Month: Jan 2020

Gymnastics for preschoolers: Why free play at Liberty had us bouncing off the walls!

Now, for no particular reason other than a friend suggesting we try out a local class with them, my girls are “ballet girls.” I use the term in the most literal sense – they do ballet. Neither one is destined for great things at the Royal School of Ballet; oh no, just like their mother, they haven’t been blessed with grace or light feet. However, they get a lot of enjoyment out of it (their beaming smiles say it all), I think it’s super cute, and it keeps them active, so it’s all good.

Recently though, I’ve wondered about gymnastics. The Little Big One is massively into jumping – on a trampoline, on the sofa, down the stairs (God help me); anywhere, really. She makes a beeline for the balance beams and stepping stones in the park too and I’m starting to think, maybe, that gymnastics might be more up her street. Same with the The Not So Tiny One, who has always been a bit of a daredevil and will climb just about anything given half a chance.

As we’re already doing a regular ballet class, I looked into drop-in gymnastics and found a class for pre-schoolers over in Frome at a place called Liberty Gymnastics Club. As well as doing pre-booked classes for a variety of ages (see link for more info) they run a pre-school drop-in session every Monday and Friday from 10-12pm that is all about free play. The fact that the session isn’t structured means that it worked really well for my two girls, who are nearly 2 and 4, and have different interests and ability levels.

The space is perfectly set up for pre-schoolers of all ages, from babies who have a host of mats, toys, walkers and sit-on toys to amuse them, to toddlers – there are swings, tunnels and trampettes and trampolines a-plenty – and those at the older end of the scale who can try their hand at balance beams, tight-rope walking, rope swinging, and even a mini assault course. Obviously the Not So Tiny One had a go on everything too, but the great thing about the space is that it has that amazing sprung floor everywhere (not just fun to walk on but nice and soft too) with crash mats located near anything where a fall might be possible.

One of the things that provided a great deal of entertainment was the foam landing pit, around which they’d placed crash mats that the children could slide off into the pit. A different take on the ball pit – but possibly even more fun!

It was really lovely to see the girls trying out new things and getting out of their comfort zones a little bit – and amazing for them to have the opportunity to try out some real gym equipment. The Little Big One got a great feeling of pride when she mastered the tight-rope. She didn’t brave the hanging rope on this occasion, but we’ll work on that next time!

The pre-school drop in session costs £4 per child but discounts are available for siblings (it cost us around £6.50 for both girls). I had Monday morning brain when we went and forgot to take cash with me but they do take card payments over £10 so I just pre-paid for another session and can use my credit any time (good to know if, like me, you don’t always carry cash!)

We’ll definitely be returning to the drop-in session, and who knows, maybe we’ll try out a proper class one day.

Ham Wall walk: Perfect for families with reluctant little walkers

Ah family walks. Don’t you just love ’em? As much as I do love them, the girls have both hit a tricky age for walks. The Not So Tiny One LOVES walking so getting her in a carrier is always a bit of a battle… but she doesn’t last long. The Little Big One on the other hand is a little more reluctant and tires quickly, unless there’s something on the route that holds her attention, but she’ll almost always need carrying eventually. This means that the walks we love the best – sweeping walks in the hills – tend to begin and end with the following scenario: 10 minutes and approximately 30 steps in, enthusiasm wanes, protests start and no amount of cajoling will help them appreciate the wonderful views or the grazing sheep so you pause for an energising snack and hope that it’ll buy you another 10 minutes (it doesn’t always work).

It’s a different story with a pram though. Ah yes, the pram enables us to go the distance. And there are some lovely, accessible walks around. Ham Wall and the Avalon Marshes are a prime example.

We’ve been to Ham Wall a few times. It’s an RSPB site and is home to a wetland teeming with wildlife – from water voles and otters to herons and kingfishers. It offers stunning views across the marshes to Glastonbury Tor and is wonderfully tranquil.

The view to the Tor

You can opt to stick to the main path which runs through the heart of the reserve, called the Ham Wall loop, which is wide and flat and just under 3km long. This footpath is part of an old railway track that links to Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve, which is across the road from Ham Wall, and Glastonbury (so you could, in theory, go all the way from Ham Wall to Glastonbury – around 4 miles in total). As well as the main path, there are a couple of short pram and wheelchair accessible boardwalks (the one we walked was 200m) that take you a little further into the marshes and give you a better glimpse of the wildlife without venturing too far. The Little Big One was very excited to spot a heron.

On the boardwalk…
Twitchers-in-training

If you’re not reliant on a pram, there are also two grassy trails that take you through the marshes. These are both between 1-2km long and, I imagine, can get pretty wet and boggy so only attempt with good footwear!

Off road options are available

As well as being pram friendly, Ham Wall is great for bikes too (it’s actually a cycle route). We’ve found that the Little Big One can go so much further on her bike, meaning we get to stride out a bit too! She loved having the freedom to go off ahead of us (it’s a straight path so you can see for miles) and she enjoyed bumping along the boardwalk too.

Freewheeling!

There’s a nice little picnic spot adjacent to the car park and the Visitor Welcome building (there are toilets too, always handy) but if you prefer to walk first and lunch along the way there are a couple of semi-covered viewing platforms and bird hides dotted around that offer a bit of shelter from the chill or the rain. Just remember to be respectful of the resident twitchers who may not take kindly to loud chatter that might spook the birds.

A perfect hideout for lunch

Also near the Visitor Welcome building there are a number of wooden carved sculptures for children to find and a willow eel tunnel to play in.

Exploring the eel trail

This time of year is a great time to visit Ham Wall as it’s prime starling murmuration season, where hundreds of thousands of starlings congregate and roost in the reed beds overnight. Starling murmurations are one of nature’s wonders and the Avalon Marshes are one of the best places in the UK to witness the spectacle. It’s an incredible sight and well worth making the trip for. Dusk is the best time to visit if you’re looking to catch the murmurations at their best (head there for 3:30/4pm), although it gets very busy throughout December and January so expect crowds!

The starling murmurations are a must-see

As well as offering great family walks and bike rides, the team at Ham Wall run a variety of events throughout the year during school holidays. Check their website for details.