10 Easy and Effective Balance Activities For Kids With Autism, APD or ADHD

Balance is crucial for your child’s function, independence and quality of life. It helps us do things like walking, running, and playing. It also helps us stay safe and avoid falling. To keep your body balanced, you need to use your eyes, ears, muscles, and joints together.

Balance is our ability to remain upright and steady.

This FREE guide will tell you all you need to know about balance and how it often differs in children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and auditory processing disorder (APD). We’ve chosen 10 of the very best balance activities for kids with clear instructions and links to videos.

If you’re looking for equipment to enhance your activities, then try the unique Soundsory® headset with its multi-sensory music and movement program.

Why Balance Activities Are Essential for Kids

The Importance of Balance in Child Development

Balance is a crucial aspect of child development, as it plays a vital role in physical coordination, sensory processing, and overall well-being. Engaging in balance activities can help children improve their:

• Safety: By improving your child’s balance, you’re reducing their risk of falling and helping to keep them safe from harm.
• Quality of life: Balance skills contribute to a child’s confidence, self-esteem, and social interaction.
• Physical coordination: Balance helps children develop better body control, posture, and muscle strength.
• Sensory processing: Balance activities can enhance a child’s ability to process sensory information, such as sight, hearing, and touch, which is essential for overall development.
• Cognitive processing: Physical activities such as balance or coordination exercises have been proven to support improved cognitive functioning [1] in the long term.

How Balance Activities Benefit Children with Autism and APD

For children with ASD, balance exercises can help improve:

• Sensory processing: Balance activities can enhance sensory integration, which is often challenging for children with autism [2].
• Motor skills: Balance exercises can improve gross motor skills, such as walking, running, and jumping.

For children with APD, balance activities can:

• Improve auditory processing: Balance often involves visual and auditory cues, which can help strengthen auditory processing skills.
• Enhance spatial awareness: Balance exercises can improve a child’s understanding of their surroundings and their body in space.

“Children with autism or ADHD may experience balance impairments more frequently than neurotypical children. These differences can arise due to variations in motor coordination, sensory processing, and muscle tone. This can lead to balance issues that can significantly impact a child’s quality of life, leading to challenges in physical activities, social interactions, and overall confidence.

To help improve balance… parents should seek tailored interventions such as occupational therapy and physical activities that promote core strength and sensory integration exercises. Consistent practice and support from caregivers and therapists can lead to gradual improvements and enhanced quality of life.”

Ozan Toy MD, MPH, Psychiatrist, Telapsychiatry

There are two kinds of balance:

• Still balance (known as Static balance): This is when you stay steady without moving. For example, standing still, sitting upright, standing on one leg.
• Moving balance (Known as Dynamic balance): This is when you stay steady while you’re moving. For example, walking, hopping, running, jumping, riding a bicycle.

We need a range of different body functions to maintain balance. Our three most important ‘balance systems’ are: 

• Visual – How we see our position in space and the objects around us.
• Vestibular – our inner ear detects when we are upright or not.
• Proprioceptive – millions of sensors throughout our body which senses our feeling of position and movement. 

We provide a guide to the benefits of each exercise as well as information on how to complete it. The videos offer a great visual guide.

10 Fun and Easy Balance Activities for Kids 

Visual Balance Exercises for Kids

1 – Visual scanning activity. Sit or stand and hold two objects either side of your child at head height.  Keep the objects roughly 2 feet away. Encourage your child to keep their head still and move their gaze from one object to the other.

2 – Visual tracking activity: Hold an object in front of your child at eye level. Ask your child to keep looking at the object as they slowly turn their head from side to side.

Why not try playing I-spy or “keep it up” with a balloon for fun variations on scanning & tracking. 

The ability to integrate sensory cues during tracking are reduced in children with autism [4]. Making these exercises a must-have part of your activities list.

For a more in-depth read on visual exercises try our article on ocular motor activities for your child.

Vestibular balance activities for kids

3 – Sky-Earth Stretches. Ask your child to stand up tall with arms above their head and stretched up to the ceiling. Next, ask them to bend forward from the waist and take their hands towards their feet. Repeat slowly and with control.

4 – X stretch. Begin by standing in an ‘X’ position: arms raised above your head and legs spread slightly wider than your hips. Lean forward with your arms still extended and touch your left hand to your right foot. Return to standing, and then repeat by touching your right hand to your left foot.

Balance Activities for Sensory Integration

5 – Standing to Kneeling to Standing
Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart, standing tall with your core engaged. Step one foot back, lower your knee to the ground. Bring the other knee down to kneel on both knees. Push through your legs to bring one foot forward, planting it firmly, then the other, returning to a standing position. Continue alternating legs as you repeat the exercise.

6 – ATNR (asymmetrical tonic neck reflex) Walk
Position yourself with your arms extended straight in front of you, fingers spread out. Keep your arms fixed in this position as you turn your head to the left. While maintaining this posture, march on the spot for 10 steps. After a brief pause for rest, repeat the exercise, this time turning your head to the right.

Proprioceptive activities

7 – Arm-leg stretch. Begin with your child in the crawling position. While maintaining this position ask your child to extend one leg and the opposite arm out then back down.  Then repeat with the opposite arm and leg.. Repeat this alternating motion.

8 – Lazy 8’s. Maintain a standing position and face a wall. Ask your child to slowly slide one hand on the wall in the shape of an 8. Repeat the movement 10 times with one hand. Repeat the movement 10 times with the opposite hand. This can be done with one hand or with both hands at the same time, as seen in the video.

For more information check out our blog on proprioceptive activities for kids.

Full-Body Movement and Balance

9 – Jumping shapes. Standing with 2 feet together, consecutively jump out the following shapes.

10 – Standing Reach. Begin by standing facing forwards with feet apart. Reach one arm up while at the same time lift the opposite leg out to the side. Repeat the same movement on the other side. Repeat this alternating pattern 10x.

Pediatric Occupational therapist Kara Tavolacci offers this great piece of advice:

“To help improve motor skills, balance, and vestibular I am going to recommend Soundsory®.  But I would also recommend activities that challenge your balance/equilibrium/posture.”

 The unique Soundsory® headset and program can accompany all the exercises included in this list to optimize your child’s balance activities.

We also provide a comprehensive guide to occupational therapy activities for children.

FAQs : Best Balance Activities for Kids with Autism, APD or ADHD

What are the activities for balance?

Here’s a summary of our recommended balance exercises for kids.

Visual scanning  Visual tracking Sky-Earth stretches X Stretches Stand to kneel/Kneel to stand ATNR walking Arm-leg stretch Lazy 8’s Jumping shapes Standing reach

What causes poor balance in children?

 Poor balance in children can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Developmental delays: Some children may have developmental delays that affect their balance, such as motor delays or sensory processing disorders.
• Neurological conditions: Conditions like cerebral palsy, stroke, or brain injuries can impair balance.
• Musculoskeletal issues: Problems with muscles, joints, or bones can also contribute to poor balance.
• Inner ear problems: The inner ear plays a crucial role in balance. Issues like ear infections or vestibular disorders can affect balance.
• Vision problems: Poor eyesight can make it difficult to maintain balance.
• Medications: Certain medications can have side effects that affect balance.
• Lack of physical activity: Insufficient exercise can lead to weak muscles and poor coordination, affecting balance.

If you’re concerned about your child’s balance, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional for a proper evaluation and diagnosis.

References

1. Ziereis, S., & Jansen, P. (2015). Effects of physical activity on executive function and motor performance in children with ADHD. Research in developmental disabilities, 38, 181–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2014.12.005
2. Kashefimehr, B., Kayihan, H., & Huri, M. (2018). The Effect of Sensory Integration Therapy on Occupational Performance in Children With Autism. OTJR : occupation, participation and health, 38(2), 75–83. https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449217743456
3. Yogman, M., Garner, A., Hutchinson, J., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., COMMITTEE ON PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH, & COUNCIL ON COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA (2018). The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children. Pediatrics, 142(3), e20182058. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-2058
4. Hughes, L., Kargas, N., Wilhelm, M., Meyerhoff, H. S., & Föcker, J. (2023). The Impact of Audio-Visual, Visual and Auditory Cues on Multiple Object Tracking Performance in Children with Autism. Perceptual and motor skills, 130(5), 2047–2068. https://doi.org/10.1177/00315125231187984