29/05/2022
🌳Nature offers endless opportunities to explore with your vestibular system with the everchanging terrain, uneven surfaces and open ended opportunities to explore with your body.
🧠The vestibular system gives us information of how we move our body in space. It assists with balance, spatial awareness, postural control, the ability to stabilize your head when looking at objects and is essential for self-regulation to provide your with safety and control of your body.
✨Depending on the type of vestibular input it targets different skills and offers a variety of regulating benefits.
1. Climbing a Rope Ladder: They are so versatile, challenge your postural control, dynamic balance skills and can double as a swing.
2. Swing in a Tree: Hang a rope or a simple swing see how many different ways you can use it!
3. Balance on a log: Make a quick balance beam or see how many tree trunks you can balance on.
4. Roll or somersault down a hill. This can be overstimulating so follow it up with deep pressure (climbing back up the hill if steep enough could offer this).
5. Wagon Rides: Try out different ways to ride in a wagon or wheel barrow sitting, lying on your side, holding a rope, fast, slow, etc.
6. Hang from a Tree Branch: Hang, swing and jump off; hang upside down and pull back up.
7. Swing in a Hammock: You can lie on your stomach, back, sit up, rock side to side, fast, slow, etc.
8. Jump off of Stumps: How far, how fast, how slow, how soft and how hard can you land?
9. Slide/Scoot Down a hill or slope: This is fun to do on a piece of cardboard!
10. Lie on your stomach or straddle a log to reach for objects, throw balls, bean bags or pine cones.
11. DIY Balance Board: Find two pieces of wood and make a balance board.
12. Bounce on tree branch: Be sure to teach safety awareness, and risk assessment for the proper branches to do this on.