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Home › Articles › Development › A Balancing Act

A Balancing Act

Helping Toddlers Find Their Center of Gravity

By Rae Pica, Children's Movement Specialist

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Toddlers have been so named because they're at the stage in their motor development when walking isn't yet an accurate term for the upright method with which they transport themselves. In fact, for many of them, wobbling is a more appropriate term than toddling. That's because toddlers are still discovering the concept of balance, which improves tremendously during the preschool years but is still a major challenge before age 3.

When a person is balanced, her center of gravity is over the base of support, whether that base is a foot, two feet, two hands or the head and hands. Naturally, balance over a wide base is easier than over a narrow one – which is why toddlers toddle with their feet so far apart.

Balances occurring in a stationary position, such as standing on tiptoe, are known as static balances. Maintaining balance while moving is called dynamic balance. Both will improve with maturation and as your toddler acquires and practices motor skills. But because balance is necessary to both moving and remaining still, your little one can't practice it too often.

Following are some fun ways the two of you can work on static and dynamic balances.

Up and Down
Children typically can't walk on tiptoes until they're at least 3 years old. But you can prepare your toddler for that time by playing a simple game. Stand facing him, and hold his hands. Then, as you enthusiastically say "up" and "down," the two of you alternately rise onto tiptoes and lower your heels. As you play this game over time, you can make it more challenging by staying on tiptoes longer, counting the number of seconds you can both hold still. This activity additionally benefits muscular strength and muscular endurance, two of the five health-related fitness factors!

 


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