Every day is workout day for parents raising toddlers. You chase after them, lift them, spin them around, and support them with every muscle to help them learn how to manage their bodies independently. But, sometimes, you long for the day when they can finally use their feet steadily without any help.
For that day to come, you need to work on the child’s balance first. Balance is an important skill for children to learn. In their toddler phase, they’re still developing motor skills and coordination, so they need your support finding the first steps to master it. Naturally, it takes some time for them to develop, which can be a very long and tiring journey for you.
But raising kids isn’t all just mess and stress. You can turn your parenting duties into exciting adventures! The best way for toddlers to learn balance is through fun activities. It will be an extremely rewarding experience of family life. Moreover, you will also improve your health as you do the same things with your child.
Read this article for simple balance games ideas and devices to use with your toddler. From indoor Hopscotch to riding a toddler bike without pedals, we have the best activities covered!
3 Key Points That Make a Good Balance
Before discussing fun-filled balance games for you and your child, let’s review some balance key points first. What are the body areas or skills that your child needs to improve to get a good balance? We enumerated three points below:
- Physical Foundation – Physical development plays a huge role in a toddler’s balance. Bone and muscle growth helps their young, delicate bodies prepare for finding balance when walking, running, jumping, standing, and sitting. Additionally, bone and muscle development give toddlers enough strength, so they don’t feel worn out easily.
- Gross Motor Development – Gross motor skills allow your child to control their large arm and leg muscles to get things done. These also help them succeed in creative play (e.g., playing instruments, story-telling, dancing, singing, and painting).
- Sensory Processing Skills – The ability to use the five senses (visual, smell, hearing, touch, and taste) is key to good balance. Your child needs to use them effectively to respond to various external forces.
Keep these things in mind as you teach your kid the different activities for improving balance.
Ready, Steady, Go! 5 Balance Games You Can Do With Your Child
Now that you understand which key points to focus on, it’s time for fun-filled toddler balance games. These are simple yet exciting activities you and your toddler will surely love. So let’s get the ball rolling!
Game #1: Hopscotch Course
Get your kid playing this century-old and nostalgic balance game called Hopscotch! It’s undoubtedly a favorite game most of us have played in our childhood. This game involves hopping on sketched squares and throwing and picking a small object (coin or stone) to complete an entire course.
A hopscotch course usually involves nine squares, a stone or coin as a small object, and chalk sketched on the floor surface. Good balance is absolutely needed to win this game, which is perfect for your toddler. You can customize your hopscotch course if you’d like, and you can also join in the fun!
Game #2: Dance and Freeze!
Your toddler won’t be able to resist their favorite dance song. Use music to get them moving and tell them to stop whenever the music pauses. This requires balance because your child will keep their posture for a while. If they have one foot up and have to freeze, they need to develop some balance.
And of course, you need to join the dance party to get them more excited and dancing to their heart’s content. Don’t forget to take some photos or record moments in videos to keep the memories!
Game #3: The Floor Is Hot Lava
Expand your toddler’s imagination and improve their balance with the Floor is Lava game. First, tell your kid that the entire floor is full of super-hot lava and that they shouldn’t touch it at all costs. Then, put some spots they can walk on (round pillows or stone-shaped colored paper) to cross the floor and win the game.
Jumping on the bases and trying to stay there in fear of falling into the ‘lava’ enhances their senses, motor skills, and coordination work in harmony. You can even build a whole backyard or indoor course for them, and this lava game can be a part of it.
Game #4: Yoga Time For All Ages
Yoga is a fun and healthy exercise for you and your toddler. To improve their balancing skills, begin with basic poses, such as the tree pose, butterfly pose, cat and cow pose, and standing forward bend. Many yoga poses require balance which is a good start for your toddler.
It’s more of an exercise than a game, but you can make it a game by adding some twists. For example, give your kid a present or a treat every time they successfully sport a yoga pose. Another is to ask them to guess a specific pose, adding more challenge (and brain exercise) for your little one.
Game #5: Help Them Learn How to Ride Balance Bikes
Use an outdoor device, such as balance bikes or children’s bikes without pedals, to help your child’s balance improve. These bikes do not have a drivetrain, handlebars, wheels, forks, and frames like regular bikes do. Therefore, toddlers need to push off the ground to make it work.
Additionally, a baby balance bike doesn’t have stabilizers or training wheels. That way, kids can prepare their motor skills and coordination independently before they switch to pedaled bikes. Moreover, it’s a fun activity under the sun! Your kid will surely love bike rides now and then.
Improve Your Kid’s Balance The Fun Way With Ashtonbee’s Toddler’s Riding Bike Without Pedals
Children should be able to master the art of balance in their early years. It helps them perform many activities naturally, from normal daily tasks to more high-impact play. It also promotes body awareness and overall physical development. To help them get started, you need to facilitate fun games and exercises.
Play some hopscotch, sport some yoga poses, or ride balance bikes. The best thing about these activities is that you get to enjoy them with the whole family while improving your health and tightening the family bond. So start your balance games list today and have productive fun all day!
If you decide to include a child’s bike without pedals on your list, try Ashtonbee’s best toddler bike! It’s an easily-assembled balancing bike for kids up to 24 months old. It incorporates durable EVA tires and a 135-degree steering range to help develop your little one’s balance. Moreover, you can choose between three different colors.
Your toddler riding bike without pedals is a great toy, especially if they’re just learning how to walk. Not only does it help with balancing on two feet, but it also encourages your toddler’s creativity as he or she tries out new ways of moving around. Start your child’s day with a “Ready, steady, go!”
