The impact of the balance beam on early age balance skills at DBL Academy Yogyakarta

Abstract

The key foundation for a child’s overall development is their early years. As children learn new things and acquire new types of movement, they require continuous and appropriate support for their cognitive development and movement abilities at this stage. Children’s lives revolve around play because it gives them the opportunity to engage with others, explore their surroundings, and acquire new skills. Stability of posture, or postural balance, is important for young children’s development. A child’s general health can suffer as a result of decreased muscle strength, coordination, and cognitive function brought about by accidents, sports injuries, or aging. This increases the risk of a child falling. Children have the opportunity to exercise and enhance their balance while walking on a balance beam, which is a stable board with supports underneath. Open-ended play, such as that involving a balance beam, can foster children’s imagination and creativity. Data for this study were collected through an online survey method. The entire existing population was used as the sample in a targeted sampling strategy. The online survey was given to 11 participants, and the results showed that 84.3% observed an improvement in balance in young children, 66.9% understood the advantages and risks of using a balance beam, and 87.2% of coaches had used a balance beam when they were younger. One of the training methods to enhance balance skills in young children is the balance beam.