Mommy signed me up for a real live gymnastics class through Community Ed for the next three months. It's SOOO much better than my Toddler Gym Class. We were a little rushed getting to my class because both Mommy and Daddy had never been there and we weren't sure were to go exactly. We weren't too late and I was so excited that Grandpa and Grandma Horning were there to watch me!!
Mommy was a little nervous because when we walked into the big room, there were uneven bars, parallel bars, rings, a balance beam, a long trampoline, a foam pit, a small rock climbing wall, and lots of foam cushions! All the equipment was a smaller version of the equipment real gymnasts use! I wasn't nervous, I just wanted to PLAY!
Coach Alison was very nice and helped me a lot. There are 4 other kids in my class and I AM the youngest one. Another little girl just turned two and the other kids are pushing 3 years old and have been in this class before. We practiced walking forward, backward, hopping, scooting backward, and walking while doing high kicks! Then we did some fun stretches. I learned the "tuck" position and the "pike" position. I really liked rolling on my back in the tuck and pike position, although it was a little hard to do while I was laughing. I guess I need to work on my abs.
After we got all stretched out, Coach Alison brought us to the beginning of an obstacle course. Coach Alison helped us on the uneven bars and we had to swing a little and then we crawled under a foam tunnel. Then, I had to do the bear crawl on the parallel bars. I needed Mommy's help for the first time, but I caught on quickly. Then I had to do a somersault on a triangular shaped cushion. Mommy had to help me tuck my head and get my feet over my head, but I'll get that trick mastered soon too! Then I had to jump on top of a yellow cushion over to the rock climbing wall. It was only about 4 feet high, but I really loved it! At the top of the wall, Mommy helped me over and I went down a steep slide. Then I had to do another somersault and then jump into the foam pit. I refused to jump in the foam pit, but Mommy put me down there anyway. It's still a little scary, but maybe I'll get used to it.
The second obstacle course, we had to crawl over a triangular shaped cushion and do another somersault over to the rings. Mommy lifted me up on the rings and gave me a little push. I went back and forth a few times before Mommy told me I had to let go. Then I had to walk on a really long balance beam. That was pretty easy, but I still wanted to hang on to Mommy's hands. Maybe next time I'll just hang on to one hand.
Our last activity was to hop like a bunny forwards and backwards down the trampoline. I didn't mind the hopping part and I didn't quite understand how to hop backwards, but the scary part was when Coach Alison wanted us to jump in her arms in the foam pit. There was no way I was going back in the foam pit. I didn't get upset though, I just hopped away from her!
As our class was finishing up, Coach Alison brought us over to the side and told us what a good job we did and then gave us stamps on both our hands and a big smiley sticker! WOW! What a great night! As we were leaving, I saw the big kid gymnastic equipment and watched the big kids do tumbles, twirls, and flips! It was really cool! I can't wait until I can do that!!
-Amaya