Helping Your Preschooler Improve His Balance
In the quest to help with their child’s physical development, parents often forego the need to teach them to attain perfect body balance. However, it’s very important to help a child learn this well before he starts school. Find out how you can assist in the balance development of children.
You put in a lot of effort to encourage your child’s development. However, you may not give much thought to helping him hone his balance. Though it’s true that he’ll gradually learn to balance himself, a little assistance can help him learn quicker.
How to Make Preschoolers Practice Balance with Games and Exercise
1. Alternating Steps
Get a foot stool that’s the height of your child’s knee. Ask him to place one foot on the floor and the other on the stool. Encourage him to alternate between steps every few seconds. You can engage him by singing songs or telling stories! This is a great exercise for teaching balance to kids.
2. Balancing on Shoes
Sit down on a chair and ask your child to raise his arms sideways. Tell him to step on the toes of your shoes and try to balance himself as long as he can without any support. Other than being one of the best exercises to improve balance in children, this is also a fun game that your preschooler will enjoy.
3. Balancing Like a Stork
Stand straight and ask your child to follow suit. Raise your right leg and have him do the same. The thigh of the right leg should be parallel to the floor. Next, place the heel of the right leg on the left knee. Hold the posture, and repeat with the left leg. This balancing game for preschoolers quite challenging.
4. Doing It with Balance Beams
Take a cue from gymnasts and teach your child to hone his balance with the help of balance beam activities for preschoolers. Have him stand on a flat wooden beam and ask him to place his left foot a few inches in front of his right foot. Ask him to bend his left leg such that his left thigh is parallel to the ground. Encourage him to hold this position as long as he can. Then, let him repeat the exercise with the other leg. Once he gets used to it, increase the complexity by raising the beam a foot off the ground.
5. Balancing with Balls
This is another excellent balance and coordination exercise for kids. You’ll need a big ball to start. Ask your child to stand with the ball at his feet. Using alternate hand movements, tell him to roll the ball as far as he can from his feet and bring it back to position. He should not lose his balance in the process.
When to Expect a Child to Balance
Balance starts developing from as early as 2 months. It begins when a child learns to hold up his head. With every passing day, his sense of balance improves. However, with movement and balance activities, you can ensure your child coordinates his body better.