There is a large difference between the 2 – 2.5 years and the toddler programs. Structured mat time is longer. As the term progresses, children start to listen to simple instructions from the teacher and to participate in class with greater independence from parents.

2 year olds are really into jumping on and off anything they can find… including your bed! Each hemisphere of the brain can now control the movements of each side of the body in coordination, and by 20 months, many can actually move their body parts on their own, this is the reason we begin to do very different activities in the GymbaROO program.

It is at this age that children begin to think that they have control of their bodies. At GymbaROO all our mat time action time activities are therefore slowed so that children have time to move themselves. This is how they learn to perfect their body awareness and movement control. The ‘crocodile’ movement continues during the massage session due to its importance in body coordination and reflex inhibition.

Dances are sequential now, in an endeavour to help children move and think – as they can now move their body parts with ease and hopefully in rhythm.

Specific Sensory Perceptual Movement program activities are introduced at this level and form an essential part of equipment time. We encourage all children to cross under the overhead ladder as strong upper body control is essential for later fine motor control of a pencil. If the large muscles of the body are strong, then the smaller muscles of the hands and fingers are more likely to be strong and more easily controlled to manipulate a pen or pencil for writing.

The ability to do one thing with the limb of one side of the body and another with the limb on the other side allows for the important stage of conscious cross pattern movements, which are the final attributes of nature to help the child’s growing brain to work to the best of its ability.

Once a child is 2 and a half years old they will move to the next stage of GymbaROO Level 6 (2.5 to 3 years)