Gymnastics

Tuesday (Aug16) was Kamryn's frist gymanstics class.  I was kind of nervous to see how it would all play out.  All I knew was there has to be parent participation, ages "walking" thru 3, and it was an obstacle course.  Well it turned out great!!! We got there a few minutes early but there is a small enclosed play area for the younger kids. She played and mingled with the other girls. Actually, she was mad when I told her it was time to go start the class. She wanted to keep playing! That was short lived. The first thing the teacher had them do was to follow her, running in a circle...Kamryn seemed sort of confused by this and just wanted to run willy nilly.  Then we did some stretches and you could see her loosening up and getting into it.  We then walked across the gym to a set up obstacle course.  They had to jump on this spring board, onto a mat. then step onto a stack of mats. Jump onto a shark rug, then jump back onto a second stack of mats and jump off.  Then climb a large foam block and then jump off. Next down the line was a mini trampoline, where they were supposed to jump from the trampoline onto a wedge to then do a summersault down the wedge.  Jump over 3 separate pbjects on the ground and then start over.  It's kind of in a circle shape.  Kamryn gave it her best. And she loved doing it. She is going to need to work on patience tho, she would get so happy she wanted to just cut in front of everyone and keep moving onto the next thing.  She's not very good at jumping yet...she keeps her legs locked. But I think with time she will get the hang of  it.  After all, she was the youngest one there.

The second "course" was to start with your feet next to this stack of mats, place your hands on the mat and then jump to land your feet on the other side of the mats.  Kamryn sooo wasn't big enough to do this.  The first attempt was bad but by the second time around she would at least put her hands on the mats and the instructor would hold her and help her to get her feet to the other side. Then place your feet outside of a holla hoop that was placed on the ground. Put your hands inside the hoop, life one foot, and jump up and down.  Kamryn did really good at this one.  While she couldnt jump on one foot, after I showed her how to hold herself up with her arms, I then lifted one of her feet and we basically just practed standing on one foot (while on her hands).  Next was to take a step, "jump" over an object on the ground, landing on second foot, then "jumping" over a second object and then landing back on the original foot.  Ha! we didn't do so hot on this one.  Mainly her legs aren't long enough and coupled with the fact that she can't jump very well...Yea.  Next was to stand on the top of a large foam wedge and summersault down it.  I was impressed...Kamryn did really well at this.  She needed help with the actual summersault but you could tell she was getting it. And that she enjoyed it. The final part of this course was to lay with your belly on this foam octagon and use your hands to "walk" until your feet roll off the octagon. Well since Kamryn's hands or feet didn't touch either side, we just kinda made a very awkward attempt at holding her on the shape and rolling it until she rolled off.  LOL.

The third "course" was balance beams.  You start on a beam that has 3 objects placed on the beam that you have to jump over when you reach them.  Then go to a taller balance beam that had a set of stairs to help the kids get down after they were done.  Then they moved to a beam that was set on the floor and the kids were supposed to tipee toe across it.  Kamryn did good on the first beam, at first she wanted to just step on the objects instead of step over them, but she got it the second time around. She did sooooo good on the tall beam.  I only had to hold one of her hands and she was able to balance herself and walk the beam herself!!! I was impressed! And proud!!

The fourth and final thing was Kamryn's favorite! It was a rock wall climb and then slide down the slide into a pit full of foam blocks.  She needed help up the rock wall.  At the top of the slide I was nervous for two things, (1) she usually puts her feet down going down a slide when then catches and makes her tumble down the slide instead of sliding and (2) if flying off the slide and landing in the pit would scare her.  Turns out, neither was a problem! She kept her feet up the entire time and when she landed in the pit I heard "whoa!" and then I see her smile!!  She couldn't wait to climg out of that pit and do it all over again.  She climbed the wall and went down the slide several more times before the end of the class.  When it was time to put our shoes back on, Kamryn threw a fit. An absolute, cried herself to sleep in the van on the way home, FIT! But I think that is a good sign.  I think she enjoyed it and that she'll be excited when we go back next Tuesday.  The program runs thru October. I know I'm looking forward to more classes and I think (if she knew what was going on) Kamryn is too!!

Some pictures from our first class.  Kamryn is wearing a yellow shirt and I'm wearing a dark patterned shirt and khaki capris.