DIY Balance Beam for toddlers: Easy build and Play Activities 

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You do not need fancy equipment or woodworking skills to make a DIY balance beam for toddlers. A piece of wood can be turned into a playground with just a bit of imagination. Or, use nature to seek an outdoor balance beam. Also, various household items can be used to create a simple balance beam. There are several different ways to make your own DIY balance beam without the need or use of special woodworking tools.

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Balance is a vital skill.

Falls remain a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality, and it is the leading cause of unintentional injuries among children causing between 25% and 44% of injuries

Wei-Ya Hao & Yan Chen

Balance is the foundation for all motor skills.

Poor balance can lead to delays in cognition, injuries from falls, elevated anxiety, decreased self-esteem, and poor motivation to play. My intention is not to bring you down the road of all the negatives and harp on balance impairments.

Let’s talk about the GOOD! Playing is learning! Just by playing, kids challenge their balance by climbing, running, or exploring a playground or backyard. Sometimes kiddos need a tiny bit of assistance, thus, why I have included many balance activities in this article.

Playing outdoors has a calming effect.

Take the balance activities outdoors to explore. The best advice I have ever received was when you cannot calm a fussy baby or child just add sunshine or water, meaning take them outside or let them play in the water. Nature is the perfect place for all the little gymnasts to explore and develop important skills.

What is balance?

Balance is the ability to stay steady at rest or during movement.

Static balance is staying steady and in control of your body while at rest such as standing or sitting.

Dynamic balance is altering and moving your body while staying upright to perform a task such as keeping your balance while reaching high above your head to get a book off the shelf.

We need balance to be able to coordinate our legs and arms while standing and moving. Think of walking, it’s a continuous balance exercise. We must constantly adjust our arms, legs, and head to keep upright and keep moving.

There is a lot that goes into keeping your balance.

Our sensory system works hard to give us feedback to keep us upright. Our muscles work hard to coordinate movement to maintain balance. And, our brain is constantly organizing messages sent from our nervous system. It is truly a complicated process. Balance is a very important skill for kids to learn to gain independence and explore their world safely.

Why is balance important for kids?

Builds functional skills

Balance is the basis for almost every functional skill such as staying upright in your seat while eating, dressing, bathing, walking up and down stairs, playing with friends, and being able to walk along a crowded hallway.

Kids will develop most of their motor skills during the preschool period, ages 3 to 5 years old. These years are critical for building independence and building confidence. Confidence that they can hard things.

Produces confidence to try hard things

It is so amazing to watch babies learn to sit by themselves and the next thing you know they have toppled over because they were trying to reach an interesting toy. They try again and again. As they succeed, they build their confidence and this gives them the courage to try different movement patterns and keep exploring.

Balance is the basis for all movement. As kids develop their balance, they will try more complicated movements such as running, dancing, hopping, galloping, and climbing. When kids do not have a good balance, you will notice a decline in their desire to play with their friends, try new things, or participate in sports. It takes critical thinking and problem-solving to move your body well. This can be daunting.

Improves Cognition

The connection between physical development and cognition cannot be denied. It is richly supported in research. In the first few years of a child’s life, they are discovering their environment and themselves. They use all of their senses to explore their surroundings. These experiences make vital connections in the brain. Experiencing and moving is learning. Playing is learning! If kids are not actively exploring their environment and interacting with their world, there will most likely be a delay in cognitive development.

Teaches cause and effect

Balance is the ultimate teacher of cause and effect or consequences. Cause and effect are learning that a certain event produces a certain reaction such as when a child leans too far and falls. They quickly learn that their center of gravity needs to stay over their base of support or there are consequences. When a child steps on a wet floor or a slippery patch of ice, they slip. The next time a child crosses something slippery you will notice that they bend their knees and hips to lower their center of gravity to prevent falling or involuntary ice skating. This teaches a child to “take in” their surroundings, process all the input, and sort out this information in their brain.

Improves Sensory Processing

Exploring the world gives lots of sensory feedback that needs to be organized in the brain. You hear cars roaring by, people talking, and leaves rustling in the trees. Squirrels are leaping from branch to branch, kids running down the sidewalk, and are birds flying in the sky. You feel the wind on your face, the dirt between your toes, and the push from your puppy, running to catch a ball. All while trying to keep your balance. This is a lot of information to have to organize.

Balance activities challenge kids to organize and choose the correct sensory information to help them coordinate their movements. The more they practice, the more they understand which feedback to rely on. Initially, kids heavily rely on visual cues more than any other sense. So, it is not wise and it is being a bit of a bully to challenge the balance of young kids without allowing them to use their sight. Developing balance improves a child’s ability to process all the visual feedback they are receiving and make sense of it. Not only do these experiences improve their balance skills, but these experiences fuel their imaginations.

Improves mathematical understanding

Math requires imagination. Kids need the ability to see in their minds 3D images and manipulate them, also known as spatial awareness. This helps them understand theoretical concepts in math. As infants and toddlers explore their world, they gain more stability (balance), and more mobility (motor skills) which continues to fuel their curiosity and desire to discover new possibilities and understand how they relate to their environment. Thus, improving body awareness and spatial awareness.

Decreases anxiety and Improves self esteem

Research shows there is a connection between poor balance and anxiety. While the connection is not fully understood in kids, we know that poor balance leads to decreased self-esteem because they fear judgment when participating in physical activity. They fear judgment from their friends (social acceptance) which fuels anxiety. A brief dive into evidence-based literature reveals that more research is being done to provide a more holistic approach to treating kids who are struggling with anxiety.

Increases physical strength

Play is one of the most important skills a kid can develop. It’s their job to play! Balance activities aid in the development of core strength and lower extremity physical strength. And, even strengthens the teeny tiny muscles in the foot (called intrinsics) which help you balance on one foot like a flamingo or navigate stairs or even put your pants on while standing.

What if my child struggles with their balance?

Do not fret! Try some of these activities. Have patience and have fun! You don’t gain big muscles overnight. Balance is the same. It takes time. If you are still concerned or believe your child is at risk of falls and injuries, please reach out to your pediatrician. It should be noted that this is not medical advice.

Good News! The best part is that these homemade balance beams for toddlers take little planning and practically no preparation!

How do you make a balance beam for a toddler?

There are a number of different ways to make a DIY toddler balance beam. I would encourage you to not overthink this. You do not need to build fancy equipment or buy complex beams. You can make a balance beam for your toddler from things found in nature or things found around your home. And, the best thing is most of these simple balance beams can be for indoor use or outdoor use.

11 ways to make a DIY balance beam for toddlers

1. Scrap wood planks (like a 2×4) or another wide wooden board
2. Rolled yoga mat or beach towel bound with tape
3. Line drawn with chalk
   • curved line (circle or semi-circle), straight line, zig-zag line or combination of different patterns
4. Long strip of tape or yarn taped across the floor
5. Jump rope
6. Railroad ties around a garden
7. Sidewalk curb
8. Cracks in the sidewalk
9. Fallen tree
10. Sticks laid in a line on the ground
11. Playground equipment at the local park

Tip: When using scrap wood to make a balance beam, remember the foundation (bottom part) of the plank should be wider than the top of the plank. If not, you need to add scrap wood pieces to the ends of the beam to keep it from tipping over. A 2×4 works perfectly. I truly believe that is enough for a toddler.

What do toddlers learn from a balance beam?

• Body awareness and proprioception (learning where their body is in space)
• Cause and effect
• Safety awareness (drawing attention to their surroundings)
• Postural control (how to control their body)
• Spatial awareness (being able to mentally visualize and understand objects)

What are Balance Beam Activities?

I could talk all day about balance and I love coming up with balance activities and challenges. Here are just a few! Puzzles, bean bags, and stuffed animals make a fun addition to any balancing skill activity.

13 Balance Beam Activities:

1. Walk with one foot in contact with the beam
2. Walk with both feet in contact with the beam (foot over foot)
3. Walk sideways
4. Walk heel to toe (like a tight rope)
5. Change up arm position (hold arms out to the side or place hands on hips)
6. Carry objects across the beam
7. Walk backwards
8. Walk like a monster with big steps across or stepping in a squatted position
9. Retrieve objects laid beside the beam
10. Step over obstacles on the balance beam
11. Add a cognitive task such as counting, singing or humming a song
12. Make the balance beam part of an obstacle course
13. Balance objects on your head (such as a cup, bean bag, or stuff animal)

Invitation to Create

What could be better than being creative, moving your body, and getting outdoors? Encourage your child to come up with tasks, puzzles, and/or design obstacle courses. Just provide them with supplies and then let them start creating and playing. Balance beams made a great addition to an obstacle course or a beginner ninja course. This is a great way to spark your child’s imagination.

10 Fun Games on a Balance Beam (with themed songs)

1. Circus Play

Tightrope walking. Allow your child to use a broomstick or an umbrella to stabilize. They can hold it upright like a walking cane or hold it horizontally like a professional tightrope walker. If your child is nervous, place the beam near a wall and let them start walking across the beam while holding onto the wall. Circus-themed music helps make it feel like the real thing such as the “Circus March” by the Tinseltown Players.

2. Zoo

Make animal sounds and crawl, hop, and slither across the beam, mimicking different animals. Here is a fun song to add: “Animal Freeze Dance Song” by The Kiboomers.

3. Bowling

Walk the balance beam while carrying a ball then while maintaining balance on the beam, roll the ball towards the pins set up about 6 feet in front of the beam (use plastic cups or recused bottles for pins). Get pumped up to bowl with a few upbeat songs like this one: “Happy from Despicable Me 2” by Pharrell Williams.

4. Target Practice

Carry a tennis ball towards the end of the beam and have your child practice throwing at different targets while maintaining their balance. Add music such as the professional ball players with their walk-out songs or start with this one: “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” by The Countdown Kids.

5. Ballet

Walk across the balance beam on tippy-toes like a ballerina. Make it harder by adding a bean bag on their head. Here is a fun song to add: “Beanbag Balance” by Marie Barnett

6. Freeze Walking or Dancing

Walk like an animal or dance across the beam until you hear FREEZE. This is a fun way to challenge both dynamic and static balance. Select a song from the “Freeze Dance Songs for Learning” by The Kiboomers for more fun.

7. Outer Space

Bring some fun to balance challenges by blasting off to outer space. Have your little astronaut hold onto a jump rope (their tether to the rocket ship) and have them venture out onto the beam to repair the ship. “Zoom Zoom Zoom We’re Going to the Moon” by Kiboomers is a fun addition.

8. Follow the Leader

This is a great way to work on social skills and taking turns. “Follow the Leader” by CoComelon can be a bit overstimulating and silly but it is a great way to add music and different balance challenges.

9. Red light, Green light

Walk across the beam and call “red light” to stop and then “green light” to continue to walk. Fun addition: “Red light, green light” by Super Simple Songs.

10. Pirate’s Life for Me

Pretending to be pirates offers plenty of ways to engage a little one’s balance along a balance beam. Such as sweeping the beam with a broom while keeping their balance on the beam. Add some music to feel like a pirate such as the “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” by Klaus Badelt.

What are some ways to build an elevated beam?

Please take into consideration that a lot goes into building a gymnastics balance beam. It is not just a wooden sturdy balance beam held 4 feet from the floor. Although, the first gymnastics beam was a rounded pine tree trunk.

Today, the beam is covered with leather or synthetic suede padding to help prevent injury and the supports are spring-loaded to help decrease joint reaction forces on the gymnast’s body while performing jumps and flips.

Please unless you are skilled and knowledgeable be extremely careful at making your own elevated balance beam.

In my search for a good DIY for an elevated beam, I found Dad Crafted. He has instructions and a video tutorial to take you through the building process of a raised balance beam. I like that he considered that kids were going to be jumping and playing on the beam a thousand-plus times. This beam is only intended for walking across. If you are looking for a woodworking project, this would be a great DIY balance beam project. And, the finished product is pretty neat.

Please always supervise your kids and know true injures can happen.

What are some balance beams for purchase? (under $50)

I have not tried them out personally, yet. I currently love just using things around the house and our wooden plank when working on balance with my toddlers.

Three good balance beams for toddlers to purchase under $50

1. Folding Floor Balance Beam

2. Wooden Balance Board Montessori Toy

3. Waved Shaped Balance Beam

Thanks for Stopping By!

Finally, I want to thank you for stopping by and reading my article on DIY balance beam for toddlers! Please say Hi in the comment section. Also, what are some fun ways you have found to work on balance and encourage play in your kiddos? I hope you found this article truly and positively helpful whether you are a parent, a teacher, a fellow physical therapy colleague, or someone intrigued with balance.

– With Great Joy, Katie

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