Starting Gymnastics and Our First 'Nastics Class

Anna Claire has been wanting to take gymnastics for a long time now! She's been asking us and telling us how her friends go. But the times at the gym we wanted to go to just didn't work for us. We like our Saturdays free to do things as a family, and Thursdays were out with me in school.

School's out for the summer, so Thursdays are a go! We were wondering if there would be a conflict with her ABC Music class at the Red Barn which are also on Thursdays, but things are gonna work out perfectly. She can go to the RB at her usual time and stay through music which ends at 9:30, and still make it to Action Gymnastics at 10.

We're doing the Mommy and me class until her 3rd birthday coming up in a few weeks, and from there her teacher Miss Mary will help me choose whether to keep her in that class or move her to the preschool class.

Mary also offers a class at the Red Barn, so she could actually go during my work day once school starts (nice option!). HOWEVER: after seeing all the gym has to offer, it might be more worth our while to take her myself! Plus I love watching her!

I still don't know the names of all the gym apparatus, so forgive my ignorance which is sure to be revealed in paragraphs to come.

Today was really neat, and representative of a typical class so I am told. We started lying down on a big inflatable mattress and actually laid/sat on it while it was inflating. Big smiles from Anna Claire while doing this. It is a crazy feeling, the air moving under you!

Then we did a jumping course. Jump down the length of the bouncy mattress. Forward roll down the cushy wedge. Jump down the long trampoline. Carefully climb down. Repeat many times! Anna Claire is starting to understand "jump." I saw her and praised her jumping several times today. But she is just trying to get comfortable with everything. She did get to try out the long trampoline before at Maggie's birthday party, but it's still new to her. She preferred walking or running.

After the jumping course, we had circle exercise time. The kids came over and sat on a colored carpet square of their choice and Miss Mary led them through a series of floor exercises. Anna Claire liked doing the rainbow exercise and Superman. ;)

Next was circuit. This was a free-flowing obstacle course. Mary modeled each station, then the kids could go where they wanted. Apologies for lack of pics for this part of the class. It was very hands-on for Mommy and child, so no chance of photo opps here.

They could do backward rolls on either a cushy wedge or octagonal shaped thingy (loving my use of technical terms? be ready, there's more...). Anna Claire does this pretty well with a little assistance!

They could do a long-jump across two red square cushy cubes, then "hot dog" or roll on their side down a wedge. Anna Claire did hot dog pretty well. She definitely prefers it to forward rollling.

Another option was to swing like a monkey on a bar with Miss Mary. Anna Claire did not hear that she needed to hold on to the bar despite mine and Mary's repeating, "Hold on to the bar!" many, many times. Lol. On a side-note, this reminds me how comforting it was to notice none of the other 2/3 year olds listened very well either. ;)

There was a tunnel created using 2 adjacent accordion mats and placing them in a zig-zag. We liked this station, but it was short-lived.

The favorite for most of the children seemed to be the balance beams. They could walk across the one low to the ground, stepping over stuffed animals (beanie baby size) to encourage them to take bigger steps. On the high beam, they crawled "like cats" on hands and knees. then once they got to the end, they could slide down a medium sized slide. I do believe the slide was a big motivator for all involved. Good thinking, teachers!

After circuit was parachute and making popcorn. Anna Claire did this at Maggie's birthday as well, so she was excited about it and knew just what to do. I remember loving parachute even as an older child in grade school! So fun!

Last, the children got their feet and hands stamped. Anna Claire waited very nicely for her turn and loved when it WAS her turn. Big smile. :)

She told me afterward, "I go g'nastics AGAIN!" (Notice we have progressed to "g'nastics.")

I forgot to mention, one of Anna Claire's pediatrician's, Shannon was there with her little girl who is the the class. And one of my high school friends and her little girl. Small world, and nice to see familiar faces. AC loved seeing "Doctor Shannon"! She loves her!