Balance Exercises

Why is balance so important?

For the developing child, balance is an important gross motor skill. Balance helps:

• • A child gain confidence with physical movement

  • A child gain skills with physical movement and coordination

  • Infants learn how to crawl

  • Toddlers learn to jump with two feet and kick a ball

  • Preschoolers learn how to skip and dress themselves  

  • Children gain skills in sports and games.

  • Your child know where they are in space

  • Stay still while sitting, standing, or lying

  • Develop eye movement and vision

**Gaining skills in balance will aid in developing gross motor coordination, fine motor coordination, and self-care skills.** 

What are some exercises that I can do that involve balance?

• Yoga/Sun Salutation: This consists of 12 poses. 1. Mountain- Begin by standing in Mountain pose, feet about hip width apart, hands either by your sides or in prayer position. Take several deep breaths. 2. On your next inhale, in one sweeping movement, raise your arms up overhead and gently arch back as far as feels comfortable and safe. 3.  As you exhale, bend forward, bending the knees if necessary, and bring your hands to rest beside your feet. 4.  Inhale and step the right leg back 5.  Exhale and step the left leg back into plank position. Hold the position and inhale. 6.  Cobra- Exhale and lower yourself as if coming down from a pushup. Only your hands and feet should touch the floor. 7.  Upward Dog- Inhale and stretch forward and up, bending at the waist. Use your arms to lift your torso, but only bend back as far as feels comfortable and safe. Lift your legs up so that only the tops of your feet and your ahnds touch the floor. It's okay to keep your arms bent at the elbow. 8. Downward dog- Exhale, lift from the hips and push back and u.p. 9. Inhale and step the right foot forward.  10.  Exhale, bring the left foot forward and step into head-to-knee position. 11. Inhale and rise slowly while keeping arms extended . 12. Back to Mountain- Exhale and release back to Mountain

•  Roll ball back and forth while seated: To improve sitting balance, you can have your child sitting in a chair with their feet flat on the ground. Roll a ball back and forth while they remain seated. Roll ball 10 times

• Catching a ball when sitting: While seated, you can play a game of catch. This also helps improve sitting balance. Throw the ball to them 10 times. You can progress to standing catching a ball. 

• Throwing balls: Throwing balls different size and weight helps to improve coordination and balance. You can make it a game where they have to build a tower using blocks (also get some fine motor coordination) and they have to knock down a tower in front of them. It can first be done seated and progressed to standing. Also, you can start by having them throw underhand and progress to throwing overhand. Make sure that they throw the ball with both hands.

•  Magic carpet ride: Place a sheet on the ground and have the child sit criss cross holding on to the edges of the sheet. You will then be holding onto the other end of the sheet and pull them across the room. (This can also be done with the child sitting on a scooter holding onto a hula hoop or jump rope).

•  Shifting weight to music: Stand with legs apart and bent and rock from left to right to a rhythm and slap knees to beat. Perform with your child to make it more fun!

• Popping bubbles: Popping bubbles can be done by stomping them with their feet (lifting one foot causes you to work on balance). To progress this exercise you can then have then them up on their tippy toes popping bubbles with their hands.

• Painting with your feet: Painting with your feet is another method of balance. This is because you are lifting one foot making you balance on the other. Make sure that they draw with both feet!

• Stairs: Walking up and down stairs is also a good way to improve balance!

• Balance beams: A balance beam is great for balance! This can be done through a long piece of wood, foam, or simply drawing a balance beam out of chalk. Have them walk across it. Ways to make this fun are to have them pick up objects such as game pieces or balls and have them bring them back to the other end. Either collect the pieces for the game or throwing balls into a target once all the objects are collected.

•  Obstacles course/walking on different surfaces: Set up an indoor obstacle course consisting of pillows, couch cushions, blankets, and anything else that you can find! Having them walk and jump on different surfaces forces them to regain their balance as well as increasing strength!

• Jump up and down on bubble wrap: Another balancing activity is to jump up and down on bubble wrap. Since bubble wrap is an unstable surface, it challenges their balance.

•   Kicking a ball: When kicking a ball, you are weight shifting to the other leg. This causes you to balance on that leg. You can play a game of kick ball or have them kick a target

•  Toys: Some good toys that can be used to improve balance are- Trampoline, pogo stick, jump ropes, hippy hop balls, scooter boards

• Sports: Sports that can be played that improve balance are: bike riding, soccer, basketball, karate, rollerblading, dancing, and gymnastics to name a few.

• Games: There are some games that do help improve balance. They are- twister, hop scotch, mother may I (For example- take 3 jumps forward, 2 large steps, or skip two times), Simon says (For example-stand on one foot, spin 2 times, touch your foot with your hand). 

•  Playgrounds: Going to the playground is also good to improve balance.