Balance Activities

Reach for the Stars - Have your child stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Encourage
pushing up onto tiptoes by having them "reach for the stars" (or moon, or an airplane, etc)
*Works on lower leg strengthening.

Backwards Walking - Have your child stand with back facing an open, familiar place, then walk
backwards. Start off slowly then increase speed with every trial or with every time you perform
the exercise until they are able to run backwards.
*Works on leg strength and coordination

Standing on a Pillow - Have your child stand on a fluffy pillow, (shoes off so you don't
ruin your pillows!) and balance there while you play I Spy or some other quiet game. Once
this becomes easy, begin to add pillows.
*Works on balance and ankle strength

Step Taps - Have your child start with left leg resting on a small step and the right leg on
the ground. Have them step and switch their legs so that now the right leg is resting on the
step and the left leg is on the ground.
*Works on leg strength and coordination

Stairs - Encourage walking up and down stairs leading with the non-preferred leg. A good
way to work on this is to place two different stickers on your child's shoes, such as a cat
and a dog. Then you can call out "Cat" or "Dog" and they have to use that leg. You can
turn it into a game by making either cat or dog unpredictable. One thing to look out for is
to make sure they aren't relying too much on the handrail or wall.
*Works on leg strength, coordination, and motor planning.

Tandem Standing on a Line - Find any line in your house (dark piece of wood on wood
flooring, place where carpet meets floor, chalk line on driveway, etc) and have your child
stand on it with one foot, then place the other foot so that the heel of one is touching the toe
of the other. Have them balance for as long as they can.
*Works on balance and leg strength

Standing on one foot - Have your child stand with hands on hips and encourage them to
bend their knee (not hip) and pick one leg up off the ground. To encourage holding this
position as long as possible, you can count to 10 or sing ABC's.
*Works on balance, coordination, and leg strength.
(Harder Options)

Opposite Walking - Have your child stand with their left leg and left arm forward, right leg
and right arm back. Have them practice walking forward so that the left arm stays with the left
leg, etc. Once they get really good at it, you can try incorporating it in a game of "Red light,
Green light" to give them an extra challenge.
*Works on balance and coordination.

Karate Kicks - Have your child stand with feet shoulder width apart and have arms in
"karate arm posture". Have them lift their leg up first at the hip then kick out at the knee.
Have them repeat 10 times, then switch and do them on the other side. Encourage a loud "
Hiyahhh" to prevent them from holding their breath.

Karate Side Kicks - Have your child stand with feet shoulder width apart sideways, and
have arms in " karate arm posture". Have them bend at the hip and knee with leg out to the
side, and then kick out their foot sideways. Have them repeat this 10 times, then switch and
do them on the other side. Encourage a loud "Hiyahhh" to prevent them from holding their
breath.
*Works on single legged balance and leg strength as well as coordination

Toe Touches - Have your child start with legs spread apart and arms straight out to the sides.
Encourage your child to take their left hand, cross it over, and touch their right toe, and then
straighten back up to the starting position. Encourage them to repeat the opposite way. Repeat
10 times.
*Works on whole body coordination.

Toe Touches Behind the Back- Have your child start with legs spread apart and arms
straight out to the sides. Encourage them to take their left hand and cross it behind while
bending the right knee and bringing it up to meet the left hand. Return to the starting
position and repeat with opposite sides. Repeat 10 times.
*Works on whole body coordination.

Hand to Knee Touches - Have your child start with legs spread apart and arms straight out to
the sides. Encourage your child to take their left hand and cross it in front while bending the
right hip and bringing it up to meet the left hand. Return to the starting position and repeat with
opposite sides. Repeat 10 times.
*Works on whole body coordination.