Bear Cubbies

About a month ago, we started Amara as a little bear cub at the Gantz Park Barn in GC.  My friend Amanda was starting her daughter and asked us--so we thought it would be a good opportunity to all do something--plus, Eric and I rarely get to take her to little gym.  You could call it a beginner tumbling class of sorts, no real formal instruction, save a demonstration here or there, more playing--fine with us.

At first it was packed--as usual with these types of things, some drop out, and kids get sick from time to time, so i think there are usually somewhere between 8-10 in the class.  Each kid has a mom and dad or both chasing them around, and there are various siblings and grandparents watching on the sidelines too.

Right away, Amara was interested in this little book nook, while we waited on class to start.  We wondered if we could pull her away (she loves her books) but it was no problem. 

Next, to start class, we do the big bird song where she jumps, kicks and hops on one leg--all of which she has all but mastered at 5 weeks in the class (the hopping on one leg was the hardest--the others she knew).

After that and the peanut butter and jelly song, (where she also learned to crunch the nuts, squish the grapes, spread the bread and put it on a table--where she makes a bridge up on her hands and feet)  the kids basically have open gym for 15 minutes or so.  Each week there are different obsticles, donuts, bars, beams, mountains, ladders, etc. to manuver, all of which she loves--especially the ladders.  At the end of class, they all come together again and either do the parachute, the big trampoline, or more songs.  At first she was timind on the big trampoline, but now she loves it and bounces quite well!

Lastly, the teacher does stamps on hands (and for Amara, feet, belly, whatever she asks for--she has started combining all the locations for all her various classes) and they get a tootsie roll or sucker.  I usually have water and an apple for her as we head out the stairs and get shoes on too.

Sometimes if it's nice, we'll play on the little park outside--quite a nice park actually with a lot of different obsticles.  It's becomming quite funny which things she takes to, things that she wasn't afraid of then, but is now, etc.

I don't know if we'll do this forever but it is fun and close, and CHEAP compared to her other classes.  We have fun seeing our friends there each week and she definitely likes to try out her new confidence and skills!