4 Ways to make Body Awareness fun – Child Development
4 Ways to make Body Awareness Fun - Child Development
Body Awareness is the sense we have of our own bodies. It's a skill that children learn such as the names of body parts, where they are located, what they do and how they feel. A good sense of your body allows children to understand how far they need to reach for something or how close to stand.
With the help of Rosemary Williams from Family Chiropractic Bundaberg we've put together this list of 4 Kids Games to play which help improve body awareness.
What does poor body awareness look like?
Children who have low body awareness sometimes appear clumsy, uncoordinated or have delays in motor skill development. It may mean that when they start school, learning can be more difficult.
Everyday school activities such as sitting at a desk can be extremely difficult as their attention is focused on what their bodies are doing (sitting up straight, balancing on a chair etc) and not what's being taught. Poor body awareness can also lead to difficulties in handwriting, pencil pressure, and poor pencil grip later in school.
Questions to ask kids to develop body awareness
Rosemary Williams says that children need to be aware of what their body looks like, feels like and what it can do. Rosemary says that as children become aware of their body, they can begin to improve their spatial awareness.
Rosemary suggests asking your child about:
- the distance between two body parts.
- what is closer to their head?
- what is closer to their feet or hands?
- what’s near their eyes?
- what is far from their feet?
Spatial awareness starts with our perception of ourselves and expands to the world around us as our understanding develops.
4 Games to develop Body Awareness
Naming and guessing body parts
Getting dressed and bathing are wonderful every day opportunities to name and connect parts of the body. Be as specific as you can, the correct names and terminology for those body parts helps them gain a greater awareness of themselves. As children progress start describing parts and see if they can guess the body part you are describing.
Use body relaxation
When your child is ready for bed, use simple body relaxation techniques by asking them to tighten and then relax different parts of the body. It is not only great for body awareness but will also help them to sleep more soundly.
Add commentary to kids play
Say what you see! As your child is actively playing, you can affirm to them what you see them doing. You’re balancing on your left foot. I see you jumping forward and backward. You’re painting with your right hand.
Play car Twister
A fun game in the car is Body Twister! Ask your child to touch their elbow to their knee, a thumb to an ear, a foot to chin and watch the laughter unfold. It can also be a playful way of introducing left and right sides of the body.
This blog has been written as one in a series of articles aimed a increasing the knowledge and skills of parents and early childhood educators within the Wide Bay Region and is part of the Moving Smart Community Project.
