Exercise 15: 1.5 years – 7 years: Arm gym or Balloon tennis

Arm gym or Balloon tennis

A fun ball exercise for training strength and stamina in the arms. The exercise is aimed at children about 1 and a half up to 7 years of age, but can also be used by both younger and older individuals where the arms need to be trained. For this exercise you need a stable sitting surface on a mat, chair or in a wheelchair and a balloon or ball. Weight cuffs that are put on the wrists may also be needed.

Description

Let the child sit stably and, by playing balloon tennis, entice the child to stretch her/his arms upwards following the balloon in different directions. For weaker children, use balloons (balloon tennis) but for stronger children a ball can be used instead and perhaps weights on the wrists. If the child is not able to raise her/his shoulders, it is enough for the forearms to be used to lift against gravity, which also provides good training. As an alternative, a so-called boxing ball can also be used to stimulate arm movements.