Holiday wish list....

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My dd has already started talking about her Christmas wish list and as you all can imagine it pretty much includes turning my basement into her personal gymnastics fairy land.

Personally, I don't really want to invest in any home equipment. But I'm wondering what gymnastics stuff (besides new leotards) your kids have asked for / received? What home equipment (if any) do you have and would you recommend it or not? Do your kids use it?
 
We had a home beam until yesterday, I gave it away as it never gets used. I had gym mats and the beam and that was plenty, but as I wouldn't let them do anything crazy the novelty soon wore off! They sat in the basement unused for more than two years so I gave them to a little kid at our gym. Home gym stuff is a challenge as they will always want to try stuff they shouldn't, like littlest trying to do a squat on on the top of the swing set, BAD PLAN!!! You have to lay down clear rules and even then they are crazy and try the oddest things!

Otherwise they love, leos, t-shirts, pins and the youngest loves gym bears. THere are tons of cool things you can buy online with a gymnastics theme.

Christmas is only 3 months away, AGH!
 
When I was younger I asked for plenty of gymnastics equipment, luckily my dad is very handy and that helped me get the stuff I wanted at a much lower cost to my parents!
My dad built me a bar off my swing set, just a wood frame and a metal pipe, nothing too fancy but it did the trick. Underneath was "padded" with saw dust. He also found a full size balance beam advertised in the local farming paper, uncovered and older, but still a steal. He covered it for me so it was just like a beam at the gym only no springs, and it provided hours of amusement. I grew up on a farm though, so the beam was located in the hay loft section of the barn with hay bales and old mattresses underneath. My parents also bought me a panel mat for the basement where I loved working on all kinds of basic skills and making up my own floor routines.
I know lots of this stuff is frowned upon now for safety reasons, but I was never injured doing stuff at home. It certainly isn't necessary, but definitely a lot of fun for a gymnastics obsessed kid!
Other than that, I loved all of the usual gym stuff for gifts- shirts, sweats, leos, leos for my American Girl dolls, pins, gym related jewelry, anything related to gymnastics was probably a good choice. I imagine I wasn't a very hard kid to shop for.
 
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We have a beam, some mats, and some paralettes. I think the paralettes have done the most good -training handstands and pirouettes for bars. DD spends so much time at the gym it doesn't seem prudent to recreate the whole thing at home.
 
My dd has already started her Christmas list as well. A lot of what she wants includes gymnastics items. New leos, posters of gymnasts, gymnastics jewelry, gymnastics clothing, American girl doll (and probably a leo for it) and the list keeps growing...

She already has a floor beam and an exercise ball, which she uses all of the time to bounce around on and flip on. Other than that, I don't think we'll be getting her any other equipment for our house right now, even though she wants a low bar.

Hard to believe Christmas is coming so fast!
 
Our gym was upgrading equipment last winter so our kids got a low beam for Christmas. We also have a few panel mats and a set of paralletes (I'm pretty sure I spelled that wrong, sorry). My daughter would love a bar down there, but as tall as she is the home-sized ones wouldn't be much good for her for very long and I really don't want her practicing skills like that at home. I would love to put a chin up bar somewhere in the basement for her just to practice some chin-ups and leg lifts and such.
 
I know a lot of people can't get one for reasons of where they live and home owners insurance but the best Christmans gift I ever got in my entire life was a trampoline, and now they makes nets that make them somewhat safer. I used that thing from the time I was 8 until the day I moved out. I also had a home beam, my Dad built it, but I have seen plenty of the rubber kind that are great fro training at home and are fairly safe. I was a spolied brat I did have a bar too, it was a chin up bar that my Dad cemented into the ground, had an old mattress to put under it and it was for working kips, front hips, back hips and pullovers only, no handstands or squat ons or it would be gone. I think one of the game systems is coming out with a Shawn Johnson video game if she is into things like that. There are some books and videos that are pretty good if she likes that kind of stuff. I had a book detailing with pics all the different and cool gymnastics moves and how they were taught and even though I was a kid it was awesome. So there are some idesa others than the usual.
 
My parents are considering a trampoline for their house. We can't have one due the our association rules. We can't even have a swing set in our yard!

Thanks for the ideas. We have a mat but not sure if I want to add anything. It makes me nervous having her even do simple stuff in the house!

The American Girl leos are cute! DD has 3 dolls already and all have their own leo. The American Girl gymnastic set is nice too but I don't think they make it anymore. DD got it last year with her Ivy doll (she's a gymnast too!).
 
If you haven't tried this already, I would recommend checking out craft fairs for American Girl doll swimsuits/leotards at a fraction of the price. That's where most of mine came from. There is a lady with a little shop by my parents that sells doll leos for $3 each, she could have saved my mom a ton of money if she would have been around a few years earlier! She gets her fabric from the company that makes Alpha Factor leos so you can sometimes even find a leo that matches one made for girls.
There was also a local seamstress when I was about 10 who the gym got to make replicas of our competition leos in American Girl doll size. They put out an order to all of the team girls. So if you know anyone who is good with a sewing machine, you could see if that might be a possibility.
 
Pickle has a floor beam and a panel mat in our family room. It actually gets a lot of use. It's really helped with her turns on beam (which is a struggle for her).

I'd really like to put in a bar for leg lifts/chin ups, but haven't done it yet.

My guess is the must-have Christams present for little gymmies this year will be the Shawn Johnson Wii game (release date 11/2):
Amazon.com: Shawn Johnson Gymnastics: Video Games

The game itself isn't too expensive, but it requires the Wii Balance Board, so if you don't have WiiFit already, it adds up.
 
Funny my gymmie is 14 and started making a Christmas list while we were in the mall on Labor Day. She really wants a pair of the soccer style warm up pants and somehow tied them in to gymnastics:) As others have said you can find all kinds of gym "stuff" on line. We've gotten t-shirts, posters, jewlery, calendars for past Christmas gifts. She seems to have a better appreciation of how much we spend on the things she has to have like grips($50+) and new tiger paws($40+) and really isn't pushing getting other gym stuff.

Only thing I ever bought her was a practice beam and it got alot of use when she was in compulsories. Since she's working high level stuff now, it only gets used rarely when she want to do some dance or practice a leap.
 
We have a 4 foot by 8 foot mat, balance beam and also a chin up bar. Will Def. Have to get DD the Shawn Wii Game for Christmas.
 
I was always nervous about trampolines, but recently found the AlleyOOP double bounce model (two stacked trampoline beds make an air cushion "sandwich" significantly reducing impact on the bed). I liked it so much we had Christmas in July at my house. Do you think my kids will remember their big gift in December?

About the American Girl wish - last Christmas the American Girl Doll store in Chicago had a doll in their gymnastics outfit on display with a doll wearing a sweatsuit with broken leg in wheelchair. I gladly picked up the gymnast outfit, and am glad I haven't needed to order the other ensemble (knock on wood) yet! Dh and I laughed that their display artist must have been a gymnast to cleverly arrange such a vignette.
 
we've got a mat and a chin up bar and those 'push up handles' and an exercise ball and ankle weights and a resistance band.
The things that got most use over the years (after initial stage) are the mat, and the exercise ball.
DS (age 14) uses the bar most now as he wants to develop more muscles and is at that age where it develops easily as he is becoming more 'manly' - it is to look good for the girls!
Ankle weights and band were because they sometimes use them in gym so we had to get them.
She always loves gym clothes (clothes in general!) especially something different than the other girls.
She would love the Wii fit but a tad too expensive (and would it benefit someone who is already pretty fit?? - this is my concern - that it would be a waste of money) with 4 kids to buy for.
She would also love an i phone but again, not on the cards!
 
christmas in september. wow

all i can think of is a new bag leo grips

DD doesn't really ask for anything for christmas. Once in a while she might mention something but she is really happy with anything she gets.

As far as the home gym goes
The things we have are more conditioning and stretching stuff no big tric stuff and much of it is used by everyone in the house

Just for simple things like practiing full turns, some small leap stuff, maybe cartwheels, roundoffs, that type of stuff. Practice beam that sits right on the floor Not big tumbling like back hand springs.

Used by all in the house

Chinup bar
PhysioBall (big ball)
1 - 5 lb hand weights
step
1 mat
1 tramp (one of those little ones 3 or 4 feet wide and about a foot or so off the floor)

Wish I had the money to finish the basement so all that exercise stuff could live there and not be in the Den.
 
My kids (especially my girls) love all their gym stuff... we have 3 mats, a balance beam, incline mat and bar. We also have a mini trampoline they use to work on their 'jumps' (and a regular sized trampoline with enclosure for outside).

This year the only gym stuff they are asking for is new leos, jewelry, posters and the new wii game.

This year the 2 older girls will basically be having an American Girl Christmas (new dolls, furniture and accessories). They already have a good amount of AG items... but LOVE it all! For their big gift we're building them a dollhouse for their AG dolls and furniture (which is something they really need so they have more room for everything)! We almost have it built and I've got it all planned how I want to finish each room!! I can't wait to get it finished!

This is one thing the girls are getting this year (somewhat gym related... haha)... it's a little 'doll balance beam'! I know my girls AG dolls will be practicing their beam skills all the time on this (right now, they use the regular sized beam... and bar... lol)!

Doll Beam by The Beam Store
 
Great ideas ladies. Ive been trying myself to figure out what to get Kadee.

We had a trampoline at our old house, until it got destroyed by a tornado last spring. Then we moved and where we are renting there is NO WHERE level enough in this yard to put a plastic kiddie pool let alone a tramp. So we shall wait to get a new one until we buy our house. Hoping to get that done this coming spring.

My nephew, Kadee's cousin works for a company that sets up gymnastics and cheerleading floors and equipment for comps. He brought her a big long roll of the "flexi-beam" (thats what he called it) its nice, but its 6 inches wide vrs the real beam width of 4inches and i often wonder if thats actually hinders her because she gets used to the 6 inches then goes in the gym and has to adjust to the 4 inch.

Im gonna ask him about getting her some panel mats. Maybe i can buy one or two used ones from him that they are "replacing" due to use.

I also saw online some really cute personalized gymnastics stuff. Hand towels for meets, shirts, shorts, pants, car decals, water bottles, ect.

I am def. going to try and get her the Wii game, she LOVES playing the Wii and im sure that would be just the ultimate game in her eyes. LOL
 
To Standsonherhands, to answer your question YES I would for sure count that as a Christmas present, as well as New Years, next years Birthday and Easter! I was too curious about the double bounce thing and when I saw the price my eyes did a double bounce! :eek:
 

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