Why is balance so important?

Only with a finely tuned balance can we straighten up against gravity and assume different postures – even do a handstand and view the world upside down. Anyone who watches small children learning to walk quickly recognizes that our upright gait demands a lot from our body and our head.

Just as with later swinging or balancing, the brain is under great strain: it must continuously determine its position in space, it must process and coordinate all sensory impressions and body movements.

High-performance calculations in our 'control center'

Our 'control center' learns by experimenting to estimate which muscle needs to be activated how strongly at what time to walk or to balance on a narrow board or not to fall when spinning. Once learned, these mathematical high performances disappear into our subconscious and from then on we never have to think again about which muscle groups are used for things like climbing stairs or standing on one leg.

The 'motor basics' mature already in the first years of life. From six or seven years on the brain focuses on the development of other areas and draws on the knowledge already present.

How to promote balance?

For children to develop healthily they need varied movement. To strengthen their balance and body awareness, children should try different body positions and modes of moving, and test their body's balance in various positions and on different surfaces.

Translated into everyday family life this means: lots of playing and romping, swinging, rocking, rolling, turning in all directions or balancing, preferably on narrow and wobbly surfaces.

This way children also get to know the fantastic possibilities of their bodies and can assess risks. And don't worry: children usually know very well how far they can go. Only if they are allowed to take risks will they develop self-confidence. How else should they find out how high they can climb, how fast they can run, or how strong they are if they are not allowed to try?

Children also love discovering the world from a different perspective: from the very bottom or from the very top. And anyone who wants to get there has to move.

Five fun games that train balance

When the weather outside doesn't invite swinging, balancing and climbing, these games are fun indoors:

1. A ride on the train

The child sits or lies on a blanket. You pull them through the room and the whole apartment. The little passenger must hold on tightly, so they don't tumble out of the train carriage.

2. Wobbly hanging bridge

A duvet cover is filled with half-inflated balloons. From both ends a child walks over the 'Wobbly bridge' – each to the other side. Whoever arrives first without 'falling off' has won.

3. Immer schön ruhig halten

Who can manage to walk from one corner of the room to the other with a book on their head?Who can crawl this distance with the book on their back? Who reaches the other room corner by balancing a ping-pong ball on their outstretched hand?

4. Wobbly course

Lay out a course of air mattresses, cushions, blankets or mats, with small pillows or tennis balls underneath. This creates irregularities that the child best walks over barefoot . The path becomes more exciting if small objects are transported or an obstacle to climb over is built in.

5. Seesaw in the apartment

Place a board on a sturdy round log or pipe. Standing in the middle, your child can rock.