Jumping Beans
WEDNESDAY 16TH JULY 2014
The 0-3 infant age group have one of the highest rates of hospital admissions for head injuries from falls but results of a groundbreaking, Ministry of Science and Innovation MSI (TechNZ) funded, Massey University study have just been released showing a link between attending weekly activity classes and the development of safety and motor skills in toddlers!
A group of 50 toddlers attending weekly Jumping Beans gym classes with their parents were studied. Jumping Beans is an evidence based, mobile, perceptual motor programme for babies and children from 2 months to 4 years. Co-founded by early childhood educator and author, Sophie Foster, Jumping Beans is a household name in NZ, having opened its first class over 26 years ago.
The anecdotal evidence received from Jumping Beans parents over the years also supports the results of the study – that the activities taught at Jumping Beans help prevent infant injury from falls when babies are just learning to walk, thereby decreasing hospital admissions. Jumping Beans parent, Sara Tunoka of Balmoral, attributes the skills that her 18 month old son, Kali, learned at Jumping Beans to saving him from serious injury. She said:
"Hurrying out the door to the park with my 18 month old son I could do nothing but watch as I saw him lose his footing and begin to tumble down a tall flight of some very nasty outside wooden steps. With my heart in my mouth I chased him down noticing around half way through the fall he seemed to gain some control, tuck his head in followed by his arms and then use his shoulder to roll out of the fall at the bottom! With tears streaming down my face I scooped him up and ran inside prepared to call the ambulance and started to access him for injuries - a cut lip, bruise on his cheek but no broken bones, no head injuries! Thank you Jumping Beans for the skills you taught my son to protect himself because I can’t always be right beside him all of the time. What could have been a very serious fall turned into a good learning experience (we are both much more careful at the top of those steps!) and as it turned out my son wasn't crying five minutes after the fall because he was in pain, it was because he thought we were going back inside and not going to the park! Thank you so much, I really believe in what it is that you do, you have an amazing talent - I can’t say enough!”
For more info please contact Sophie Foster,sophie@jumpingbeans.net mb: 0212640619
