During the Summer, we were loving bringing our Wavee Boards over to the Ceres Garden next to our studio, where the children at our play dates would use them endlessly as jumping-off boards, flower catapults, "bridges", and so many other fun ideas that we probably didn't even keep track of. There were definitely many moments that I was exceedingly glad of the resilience and durability of our Wavees--as we dusted them off and packed them up night after night of dozens of tiny feet running across and bouncing on them, covered in some footprints here and some soil smudges here but otherwise unscathed.
But as much fun was had over the Summer, I think these Winter months are when the magic of the balance board really gets to shine. When long hours cooped up inside lead to restless jitters and pent-up physical energy, it's easy as a parent to find yourself slipping into a lot of 'NO!'s because, let's face it, you're starting to feel a little bit claustrophobic and stir-crazy too.
One of my initial motivations in designing the Wavee Board was to emulate the beauty, simplicity and harmony that I saw children resonating with in nature, and to channel those qualities into a toy that could be with them through many seasons of their childhood. This is another reason that the Wavee doesn't have any branding or words on it--I wanted it to suggest the presence of nature in family's homes, and a blank slate that little ones could project their own creativity onto.
Balance boards are a great way for little ones (and bigger kids and adults too! The weight limit on our Wavee is up to 200 lbs) to tap into a center of gravity and find calm in moments of restlessness and unbridled energy. Time spent rocking back and forth or "surfing" on their board can be a great way to naturally and gradually bring children's energy levels down to help them transition into quieter activities, such as storytime or meditation, instead of expecting them to go from 100 to 0 in a matter of seconds. We all know how important rhythm is for little one's schedules, and I think it's very true of physicality as well. Experiencing the physical practice of rhythmic movement and balance is so helpful for achieving mental focus and feeling grounded.
Over the course of playdates and also scrolling through all of the Wavee photos and videos that our customers have tagged us in on Instagram, I feel like I've seen our board used in pretty much every way imaginable! Yet I'm always delighted and surprised when a child shows me a brand new way that they use their board that had never crossed my mind before. Some of my favorite ideas for indoor use are:
- Flipping it over (rounded side up) and propping it up against furniture to use as a slide!
- Dancing! Keeping your feet on the board at all times, try grooving to the beat of your favorite song! Feel how the board moves forward across the floor as you twist your hips in time to the music.
- Lying down in it! Place a blanket in the curvature of your board and rock slowly while laying on your back--like you're falling asleep cradled by a gentle wave!
- Stretching! Little ones love to lay across the length of their board when it's turned upside down, stretching their back over its curved shape.
- Be still! Can you keep your board totally, completely still, with your feet at either end and arms outstretched? See how long you can go without swaying!
How does your family use your balance board indoors during these cold months? I'm curious if those of you with older children see them enjoying the benefits of balance practice, too, or if YOU (moms and dads) have given it a try?!
As always, I love seeing and reading about your ideas in the comments section or on Instagram (#sarahssilks).
Xoxo,
Sarah
