What it develops: sense of balance, auditory perception, memory.
Especially recommended: for everyone!
This tool lets you make up for the balance stimuli a child didn't receive as an infant, or didn't receive enough of. It's never too late to start using it — it can help a lot even with older, upper-elementary-age children.
Spinning techniques:
Spaceship: the child sits cross-legged in the cone, holding on with both hands, bottom in the hollow, head tilted back too. This keeps them in a stable position, so they won't slide around (unless they want to). Spin the cone with both hands, and the little one can feel like they're in a spinning spaceship. Sing a rhyme while you do it — kids love it! (Even my fifth-graders demand it.)
Revolving door: spin around the vertical axis.
Centrifuge: the child sits in a stable position in the cone. Carefully tip it so their head is down, then spin it with sliding, sweeping motions so their head stays down the whole time. (Only use this spin where balance stimuli have really been lacking — you'll know, because the child will be grinning ear to ear during this lightning-fast spin.)
Rinse: if you can manage it, hold the cone at both edges and tilt it so only the tip touches the ground. Gently shake it, like when you're washing salad.
Little boat: if your child wants something special, take it along to the beach or on vacation, since the cone floats on water and works as a little boat too. It's important that the spinning stays continuous and isn't too slow. So check beforehand whether you can comfortably manage it if you put a heavier child inside — these exercises aren't easy on your back.
It's important that the spinning stays continuous and isn't too slow. So check beforehand whether you can comfortably manage it if you put a heavier child inside — these exercises aren't easy on your back. Load capacity: 100 kg