What You Need

Open Floor Space for Preschoolers to Stand

Body Part Balance Challenge Preparation

Explain the word "balance" to preschoolers. In preschool terms, balance is simply holding yourself up and not falling over. Tell preschoolers that when they stand on two feet without falling over they are using balance.

How to Play Body Part Balance Challenge

Call out different challenges for preschoolers to complete. Use the sample activity below and make up your own body part balance challenges for preschoolers.

Call out challenges in one of two ways.

A. Number of Body Parts – Call out a number for preschoolers to put on the floor to balance on. Then change the number or tell preschoolers to balance on the same number of body parts, but different parts. Use the words same and different.

Example

1. Balance on two body parts. (Preschoolers can stand on two legs, balance on two knees, balance on one foot and one hand, etc.)

2. Now balance on two body parts that are different. (Again, preschoolers can use any combination of two body parts on which to balance, but the two parts must be different from the first one.

3. Balance on three body parts.

4. Balance on four body parts.

B. Specific Body Parts – Call out specific body parts for preschooler to place on the floor and balance on.

Example

1. Balance on two feet.

2. Balance on one foot and one hand.

3. Balance on two hands and one foot.

4. Balance on two elbows and two knees.

Sample Body Part Challenge Activity

1. Balance on two feet.

2. Balance on one foot and two hands.

3. Balance on one foot and one hand.

4. Balance on two knees.

5. Balance on one knee and one foot.

6. Balance on two knees and two hands.

7. Balance on two knees and two fingers.

8. Balance on two knees and two elbows.

9. Balance on two knees and one elbow.

10. Balance on two knees, two hands and your head.

11. Balance on two knees and your head.

12. Balance on two knees and two elbows again.

13. Now balance on two knees and one elbow.

14. Balance on your bottom and two hands (Feet must be off the floor).

15. Balance on your bottom and one hand. (Feet must be off the floor.)

16. Balance on your bottom only. (Feet must be off the floor.)

17. Balance on two body parts of your choice.

18. Balance on three body parts of your choice.

19. Balance on three different body parts of your choice.

20. Balance on four body parts.

21. Balance on five body parts.

22. Balance on one body part.

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Helpful Tips for Parents

• Outdoor play surfaces (grass, dirt, sand, bark chips) are better for development than flat concrete or carpet — uneven surfaces challenge balance and proprioception naturally.

• Set up permanent physical activity invitations in the backyard or play area: a balance beam, stepping stones, a low climbing structure, a tire swing. Permanent setups encourage daily use.

• Model movement yourself. Children of physically active parents are dramatically more likely to be physically active across their lifespan.

• Fine motor and gross motor development support each other. Children who move well also develop hand strength and coordination more effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is yoga appropriate for preschoolers?

Preschool yoga is not only appropriate but genuinely beneficial — it develops balance, strength, flexibility, and body awareness. More importantly, it teaches preschoolers the foundational self-regulation skills of breath awareness and still-body practice. Children's yoga programs (Cosmic Kids Yoga on YouTube is a popular free resource) frame poses as animals and characters, making the practice engaging. 10–15 minutes of child-appropriate yoga is appropriate daily from age 3.

Related reading: See also our swimming and water safety guide and our indoor gross motor activities for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 🤝 Social Skills & Teamwork — Physical games with partners or groups teach children to cooperate, cheer for others, follow a leader, and recover from competitive disappointment — the social-emotional skills that classroom cooperation requires.
• 🏅 Physical Confidence — Successfully completing a physical challenge — climbing something scary, jumping a gap, learning a new skill — builds physical self-efficacy: the belief that effort leads to capability, which transfers to all learning domains.
• 🧭 Spatial Awareness — Moving through and around obstacles, understanding where their body is in space, and following directional instructions develops the spatial body awareness that sports, dance, and coordinated movement require.
• 💪 Strength Building — Age-appropriate strength challenges — climbing, pushing, carrying, and holding body weight — build the muscle development that children need for endurance, injury resistance, and the hand strength that fine motor tasks require.

by Kelly Pfeiffer

Preschoolers will learn body part names and increase their coordination skills as they try to balance in different ways. No equipment is required for Body Part Balance Challenge so game set up is simple. Pose balance challenges to preschoolers and watch them think and complete the challenges. Body Part Balance Challenge promotes balance skills and thinking skills in a non-competitive, preschooler friendly way. Preschoolers can complete the challenges with different ability levels and still develop balance fitness skills and problem solving skills.