Over the past couple of years we have whittled down our extra murals to well, zero. Probably all our friends do some sort of sport as an extra-mural, but we have been doing sport as a family. Beach running, leaping around on the mountain… I am all about my kids learning that exercise is a daily habit… a lifestyle choice and just another part of the day, like breakfast, lunch and supper. This past year we have taken on walking in a major way and hiking twice a month and just heading out into the great outdoors, whatever the weather. For years my guys have been absolutely mad about Parkour… and walking down a street is unheard of, they will find things to jump over, leap from, spring off. Well just recently a Wellness Centre with Parkour classes opened up round the corner from us… and they invited us over to play and to learn a few new tricks. Well I thought we would be an hour, and we spent the whole morning… and just one word for it: fun, Fun, FUN…
Warming Up
Firstly, no shoes on the mat… and in case you have any illusions about my kids putting everything in a neat pile… there was a generalised strewing of stuff.
And someone leapt straight up into the rafters, because they were there… there was much more of that later.
Most folk were stretching…
And generalised leaping around…
And pool noodle fights…
Punch Bags
Hand eye co-ordination and just chilling…
The Hoops
The one thing no-body could leave alone… (I should be hanging some hoops from the ceiling I reckon).
Balancing Balls
Some folk loved and adored these…
Meet the coach, amazing fun guy, that let our kids do heaps of things that they had never tried before, and more amazingly nobody was injured or hurt in the process. He was so enthusiastic about letting them try anything, even stuff they hadn’t even thought of… He has a whole new fan club, and everyone wants to be able to balance on a ball now!!!
Learning some Tricks of the Trade
And just like that all my kids can do a back flip… just like that!!!
Skipping
Gotta practice that jumping, because Parkour isn’t parkour without jumping…
Crash Mat
And then this is how they got to meet the Crash Mat, which is basically a jumping castle of the galactically huge variety. And they didn’t just explore under it, some folk had to check out the inner workings before they were happy to try it out. I kids you not!!!
From sceptical to triumphant in minutes…
Plenty of free play and leaping around… as one does!!!
Into the Rafters
And this is what they were all waiting for… to leap from the tree… I kid you not.
Actually it was all about the ceiling… They could not get up and leaping down and up again fast enough… the heady joy. And I’ll only say it once, but I was fairly relived about the crash mat below them.
And that was it… heaps of new things tried, heaps of confidence gained. Followed by possibly the quietest afternoon ever. Some folk, may even have had to have an actual afternoon nap… I am all for this. And now our walks to the store and the library are speckled with not just leaping and jumping, but my entire gang trying to do cartwheels with no hands…
You are welcome to take a peak at their site, they have heaps of classes and offer all sorts of fun to all ages and stages. This is not a sponsored post, we were simply invited to play and and we absolutely loved every second of it and chose to blog about. The opinions are as usual entirely our own.
If ever, if ever, we make it to Cape Town or thereabouts… I wanna go to Parkour. Even f thevkiddos are grown! 🙂
I’ll tell you, even though I’m under no illusions, if I had it to do over again I’d have a houseful of littles. Me & my 2 sure love checking up on the se7en+1 gang! xoxoxo
Oh Christi… You made my day!!! Love, love, love your comment!!! Hope you are all having a great week… from a very rainy Cape Town!!!
Oh boy, that looks fantastic! We have a Parkour club close to us and some of the older boys at school goes there but it looks seriously hard core to me.
Hay Cat, I have to say… when my kids go out on the rocks on their own they try heaps of scary things, but they have never though of leaping from the rafters before!!! That being said – they were so safe all the way, they were told exactly how to do stuff safely, they asked heaps of questions and he helped them all they way. Heaps of “show me again’s” … and lots of, “If you do it like this you will get hurt, but try it like that.” So even the littlest guy was totally safe. It really is a sport for all ages because you can only really perform at your own level. So very safe, whatever your age and a heap of fun!!!
That looks like SUCH fun!
Wow, what fun! Will have to let J know!
Awesome!
Marcia, it is such fun!!! My kids totally and absolutely loved it. The days of just talking a walk are completely and utterly over!!! Hope you are having a fabulous week!!!
Hay Aunty Muffin, I think J would love it… just up his street… hope you are having a good week!!!
Yes Katja, Awesome indeed!!! Have a fabulous day!!!
I want to be 10 again, so that I can learn the back flip!!! this looks awesome 🙂 So jealous
Yes Katja, Awesome indeed!!! Have a fabulous day!!!
Hay Irene, Tell me, I cannot believe they all did back flips, without any hesitation. I think these guys had so much fun… and our daily walks have taken on a completely different dimension. Hope you had a great week!!!
It’s pretty impressive that they all did backflips! I remember when I was first learning to do a backflip I had to mentally psych myself so much even to attempt it! But as someone who frequently goes to parkour schools and gyms, I think you provided them with a great experience for the rest of their lives!
Thanks for stopping by Parkour Gear, Fun times… it never ceases to amaze me how kids will try anything and leap at the chance to try something new…
I’m so glad I found your blog via Harassed Mom! My daughter has been begging me to let her do Parkour and I had no idea there were actually classes available. I can’t wait to surprise her with a visit to our nearest school!
Also, I look forward to reading all about how you manage your large brood – I only have 4 children but it feels as though I’m never on top of anything.
Hi there MeeA, great to meet you!!! Thank you so much for stopping by and saying hi… I hope you find the Parkour you are after and. Honestly what you do for four you do for eight, so lets just say, there is never a dull moment!!! Have a lovely weekend!!!