Toddlers fall for class

Marisa O’Neil

All Jill Kormos has to do is say “Tumbling Toddlers,” and her

18-month-old son, Jack, gets excited.

Even a potential tantrum was averted when Kormos plopped Jack in

the middle of a big, padded ring, just as he started to screech in

typical toddler frustration. Suddenly, smiles and a friendly game of

peek-a-boo replaced the kicks and screams.

“He loves it if I even mention Tumbling Toddlers,” she explained,

mimicking his eagerness with a wide smile and waving arms.

And no wonder. In a gym filled with colorful mats, trampolines,

rings, uneven bars, a balance beam and about 20 other 1- to

4-year-olds, there are plenty of opportunities to get out boundless

toddler energy and frustration.

“This is good for their coordination, social skills, learning to

wait your turn and learning to listen to teachers,” instructor Debi

Bowler said of the class, offered through the city of Newport Beach.

Parents followed their toddlers’ lead around the gym, letting them

climb up and slide down a slide, jump on the trampoline, crawl

through a plastic pipe and cross a massive obstacle course of mats

and planks. Massive mats were everywhere, ready to cushion falls.

“I like [to] do [the] obstacle course,” 2-year-old Will Butler

said.

Jack, meanwhile, climbed his way out of the ring, scurried over a

padded bolster and walked across a wooden plank and down some cushy

steps to another mat. He stopped just short of a wedge-shaped mat

that led to a 3-foot-high, padded balance beam.

Che Blair, 3, went right across the beam with a helping hand from

his dad, Shea. Che jumped off the end of the beam and ran around the

gym, climbing and jumping on everything in sight.

“This helps get him ready to go to preschool,” Shea Blair said as

Che bounced off a springboard. “And parents get to come here with

him.”

At the uneven bars, Stacy Holder walked her 14-month-old son, Jack

Holder, up a wedge mat to the low bar. He looked quizzically at

Bowler as she helped his mother put his hands on the bar.

For a moment, he hung on his own, before his tiptoes found the mat

below.

Next in line, 20-month-old Cyprien Peacock walked right up to the

bar and took hold. With a little help, he brought his toes to the bar

and swung back and forth a couple times before dismounting and taking

off to another part of the gym.

Thomas Carty, who turns 2 next month, pointed to the bar as his

favorite apparatus. His mom, Carol, has discovered another benefit of

the class -- a tuckered-out Thomas gets in a good nap afterward,

giving her time to take care of her 1-month-old twins.