Balance Activities
Stepping Over and Up
Ms. Ula shared this video of ways to work on stepping over and up. This is important for stair climbing, balance, safe school navigation, and motor planning. She uses painters' tape, cups, stickers, and paper. If stepping over forward is easy, try stepping over moving backwards. How about sideways? Want to make it really challenging? Have your child step over the cups with their eyes closed!
Balance Fun
I found this great video that has about 10 different balance activities. Thanks to Dana at The OT Guide for compiling these activities. What was the most fun for you to do? What was the most challenging?
Single-Foot Sock Toss
Again, thanks to Chanda at Pink Oatmeal for this video. We often work on single leg balance in PT, though it doesn't happen very often in real life that we are asked to stand on one foot. Why do we practice it? Single leg balance is needed for walking up and down the stairs, stepping on and off curbs, and for being able to get dressed without falling over. So here's a fun way to practice single leg balance at home. You can make it part of your cleaning up, and have your child toss their toys (or laundry) into a container while balancing on one foot.
Hill Climbing
Let's use our own yards and streets to work on strength, balance, and motor planning. Walk up your hills forward, backward, and sideways. Try not to turn your body, especially when going sideways. This works our muscles in different ways. Try going fast and slooooow during your different walks. Here's how Chanda at Pink Oatmeal shows sideways walking up a hill:
Apple Tree Balance Activity
Materials: chalk, apples (balls, rolled up socks, rocks, etc), a bin (basket, bowl, etc)
Here's a fun outside activity to work on balance, motor planning, and visual motor skills. You can change the tree to make it more complicated. If it becomes too easy, see if your child can move faster without stepping off the line. Move the bin further away so they have to throw the "apple" into the basket. Thank you to Chanda at Pink Oatmeal for sharing this video.
Pop Bubbles with Toes/Feet
Materials: Bubbles
Some real concentration is needed to target those tiny floating bubbles especially to stand on one leg and pop the bubbles with the other foot. See if your kiddo can balance long enough to pop one - or more!
To make it more challenging:
Try calling out “left” and “right” to have them use that foot!
Try using these yoga positions along with the bubbles: https://www.pinkoatmeal.com/wp-content/uploads/kids-patriotic-free-1.pdf
Balloon Volleyball
Materials: 1 balloon blown up by mouth (no helium)
The objective of the game is to keep the Balloon in the air for as long as possible. Have your child standing in an open area. Start by using just arms, then switch to using just legs! Challenge your child by calling out “left arm”, “right leg”, etc. to keep their mind going while engaging their body, as well.
To make it more difficult:
Use a beach volleyball
Use pool noodles to have to hit the balloon
Spot Touch
Thanks again to Chanda at Pink Oatmeal for this great video of how to work on balance using pillows and painter's tape. You could put down letters to practice spelling words or numbers to make math facts. Simply write what you need on a piece of paper and tape it to the floor. Then have your child tap what you call out or ask them to spell/compute.