Ball Chair Presentation Mrs. Wudtke’s 3 rd grade classroom Mrs. Wudtke’s 3 rd grade classroom Kids love ball chairs, they are different from the boring regular chairs Kids love ball chairs, they are different from the boring regular chairs They are different and FUN They are different and FUN

How many students have trouble sitting still, listening (the entire time) to the teacher and paying attention? How many students have trouble sitting still, listening (the entire time) to the teacher and paying attention?

A review of health class Our senses play a role in everything we do! Our senses play a role in everything we do! What are our senses? What are our senses?

Senses Touch….. Touch….. Smell…… Smell…… Hear……. Hear……. See…….. See…….. Taste…….. Taste…….. Movement or Vestibular: the sense of movement Movement or Vestibular: the sense of movement Proprioception: the sense of "position"; knowing where and how your muscles and joints are positioned and when we move them Proprioception: the sense of "position"; knowing where and how your muscles and joints are positioned and when we move them

Examples of how we all use our senses Fidget Fidget Chew on gum Chew on gum Shake your leg Shake your leg Examples from the students Examples from the students

The many uses for ball chairs Exercising muscles/improves posture (core muscles are your deep abdominal and back muscles that help keep us upright and help to stabilize the body when we move). Exercising muscles/improves posture (core muscles are your deep abdominal and back muscles that help keep us upright and help to stabilize the body when we move). Improve balance and coordination (engages the abdominal, gluteal and leg muscles). Improve balance and coordination (engages the abdominal, gluteal and leg muscles). Allows for added movement Allows for added movement Learning new skills can be fun on ball chairs Learning new skills can be fun on ball chairs

Posture posture (proper posture is important) you should be able to sit comfortably on the ball and reach the floor, with knees about 90 degrees posture (proper posture is important) you should be able to sit comfortably on the ball and reach the floor, with knees about 90 degrees This posture will prevent falling off the ball and will decrease muscle strain while trying to balance This posture will prevent falling off the ball and will decrease muscle strain while trying to balance

Improving our physical fitness No more slouching in a desk chair. Ball chairs require us to sit upright. No more slouching in a desk chair. Ball chairs require us to sit upright. To stay balanced on a ball chair you are using your core muscles (if not you will fall over) To stay balanced on a ball chair you are using your core muscles (if not you will fall over)

Self regulation Ball chairs allow students to move as they feel they need to and when they feel they need to. Ball chairs allow students to move as they feel they need to and when they feel they need to. This helps us to attain, maintain, or change our bodies alertness level (how awake are we)? This helps us to attain, maintain, or change our bodies alertness level (how awake are we)? Our alertness levels influences our ability to learn new things Our alertness levels influences our ability to learn new things

Benefits Comfort (no more hard desk chairs) Comfort (no more hard desk chairs) Research has proven ball chairs can help students perform better in class Research has proven ball chairs can help students perform better in class They increase attention, focus, and concentration (when you need to move you can do this without getting up or disrupting your classmates) They increase attention, focus, and concentration (when you need to move you can do this without getting up or disrupting your classmates) Even if you don’t think you are moving, you move slightly – you would fall off the chair if you weren’t moving and adjusting your muscles continuously. This small movement stimulates your brain which helps to improve your focus and attention Even if you don’t think you are moving, you move slightly – you would fall off the chair if you weren’t moving and adjusting your muscles continuously. This small movement stimulates your brain which helps to improve your focus and attention

More Benefits Sitting on a ball chair decreases the amount of time students get up and out of their seats. Sitting on a ball chair decreases the amount of time students get up and out of their seats. Ball chairs, are fun and students enjoy sitting on them; they can move as they need to without disrupting their friends. Ball chairs, are fun and students enjoy sitting on them; they can move as they need to without disrupting their friends. They allow us to remain calm, focused and seated. They allow us to remain calm, focused and seated.

More Benefits Can improve written expression Can improve written expression Can improve behavior Can improve behavior Your brain and body stays active even if you are feeling bored Your brain and body stays active even if you are feeling bored Sitting still is not always good for students, people and students are always moving. Ball chairs allow us to move and wiggle as we need to! Sitting still is not always good for students, people and students are always moving. Ball chairs allow us to move and wiggle as we need to! Some kids need more movement than others, ball chairs allow a variety of movement. Some kids need more movement than others, ball chairs allow a variety of movement.

Tips for teachers SET ball rules SET ball rules Allow for initial “newness” phase for the children to transition to the ball chairs Allow for initial “newness” phase for the children to transition to the ball chairs Document, document, document Document, document, document Balls really do work for so many reasons Balls really do work for so many reasons

Therapy balls in the classroom questions and answers Questions??? Questions??? Comments??? Comments???

What are you feeling? Do you feel the ball chair has given you any added benefits?