What child doesn’t love a
balloon?! Besides being a herald of great tidings such as a birthday or other
celebration, balloons can be played with in a variety of ways that are also
therapeutic.
Helium Balloons
Helium Balloons are great,
especially the mylar type, as they stay inflated longer and have less risk of
popping. When children are learning to stand and walk, a helium balloon can be
a tool to build balance. I cut the ribbon on the helium balloon and knot the
end so that the ribbon dangles at about the height of the child’s head. This
motivates the child to reach up and pull on the ribbon to bring the balloon
down. Core strength, balance, eye-hand
coordination, isolation of arms from trunk are all skills that can be improved
with this activity. It is also FUN, so
the child is motivated to repeat it many times.
You can also hold a helium balloon
at chest level in front of your child and have them reach out and “bop” the
balloon out of your hand and watch it rise to the ceiling.
Latex or Plastic
Balloons
Regular Latex balloons are great
for teaching catching skills to a young child.
A regular playground ball is too hard and difficult to catch for most
children just starting to work on ball skills (see our recent 3-part article about Development of Ball Skills in Young Children by clicking here), but a balloon is soft, floats down slowly, and
is pliant, making catching easier.
I love to use half or a third of a
pool noodle to practice eye-hand coordination and motor planning skills. (If
you can’t find a pool noodle, a gift wrap tube or rolled newspaper can serve
the same purpose). Throw the balloon
into the middle of the room and have your child try to hit it then chase it
around as it skitters away. You can also
use the pool noodle as a bat and play a modified game of T-ball by hitting the
balloon off of a stool, chair or other raised surface. Or you can try suspending the balloon from a pool noodle and holding it out for your young one to hit.
Your child might like batting the balloon around an obstacle course composed of furniture and objects in the room. One or more children can work to keep the balloon in the air by continually hitting it as it starts to float down.
Your child might like batting the balloon around an obstacle course composed of furniture and objects in the room. One or more children can work to keep the balloon in the air by continually hitting it as it starts to float down.
Cautions:
NEVER, EVER, EVER (Did I mention NEVER!) let a child suck on a
balloon or put it in their mouth. Latex
and plastic-type balloons can pop and go down the throat, choking and even
asphyxiating a child!
Be cautious of the long strings
and ribbons on balloons—children and pets can get them wrapped around their
necks or other body parts, potentially causing injury.
Many balloons are still made of
latex—be careful not to use them around children and others who have latex
allergies!
Blog Administrator: Trisha Roberts
proeducationaltoys@gmail.com
Copyright © 2017 TNT Inspired Enterprise, LLC, All rights reserved.
Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.
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