Bouncing Zone
Episode # 164. Bouncy Castle
In a very large cubical box, the children give the Storypeople a bouncy castle. Mrs. Lady takes off her shoes and happily jumps until the plug pops out of the air hole and the castle goes flat. How can Mrs. Lady get the air back in? It's too big to blow up, even with help from Brother, Sister, and Grandpappa. So the children give them a giant foot pump. But they are heavy enough or strong enough to push it down. With a little more help from Grandmamma, they inflate the castle and everyone is back up and bouncing.

Directions
Kids love to jump and bounce. Create a safe bouncing zone (and save the rest of your furniture from wear and tear) by placing an old mattress and box spring in an open corner. Be sure the area is free of things with sharp corners or breakable items. Place pillows around the mattress in case anyone falls over.

Let kids bounce to their heart's content. Every now and then, ask your child to demonstrate how high she can jump. Mark the high point on the wall with a marker or piece of tape. Track your child's progress as she grows.
Children also enjoy seeing how far they can jump. Next time you are out in the neighborhood, see how many sidewalk squares or bricks your child can cover in one jump.

Talk About It
While viewing the Bouncy Castle episode, you might start a conversation by asking your child: "If you were Mrs. Lady, how would you get air back in the castle?"

As you talk about the things on screen, you can help expand your child's vocabulary by alternating the words you use with their synonyms. In the Bouncy episode you might say that the Storypeople need to blow up or inflate the castle.