Kids love engaging in activities that promote their development and growth. At Jumping Beans, they particularly enjoy rolling down slopes, spinning in the dizzy dish, and dancing with ribbons or scarves to music.

Boosting Brain Function

These activities stimulate the vestibular balance center in the brain. Studies show that when this center is activated, it enhances activity in key brain areas. The cerebellum, responsible for balance, coordination, and quick thinking, is positively influenced. Additionally, it connects with emotional and memory regions.

Vestibular exercises not only enhance balance and coordination but also improve thinking speed, emotional stability, and memory.

Examples of Vestibular Exercises:

• Rotational Activities: spinning, swinging, rocking, rolling
• Jumping Activities: trampoline, springboard, running, jumping from a height

Tips for Parents

Allowing children to experience dizziness can benefit their development by enhancing balance, coordination, learning, and memory. Parents should ensure gentle spinning, provide neck support, allow breaks between activities, and never push a child beyond their comfort level.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BALANCE

Balance is essential for coordinated movements and impacts memory, concentration, coordination, posture, and self-assurance. It relies on signals from the brain’s balance pathways.

One theory is that the desire for dizziness originated in a common ape ancestor.

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If the feeling of spinning and dizziness excites you, you’re not alone. Many individuals find the light-headed and vertigo sensations exhilarating. Various cultural and spiritual practices incorporate spinning to enhance their experiences.

The Science of Spin

Spinning not only affects the inner ear fluid, which influences balance and can cause dizziness, but it also has a profound impact on the brain and body. When we spin, the sensory information sent to the brain becomes distorted, leading to a feeling of disorientation and dizziness. This miscommunication can actually induce a physiological high, with some individuals experiencing a sense of euphoria or heightened awareness.

Interestingly, individuals on the autism spectrum often find spinning to be a helpful tool in managing sensory input. The repetitive motion and stimulation provided by spinning can have a calming effect on those with sensory processing differences, helping them to regulate their sensory experiences and feel more grounded.

The Evolution of Dizziness

Studies on spinning behavior in primates reveal similarities with human actions, implying a shared evolutionary background. Dizziness and spinning might have helped shape cognitive abilities in our ancestors.

Furthermore, research suggests that the sensation of dizziness may have served as a survival mechanism in early humans. When feeling dizzy, our ancestors may have been more alert and aware of their surroundings, helping them detect potential threats or opportunities for food.

Going Ape

Primates experience physiological highs from spinning, indicating a common vestibular system with humans. Observing spinning behavior in great apes could offer insights into human tendencies towards spinning.

Inside the Mind

Spinning in great apes may alleviate boredom and under-stimulation. Understanding their experiences can shed light on our shared evolutionary past and the impact of altered mental states.

Youthful individuals enjoy activities that challenge their balance and motor skills. Toys like swings, seesaws, and rocking horses cater to this inclination. Understanding the vestibular and proprioceptive senses can aid parents in fostering their child’s development.

The vestibular system

The vestibular system is crucial for movement, balance, posture, and coordination. It enables us to perform tasks like riding a bike or using scissors efficiently.

Movement plays a vital role in children’s muscle tone and balance development. Receptors in the inner ear assist in maintaining balance by sensing movements and collaborating with other senses. Activities such as spinning, rolling, and hanging upside down can stimulate the vestibular system, aiding children in improving their balance.

The proprioceptive sense

The proprioceptive sense involves understanding body position. A well-developed proprioceptive system allows us to perceive our body’s location and exert the right amount of force for tasks. Receptors in muscles and joints are activated by movement, pressure, and activities like jumping, swinging, or hugging, which provide proprioceptive input.

Moving supports your child’s sensory development

Mastery of the vestibular and proprioceptive senses necessitates regular movement and facing physical challenges. Dance, climbing, and spinning activities help children train these senses to enhance their body position awareness.

The importance of sensory integration

From infancy, sensory integration evolves as children interact with the environment and process sensory information. This progression leads to self-regulation, attention span, and learning. Offering diverse movement opportunities helps children develop and stimulate all their senses.

Physical activity is crucial for children, not only for motor skills but also for stress relief. The nervous system transmits sensory data to the brain, while the vagus nerve plays a vital role in regulating stress responses and promoting calmness. Some children may require movement as a form of therapy to enhance focus, concentration, and emotional management.

Why does my child hang upside down in their seat, at the park or just about anywhere they can?

Inverting the body can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, fostering tranquility. Movement can stimulate the vagus nerve, reducing breathing and heart rate. Activities like spinning offer stimulation and help children feel grounded and attentive.

Why does my child love to eat ice – even when it’s cold?

Cold beverages can also trigger the vagus nerve, calming the nervous system. Various movements engage different brain regions, and children may instinctively seek the activity that their brain needs for organization and functionality.

Why does my child love to spin in circles or roll down hills?

Children naturally gravitate towards stimulating activities like spinning or amusement park rides. The vestibular sense informs the brain about head positioning, aiding children in feeling focused and grounded.

SO how can parents help?

Diverse movement types activate different parts of the brain, and children intuitively understand their movement requirements. Establishing a daily movement routine to meet these needs aids in organizing thoughts and emotions effectively.

Regular movement routines benefit both children and adults by enhancing focus, attention, and emotional regulation. Some children may benefit from a personalized sensory motor plan provided by a sensory motor integration specialist.

• Allowing movement is crucial for overall brain and body health.
• Maintain regular movement routines to prevent inappropriate cravings.
• Encouraging more movement supports the development of the nervous system.

Assist your child in finding stress-relieving play activities using our new app:
Search lumin&us on the App Store or on Google Play for a free download.

Utilizing Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory and play therapy, the app suggests suitable play activities at the right times. The SCAN feature helps parents identify their child’s emotional state for optimal support. The app also provides tools for overwhelmed parents to manage stress.

Charlotte Jenkins, founder of Beacon Family Services, is an experienced social worker specializing in Sensory Attachment Intervention using Theraplay and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy to coregulate the nervous systems of children and parents.

Bala Pillai, a Pediatric Certified Specialist (PCS) and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), holds certifications in Educational Kinesiology (Brain Gym R) and Test Edge (Heartmath TM). With expertise in addressing behavioral and learning challenges in educational settings, Bala combines therapies to create exceptional programs for students, including those with autism.