welsh Gymnastics and completed a Gymnastics Activity Instructor course.
Focused on recreational gymnastics, the training suited Callie perfectly. Her priority was never competition or performance. Her ethos is all about giving children positive experiences of moving and being active in a pressure-free environment.
Back in Missouri, I loved doing recreational gymnastics and dance as a child. It gave me the confidence to excel in other areas of my life. I wanted to provide that same opportunity for children in Mid Wales.
"One of the key trainings that I had received was through Welsh Gymnastics and they have a really good selection of ideas to make sessions enjoyable and interesting.
The training helped Callie understand why physical skills are important, how our bodies learn to move, and how to adapt activities to meet different needs and abilities.
Because of her training, Callie is equipped to support the development of the children. She has created an environment where children can feel safe taking part in gymnastics. Her class sizes are kept small, she gets to know all the children individually, and she makes sure it's full of fun.
Making movement enjoyable
At Back to Roots Gymnastics, the number one goal is to get children moving, laughing and feeling good about themselves. Believing that positive experiences of movement at a young age help prevent future health issues such as obesity.
Callie uses a wide range of techniques and activities to keep children engaged while they develop their movement skills.
This includes:
- Fun games that encourage movement through play
- Theme based sessions to keep children engaged
- A class wish box that allows children to share ideas and influence activities
- Non-competitive sessions focusing on fun and involvement
- Avoiding activities where children need to wait in line for their turn
We use lots of themes, such as a farmer theme or a summer theme. We use that so children can use their imagination. They engage with it much better that way.
Children are given opportunities to shape their own fun during a session through a wish box.
They put in wishes and we draw out a wish. That’s something that we do to make the session fun and enjoyable. It gives the children input so that they have the control of the classes.
Callie has also found inspiration for fun activities in our Citbag resources and from watching social media videos.
A place for children to grow
Classes are so popular that Callie now runs three classes every Saturday. There’s also a preschool session, which her daughter – who is now three years old – attends.
Callie intentionally keeps her classes small. She gets to know all the children individually to understand their needs and make them feel comfortable.
The warm, welcoming atmosphere at Back to Roots Gymnastics is helping children feel they belong.
Foundations Framework Wales
Callie’s sessions at Back to Roots Gymnastics shows the Foundations Framework Wales in action. Showing how great experiences in sport can build confidence, motivation and belonging, which supports a lifetime enjoyment of sport.
The Framework highlights the importance of creating safe, enjoyable and developmental experiences for children.
At Back to Roots Gymnastics, children benefit from:
- A safe and supportive environment to make children feel welcome
- Coaches who know and support children as individuals
- Fun activities that encourage active play
- Opportunities to share their own ideas through the class wish box
- Plenty of time to take part with little time spent waiting turns
- A range of different equipment to learn skills with, funded by the National Lottery
- Supported by trained instructors, like Callie, who understand child development and movement
Children can develop much more than gymnastics skills at clubs like Back to Roots. They can build confidence, understand movement and enjoy being active for the rest of their lives.
A springboard for success
One mum’s determination to share her love of movement has grown into something much bigger.
Back to Root Gymnastics has become a community where children feel safe to learn, supported to develop, and excited to learn.
With every jump and proud moment on the mat, Callie’s dream is taking root as children build the skills, self-belief and love of being active that will stay with them long into adulthood.
Foundations Framework – What children need from sport
Do you deliver physical activities for children aged 3 to 11 years old? Do you want to help children develop a lifelong love of being active? We’ve worked with the Welsh sports sector to create this good practice guide to help you.