20 Easy Balancing Activities For Preschoolers

1. 20 Easy Balancing Activities For Preschoolers You know what they say about striving for ‘balance’ in everything we do? The term ‘balance’ takes on a whole new meaning when the focus is shifted onto itself. Balance skills are integral, especially for toddlers who find themselves controlling and maintaining multiple body positions on a daily basis. Simple activities like going to the toilet, sitting down to eat meals and playing, all require fine balance skills. Further, good balance skills are integral where it comes to engaging in sports, in order to minimize fatigue and injury. There are several creative exercises that work on that sense of balance, and they don’t always require one to stand on one foot. 20 Easy Balancing Activities for Preschoolers Here’s a look at some of the most amazing ways to cultivate that sense of balance. 1. The Freeze Game Balancing activities that involve music are always a blast! Play music and have your toddler groove to the beats. They must freeze in the position they find themselves in when the music stops. Tip: Upgrade this game to play while kids are standing and then, while they move around the room.

2. 2. Crab Walking Activities for kids that involve ‘claws’, not a ‘clause’! Have the kids sit on the floor, with their feet in front and their arms behind. To walk, they have to lift their hips and move forward alternating their legs and arms. This one’s really good for improving bilateral coordination and strength. 3. Laundry Basket Ride Let your toddler go on a ride in a laundry basket! Push the basket with them in it on the floor, and watch them balance themselves in several positions. Needless to say, sitting will be the easiest and standing, most difficult. Balancing games for kids to take them ‘for a ride’! 4. The One-Legged Bunny Hop Who wants to be Bugs Bunny? Balancing activities like this one can be quite challenging! Have your toddlers hop on one foot, multiple times. When they get adept at this, up the challenge by getting them to hop back and forth, backwards or even sideways. 5. Bubble Burst Balancing activities for preschoolers with bubbles? You got that right! Blow bubbles and have your toddler step on a bubble to burst it, when it lands on the floor. In time, move from one bubble to two, then three, and so on. A really fun way to hone those balancing skills. 6. Riding a Bike Riding their first ever cycle provides a thrill for kids unsurpassed by many balancing activities. Start them with a tricycle and watch them hone their sense of balance, working on their trunk, arms and legs as they steer, pedal and stop. In time you can move to a small bicycle. 7. Walking in your Shoes Want your toddlers to emulate you? Have your children walk in a pair of your shoes. This is a great way for them to improve their fine balancing skills, while walking and stepping. 8. Bowling Fun No need to go to the bowling alley. Bring the alley home! Use pins made from recycled plastic bottles. The only other thing you need is a sturdy ball. Watch your kids as they walk, lean and then roll the ball to knock the pins, thereby sharpening their balance skills with one of the best balancing activities out there. 9. Walking on Stairs Activities for kids can be far simpler than you think. Like this one. Have kids walk up the stairs with a foot on each step. Upgrade this later to have them play freeze on the stairs, with one foot a step above the other. 10. Moving like Animals Balancing activities are fun in a makeshift jungle! Let your children ‘gallop like horses’ or even ‘hop like kangaroos’. Get inventive and have them move like other animals. 11. Twister Time

3. Who can resist a good game of Twister? Making use of the spinner from the game of Twister, tell your kids which colors they have to place their hands and feet on. This one’s truly one of the best balancing games for kids as it improves hand-eye coordination and strength, as well as that all-important sense of balance, of course. 12. Pillow on The Floor One of the best bedroom balancing activities. Simply place a pillow on the floor and have your toddler step up and stand on it. Then watch them challenge their balance skills. 13. Trampoline Balancing Balancing activities for preschoolers like this one pose quite the challenge to your child. Have your toddler stand with one foot on a trampoline. Count to see how long they can hold that position. Then, up the activity a few notches by having them do it with their eyes closed. 14. Bean Bag Walkway Bean bags can be used for a variety of activities, including balancing activities like this one. Place beanbags on the floor in a line close enough so that your toddler can walk on them with alternating footsteps. A most safe way to improve that sense of balance in your kids. 15. Skipping Rope A great way to nurture those budding athletic skills in toddlers. Just use a small rope if you don’t have a proper skipping rope, to get kids to twirl and jump. Later, they can use a longer rope with one child at each end and the other kids taking turns jumping the rope that can over time be lifted higher. 16. Walking on uneven terrain Time to take those balancing activities outdoors! Have your kids walk on uneven terrain (grass, rocks, dirt). You can even have them walk barefoot in the sand on a beach! 17. Doing the Wheelbarrow Walk Plenty of fun, this activity! Have your child lie on their stomach. Holding their legs, get them to them walk forwards with their hands. They will become ‘wheelbarrows’ and love every bit of this balancing activity. 18. Soccer We all know what soccer is, but how can we use this game for sharpening balance? Simple, really. Have children kick the ball while standing on one foot! 19. Fly like Superman As if being junior Messiwasn’t enough! Using an inflatable ball, kids lie on their stomachs. Lifting their arms and legs, they ‘balance’ as they fly. 20. Tight Rope Pretend A game of tightrope walking without the fear of falling? Watch how kids sign up for it! Have your kids walk on their toes in a straight line, on that imaginary tightrope. Balance Questions Answered: Static and Dynamic Balance

4. One of the most common balance-related questions is, ‘What is Static Balance and Dynamic Balance?’ Simply put, Static Balance refers to the ability to hold our body in a specific position or posture. On the other hand, its counterpart, Dynamic Balance, refers to our ability to maintain our balance whilst our body is moving – like in the case of us walking. Both types of balance are equally important components, of that Balancing Exercise Regimen of your Preschooler. Additional Balancing Activities for Preschoolers Want to take things a step further, where it comes to honing those preschooler balance skills? You might want them to try the following activities. 21. Therapy/Exercise Ball Sitting Get them to master the art of balance, by sitting on an Exercise Ball while they perform mundane activities, like eating a snack or even watching TV! 22. Flamingo Leg Lifting Have them stand on one leg ‘like a flamingo’ for 60 seconds, before they switch legs. Tip: To begin with, you can allow them to use a hand to hold a fixed surface, as they stand on one leg. 23. Toe Gripping This one’s a super fun activity! Place some pebbles in a large tray, that you set down on a flat surface. Then ask your child to take off their footwear and try and ‘grab’ the pebbles with their toes. 24. Balance the Book Get your child to balance a book on their head, as they attempt to walk in a straight line. Not only is it incredibly fun for them, it also works wonders where it comes to improving their posture. 25. Knee-Up and Extend Yet another fun activity to indulge in when they are walking. As they walk, get them to raise the knee of one leg up, before switching to the next. 26. Juggling No, not the mind-boggling kind you see in the circus! Start them off with this simple juggling exercise. Sit on the floor with your child, and exchange two balls with each other, by rolling them across the floor. Besides improving their sense of balance by indulging in the activities listed in this article, there’s far more positives here, than meets the eye. The mere participation in physical activities help boost kids’energy, happiness and self-esteem. Who’s up for a great balance challenge? For more such interesting blogs, Visit EuroKids