Age 3 · balance and whole body movement · 5 activities
Balance and Whole Body Movement activities for 3 year olds
Five ways a three year old practises going slowly on purpose, which is what balance turns into at this age.
At three, balance stops being a matter of staying upright and becomes something a child can choose to do carefully. The tape line shows it plainly: running the line is easy and walking it heel to toe is hard, and a three year old can now tell those apart and go for the hard one. That choice is the whole skill, and it is why these five are quiet games rather than fast ones.
Three of the five are a line on the floor in some form, which is not a shortage of ideas. A line is the cheapest and most adjustable balance equipment there is: straight first, then curved, then a coin to carry along it, then the eyes shut and your voice steering. Painters tape is the one to use, and it lifts off again.
The odd one is the ping pong race, which is blowing rather than walking. It sits here because the control is in the breath, and a long steady blow is the same job as a long steady step. It is mouth work too, which is why it also appears on the talking shelf.
For how big movement changes either side of three, and what to expect next, see big movement, age by age.
The five
Ordered by the age each one suits best, from the line a two year old already walks to the tracks that carry on to six. The list is built from the whole range an activity suits rather than its single best age. Every line gives the setup, the play time and whether anything has to be bought.
- Walking the Balance Line Your child walks the length of a strip of tape stuck to the floor, slowly, and then turns round and walks back. 2 min · under 5 min · household only
- Balance Board Coin Steady Your child stands on a board that rocks slightly and tries to keep a coin still on the back of her hand, which means the whole body has to go quiet. no setup · 5 to 10 min · household, or a bought set
- Straw Blow Ping Pong Race Your child blows a ping pong ball across the table through a straw, and races it to a strip of tape at the far end. no setup · under 5 min · household only
- Blindfold Rope Path Walk Your child follows a rope laid along the floor with her eyes closed, finding the turns with her feet while your voice tells her what is coming. 2 min · 5 to 10 min · household only
- Painters Tape Floor Balance Track Your child walks a line of tape stuck to the floor without stepping off it, then does it again carrying something. 4 min · 10 to 20 min · one substitute needed
Nothing here needs a garden or a hall. Four of the five fit along a hallway, and the fifth happens at the kitchen table.