As a parent, you want to do everything you can to improve how your child functions in the world, giving them the best chance of success. But what, specifically, should you be doing to enhance their proprioception?
In this guide, you’re about to find out. It explores the various ways you can teach their minds to know what their bodies are doing so they can better navigate the world and enjoy their experience of being in it.
Tug-Of-War Bands
One of the things you could do is get your child some tug-of-war bands. These are essentially large elastic bands or ropes that exert an oppositional force when pulled.
They seem like such a simple intervention, but they can have a profound effect on how kids develop. Even the simplest bands require a lot of learning and motor skills to master, especially if your child is a little younger.
Usually, you’d give these bands to your child and then tell them to manipulate them while their eyes are closed. As they get older, you should notice that they become more confident and may even trip over less than before.
Sensory Bin Digging
You might also want to explore sensory play. Things like sensory bin digging can be a great way to get them used to using their hands and tools, setting them up for adult life.
Sensory bin digging is essentially what it sounds like. You get the child to dig through a bin with their hands or tools to find various objects, like toys or cans of beans. Traditionally, kids dug through sand, but you can also use white rice if you prefer (the latter tends to be a little easier to dig through).
Just make sure you coach them on how to dig. If they dig too softly, they won’t make any progress. But if they dig too much, then they could actually damage the items they are trying to find.
Playground Swinging And Climbing
As a parent, you could also explore the option of swinging and climbing at the local playground with your child. Kids will usually automatically try to master these techniques if left to their own devices, so the best policy is usually just to leave them to it.
Swinging and climbing supercharges proprioception because it contorts their bodies into so many new positions. They have to coordinate multiple aspects of what they’re doing, all with adult support, of course.
However, once they get the hang of it, it is often the first stage to becoming more athletic. Children who build up muscle memory when young almost always carry it with them into adult life.
Wheelbarrow Walks
Another way to foster greater control over their bodies is to use wheelbarrow walks. You sometimes see PE teachers getting kids to do these at school gym classes.
All you need to do is hold their legs like a wheelbarrow and then get them to walk along the ground using their hands. The first time they do this will be extremely challenging, but they should eventually get used to it.
The reason this activity is important is because it educates kids on how to use the upper part of their bodies, not just the lower part. It shows them that they really can walk on their hands, inverting their body position and getting them to do something they wouldn’t ordinarily do. This skill can come in handy in multiple life situations, including in the trades where the use of one’s hands is critical.
Trampoline Jumping
Then, there’s trampoline jumping. Not only is this a great pedagogic tool, but it’s also something that kids universally find fun. Bouncing up and down all day long helps children learn where their body is.
The nice thing about trampoline jumping is that it is easy to increase the difficulty as you go along. If you want to make it harder for our child so that they learn faster, you can.
For example, you could throw them a ball mid-jump and then get them to catch it. This activity requires a combination of hand-eye coordination and balance to get it right.
You can also send them to trampoline class where they’ll have access to better equipment. Once there, they can expand their repertoire and do things like backjumps or flips.
Heavy Work
Getting kids to do heavy work seems like taboo in our society, but really it doesn’t have to be. All it requires is giving them heavy objects to carry, like grocery bags, to build their strength. Just make sure they are the appropriate weight and that you’re not going to injure them.
Resistance bands also fall into this category so you can use them, too. Kids will struggle at first to pull them apart, but they should get better at it over time.
Balance Beam Challenges
You could also boost your child’s proprioception with balance beam challenges. These test their balance skills intensely, heightening their reliance on things like internal feedback and vision.
You’ll want to start with a wider balance beam and then narrow it as the child progresses. Make sure you keep adjusting the difficulty to make it interesting for you. Keep the challenge high so that they always feel like they’re progressing and getting better.
Walk Like An Animal
You could also try activities where you walk like animals with your kids. Again, this fun game teaches them to change how they move and consciously think about what each part of their body is doing.
For example, you could walk like a crab by being on all fours and moving sideways, or moving like a frog, leaping into the air.
Obstacle Courses
Finally, you might want to invest in an obstacle course for your child. These present them with numerous challenges that develop every aspect of their proprioception. For example, they might have to jump over boxes, walk along beams, climb walls, or crawl through heavy nets. All of these activities challenge their abilities individually, but are even more extreme when combined together. Kids have to adapt and learn on the fly.
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