Activities to Improve Your Child’s Balance

Balance is so important for physical activities. In Physical Therapy, both of my children are working on balance. We have overcome so much this past year. My little girl started running recently, and my son is now able to stand for a little bit on one foot. We are continuing to work on balance daily to build up their strength, so they can better interact with the world around them. Here are some fun activities you can do at home to improve your child’s balance:

1.     Balance one foot on ground and other foot on stool- Do this activity on each side. If it is too easy, instead of a stool, you can use a bouncy ball.

 

2.     Stand on and Sit on balance board- We ordered our balance boards from fun and function. We have two different kinds. The first one is called the “seesaw”, and it moves only side to side as you stand on it. The second one is called the “tilt and spin”. This balance board can be used for sitting, spinning, and even tummy time.

 

3.     Walk a line of tape- This activity is just like a balance bean but on the floor. Just make a straight line with a piece of tape, and have your child try walking different ways (one foot in front of the other, sideways step together, and backwards) down the tape.

 

4.     Painting with your feet- First, lay down a large sheet of butcher paper. Then, put difference colors of paint on large plastic throw away plates. To paint, your child will use their balance as they lift one foot up to put it in the paint and as they walk across the paper to make foot print art.

 

5.     Jump on bubble wrap- My son loves bubble wrap and the sound it makes when it pops. Put the bubble wrap on the floor, and allow your child to jump on it. This will provide an uneven surface for them to work on balance.

 

6.     Kicking a ball- Kicking a ball back and forth is also a great way to work on balance. Have the child work on kicking with both legs. To make it easy, place the ball by the child and have them kick it. To make it harder, roll the ball to the child and have them kick it.

One suggestion I was given to make the activities more difficult was to try the activities with your child’s eyes closed. It is amazing how closing your eyes affects your balance. Also, please always be there next to your child. There have been times when my child needed me to catch them when doing these activities. Safety is always my first priority.