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Spinning Activities Improve Preschool Brain Development
When preschoolers spin, different parts of the brain are stimulated all at the same time. This builds new and more developed pathways throughout the brain – pathways that improve learning potential, spatial awareness, rhythm and more. Spinning activities actually develop pre-reading skills and concepts while at the same time improving balance, muscle control and gross motor skills.
Indoor Spinning Opportunities
Seat Spinning Toys – Several companies make toys that offer preschoolers a spinning experience that doesn’t take up a lot of space. When preschoolers spin themselves on seat spinning toys, they are able to maintain plenty of control over the speed of their spinning. Preschoolers can increase the speed at their own comfort level.
Disk Rockers – Disk rockers require preschoolers to use gross motor skills to tilt the disk in different ways. Disk Rockers offer plenty of stimulation to the brain in a slightly different way than seat spinning toys.
Outdoor Spinning Opportunities
Traditional Swings – Slat seat swings offer spinning opportunities when preschooler’s feet can touch the ground. Preschoolers can sit on the swing and use their feet to twist the swing chains around each other. Then preschoolers raise their feet and the swing chains unwind quickly.
Single Rope Swings – Preschoolers use large muscle groups to push off the ground to start the single rope swing to move. Preschoolers can then shift their weight to cause the rope swing to spin around.
Vertical Tire Swing - Tie a tire swing onto a tree limb or other appropriate place to provide hours of swinging and spinning. Preschoolers can sit either in the center of the tire or climb up to sit on top of the swing and hold on to the rope.
Horizontal Tire Swings – One or more preschoolers can benefit from spinning on a horizontal tire swing. Preschoolers sit around the tire swing with their legs through the tire center. Adult help is usually required to rotate the heavy tire and chains on horizontal tire swings.
Ropes with Handles - Hang a rope from a tree limb, swing set frame or other sturdy place. Tie on a 1" thick dowel rod that is approximately 14" long. Or order The Twizzler, a pre-made rope and handle set made especially for children.
Related Resources on Physical Activity and Brain Development
Physical Activities for Improving Children's Learning and Behavior
Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head
Hands on: How to Use Brain Gym in the Classroom
Preschoolers with Developmental Delays
Spinning activities offer enrichment for all preschoolers. However some preschoolers with developmental delays need spinning activities even more than typical preschoolers.
Sensory Integration Disorder - Preschoolers with Sensory Integration Disorders usually receive balance and spinning activities as part of regular therapy.
Autism Spectrum Disorders - Preschoolers diagnosed with development on the Autism Spectrum such as Asperger's Syndroms and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PPD) often need, engage in and crave extra stimulation from spinning activities.
Parents can offer extra therapeutic benefits at home by providing more opportunities for preschoolers to spin, rock and sway.
Related Resources on Spinning and Developmental Delays
The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun, Revised Edition: Activities for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder
I Am the Child: Using Brain Gym with Children Who
1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
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