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Standing Balance (1/2 kneel and high kneel too)
Standing Balance (1/2 kneel and high kneel too)
Click arrow for activities.
Play in 1/2 kneel and high kneel. See pictures of these positions on the right. (Play in place at belly height, then work to reaching in various directions.) Progress these to dynamic surfaces like a pillow or cushion.
Activities that involve reaching in different directions (popping bubbles, retrieving a puzzle piece out of reach)
Activities that involve squatting (completing a puzzle at a table with the pieces on the floor)
Stand on pillows or couch cushions as you read or play puzzles.
Stand on pillow or cushions while reaching in various directions such as bubbles or a puzzle piece out of reach.
Stand on pillow or cushions while squatting for activities.
Play with one foot on a low stool or book.
Play with one foot on a pillow/cushion.
Play up on toes.
Video Links for Activity ideas:
Cone Touches (Pink Oatmeal video)
1/2 kneel throwing on cushion (Pink Oatmeal video)
1/2 kneel rotations (Pink Oatmeal video)
Toe raises with stickers on wall (Pink Oatmeal video)
Squat for colors on wall (Pink Oatmeal video)
Balance while Moving:
Balance while Moving:
Click arrow for activities.
Push and pull activities. Push laundry basket. Pull a wagon.
Walk varied terrain (grass, mulch, hills, folded blankets, pillows, old crib mattresses)
Walk hills, up and down.
Clean up activities, involving moving and squatting.
Carry varied sized objects or varied weight items while moving (chores, during an obstacles course, on varied terrain like a hill or mulch).
Move in different ways: jump, run, gallop, walk backwards, walk sideways.
Move at different speeds. Fast animals and slow animals. Dance to fast music or slow music.
See obstacle courses below.
Agility courses (move in between cones, then in and out of cones, agility ladders). Start simple.
Relay races
Single Leg Balance
Single Leg Balance
Children begin to stand on one foot between 3 and 4 years old for longer than a brief moment. It is helpful with stairs skills, walking varied terrain, skipping, galloping, balance on balance beams, etc. It requires stability at the pelvis and relies on good core stability.
Click arrow for milestones and activities.
Milestone: Stand on one foot without swaying
3 years:3 sec
4 years: 5 sec
5 years: 10 sec
Activities: (get harder as go down the list)
* imitate standing on one leg
*count when standing on one foot
*use yoga poses (tree, flamingo)
* pop bubbles with your feet that are on a wand or floating
*stomp recyclables like kleenex boxes, cereal boxes etc.
*Pretend to be giants and make big steps
*walk “stepping stones”, place mats, colored squares, pillows lined up on the floor
*walk lines (chalk, painters tape, string), set up pathways in a room or hallways
*kicking activities (different size balls, distances, targets)
*step over hurdles: 2x4, rolled towels, pool noodles, agility ladder
*stand with one foot on a stool as you play (throw a basketball to a net, throw rolled socks into a laundry basket, or do a puzzle)
*try to stand on one foot with the other on a ball. See Pink Oatmeal video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTDuZo3GXXA
*balance a small stuffed animal or bean bag on your foot and lift your foot up as long as you can, then try to lift it and put the stuffed animal/bean bag in a bowl
*tap items with your feet (cones, solo cups) See Pink Oatmeal video Cone Taps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5xd8ptIfuA
*Knock over stacked items one at a time with one foot See Pink Oatmeal Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4wGt58vC-s
*stand on one foot and tap cones with hands See Pink Oatmeal video Quick Cone taps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN7JLEjuxdI
*single leg balance game See Pink Oatmeal video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV6xh90I_a4
*Hula hoop walking (One of my favorites) see Pink Oatmeal video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xrORogVMm8
*Single leg balance ring activity see Pink Oatmeal Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRiFGweD8c0
*For advanced practice see hopping under Locomotion Page
TIPS
*MODEL skill
*provide support as needed and decrease as skills improve
Obstacle Courses
Obstacle Courses
Building obstacle courses with various equipment helps children's balance. Moving on, over, around, into, out off, off of and under equipment challenges a child's balance.
Home Equipment
Painter's tape, string, step stools, laundry baskets, tunnels, boxes, 2x4 wood, pillows, folded blankets/towels, draft mice, yard sticks on two boxes (a hurdle), place mats
Purchasable Equipment
stepping stones, spooner boards, stepping buckets, balance beams
Examples: see left side bar
Obstacle Course
Step up and down the stool, climb in and out the laundry basket, crawl under the chair, and walk the balance line of painters tape.
Balance line
Make a path with lines, paper, painters tape etc to follow, keeping feet on the path. You can make letters out of the painters tape as well. Make them 4 inches wide then 2 inches.
THIS IS ACROSS AGE RANGES. I still do obstacles courses in Grade 4. They love setting them up.
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