Balancing Act
Children practice balancing on one foot or an elevated surface while maintaining control of their body. The goal is to improve stability, focus and coordination by holding different poses for a set time.
No equipment is required for this activity, just a small indoor or outdoor space. Each child will need their own small space to play the game.
Step 1:
- Ask children to find their own small space.
Educator calls out different gymnastics balance positions, such as...
- Flamingo Stand: balancing on one foot, arms out wide.
- Stork Stand: balancing on one foot, hands on hips, knee lifted.
- Aeroplane: balancing on one foot, torso tilting forward, arms out.
- V-Sit: sitting with arms and legs extended straight in a V position, and balancing on your sit bones.
- Crow Pose: hands on the floor, knees resting on elbows, tip forward.
- Tuck Sit: sitting with knees tucked tightly into chest, toes pointed and feet off ground, arms straight and extended forward.
Step 2:
- Children hold each balance position for a designated time (such as 5-10 seconds).
Step 3:
Add in additional challenges and make the movements more dynamic, for example:
- Can you hold the balance while closing your eyes?
- Can you transition smoothly between two balances?
- Can you balance on different body parts?
- Don't have a designated balancing time. Encourage children to explore and count in their own time.
- Allow children to hold onto something (wall, chair, rail, etc) to help their balancing.
- Try balancing on an unstable surface (e.g., a mat or foam pad).
- Ask children to move slowly from one balance to another without touching the ground.
- Encourage children to explore their balancing ability by adding in additional challenges or encouraging children to create their own individual or partner balance challenges.
