Additional Body Control Activities
Aiming at an angle
This teaches crossing in opposite directions. You can vary the sharpness of the angle, increase the distance to make the task more difficult.
Balance on one foot whilst throwing 1
One child at a time balances their foot on an object, this could be a beanbag to start and then progress to a ball when the child is ready. The aim is to develop core strength enough for the child to stand stationary whilst throwing the ball.
Balance practice 4
This is a progression from balance on one foot, this time children wrap their arms around themselves and try to balance, relying on more core strength.
Balancing a beanbag on a racket
You can use a balance board that adheres with safe practice guidelines, encourage children to balance on two feet on the balance board in order to develop proprioception.
Beanbag balance 1
Bench bunny hops 1
Bench bunny hops advanced
Children need to practice with a beanbag first, putting this on a tennis racket and then moving to a table tennis racket to develop wrist strength. You can challenge them with more than one beanbag.
Bench pulling
Children put one beanbag on their head and try to walk across the mat without it dropping. See if they can vary the speed they walk atUse feet to respond to the rhythm in question and answer.
Bouncing the ball 1
Ensure children hold onto the edge of the bench firmly so they don’t fall. They need to slide hands along first and then bring their legs to join them. If children are unsure, they can practice on the floor first.
As with the previous video, children need to grip onto the sides of the bench firmly and swing legs over from side to side.
Applying gentle pressure
Balance on one foot 2
Children need to lay on their tummies and use the bench to hold onto a slide along (be careful of the bumps at the end of some benches)
Balance on a bench
Ensure children can complete block A and B first before progressing. Children should try to balance on the floor first, then with an adult to support them and finally progressing to balancing on the bench.
Balance practice
Children to bounce the ball from chest height, straight down to the floor and back, with control and coordination.
Balance on one foot 1
Children need to learn to keep their arms outstretched and balance on one foot, keeping as still as possible for 5 – 10 seconds. Ideally this should be bare foot to encourage enhanced proprioception.Call out the directions – forwards, backwards, sideways, low, tall etc, clockwise, anticlockwise etc.
Balance practice 3
Bouncing the ball 2
Children need to keep control of the ball now with one hand, bouncing the ball to the floor and back, ideally from chest height and returning to chest height. As they get more advanced, this can change to hip height.
Bunny hop
Controlling the ball with your foot
Controlling the ball with your foot 2
Children need to practice bunny hop on the floor, moving hands first and bringing the feet towards the hands.
Gentle pressure 2
This time, a child is on hands and knees, the other child has to apply pressure to the shoulders to create resistance. The child on hands and knees needs to try and move forward.
Children need to practice dribbling the ball with control, moving it around their partner and returning to the spot.
Gentle pressure 3
This time, a child lays on their tummy and the other child attempts to roll the child onto his / her back. The child on their tummy needs to try and resist the movement.
Children to practice stopping the ball and sending it to each other with control and coordination, sending it in the correct direction. Increase the distance to increase difficulty.
Gentle pressure 4
This progression involves one child crawling forward and the other child applying pressure to stop them from moving.
Gentle pressure 1
Ensure children feel comfortable touching each other for this exercise. One child kneels up and the other child applies gentle pressure to their shoulders to try and create some resistance. Ensure children are briefed on where is appropriate and how to safely touch each other.
Hop and jump
Using spots, encourage the children to hop – jump – hop – jump. Ensure there is enough space to do this effectively. Try to encourage children to increase their speed once they master this.
Hopping 1
Children need to hop in a controlled manner, without wobbling. As they progress they can increase the speed.
Hopping backwards
Children need to be careful to be safe, they need to try and hop backwards, keeping control and trying to increase the distance each time.
Hopping in different directions
Call out different directions – forwards, backwards, side to side etc, clockwise, anticlockwise to encourage following of instructions.
Kicking the ball
Encourage the child to receive the ball with control, stop it and then send it in the correct direction and speed to keep the ball steady.
Kicking the ball - controlling the ball
Children to practice scoring a goal. Encourage them to receive the ball, stop it and aim at the goal to score. They can increase their power if it is safe to do so and they are using the correct indoor ball.
Log roll
Encourage children to maintain an extended body, making their body as long as they can and rolling over without their body twisting.
Log roll 2
This time, children hold a ball above their head and roll across the mats, keeping their body extended and as long as they can without twisting.
Obstacle course
Set up an obstacle course similar to the above and encourage children to combine skills to practice.
Sending and receiving in different ways
Reaching for an object
Children to practice now using a bench and leaning over the bench, trying to maintain core stability.
Stepping stone 1
Reaching for the beanbag
Children to begin kneeling and aiming to reach forward for the beanbag.
Stepping up on a bench
Rolling the ball
Children to practice sending and receiving the ball along the floor with two hands initially and progressing to one hand.
This time, use a beanbag and a small table tennis bat (or you could use a tennis racket) to send and receive the beanbag.
Children to progress along the stepping stones, you could use spots on the floor or lines on the playground.
Children to step up and down to begin with, using different alternate legs to step up.
Throwing a beanbag into a bucket
Children to have a bucket or tub and practice throwing an object into it, this can be made more difficult by increasing the distance.
Throwing from knees 1
one child is on their knees and throws the ball to their partner who is in standing position. They then take it in turns to swap and be the child on their knees.
Tip toe 1
Children need to walk the line, toe to toe. They can use lines on the playground at first if they want to have a line to follow, eventually they should be able to do this without the painted line.This needs to be a two hand throw received and sent with control and coordination.
Toe to toe backwards
This is more tricky, children need to complete the same task, moving toe to toe backwards, aiming not to wobble from wide to side.
Toe to toe backwards with beanbag
this time a beanbag is added to the child’s head to encourage greater control with the balancing.
Tummy throwing
Encourage children to lie on their tummies and throw a beanbag into a tub. Change the objects and the distance to be thrown to vary the task.
Two footed jump and landing
This can be completed on the floor initially and then progressing to a balance spot.
Walking backwards on a bench
Children need to demonstrate they can do this on the floor first and with an adult holding them. Eventually they can progress to doing this independently but there must be an adult spotting them to ensure they don’t fall off the end.
Walking on a bench with a beanbag
This time, children can have a beanbag on their head and try to keep this balanced whilst the walk forwards on the bench.