Toddler Gymnastics - Climbing and Balancing

Harper is a climber. If there’s a way up it, he’s going. One of the real challenges with toddler gymnastics activities is to come up with ideas where the child can practice these skills without truly endangering themselves.

The other day I caught Harper on top of the dining room table standing and clapping. Yeah, cute - but scared the crap out of me.

Incorporated in the usual toddler gymnastics obstacle courses that I construct for him at home, I usually have some type of pile of cushions for him to try to scale.

Another good idea is to lay a blanket across the floor (which often becomes water or quicksand) and place pillows that he has to get to by stepping across without touching the blanket. This will help with his balance and coordination. Remember how when you were a kid there were always sharks swimming around somehow?

Toddler gymnastics can be real fun if you incorporate some sort of imaginary scenario into it. That always was one of the best things about being a kid - making an ocean out of a puddle or exploring a forest in your closet.

HarpersDad