MARK MY WORD: DIVE IN, THE PLASTIC BALLS ARE FINE

Goodbye ice, hello floor mats.

Just when I was warming up to my daughter's ice skating lessons at the local rink, she switched to gymnastics.

But then when you're 3, career changes occur almost daily.

Becca loves forward rolls. Jumping on the trampoline is a big hit too, as is sliding down the plastic slide into a pit of foam rubber blocks.

She hasn't mastered the balance beam set just inches off the floor. She spends more time stepping off the beam than on it.

But she enjoys running around in her brand-new leotard and swinging on the bar.

She loves all that tumbling. She even practices at home.

Becca has decided that a bed is just another type of trampoline. She doesn't understand why Joni and I won't let her do somersaults on the mattress.

Still, none of that can compete with those plastic balls. Becca loves to jump into those rainbow-colored reservoirs of plastic balls. You know, the kind you find at those fast-food restaurants that cater to the pre-school crowd.

If there were an Olympics for 3-year-olds, this would be the premier event. It would last for days because parents wouldn't be able to get their kids to leave.

Form is everything with this activity. You get extra points if you dive into the balls. It helps to scream loudly too.

Becca would make any mole proud with the way she buries herself in the balls.

She loves to throw the balls too. She gets a kick out of seeing them bounce off the sides of these ball arenas.

If Becca were building homes, they'd come with a lifetime supply of balls.

Actually, there would be some advantages to a home filled with colored, plastic balls.

There would be no need to sweep the floor or vacuum the carpet.

Tired of picking up toys? No problem. Just bury them in the balls.

There's no need for a highchair for the baby. Just pile up the balls and sit the child on top of the heap.

Stairs would be a breeze. You could just slide your way downstairs on a carpet of balls.

Of course, you would have to install a lot of safety netting to protect light fixtures and other breakable objects.

Then, too, it might be difficult to open your front door without losing a few balls. I can just see them cascading down the driveway.

But it could be a great stress reliever for adults. You could come home from a bad day at work and just plunge into the balls.

Just remember, don't jump on the couch or your children.

~Mark Bliss is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.