Alphabet Mat

A few days ago I got the idea to get Hunter a floor mat to use for tumbling exercises. I picked out the alphabet one from toys r us that has twenty-eight squares and measures about seven foot by four foot.

It was not very expensive, only about $25 for this set. It sure is a lot nicer to have this, so we don't have to get out the little mats we were using before every time we do our rolls.

Some different games we've played on it so far are: doing our exercises. We do somersaults (forward and backward) and rolling like a log, both clockwise and counterclockwise. The purpose of these exercises is to stimulate the vestibular portion of the brain and help develop balance.

We've also: jumped in different patterns, such as diagonally, forward, backwards, and sideways, spun around on it, and played on the hopping ball on it. He plays with his blocks and other toys on here now, and it is nicer than the floor since it's not so cold.

Because of the letters in it, I anticipate using it for a lot of language games, such as spelling and three-letter word making (think running to different letters as you spell, say, hippopotamus).

It was a fun investment, and I know it will enhance our physical excellence program in a fun way.

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them... And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."

Isaiah 11:6,8-9

Hunter is 3 years, 2 months old