Exercises for a child on a fitball. The benefits of fitball for children

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Our grandmothers believed that a baby who was under six months old should sleep wrapped in a diaper most of the time. Modern doctors argue that the mental development of a child directly depends on his physical abilities. Therefore, parents who want their child to grow up smart, he althy and strong should pay attention to his physical development from the first days. And exercises for a child on a fitball will help in this.

What is a fitball?

Fitball, which is called a ball with a diameter of 55–75 cm, in the 60s. In the twentieth century, Susan Kleinfogelbach first began to apply. A Swiss doctor used it as a means of correcting posture, improving the condition of patients with cerebral palsy. The simulator has been widely used only since 1996. Currently, it is actively used in various sports programs.

When exercising with the ball, all muscle groups are involved due to its ability to withstand heavy loads, elasticity and resilience. Ballfor fitness helps the development of nursing babies, improving the he alth of the elderly, preparing expectant mothers for childbirth and restoring the figure of nursing women. Exercise improves metabolic processes, has a positive effect on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and puts the nervous system in order.

How useful is exercise on a fitball?

Each he althy baby will benefit from fitball classes. Kids like the bright ball, they perceive it as a toy, and gymnastics as an exciting game.

Activities help:

1. Normalization of bowel function. For children suffering from colic, fitball for babies will be a real salvation. Exercises for 3 months, when discomfort is most pronounced, will help relax the muscles of the abdomen. This improves digestion and reduces the likelihood of colic.
2. Eliminate muscle hypertonicity, which is a problem for most newborns.
3. Stabilization of the nervous system. During classes, there is not only a bodily, but also a close emotional connection between the baby and his parents. And during passive swaying, the child feels the way he felt while in the womb.
4. Stimulate circulation, improve respiratory function.
5. Developing a sense of balance and coordination of movements.
6. Strengthening the spinal muscles of the baby, increasing flexibility. Exercises for the back on the fitball can be a good prevention of postural disorders.
7. Increase stamina and strengthen the immune system.

Especially useful will be classes on topicschildren who have the following problems:

• hip dysplasia;
• increased muscle tone and nervous excitability;
• constipation;
• excessive weight gain.

Fitball selection rules

Balls on the market are presented in a wide range. It is recommended to give preference to products with a diameter of 75 cm. This fitball is suitable for every family member. If the ball is intended only for the baby, then the size can be smaller (45 cm). With such a fitball, it will be convenient to conduct classes both on the couch and on the table.

There can be no irregularities on the surface of the ball, the seams must be neat. Various defects can injure the baby, damaging his delicate skin.

Together with the fitball, you should also take the pump. It is necessary to perform exercises on an elastic, but not hard ball, so it is better to be able to pump it up at any time.

It is equally important to take into account the maximum load that the product can withstand. For classes with a baby, the fitball must withstand up to 150 kg of weight. Also pay attention to tear protection. This feature will make classes with crumbs safe. Look for a fitness ball marked BRQ or ABS.

How to recognize a fake?

In order not to harm the baby during classes, pay attention to the signs that may indicate that you have a low-quality product:

1. Product color. It is better to give preference to pastel colors, too toxic shades can be a sign of a fake.
2. Price. Cheap products should alert. A good fitball for babies cannot cost less than 800 rubles.
3. Uneven surface. If, running your hand over the product, you feel seams, roughness, most likely you have a fake in front of you.
4. The presence of folds. If, after inflation, the surface of the product is not perfectly smooth, then it is made of thin rubber. Such a sports equipment will not last long.
5. The presence of an unpleasant odor. The unnatural and pungent smell that the fitball exudes should alert. Gymnastics for children with inhalation of such "aromas" can even lead to poisoning of the child.
6. Coloring. Good quality branded items are usually solid colors, the writing on them is clear and does not erase for a long time.

Proper organization of classes

Fitball gymnastics for babies should start when 4 weeks have passed after birth. By this time, the umbilical wound heals, the mode of feeding and sleep is established. Before the first use, the sports equipment must be thoroughly washed.

The first exercises for a month-old baby on a fitball should not last more than five minutes, the baby gradually gets used to unusual loads and does not overwork. Soon the baby will learn to enjoy such physical activity.

After a week, the duration of training is gradually increased to a quarter of an hour with the introduction of new exercises that are feasible for the child. For toddlers who are already crawling, short game exercises are recommended. Now the most optimal form of physical activity is crawling.

To increase the effectiveness of classes, exercises for a child on a fitball can be combined with massage and water treatments. First, the mother massages the baby for a quarter of an hour, then does exercises with him on the fitball, after which the baby is bathed. Such a complex effect is very beneficial for the he alth and development of the baby.

To make classes comfortable and enjoyable, you need to follow some recommendations:

1. When doing it for the first time, you can accompany the exercises with funny nursery rhymes. This will allow the baby to calm down and relax.
2. Extension movements should be performed when the ball moves away from you, flexion movements - towards you.
3. Don't exercise right after your baby has eaten. It should take 1-1.5 hours after feeding.
4. It is necessary to ensure the optimal temperature in the room. Exercising in a hot or cold room will make the baby feel uncomfortable.
5. Do not inflate the ball too much. It should bounce.
6. It is desirable to conduct classes at the same time. Best done in the morning.
7. Don't force your child to study if he is naughty. So you can only discourage the baby from such a pastime, it is better to wait until he calms down.
8. You can not pull during the child's feet and hands, the baby's joints are not yet strong enough for this.
9. If the baby is not yet 3 months old, it is better to put a clean diaper on the fitball. A little later, it will be possible to do without such protection.
10. No waycase, you can not leave the baby on the fitball unattended.

Fitball gymnastics for babies will be more interesting and useful if done to music. It can be classical compositions or rhythmic music that children like.

During the exercises, it is necessary to control both the baby and the ball. Such activities require responsibility, parents must be careful and observe safety precautions.

Baby clothes

During the first lessons, it is better if the child is dressed. Later, you can leave the baby in something light, it can be a T-shirt or a bodysuit. When classes become familiar, it will be possible to spend them completely without clothes, combining exercises with air baths.

Classes for 1-3 month old babies

At this age, several exercises are included in the training program:

1. Wiggle. The baby is placed on a fitball covered with a diaper, held by the legs or body. Carefully roll the ball in different directions. Such useful exercises for the back on the fitball, reminiscent of swaying in the mother's stomach, are very fond of babies. In addition, they help to quickly learn to hold the head, roll over.
2. Spring. The child lies on the fitball on the tummy. Mom should make springy movements, pressing on the back of the crumbs. You can turn the baby tummy up and press on the shoulders or hips.
3. Watch. The baby, who lies on his back on the ball, is circled around the axis. It is very convenient to hold the crumbs by the tummy.
4. Football. The baby is laid on the back on the sofa ortable. Bring the ball to the legs and lightly press. The child will instinctively push the fitball away. The exercise must be repeated several times, it helps to strengthen the legs. In the future, when the baby gets older, you can try to teach him to repel the fitball with handles.
5. Exercise that strengthens the abdominal muscles. The baby, who is lying on the ball, is lifted to a sitting position and returned back.
6. Frog. The child lies on the ball with his tummy. Mom tries to give him a frog pose, spreading the crumbs' knees wide with one hand, and holding the back with the other. In this position, you can rock the baby in different directions, make vibrating movements.

Bang bang. It is recommended to perform such an exercise for children whose muscle tone is increased. Putting the child on his stomach, we take his hands and make patting movements on the ball. In this case, the clenched palms of the baby will open.

Classes for 3-9 month olds

For babies who are starting to explore the world, a fitball for babies is very useful. Exercises for 3 months can be turned into a game. It is necessary to lay out bright toys on the floor, while the child lies on the tummy on the ball. Mom, holding the child by the legs, rolls him forward, allowing him to reach the toys with his hands and catch them.

Having mastered this exercise, you can move on to the next one, which is called "wheelbarrow". The child lying on the tummy is lifted by the legs so that he rests on the ball only with his hands. In this case, the product can be smoothly rocked from side to side.

5-montha child who already feels confident on the ball can learn to bounce on it. Sit on a chair and securely fix the fitball with your feet, put the baby on the ball, let him try to jump. You can also put the baby on the simulator on horseback so that he bounces in this position.

The whole family can participate in the classes. Parents should sit on both sides of the ball, on which the baby lies on the tummy. Mom holds the baby, for example, by the shins, dad - by the forearms. They begin to carefully roll the baby on the fitball, the main thing at the same time is not to pull hard.

Those who are already confident with the ball can try a more difficult exercise. When performing it, the baby should lie on its side, and the mother holds him by the forearm and lower leg from the opposite side and shakes him left and right. Then they switch sides.

Children 8–9 months old can learn to stand and walk with the help of a fitball. You can give the baby the opportunity to stand on his own, holding the ball with his hands, but at the same time you need to insure the baby, who is still unsteady on his legs. If the child is already standing on his own, try pushing the ball in front of him, encouraging the baby to take the first steps. Also, an adult can teach the baby to push the ball with his foot, fixing his back with his hands.

For children from 1 year old

Kids at this age can roll the ball, swing on it while sitting with the help of an adult, actively tap on the simulator with their heels and palms, bend and unbend their limbs while lying on the ball. Parents must ensure that their child is insuredAt this age, he is still not independent enough to study without adults.

Gymnastics for 4 year olds

At this age, the child usually attends kindergarten. Many preschool institutions for children aged 4–5 offer, in addition to regular gymnastics, fitball classes. First of all, babies are taught to sit correctly and balance on the ball.

Gymnastics for children 4 years old usually takes place in a playful way. There are several exercises that teach children to keep balance, strengthen muscles, and form the correct posture. All of them are performed while sitting on the ball:

1. Squirrel. Hands are on the sides, the child jumps slightly on the fitball.
2. Bunny. The same jumps, only you need to keep your hands in front of you.
3. Bear. The child leans to the side, keeping his hands on the fitball.

Classes for dysplasia

In violation of the development of the joints, exercises for a child on a fitball are very useful. Here are some of them:

1. The baby lies on his back, his mother holds his hand on his tummy. Pressing the pelvis of the baby to the simulator, the legs clamped in the palms makes circular movements.
2. In the same starting position, one and then the other leg do the “bike” exercise.
3. The baby is laid on the stomach. Bend the legs at the knees like a frog, hold for 5 seconds, then straighten.
4. In the same position, knees are bent so that the feet touch the priests. Fix 5 seconds, release.

Therapeutic and strengthening exercises for muscular dystonia

The disease is manifested by hypotonicity or hypertonicity of the muscles. In addition to swimming and massages, experts recommend doing fitball at home. For example, with a 5-month-old baby, you can perform the following exercise. Having laid the baby on the ball and fixing the back securely, you need to tilt the simulator forward until the baby's arms touch the floor. Then the baby is held by the handles, and the legs are released.

A child who is already 9 months old can be laid on his back on the ball, holding his tummy. The fitball must be rolled left and right, back and forth, changing speed. This exercise helps to relax the back muscles.

Contraindications

There are very few contraindications for ball training. Do not exercise if:

• the baby's navel has not yet dragged on;
• the child is sick, he feels unwell, has a fever;
• baby is not gaining weight well. In this case, classes are recommended to be postponed;
• the kid is afraid of the ball or is not inclined to practice.

If the purpose of the classes is the general strengthening and improvement of the body of the crumbs, you can choose the exercises for the child on the fitball yourself. If you need a complex to solve a specific problem, for example, pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, neurological disorders, you should contact a specialist to select an individual gymnastics course. In any case, classes with a fitball will only benefit the developing child, as well as give a good mood to mom.