Rocking Seesaw

Product Description

Cognitive 4

Skills

• The Seesaw develops focus and attention skills as the player must stay finely attuned to the Seesaw’s movement from one side to other in order to anticipate the board making contact with the ground.
• Young players develop action concept skills such as up and down, off and on, by stepping off and on and shifting weight from one side to the other raising one side of the board while lowering the other side of the Seesaw.
• Players develop proprioceptive skills as they learn to judge where their body is in space relative to the Seesaw as they process visual input in tandem with moving body parts to rock back and forth.

Play Ideas

• Use Seesaw as a scale to compare weights of various object. Instruct players to guess which will be lighter or heavier and see if they made accurate predictions.
• As player rocks Seesaw back and forth, instruct player to count the number of times he / she rocks before stepping off, and keep a record to measure progress.
• As player rocks Seesaw back and forth, instruct player to indicate which appendage, on which side, and direction that it is moving with each rock (ie. Left foot down, Right foot up; Right foot down, Left foot up; Left foot down, Right hand up; Right Foot down, Left hand up).

Adaptation Ideas

• Facilitator visually demonstrates the concept of balancing weight on Seesaw before players use while explaining basic mastery concepts.

Social/Emotional 4

Skills

• The Seesaw does not have rules as to a right or wrong way to play, thus encouraging experimentation and open-ended play.
• The Seesaw develops patience and increases frustration tolerance as player masters the physical stance and balance necessary to successfully maneuver the board while feet remain connected to it.
• The Seesaw promotes emotional self-regulation skills by engaging in proprioceptive activity of pressing body weight into feet sending the board to make contact with the ground enhancing tactile sensory input.

Play Ideas

• To promote cooperation, two participants sit back-to-back on either side of the Seesaw and take turns rocking by leaning towards and away from Seesaw partner.
• To promote social interaction, two or more players take turns challenging one another to see how long each player can remain balanced in center of Seesaw.
• To promote team work and trust, invite player to close his / her eyes and instruct play partner to hold the hands of player to assist him / her to step on to Seesaw.

Adaptation Ideas

• While kneeling in front of the Seesaw, instruct player to use hands and upper body to move Seesaw back and forth in order to familiarize and grow more confident with the action of it.

Physical 3

Skills

• As the player shifts weight between the left and right sides, the player’s core strength is developed thereby providing player stabilization on the Seesaw.
• As player straddles the Seesaw and shifts weight from left to right and back again, the player strengthens balancing skills.
• The Seesaw promotes active play and overall body strengthening and coordination as the player utilizes legs as well as torso, arms, neck and head to facilitate moving the board from side to side while remaining firmly planted on it.

Play Ideas

• Place a small ball or bean bag on top of the Seesaw and roll it back and forth between feet as the Seesaw rocks back and forth.
• Use the Seesaw as obstacle course component in which the participant must step on, rock back and forth once, step off to the other side to pass.
• Place Seesaw underwater in a pool, and with support from a partner or while holding onto the pool wall or ladder, rock back and forth.

Adaptation Ideas

• For additional balance support and stability, player can utilize an arm of a heavy chair, table, or facilitator’s arm or hands to grasp while stepping onto board or while using it.
• Place a pillow beneath either side of Seesaw to ease the transition to the other side.