A recent post celebrated the joy of skipping - that high-flying motor skill that elevates your mood as well as your body. Today we will discuss another motor skill that is equally important, rolling.
It would be hard to overstate the importance of rolling on the floor. Rolling develops more that just muscles. It aids in spatial awareness, physical – mental integration of actions, and it can be amazingly comforting for children, especially those with special needs. Similar to rocking, rolling can provide calming benefits as well.
Like skipping, children naturally tend to get down on the floor and roll. They know what they need. Adults often have the tendency to want to get children off the floor. Now I understand not wanting a child to roll on an extremely dirty floor, but in general rolling is very important developmentally and should be encouraged whether you’re inside or outside.
Rolling stimulates the inner ear and helps with balance and spatial awareness (proprioception). Rolling coordinates movement with thinking and develops physical control over one’s body in space. Best of all it’s fun.
Rolling is important for adults too. More and more exercise programs are discovering the benefits of getting adults on the floor. Being able to get down on the floor and back up again is a skill you will lose without practice. The great part is, rolling and getting up and down off the floor (preferably without the use of your hands) provide the same benefits for you as they do for children. Among the benefits for adults are making your movements better integrated and strengthening proprioception; which is defined as the unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli with the body itself.
If you are not already taking movement cues from your preschooler, it’s time to start. You will increase you physical wellbeing, your flexibility, and you will have more fun with your preschooler!
Photo credit: Bethany Snyder Photography
www.bethanysnyderphotography.com
434-825-7524
Facebook I Instagram I Twitter
Featured On :
