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Strength and Proprioception

Now it is time to build some strong muscles at the front and back of the lower leg.

FAB FACT: These activities increase your proprioception with the added bonus of coordination. Your brain is working overtime with hand-eye coordination and ankle proprioception!

So many great things happen to children with these activities – proprioception, coordination, power development and self-confidence.

  • Toe lifts

    Image demonstration Toe Lifts

    Stand up and lift your toes off the floor – as if you were trying to touch your knee with their toes. Do this at least 10 times, first with your toes straight, them with them curled in a little. Do this twice on each leg to help strengthen the muscle at the front and side of the lower leg.

  • Toe lift game

    Image demonstration How to do toe lifts with toys

    Sit down this time. Using small soft toys or sticky darts pick them up using your toes only.

  • Tiptoe standing

    Standing with feet slightly apart, go onto tip toes slowly and as high as possible. You can hold on lightly to something if you are a little wobbly. Count to 2 then come down again slowly. Do this 10 times if you can. You can place your hand above your child’s head as a target for them to reach. *Make it harder by doing it on one leg.

  • Single leg balancing

    Image demonstrating Single Leg Standing

    Image demonstrating Single Leg Standing with challenges Image demonstrating Single Leg Standing with challenges

    A simple yet very effective exercise. Stand up and take one foot off the floor. Try to balance for a count of 10 without moving the foot that’s on the floor. Repeat 2-3 times on both legs. *Make it harder by playing catch and throw with a ball at the same time or by standing on a wobbly cushion.

  • Jumping and landing

    Starting with a two-feet, jump from a stable surface and land on one-foot. Make sure to bend the knee on landing and try to “stick on landing” i.e. once you land, stop, find balance and don’t jump around. You can then jump from one-foot and land on the same foot. *Make it harder by adding a target to jump to – a spot on ground, a chalk mark etc.

  • Bridge pose

    Image demonstrating Bridge Pose Image demonstrating Bridge Pose

    Great for strengthening your hips, tummy and leg muscles. Lie on your back and bend your knees up, keeping your feet flat on the floor, legs slightly apart. Push up so your bottom lifts off the floor and make a straight line down your tummy all the way to your knees. Hold this really still for a count of 10 them come down slowly. Repeat this several times. *Make it harder by pointing one leg away and balancing on the other one?

  • Bear walk

    Image demonstrating Bear Walk Image demonstrating Bear Walk

    This exercise is super for strength all over. Start on the floor on your tummy. Lift yourself up onto hand and feet and move forwards, backwards, sideways, anyway you want. How far can you walk like a bear?

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