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Balance Activities for Preschoolers

Balance and coordination are essential skills for preschoolers, as they play a significant role in their physical, cognitive, and emotional development. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of balance for preschoolers, standing balance games, dynamic balance games, and outdoor balance activities. These activities will promote balance and coordination and help develop self-regulation […]

Balance Games for Kids

Balance games for kids

Kids of all ages need strong trunk control for greater balance. Balance is needed to walk across a room, go up and down the stairs, and ride a bike. Without good balance skills, kids may fall over when sitting at their desks in the classroom or trip and fall when running on the outdoor playground. […]

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Kid Created Outdoor “Laser” Maze

Here is an easy outdoor activity to challenge body awareness, motor planning and balance skills.  Find two trees about 6 feet apart.  Give the child a skein of yarn or twine.  Wrap the yarn around the two trees in all different directions and heights to make the “laser” maze.  Once complete, the child needs to […]

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Balance Skills and Obesity in Children

Appetite published research on whether balance skills and quality of life are influenced by childhood obesity.  Eighty seven children who were classified as Class 1 obese (BMI SDS 2.0-2.49) and Class 2 obese (BMI SDS > 2.5) were evaluated using the BOT-II to measure balance and the PedsQL to determine quality of life.  Statistical analysis […]

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Balance, Age and Autism Symptoms

The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders published research on the influence of task difficulty and age on balance control in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  The researchers tested balance control during increasingly difficult balance conditions in children with ASD and typically developing peers.  The relationship between balance control and diagnostic/symptom severity for participants […]

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Whole Body Vibration to Improve Balance/Strength and Down Syndrome

A randomized controlled study was published on 30 children with Down syndrome, where 15 children received physical therapy and 15 children received physical therapy and whole body vibration training. Both groups participated 3x/week for 6 months. The groups underwent stability testing and muscle strength testing before and after the 6 mos of the treatment program. […]

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Postural Control in Very Preterm Children

Recent research assessed the postural control of 90 very preterm (VPT) children (<30 weeks gestation) and 36 full term children (>37 weeks gestation) at four years old. Using a Wii Balance Board, various tasks were assessed including static two-limbed standing with eyes open, eyes closed, eyes open on a foam mat, eyes closed on a […]

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Balance Skills and Girls with Visual Impairment

Pediatric Physical Therapy published research on functional balance abilities in girls with visual impairment.  The participants included 26 girls, 10-15 years old, with visual impairment who were assessed with the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) and stabilography.  The following results were recorded: balance difficulties appeared in single-leg stance, tandem stance, and reaching forward PBS scores ranged […]