Sensory Benefits of Jumping
It may drive you crazy when your toddler is jumping on the couch, but they’re naturally searching out the sensory benefits of jumping!
Jumping provides great vestibular and proprioceptive input, supports attention to tasks and promotes calmness, organization, and self-regulation.
Don’t miss out on our other fun sensory activities for kids!
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Sensory Benefits of Jumping
When people visit our house, it’s hard not to notice that we have a mini trampoline sitting smack dab in the middle of our TV room.
It’s been there so long that I hardly even notice it because it’s just another part of the furniture.
Why on earth would you have a mini trampoline in your living area, you ask.
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Quite simply — I have a kiddo with Sensory Processing Disorder and the sensory benefits of jumping are immense.
You don’t have to have a kid with sensory challenges to reap the benefits of jumping!
But if you’re wondering WHY your child needs to jump, read Sensory Processing and 2 EXTRA Senses You’ve Never Heard Of. It’s an eye opener!
What are the Sensory Benefits of Jumping?
Physical Fitness
It may seem obvious but jumping is a terrific physical workout and gross motor outlet!
On the days when we’re being sloths, I’ll tell the kids they have to go jump on the trampoline… which usually leads to a full-on jump-a-thon.
Some days when the kids are at school, I’ll take out five minutes here and there to jump.
It definitely gets the heart going after sitting at the computer!
Now just imagine the sensory benefits of jumping how awesome it is for your kids.
Self-Regulation
One of the main reasons we keep the mini trampoline in our house is jumping is an amazing self-regulation trick.
Have you noticed all of the articles about how much better kids do in school when they take a brain break and get moving?
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It can be calming for sensory seeking kids, which helps with their focus/attention.
On the other hand, it can wake up and alert kids who have an under-responsive system.
Proprioceptive and Vestibular Input
Proprioception helps us understand where our body is in relationship to itself, and the vestibular system plays in important part in our balance and coordination.
Jumping benefits both proprioceptive and vestibular input, helping sensory seekers in those areas fulfill their sensory diet.
It also helps wake up the system of children whose system are under-reactive.
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For example, my oldest is a proprioceptive sensory seeker.
My youngest, however, has an under-responsive vestibular system.
Get Jumping Benefits Indoors
Jumping indoors can make you nervous, right? Check out these 5 Terrific Sensory Crash Pad Activities!
Jump on a Mini Trampoline
As I mentioned, we keep a mini trampoline in our TV room.
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Especially when my boys were toddlers, I would pop on a show and they would individually jump for 20 minutes! Talk about the amazing benefits of jumping!
Jump on a Buso Ball
Along the same lines, we also keep a Buso Ball in our TV room.
My youngest will jump on it, but he will also sit down in on and bounce himself up and down.
Jump on the Couch
Before I had kids, I swore I wouldn’t let my kids jump on the furniture.
Yeah… totally ate those words.
My kids do flip flops, handstands and, you guessed it, jumping jacks.
RELATED ARTICLE: Beds Are For Jumping and Other Everyday Sensory Activities
Set up a Jumping Obstacle Course
Some days we’ll pull off the couch cushions and pillows and create an obstacle course where they need to jump from space to space.
Don’t you remember playing “lava” where the floor was lava and you couldn’t touch it or you’d be dead?
This is the same idea… you get the great jumping in.
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When my kids were toddlers, we also used cardboard building blocks as stepping stones to avoid the lava.
Play Indoor Hopscotch
The first time I saw these hopscotch carpets at my sons’ preschool, I loved them!
They’re easy to store and perfect to pull out on those rainy or freezing days when you just can’t get outside.
Set up a Crash Pad to Jump Into
I really wish we had discovered Crash Pads earlier!
They are an amazing sensory outlet… and perfect to jump and crash into!
You can read why one mom says crash pads are the one sensory item she couldn’t live without.
More Jumping Ideas
- Go Outside:Â Jump!
- Jump & Grab the Matching Shapes
- Jumping on Pillows
- Jump Rope Games for Kids
- Jumping through Hoops
- Sight Word Jump & Grab
Today we’re sharing the sensory benefits of jumping as part of the A – Z of Indoor Activities series hosted by Crafty Kids at Home offering simple and easy indoor activities for the kids.
I need to remember some of these points when I am shouting at my kids to “stop jumping on the furniture”. I like the idea of having a mini trampoline indoors for everyone to benefit from when you can’t get outdoors. Thanks so much for taking part in our A-Z of Indoor Activities.
I get it, Nicola… you want the kids to respect the furniture! We finally gave up the ghost and realized it was better for them to “get their wiggies out” as they put it. 🙂
My daughter is always seeking out ways to jump! I’ve never seen that Buso ball before – definitely going to have to look into that for her birthday!
I am so happy to see this article. YES…YES…YES!
Ha! You must have a lot of jumpers in your life 😀
Great article on the benefits of jumping with kids and exercise in general. I liked the info on the Jumping Obstacle Course. Jumping on the couch is always fun for kids but I agree with Nicola about respecting the furniture. Maybe just an old couch, if room permits, for the kids to jump on to their hearts content.
As an OT, I love to see these articles! Jumping, chewing chrunchy or chewy foods where the jaw moves in a linear motion, etc. may seem alerting but are calming- think of a maternity rocker with a moving foot stool! But the proprioceptive input of these actions help self-regulate and calm.
They are absolutely great for self regulation 🙂 My son NEEDED to jump!