sitting on an exercise ball during school time

[meet me in paris]

Okay, so I've read that some people with wiggly kids (or severe ADHD in our case!) have instituted the Exercise Ball. I'm intrigued.

 

My main concern is this: does it drive the other children crazy???

 

I'm picturing my 8yo watching her sister bounce away while she has to sit in a dining room chair. Good grief, will I have to buy 2? ;)

[Melinda in VT]

My twins' 3/4 class used these for the past two years with all 17 kids in the class.

 

The rules for the balls were:

no bouncing, no throwing or kicking, no kicking it out from under someone, no lying on your back

 

Balls were sometimes confiscated, but overall it worked quite well.

 

I'd buy two.

[2cents]

My youngest has an exercise ball. She isn't ADHD but she just likes to bounce. It doesn't bother her sister at all. She only uses it when we watch videos or are doing group work.

[StephanieF]

We have one and ds7 sits on it when I test him on math drill etc. He loves it. He can't use it to sit at the table because the table is too high though. You need to make sure you get the right size

Stephanie

[RamonaQ]

Frankly, it drove ME completely bonkers. One kid or the other was always fiddling, bouncing (even with the no bounce rule), laying upon it. It was just one extra item to manage behavior around. The only thing it was useful was for me rolling it between desks for ME to sit upon. I was not in the least bit sad when it popped.

[Gooblink]

I'm sitting on one at my desk. :)

 

My legs get sore after sitting on a regular office chair and I'm a fidgeter. The ball really helps me focus on what I'm doing. That said, it might take a day or two for your kids to get used to using it as a chair and not a toy. Be patient.

Edited June 24, 2010 by Gooblink
typo

[ZeldaRules]

They make some 'exercise balls' just for sitting on. They have four little nobbies on the bottom so it stays in place better. They also make them different heights.

 

http://www.therapyshoppe.com/therapy/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=17_1071&products_id=2090&sort=20a&page=1

 

We have one. All the kids like to sit on it. I could use a bigger one for my oldest. It's a little hard to see the feet in the picture as words are kind of over the feet, but it keeps it from rolling more. Price starts at $19.99. The height you pick has to do with how far your child would naturally sit with feet on the floor.

[meet me in paris]

Thank you all! And thanks for the link, since my next question was "where is the best place to get such a thing?". :)

 

I see the potential for it driving me crazy, but I can also see the positives, so I think we may give it a go.

[Laurie]

Thank you all! And thanks for the link, since my next question was "where is the best place to get such a thing?". :)

 

.

 

I ordered a Gaiam balance ball chair from Amazon and it works great...no rolling or out of control bouncing unless you want to take the ball off the chair base. A word of warning, though, in case you have cats...our cat punctured the first ball when she jumped up on it but we got a replacement through the gaiam website.

[meet me in paris]

no cats here, but good to know.

 

Now that I'm shopping for them, I'm wondering about the "discs" that sit on the chair vs. the ball. Any of the same benefits from the discs? I see that they're good for backs... are they good for wiggles, too?

[Karen in CO]

My work / school desk has one exercise ball, one big chair, and one office type cahir. The three of us rotate chairs as needed. I actually sit on the exercise ball most of the day while I'm at work. My dd9 loves to sit in the widest chair so she can sit criss-cross and my youngest changes chairs the most. I advocate a variety of chairs. :) I'd like to have two of each of the chairs but compromise is a good skill to learn in school too.

[Tiberia]

I have never heard of this concept!

 

I'm actually laughing at the posts and considering getting a ball for my wiggly 6yo, and even for myself. The visual of a classroom full of bouncing kids during school just cracks me up!:lol:

 

Thanks again WTM Forum for another great idea that never would have crossed my mind!

[mom2jjka]

I had to take the ball away from my wiggly boy.

 

He learned how to pull himself along and roll/bounce at the same time. He was using it like a 'hippity hop.' :001_rolleyes:

 

We got an inflatable balance disc instead that sits on top of a regular chair. Now he can still wiggle and bounce to his heart's content ...he just can't roll away. :D

[elegantlion]

My ds has one with sand in it, I think it's a Bally's brand. His does not roll around.

Edited June 26, 2010 by elegantlion

[Laura Corin]

I bought one but we mostly use a wobble cushion instead. It gives more feedback than a chair but doesn't roll around.

 

Laura

[Jilly]

I have three exercise balls in my living room right now. All three of my kids are on them all day. At first we only had one, but the kids all wanted to bounce on it, that I ended up getting them all one.

 

In truth, I hate seeing them. They clutter the house, and it drives me nuts that the kids bounce on them all day. But the kids love them, and it seems to have a very therapeutic effect on them, especially my oldest son. We also have two sheet swings hanging from exercise bars and a mini trampoline. The kids struggle with sensory issues, and all of these things seem to help them.

[Pamela H in Texas]

We used the exercise balls for more active things (haha) like WWE, spelling, memory work, etc. For seatwork, I'd use a disc-o-sit or a regular chair. Make sure the HEIGHT of the chair is appropriate (which is probably THE biggest thing that drives my mother, an occupational therapist, crazy about homeschooling though she's generally supportive). Anyway, you might see if your 8yo likes it also. I have found that many things that are MUST-HAVES for certain children are still helpful for neurotypical ones :)

[gpsings]

I had to take the ball away from my wiggly boy.

 

He learned how to pull himself along and roll/bounce at the same time. He was using it like a 'hippity hop.' :001_rolleyes:

 

We got an inflatable balance disc instead that sits on top of a regular chair. Now he can still wiggle and bounce to his heart's content ...he just can't roll away. :D

 

That's what we need! Where did you find that?

[Laura Corin]

That's what we need! Where did you find that?

 

Here.

 

Laura

[catz]

Okay, so I've read that some people with wiggly kids (or severe ADHD in our case!) have instituted the Exercise Ball. I'm intrigued.

 

My main concern is this: does it drive the other children crazy???

 

I'm picturing my 8yo watching her sister bounce away while she has to sit in a dining room chair. Good grief, will I have to buy 2? ;)

 

We bought 2 for my husband and I to use for exercise and to sit on at our computers. They quickly became our 2 kids! I would definitely buy 2. They both LOVE to sit on them while we're reading or doing school work. They don't drive each other crazy, but sometimes they drive ME crazy while I'm reading if they're bumping the table. I have said they can't bump the table while we're working or they need to sit on a chair. Other than that, it's been great. They're now the best toy in the house!

[KidsHappen]

My youngest used it and her older sister didn't really want one to sit on. On the other hand, they both wanted to throw it. :glare: So I instituted a rule that the ball had to remain in contact with the floor. I do not allow airborne balls in my house (well, except for the nerf basketball). It did help with the wiggling and helped her concentrate on what she was doing. I have no idea why it works though.

[Frontier Mom]

What size ball do you need? My dc's ages are in my siggy.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Kristi,

 

It depends on height. Here is an article with a chart: http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/choosing-right-exercise-ball

[Frontier Mom]

Kristi,

 

It depends on height. Here is an article with a chart: http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/choosing-right-exercise-ball

 

Thanks. That helps a bunch. I looked at them the other day but just got really confused.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

We tried it, but it didn't work for my ds. He usually sits with his feet up on the chair. He kept trying that on the ball, and kept falling off the chair, onto the floor. This was funny the first time, but it didn't stop.

 

After an hour, the ball went downstairs.

[Mynyel]

We used the exercise balls for more active things (haha) like WWE, spelling, memory work, etc. For seatwork, I'd use a disc-o-sit or a regular chair. Make sure the HEIGHT of the chair is appropriate (which is probably THE biggest thing that drives my mother, an occupational therapist, crazy about homeschooling though she's generally supportive). Anyway, you might see if your 8yo likes it also. I have found that many things that are MUST-HAVES for certain children are still helpful for neurotypical ones :)

 

What is the proper height? I mean what is the best way for a child to sit. It might help improve my kids....well maybe.