Why Upside-Down Play Is a Right-Side-Up Brain Move

Written by Dr. Stefanie Rodsater, Pediatric Chiropractor and Founder of Building Brilliant Brains

Have you ever noticed how kids instinctively love going upside down?

They hang off the couch, roll down ramps, dangle from their parents’ arms, and beg to be flipped. It might seem like wild fun, but there’s a deeper reason behind this craving:

🧠 Being upside down is brain-building. Specifically, it activates one of the most important systems for early development: the vestibular system.

What’s the Vestibular System- and Why Does It Matter?

The vestibular system is your child’s inner balance and orientation system. It lives in the inner ear and tells the brain where the body is in space -whether we’re upright, tilted, moving, or still.

Stimulating this system through upside-down play supports:

✅ Balance + coordination
✅ Visual tracking and reading readiness
✅ Emotional regulation
✅ Postural control
✅ Focus and attention span
✅ Spatial awareness and body confidence

The Brain Loves to Flip, Roll, Hang, and Dangle

Upside-down play literally feeds the brain with information that wires neural connections and helps integrate primitive reflexes.

It also improves circulation to the brain and encourages bilateral coordination (using both sides of the body), which supports academic skills later on.

Easy Upside-Down Play Ideas (No Equipment Required!)

• Let your child drape upside down over your lap or a cushion

• Support their legs while they tip over backward (gently!)

• Encourage log rolls across the floor or a mat

• Let them hang upside down from you while holding their armpits

• Do simple flips on a bed or play mat with supervision

Make It Even Better With the Right Tools

Once your child is ready for climbing and hanging, EZPlay's movement-focused playsets make upside-down play safer and more fun:

🐼 Panda Playground Jungle Gym 

Great for toddlers beginning to climb and hang, this gym invites movement exploration and balance-building.

🐨 Koala Adventure Wooden Playset 

Includes horizontal bars and rungs perfect for early hanging and inversion practice.

🛝 Pikler Triangle + Arch + Slide 

Ideal for rolling, crawling under, or climbing into inversion-ready positions. A must-have for vestibular variety.

🦎 Gecko Swedish Climbing Wall 

Perfect for kids who are ready for more advanced climbing, balance shifts, and playful inversions.

Final Thoughts

When kids go upside down, they’re not just playing—they’re training their brains to balance, focus, and regulate. Upside-down play is free, fun, and absolutely foundational.

🧠 Want to build a more balanced brain (literally)?
Explore EZPlay’s line of climbing gyms and movement-based play tools designed to feed your child’s sensory system while they play.