So much fun (and growth & development) can be had with a Bean Bag!
To an adult, it may just look like a simple bean bag or hackie sack, but to a developing brain, a bean bag is a large multi vitamin of learning and development just waiting to be opened and consumed! By playing with a bean bag, your child will be growing their brains & bodies!
Here are some fun activities at home to move, learn and grow with a bean bag!
1. Balance on Different Body Parts
Body awareness! The weight of the bean bag turns up the volume of proprioceptive feedback to our brains. This sense helps isolate & tell us where our body part is in space so we can work on controlling it.
Challenge: Try walking and balancing, walking on a line or around obstacles.
2. Throw and Catch to Self
Hand Eye Co-Ordination. Scoop arms and open hands are a good start. Remind your Jnr Gym Kids to watch the Delta triangle on the bean bags as it’s coming to them to support their visual tracking.
Challenge: Catch with one hand! Clap in between throws!
3. Throw at a Target
Judging distance & force! Point to the target with opposite hand to support hand-eye coordination.
Challenge: Try over arm and under arm too!
4. Under, Over & Through
Spatial awareness! Passing the bean bag around the body encourages little brains to figure out how their bodies fit in the world, while working on fine motor control & crossing the midline.
Challenge: Pass over, under, through & around the waist, leg & neck; try a figure 8 between legs & work the core by lying on the ground, lifting tummies & bottoms & passing the bean bag through!
5. Bean Bag Relays!
Build Indurance! Hopping, jumping running is much more fun when racing a bean bag to your partner at the other end!
Challenge: Crab Walk with bean bag on tummy!
6. Squeezies
Muscle Awareness. Squeeze the bean bag between knees or ankles. Try & steal the bean bag back!
Challenge: Squeeze and jump!
7. Cranes and Tip Trucks
Build Core Strength & Feet Muscles! Sit & lift bean bag with feet from one pillow to another.
Move, learn and grow with Delta Jnr Gym Kids!