Vida Winter Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 My 7yodd is sooooo active. 3yo sister is a close second. I was thinking of a mini-tramp (rebounder) with a bar or an exercise ball to sit on. I hate to give up the floor space but I am going out of my mind and it's too cold and icy to be outdoors unless full winter gear is on. I'm looking for something to burn off energy *during* school. Anyone with pros/cons or other suggestions? Dana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 DS loves sitting and bouncing on the ball. We're currently on our third ball, been using them for a few years. DS will sit and bounce while I read to him, while he watches TV, when working on computer, when listening to music. If we go away for a trip, he generally rushes to the ball when we get home, and says how much he missed it! My DS is 11.5, fairly bad ADHD. We also have a large trampoline outside, but that doesn't get used so much due to weather issues. Used to have a small rebounder, which he liked, but the ball seems to suit him better. Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 We have a mini-trampoline. Ours doesn't have a bar, but my dd has to hold my hands while she jumps. We also have a sit-and-spin, a fabric tunnel to crawl through, and a hoppity ball (kind of like an exercise ball, but with a handle). I just bought an exercise "pedal machine" from QVC for around $30. It doesn't take up a lot of space, and my ds likes to pedal while watching tv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Now, they won't keep them from wiggling in school, if that's your goal. But they are great fun and great exercise. I also recommend the indoor swing set if you have room for it. It is wonderful! Every child who has come in our house in the last five years has loved it! I'll try a link: http://www.adaptivechild.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=128 One more comment about the ball chair: We had to get rid of ours because my son turned it into a hoppy ball. If you want a hoppy ball, I suggest you just get a hoppy ball. (We also love these at our house.) But having a ball chair was a bad idea for us. I think the point is, you have to decide if you're trying to keep them still in school (the ball chair made him bouce MORE), or if you're trying to give him exercise (the bouncy ball is PERFECT for this!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 We have three exercise balls. We had a problem using one for school, though. Ds likes to sit with his feet up on the chair. He tried this with the ball several times, and fell every time. Falling on the floor every few minutes, coupled with all the laughing and clowning that went on every time, weren't conducive to our learning. :o) That said, they're great for exercise, for general wiggling, for playing. We had a mini-trampoline once, but the kids just fought over it. They would ignore it for days, then one would decide to jump, then the other would decide that they HAD to jump, NOW! You get the idea. I grounded them from it so much of the time that I finally just passed it on. You might have better luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted January 26, 2008 Author Share Posted January 26, 2008 Oh my. I don't want to do anything to drive myself more crazy - the hoppy balls I have had to get rid of before because my kids are maniacs on them and would surely break their necks. We have stairs - lots of them. I wasn't thinking of a ball chair with a frame, but a large ball that she could sit on while reading, etc. I do like the link you included, thanks! Dana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 I just told dh yesterday that the mini-tramp in our school room was one of the best investments we ever made. (Of course someone gave it to us for free, but that is beside the point!) Ds9 jumps on it all the time. It is great for him to get extra energy out. The ball against the wall thing (which he does sometimes) drives me nuts. The tramp sometimes drives me crazy, but not as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 My 7yodd is sooooo active. 3yo sister is a close second. I was thinking of a mini-tramp (rebounder) with a bar... Anyone with pros/cons or other suggestions? Dana, Do be careful if you purchase a mini-trampoline. When my 17yodd was 7, she loved using the mini-trampoline in the house. We threw the trampoline out in the trash the day after she busted a very deep hole on her face, just a 1/2 inch from her eye, requiring tons of stitches from a plastic surgeon. She still has a small scar from the ordeal even though the PS did an amazing job of the mess. I'd recommend something else, anything but a mini-trampoline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted January 26, 2008 Author Share Posted January 26, 2008 Dana, Do be careful if you purchase a mini-trampoline. When my 17yodd was 7, she loved using the mini-trampoline in the house. We threw the trampoline out in the trash the day after she busted a very deep hole on her face, just a 1/2 inch from her eye, requiring tons of stitches from a plastic surgeon. She still has a small scar from the ordeal even though the PS did an amazing job of the mess. I'd recommend something else, anything but a mini-trampoline. Aaaah, I'm so sorry that happened to your daughter and thanks for the warning. I'm not so sure I want one of these now. Each piece of equipment I can think of has its own inherent hazards. Dana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa at Home Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 Ds (8) can't be out in the cold for too long, otherwise he has a hard time breathing, so the mini tramp is great for him. It's in our school room and he loves to jump on it while he says his multiplication facts.:) The only downside here is that I can't talk to him while he's jumping. It makes my eyes cross and my head hurt! ~Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 What about a wobble board? We've had a lot of fun with ours. We got the Go Fit Wobble Board at Target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in Orlando Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 We used exercise balls for several years. The boys sat at them - low table - to do their school work. The balance thing seemed to help them concentrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara from Florida Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 and it is wonderful. It really helps get out the wiggles and also offers some joint compression at the same time. I use it as part of my work (PACE trainer) but my DD and DS both love it for school. Ditto what was said below about using it for math. It also helps with spelling and memorization of other things too (verses for example) because it helps get things down to a lower cognitive level (automaticity). We require shoes on as the one we have has real springs and it they get off balance could result in cuts. Most things come with a risk but the benefits are great and in our house we have determined they out weigh the risks. The one I have (the Urban Rebounding trampoline) offers a stability bar. The tramp itself is sturdy enough to handle the weight of a grown man, but the bar is just for stability not for leaning on or pulling up over etc. You would really need to set some firm rules or they would need to loose the privilege. I use this with my PACE students who are very young or have vestibular issues. As soon as they improve in their balance I take it away as it tends to act as a crutch and I really want them to learn to balance on their own. I was once told by a friend who had a daughter with vestibular problems that the child walked well when holding onto her mother's skirt. Mom transitioned to a dishtowel for the child to hold onto (with her holding the other end). After a while the child was able to walk quite steadily while only holding the dishtowel even without mom on the other end. I call this the Dumbo magic feather trick. The final step would be to break the news to the child that there is no magic feather and that they can fly all alone. You may want to check out The Out-of-Sync Child has fun by Carol Stock Kranowitz to see if there may be some other activities you can weave into you day to help with the wiggles. The trick is finding things that are acceptable to you and can be offered in a prophylactic way rather than as demanded by the child. Have fun with whatever you choose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara from Florida Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 How did you get the smiley face guy to jump on the trampoline? That is just too cute not to mention applicable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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