1. Animal walks - Getting pressure through your joints helps give your brain information about where your body is in space. This sense is called proprioception and it is a big part participating in many activities that require balance, coordination and self regulation. Pretending to be animals is a fun way to work on body awareness! Bear walks involve keeping your arms and legs extended while walking on your hands and feet. A few other examples are crab walks, seal walks or donkey kicks which all give great joint pressure.
2. Carrying and pulling heavy things - When we put tension through our joints with slight pulling in opposite directions it is called traction. Along with joint pressure, traction also provides proprioceptive input. Games like tug of war or pulling heavy objects like wagons are engaging ways to get joint traction. Getting your kiddos involved in housework by moving rocks in your backyard, carrying in groceries, carrying a bucket of water or even carrying a bag of their own with essentials when you are out running errands are all ways to increase body awareness!
3. Jumping, climbing, hanging! - These are all activities that a lot of children like to do already, and should be encouraged in safe environments. Climbing and hanging are often easiest to do outside or on playgrounds, but when the weather doesn't permit, kids can hang off the sides of couches or backwards off a pile of pillows or a yoga ball. Also, jumping can be done anywhere! Put a line of painters tape on the floor and they can jump from side to side or jump over their favorite toy.
Finding ways to incorporate these ideas into your daily life can increase your child's body awareness, decrease clumsiness and make activities that utilize proprioception easier. Whether getting dressed independently, playing sports or giving adequate personal space when standing in line, we all need to have a sense of where our body is!