The Power of Tumbling: How Climbing, Jumping & Adaptive Movement Help Toddlers Thrive
February 22,2025
If you’ve ever watched a toddler instinctively climb onto a couch, roll on the floor, or bounce on a cushion, you’ve witnessed their natural drive to move and explore! Tumbling, Gymnastics, and Adaptive Movement are not just playful pastimes but are essential to early childhood development.
Encouraging little ones to climb, jump, and tumble builds foundational skills that support their growth in body awareness, motor coordination, and sensory integration.
How Tumbling Supports All 8 Senses
Most of us are familiar with the five basic senses – sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell – but did you know movement play helps develop all EIGHT senses?
1. Vestibular Sense (Balance & Movement) – Swinging, rolling, and climbing stimulate the inner ear, helping toddlers develop balance, coordination, and spatial awareness.
2. Proprioceptive Sense (Body Awareness) – Jumping on crash pads, tumbling, and hanging from monkey bars apply deep pressure to muscles and joints, helping kids develop body awareness and spatial understanding.
3. Tactile Sense (Touch & Texture Processing) – Engaging with mats, textured surfaces, and different grips builds sensory processing skills and reduces touch sensitivity.
4. Interoception (Internal Body Awareness) – Through movement, toddlers learn to recognize their body’s signals, like hunger, fatigue, or the need for a break.
5-8. Visual, Auditory, Taste & Smell – While movement play doesn’t directly involve taste or smell, obstacle courses improve visual tracking and auditory processing, essential skills for learning and communication.
Why Occupational Therapists (OTs) Love Tumbling & Movement
Occupational therapists frequently incorporate tumbling and gymnastics-inspired activities into therapy sessions because they are among the best tools for sensory integration and motor development in young children.
Encourages Motor Planning – Figuring out how to climb a padded block or navigate monkey bars helps develop problem-solving and coordination skills.
Strengthens Core Muscles & Postural Control – Rolling, crawling, and balancing build the core muscles needed for sitting, standing, and movement control.
Helps Regulate Sensory Needs – Many toddlers, especially those with sensory processing differences, crave movement. Tumbling provides the right kind of input to help them feel calm and focused.
Boosts Social & Emotional Skills – Movement play fosters patience, turn-taking, and confidence, helping toddlers engage positively with peers.
Why Parents Should Encourage Tumbling & Climbing
In today’s digital world, free-movement play is more important than ever! As we discussed in our blog post, The Power of Unstructured Play, giving toddlers the freedom to explore, climb, and jump fosters creativity, independence, and essential life skills. Encouraging these activities at an early age has lifelong benefits:
Builds Strength & Confidence – Physical play develops strong muscles, balance, and a sense of achievement.
Burns Energy in a Healthy Way – Active toddlers need safe, engaging outlets for their energy.
Enhances Learning & Focus – Studies show that movement supports cognitive development, focus, and problem-solving skills.
Teaches Safe Risk-Taking – Climbing and jumping in a structured, padded environment helps toddlers learn how to assess and take small, safe risks, a vital skill for independence.
Join the Fun at We Rock The Spectrum Kids Gym Atlanta-Roswell!
At We Rock The Spectrum Kids Gym Atlanta-Roswell, we provide a sensory-safe gym where toddlers can climb, jump, and explore in a structured yet playful environment. Our adaptive equipment, including:
Crash Pads & Monkey Bars
Swings (Moon Swing, Bird Cage Swing, Carpet Swing)
Climbing Walls & Obstacle Courses
Zipline & Trampoline
…is designed to support ALL children, including neurodivergent and neurotypical kids!
Let’s get our little ones moving, learning, and growing – one tumble at a time!
#ToddlerDevelopment #TumblingForToddlers #AdaptivePlay #WeRockTheSpectrum #SensoryGym #GrossMotorSkills #InclusivePlay #WeRockTheSpectrumAtlanta
