Balance, Coordination & Control - Full Resource

Obstacle Course

Using the space and equipment available invite the children to make an obstacle course – Including over, under, through, around, along etc.  Using large outdoor loose parts is beneficial here.

Adapt for younger children:

Keep it simple and developmentally appropriate, use scaffolding and support to encourage the children on each task.

Extension:

Include higher balance apparatus and more challenging activities.  Invite children to create their own obstacle course.

The High Wire

Using masking tape, secure a length of tape across the space either indoors or out…invite children to pretend to walk the high wire at the circus…vary the movements; tip toes, sideways, crouching, a jump in the air when you get to the middle…encourage children to create their own fantastic movements.  Music suggestion: Circus Music – Instrumental Those magnificent men in a flying machine

Adapt for younger children:

For non-walkers encourage crawling, shuffling, rolling etc along the tape.  For walkers support and scaffold the movements

Extension:

Progress to balance beam or a bench, support children who need it.

Pirate Ship

Space out lots of mats or hoops, children sit on or inside.  Teacher calls out various actions

• Row! - row the boat using arms
• At Sea - look around with binoculars (Hands to eyes)
• Stormy Sea - bounce up and down/roll backwards (tuck shape)
• Ahoy Captain! - Shout ‘ahoy’ and salute
• Pirate Overboard - jump off the mat/out of the hoop
• Rescue - jump back on the mat/ in the hoop
• Scrub the Decks - lay on tummy and pretend to scrub floor
• Climb the Rigging - stand up and imitate climbing
• Hide in the Hold - Curl up into a ball on the mat – Music suggestion: Captain Pugwash theme tune

Adapt for younger children:

For non-walkers keep the movements floor based and walkers support and adapt the movements appropriately.

Extension:

Invite children to be the captain and call out commands.  Extend to working in partners to complete the actions: eg Jump in the hoop with your partner, Row holding hands together.

Tape Vortex

Using the tape again mark out a complex vortex with the lines crossing and making shapes but always connecting.  Invite the children to walk along at the same time – they must not overtake each other and come off the tape.  This is great for navigating space and learning to take turns and prediction.

Adapt for younger children:

Encourage children to move along the grid at their pace.  Keep the grid simple, use coloured slightly thicker tape.

Extension:

Introduce more children to the space and change   the movement options, run, gallop, walk VERY slowly, hold hands with a friend etc.  Make the grid into shapes to develop mathematical skills, diamond, square rectangle, triangle etc.

Spot warm up

Watch the video and copy the movements together

Adapt for younger children:

for non walkers keep the movement simple and floor based.  For new walkers combine floor based and bipedal movement.

Extension:

Provide more opportunity to hold balances and extend some of the movements ie; jumping, knees bent and landing with both feet, jumping over the spot with both feet – composing (preparing the movements)

Coloured Hoops

Space out lots of different coloured hoops. Have a bag with lots of different coloured objects (matching the colours of the hoops).  Carefully select an object and the children must jump inside the hoop with the matching colour.

Adapt for younger children:

For non-walkers you could use scarves..when the adult reveals a colour the child must try to identify the same coloured scarf and wave it.

Extension:

Combine small and large hoops, extend to standing still like a statue once inside, or combining how many children inside the hoop

Number Friends

Children must walk around the space, when they hear the tambourine, they must Freeze.  Teacher calls out a number, children must get into groups of that number (connected by hands or touching) and freeze. 

Adapt for younger children:

Play musical statues, adults model the activity.

Extension:

Invite children when in groups to balance on 1 leg, 2 feet and 1 hand, 1 foot and 1 hand, 1 bottom, 1 belly etc.

Floor is Lava

When children are playing outside, randomly call out Floor is Lava and children must find a safe place to stand off the floor for 10 seconds.

Adapt for younger children:

Arrange small platform and climbing steps, ramps etc…and adults model the activity.

Extension:

Extend the timing to 20 seconds. When ready invite children to move around the space trying other areas for safety

Walk the plank

Set up three of four different ‘plank’ environments with gym mats at the end.  For example masking tape, small balance beam, bench.  Invite children to walk along the bench and stop at the end, look both ways for the crocodile (composure) and bend your knees and when ready, jump and land on the mat, both feet together and knees bent.  Use your arms for balance.

Adapt for younger children:

Invite non-walkers to try crawling or shuffling along various balance equipment.

Extension:

When the children are ready, invite them to jump off higher platforms or trying to jump longer distances

Runner Bean game 

Copy the actions of all these runner beans:

• Broad bean – standing star
• String bean – stretching tall
• Dwarf bean – squat small
• Runner Bean – Run around
• Frozen bean – stand still
• Chilli Bean – rub arms
• Beans in a tin – come together in the middle
• Microwave bean – spin and beep, ding and jump
• Beans on toast – lay on floor in a star shape
• Jumping bean – jump
• Jelly bean – wobble

Adapt for younger children:

Stick to some of the simple ones and only include 4 or 5 different beans

Extension:

Encourage children to call out a bean for others to copy.  Think of another topic, maybe seasons, can children suggest actions for rain, snow, sunshine etc

Galloping horses

Adults or older children hold a selection a hoops out to the side, the other children must pretend they are horses and gallop around the room, when they come to a hoop they must climb through and continue around the space

Music suggestion: Les Sylphides III Valse

Adapt for younger children:

Introduce tunnels for crawling through, then introduce hoops and encourage children to crawl through with the bottom of the hoop touching the floor.

Extension:

Increase the number of hoops and the height from the floor.

Hot Chocolate

One child is far away facing away from the other children who are standing in a line facing the single child’s back.  On the teacher’s instruction children must cautiously walk towards the child.  If that child turns around the other children must freeze.  When a child reaches the front, they must touch the child’s shoulder and call ‘hot chocolate’.  That child then moves to the front and the game starts again.

Adapt for younger children:

Adult seated faces away from the children and other adults model trying to reach them by crawling/shuffling.  When adult turns around infants and adults freeze.  Repeat, progress to standing.

Extension:

Children take it in turns to be hot chocolate. Try the activity crawling, skipping, jumping, galloping, jogging etc

Rainy Weather

Children sit on the floor and tap fingertips on the floor – raindrops, tap 2 fingers to 2 fingers – gentle rain, leg slapping – heavy rain, knees bent and stamping feet (leaning back on hands) – thunder, rocking back with legs up in the air – lightening.  Repeat

Adapt for younger children:

Adults model the activity alongside rhymes, I hear thunder, It’s raining, it’s pouring etc

Extension:

Try this activity standing.

Construction City

Provide a variety of cardboard boxes, all different sizes and shapes, encourage children to create  city, with various buildings, a school, a fire station, a police station etc. Assist children to carve doors and windows.  Ensure children have the opportunity to crawl, stand, climb etc

Adapt for younger children:

Adults can provide a maze of tunnels and shapes for children to navigate.

Extension:

Include crates and planks to extend the development and movement potential.  Always supervise and scaffold children when using new apparatus.