It can be a big deal for new girls at gymnastics practice to get used to the locker room and shower area. At least, it is at our gym. We just started a new year of our team and we have several new girls. Our team is a “just for fun” group so we routinely get new girls of various ages. This time around we have some new 12 years old’s but we also have a new 16 year old. Normally a 16 year old would be pretty used to this already, but in her case, she’s home school girl so a group sport is new to her.
It isn’t a big surprise after our first practice shower time was a big deal for the new girls. We have a group change and group shower room. So there isn’t any hiding from the other girls. To make things easier, the first few practices the new girls all go to change before everyone else. That gives us some time to work with them and get them more used to what is expected.
The hesitation of taking off leotards is quickly replaced by girls trying to cover up with their hands. We’ve all done that at some point but it isn’t the best for locker rooms. So we do a few different ice breaking games. One of them is guess the number.
For it, all the new girls undress and walk into the shower room. They are allowed to cover with their hands as much as they want.
The game begins with the coach or team mom guessing a number from one to five. The girls have to show what number they think it is by holding up the right number of fingers. No matter what number you really thought of, pick the shyest girls number. She will feel like she did something right. Then its her turn to pick a number, and so on and so forth. Do a few rounds of numbers from 1 to 5.
The point of the game is that you have to give up a hand to play. Most girls will cover between their legs with one hand and use the other one to guess.
Now, switch to numbers from 6 to 10. This requires both hands to play, so there is no more opportunity to cover up.
We play for about five minutes until everyone is used to not being able to use their hands to cover. Then, its time to actually shower. We try to make sure the first few times the new girls are into street clothes before the rest of the team comes to change.
Guess the number is a great way to break the ice at your practice this year. Try it out!
