# Everybody Plays!

# Gymnastics

The sport of gymnastics has many different parts. Each of these parts is called an apparatus. A gymnastics room has many soft mats for tumbling. Tumbling is doing somersaults, cartwheels, round-offs, handsprings, and flips. Gymnasts also walk, turn, and flip in the air on the balance beam. The beam is 4 inches wide! They flip on bars and swing backward and forward on rings hanging from the ceiling. They run fast and jump high over the vaulting horse. They jump and flip on trampolines, and perform dance-like floor exercises on a large springy floor.

A coach demonstrates a pose on the balance beam. She kneels on one knee and extends the other leg out straight behind her.>

A girl sits on the balance beam with her feet resting on the beam.