Kids who seek activities that spin or bounce are usually trying to stimulate their vestibular system, or their inner ear. The inner ear helps with balance and tells our body when, and how fast, it is moving. Some kiddos need activities that stimulate this system, and some need activities to calm this system as it is over-responsive.
Think about things kids do on a typical playground: swinging, spinning, sliding, and climbing. For kids who are under-stimulated, they seek lots of these kinda of activities to help calm their systems. Their bodies start to understand where they are in space and they feel calmer in the process. For kids who are over-responsive, these activities can help get them moving, but be careful as they can become motion sick very quickly. A small climbing structure like this Little Tikes Hide and Seek Climber and Swing
If this is a vestibular seeker, trampolines in a trampoline park can be a great source of calming. Have them create an obstacle course, which when done multiple times, will greatly calm them. If the child is overly sensitive, a trampoline park can offer the safety they need due to their fear of heights and lack of body control. Jumping rope, jumping jacks, dancing, hop scotch, or any jumping activities can offer the up and down motion their body craves. Be careful with overly sensitive kids as the moving forward motion while jumping can feel a bit out of control. Be with them, holding onto them in need be, so they feel in control and less afraid. Have them start with activities that only jump straight up and down first. This indoor mini trampoline with net enclosure
This may look strange to adults, but for kids seeking to stimulate or calm their vestibular system hanging out upside down is extremely soothing. Have them hang upside down off a couch, off your lap, or if strong enough, off monkey bars. If they are really strong, have them hang upside down from a swinging bar….this really stimulates all kinds of movement in their inner ear.
Walking across a curb or balance beam helps kids inner ear understand where they are in space and centers them. Get a 2×4 or even a 2×8 piece of wood and let them walk across it. I ended up purchasing this 9ft foldable balance beam BECAUSE this was such an important activity for my kiddos.
Playing movement games with your kids is easy and fun. Tell them to stand in the middle of the room and spin until you call out an object in the room that they have to stop and point to. This incorporates spinning, eye-hand coordination, tracking for their eyes, and new vocabulary. Or place objects around the room and have your child bend over to pick them up and place them under a low table they must crawl under. The up and down movement will stimulate their inner ear. Have a child create an obstacle course with things they want to do. The change in movements, but also the pattern of the course can be stimulating and calming.
