Yesterday Eleanor and I went to "Family Aerobics" at the gym. It is meant for kids older than 6 and their whole families---there were quite a few girls with their moms, but also dads and sons, and a few families. I think Eleanor mostly went because she wanted to see the mysterious "upper floor" of the gym (cardio and weights)---only 12 year olds and up are allowed up there. She was pretty convinced that she wouldn't have any fun, and kept repeating that, but I'm not sure.
We were called out just as class started to change Luke's diaper (they won't do it in the child care center), so we missed the warm up. The class was marching on these half ball things, which I think Eleanor would have enjoyed. We then played "jumping jack tag," and Eleanor got to be "it"(one of 3) for one of the games. Jumping jack tag is a bit like freeze tag, but you go to the edge of the room and do jumping jacks instead of being frozen. Also, you just play until everyone is tagged once, with no unfreezing. It makes for a shorter game, although some of the parents took not getting tagged awfully seriously. We played "follow the leader," where one kid goes up front and decides what the whole class will do. Eleanor volunteered to go up, and led us in lunges (suggested by the teacher) even though she didn't really know what they were. We did the Hokey Pokey, we had a relay race, and did some other stuff. At the end Eleanor was pretty worn out, so she didn't really do the kickboxing moves that one dad and son requested.
The goal was to get out of the house, have some fun together, and get moving, all of which were accomplished. The kid who was having the least fun was the one whose mom refused to take part, and they left about half way into it. The kids whose parents were being silly and trying to get into the games had more fun, even if they thought their parents were being a bit embarrassing. Eleanor was a little too self conscious to fully appreciate the experience, but she did enjoy the running parts. We can't go next week, but maybe the week after we'll try it again. Maybe we can even convince Daddy to go, provided he can sit out the Hokey Pokey...
We were called out just as class started to change Luke's diaper (they won't do it in the child care center), so we missed the warm up. The class was marching on these half ball things, which I think Eleanor would have enjoyed. We then played "jumping jack tag," and Eleanor got to be "it"(one of 3) for one of the games. Jumping jack tag is a bit like freeze tag, but you go to the edge of the room and do jumping jacks instead of being frozen. Also, you just play until everyone is tagged once, with no unfreezing. It makes for a shorter game, although some of the parents took not getting tagged awfully seriously. We played "follow the leader," where one kid goes up front and decides what the whole class will do. Eleanor volunteered to go up, and led us in lunges (suggested by the teacher) even though she didn't really know what they were. We did the Hokey Pokey, we had a relay race, and did some other stuff. At the end Eleanor was pretty worn out, so she didn't really do the kickboxing moves that one dad and son requested.
The goal was to get out of the house, have some fun together, and get moving, all of which were accomplished. The kid who was having the least fun was the one whose mom refused to take part, and they left about half way into it. The kids whose parents were being silly and trying to get into the games had more fun, even if they thought their parents were being a bit embarrassing. Eleanor was a little too self conscious to fully appreciate the experience, but she did enjoy the running parts. We can't go next week, but maybe the week after we'll try it again. Maybe we can even convince Daddy to go, provided he can sit out the Hokey Pokey...
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