Improving Body Awareness Helps Kids Stay Calm & Connected

Most children are very adaptable-adjusting to new situations, environments and growing bodies every day.

Children can even learn to adapt & function without the senses of sight, hearing or smell, however, they will struggle to function if their sense of balance or muscle control is inhibited. This is because our bodies are dependant on our brain to send signals to the muscles-and our brain is dependant on our bodies for stimulus-commonly called proprioception.

Proprioception-sometimes referred to as body awareness or the "sixth sense"- normally occurs at every moment of every day, and is the body's ability to use balance, joints & muscles to resist gravity. Gravity is such a vital stimulus that no living thing can survive very long without it. It is a unique in that  its effects are felt continually, and that makes it the greatest sensory stimulus for body & brain growth.

Since the 80's the average child has gotten less exercise & movement. We have also seen an alarming increase in social and behavioral problems, ADD, ADHD, depression, autism and other Sensory processing disorders. Some speculate that it is partly due to a lack of body awareness caused by a decrease in physical, proprioceptive activity.

A child with autism or other sensory challenges usually lacks balance & is physically awkward. This is because he cannot feel his body in relation to the space around him. This awkwardness is a sign of diminished sense of proprioception. Studies by NASA and the University of California at Berkley have shown that this can be reversed and plasticity restored  by incorporating daily and varied movement-especially heavy work tasks. (In contrast, when animals were sent into space, they showed a reverse plasticity and a rapid degeneration of brain cell development.)

Heavy work tasks are any activities that require whole body movement and resistance such as carrying heavy objects or carrying large size boxes, pushing through heavy doors, pushing a grocery or work cart, pushing a laundry basket, pulling a friend in a wagon, helping to move furniture, vacuuming – Any activity that requires resistance with movement. These activities not only increase muscle tone and create proprioceptive input, allowing the body to "feel" itself in space, but also help re-connect the hemispheres of the brain & then integrate them with the body.

Daily heavy work activities are thought to provide the longest sensory effect with combined benefits of proprioceptive and vestibular (balance) stimulation.

These activities potentially have a relaxing effect on the nervous system & can keep children Calm & Connected for as many as 4-6 hours.

Practicing yoga can also help with sensory input in a fun, imaginative way. Yoga postures are a non-competitive physical activity that will release excess energy and stress in the body & have a soothing effect on the nervous system. The postures & exercises are adaptable to any ability. Just 10-15 minutes of yoga or movement games a few times daily (or a minimum of 3 or 4 times weekly) can have amazing positive effects.

The idea is to get creative and have fun. It does not have to be perfect-use what your child loves and turn it into a movement game. Get them outside as much as possible & participate with them. If they resist or get frustrated, be gentle and encourage them to try it for a few minutes-then gradually increase the intervals to 15 minutes (or more.) The more they practice, and the more you play with them, the less frustrated they will feel and the more Calm & Connected you both will be!



Some movements that help a child's sense of balance & proprioception are Silly Animal Walks:
                        

Bear Walk
Kangaroo
Elephant
Giraffe
Frog
Inchworm
Kimodo Dragon (Giant Lizard)
Firecracker/Popcorn/Rocket

Yoga Poses:

Easy Pose (modified Lotus)
Mountain Pose
Tree Pose
Warrior Pose
Downward Dog
Sphinx Pose (Modified Cobra)



Other Games/Activities:



*Hydration (sipping water at regular intervals has a grounding, calming effect on the body!)
Silly Putty
Mini Trampoline
Freeze Dance
Bowling
Red Light/Green Light
Hula-Hoop
Skating (ice or in line)
T-ball
Hopscotch
Swimming/Water Play

*Making "Pizza"
*(For younger children. Have the child lie down on floor on stomach. You are using the child first as the pizza 'dough', & you are the 'Pizza Chef'... slowly rolling  out & gently stretching the 'dough' with hands/arms; then adding sauce, cheese, olives, pepperoni, etc and making each 'ingredient' a different sensation on the body. Talk about each 'ingredient' & allow the child to name the ingredients if they are able as you are 'adding' them to the 'pizza' with your hands, arms, massager, body brush, spike ball, sand bag, feathers, etc..) When done, roll pizza into the 'oven' and 'slice' it up to eat! Yummy! Then switch-you are now the dough and the child is the "Pizza Chef"...



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