Outdoor Balance Beam Ideas

Balance beams are a great tool for addressing areas like vestibular sensory input, core strength, balance, visual motor skills, and attention.  Here are outdoor balance beams and balance beam ideas that don’t require a playground or fancy equipment. These balance beams for kids are helpful in building the skills needed for reading, writing, visual processing, sensory processing, self-regulation, and more. Read more about balance beams and how they sneak in so many skill areas in a post we wrote on how balance beams help with sensory needs.

Try these outdoor balance beam ideas to help kids work on sensory needs, vestibular sensory input, and gross motor skills like core strength and balance.





Recently, I shared ideas for indoor balance beams.  The indoor balance beam ideas are perfect for adding movement and core strengthening to those rainy days that keep the kids inside but the kids are bouncing off those very walls that keep them cozy and dry?  I wanted to share some outdoor balance beam ideas that you may not have thought of.


Add these resources to the ones you can find here under sensory diet vestibular activities to meet the sensory needs of all kids. 

Outdoor Balance Beam Ideas Kids Love

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You don’t need fancy equipment! Use sticks to make a balance beam.

Use 2x4x16 feet or 2x4x8 feet wooden planks to create a large-sized balance beam in the lawn or on the driveway.  Large pieces of wood can be found at hardware stores. Moving those large pieces is a workout for kids that can be calming with all of that proprioceptive input!


Not interested in moving big pieces of wood?  Try using rocks, patio pavers,  bricks.  


These glow-in-the-dark pebbles would be fun to create a low path at dusk!


Try chalk drawn on a driveway or sidewalk.  Make the balance beam lines bend and curve to really challenge balance.


Skip the chalk and make a balance beam with the cracks that are already in the sidewalk or driveway!


Use a jump rope or long rope to create a balance beam line.


Use sticks and twigs to make a balance beam in the grass.


Make a narrow balance beam using leaves or wildflowers like dandelions.


Create a balance beam with leaves.


Walk along a fallen log.


Use commercial versions of balance beams that are available, including a portable foam balance beam.  This would be perfect for outdoor obstacle courses.  


Other ideas include: Make a portable roll-up balance beam using a yoga mat cut into strips (easily add it to your therapy bag!) and balance pods.

Try these outdoor balance beam ideas to help kids work on sensory needs, vestibular sensory input, and gross motor skills like core strength and balance.



What ideas do you have for outdoor balance beams? 

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