Why Balance Comes Before Coordination — And How to Strengthen It Through Play

🖊️ Written by Dr. Stefanie Rodsater, Pediatric Chiropractor + Founder of @BuildingBrilliantBrains

As a pediatric chiropractor and mom, I’ve seen firsthand how movement - especially balance play - transforms a child’s brain and body. This blog will show you why balance isn’t just a milestone… it’s a brain skill your child needs to thrive. Let’s dive in 👇

Before your child can ride a bike, play sports, or even sit still and focus… they need to master balance.

Balance is a foundational skill that supports every part of development - from walking and jumping to handwriting and reading.

And here’s the secret most parents don’t know: balance is trainable through purposeful movement.

Let’s break down why balance matters for brain development - and the best ways to build it through play 👇

⚖️ Why Balance is a Brain-Building Superpower

1. It trains the vestibular system
   Balance play stimulates the inner ear and brainstem - areas responsible for spatial awareness, posture, and even emotional regulation.

2. It boosts focus and body control
   Kids who struggle with balance often fidget more and fatigue faster. Strengthening balance leads to better attention and coordination.

3. It’s the foundation of gross motor milestones
   From crawling and standing to walking and jumping - every stage depends on balance. Strengthen balance, and you strengthen everything else.

4. It promotes right-left brain integration
   Activities that challenge balance also build communication between the two brain hemispheres - vital for reading, writing, and emotional processing.

🧠 Doman Method Insight: Movement Fuels the Brain

Glenn Doman taught that purposeful physical activity is the engine that drives neurological development. The more a child moves - in gravity, through space, and against resistance - the more the brain grows.

And balance is central to that growth.

🧗 Best Brain-Building Balance Activities (at Every Age)

For babies:

• Tummy time on a balance board (supervised!)

• Bouncing or rocking on your lap

• Rolling over soft cushions

For toddlers:

• Wobble boards or balance beams

• Climbing gyms with uneven surfaces

• Log rolls and spinning games

• Side-stepping over soft obstacles

For preschoolers:

• One-legged challenges ("Can you stand like a flamingo?")

• Walking the edge of the Koala ramp or Gecko Climbing Wall

• Movement songs that require posture shifts (like “Freeze Dance”)

🛠️ Tools that Help (Without Overtaking Your House)

EZPlay toys are designed with balance in mind.

🪵 Try our Wobble Balance Board for daily play that engages the vestibular system.
🧗 Or add the Panda Playground Gym - perfect for climbing, sliding, and challenging balance in a safe way.
🪜 The Foldable Pikler Triangle grows with your child and supports balance from baby to big kid.

Movement toys don’t need to be big to make a big impact - just thoughtfully designed for functional play.

🧠 Final Thoughts

Balance isn’t just a milestone - it’s a brain skill.
And the best way to build it isn’t through drills or classes - it’s through daily movement and unstructured play.

So if your goal is to raise a confident, coordinated, resilient little mover… start with balance.

And start today.