Balancing with Equipment

Learning Outcomes

 Static balance, body and space awareness, and relationships (with equipment). 
 

Description Of Activity

Activity 1: On-the-spot balance Children are scattered throughout an area while standing on a disc/base, where there is also some equipment (beanbag, ball, and foam frisbee). choose one piece of equipment and try to balance it on any body part while standing on your spot balance one of the objects on your head while standing on one foot and staying on your spot balancing only on your bottom, balance a ball between your feet while keeping your feet off the ground.

Activity 2: Bench balance Each small group of approximately three-four children stands beside a low bench. In turn, children step up onto the middle of the bench and hold a balance for three seconds. vary the type of balance (e.g. shapes wide, narrow, levels low, medium, high and body parts one foot, bottom, two hands, one knee) be creative (e.g. pose like a ballerina, Superman, a tennis player, or any other sporting or dancing star)

Can you see? tight muscles being as still as possible balancing with arms extended out to the side (airplane arms)

You could ask How can you keep very still when you are balancing? What did you do to keep your feet off the door in the sitting balance?
 

Variations

 Combine balances: Move from one balance to another, holding each for three seconds (count one thousand as one second). Combine balances with traveling: Balance on one spot with one object (e.g. balance on one foot with an object on the head), then travel to another spot still balancing the object (e.g. walking with the object on the head), then choose another balance with another object (e.g. balance on shoulders with legs off the ground balancing a ball). 
 

Equipment/Material Required

 Mats, benches, discs/bases, beanbags, balls, foam frisbees.