Gymnastics

I signed Elyse up for Gymnastics this fall. We have been going once a week, this was our last week until the new session starts in January. The class requires parent involvement, so I have to be with Elyse through all of the activities, thank goodness I don't have to do all of the activities :)

Every class starts off with Follow the Leader, this is just to warm up the kids (and I guess the parents too). After follow the leader we all play Animal Walk; everyone pretends to be different animals like bunnies hopping, snakes slithering, elephants lumbering etc. Then we all get to stretch, arm circles, touching our toes and other stretches.

We then get to do the circuit on the floor, there is usually places for the kids to do forward rolls, baby handstands, crawling through tunnels and stuff that gets the kids ready for more complicated moves when they get older. After the circuit the kids get to walk on the balance beam, trying different things on them like crawling, walking backwards and in Elyse's case, just walking with out holding on to my hand. The next activity is the bars, Elyse loves to hang like a monkey. The instructor has been working on getting her to pull her toes up to the bar, and then with help flip over the bar.

We end the class with playing with the parachute, just like I remember doing when I was in school, so much fun!! All the kids get a sticker too. Elyse always wants her sticker on her chest/tummy, so she can look down at it.

One of the obstacles on the circuit - this rocks back and forth, good for getting their balance coordinated

Stacks of blocks to climb up on the circuit and then jump off of on to a mat

Getting ready to jump!

Crawling up on to the wedge shaped mat, so she can practice her forward roll

Oh and she does forward rolls all by herself!!

I think forward rolls and the bars are her most favorite things to do at gymnastics