Math and exercising are probably in the same category for me: yuck!:)  Just keepin’ it real….but they both still have to be done.  Last week, we tried something new for math, just for a day; we tried a new math/fitness DVD we had gotten for the Crew, Exploramania’s GyMathtics.  At first, I was afraid this DVD would be really corny, but actually, it was really good.  Jacob, who doesn’t always like my exercise videos, was skeptical at first too, but in the end, he told me that he loved it, which in my mama’s mind, gives it a two thumbs up!

The DVD stretches your mind as it also stretches your body and works your muscles.  It starts out with a Shape Stretches Warm Up.  Throughout this part, some of the concepts were for a more advanced age, covering some points of geometry, as it discussed different types of angles and shapes; the exercises actually went along with the different shapes. For example, Jacob would be using working out his arms with diagonal lines, as he stretched them out diagonally, in opposite directions, bringing them back together.  The next part was Counting Calisthenics.  This part was great for Jacob, as it covered whole numbers, the number line, counting by odd and even numbers, skip counting, place value, etc.  I noticed that it was teaching counting by 2′s, 5′s, 10′s, etc.  It was great practice for him, as well as a great aerobic workout.  The third part of the video was called Pattern Power.  This section covered growing and repeating patterns, which Jacob could definitely use practice with, as parts of it kinda went along with addition problems.  The last part was the Well-Being Wind Down.  This part was a cool down for the body.  To see portions of the DVD, you can watch the following video: