Why the Muscles and Joints need Crash Toys for Focus and Concentration

This article provides recommendations for crash toys that support a child’s proprioceptive input for focus and concentration. Affiliate links are included for your convenience. Integrated Learning Strategies (ILS) is a learning and academic center. As a reminder, ILS is not a health care provider and none of our materials or services provide a diagnosis or treatment of a specific condition or learning challenge you may see in your child or student. If you seek a diagnosis or treatment for your child or student, please contact a trained professional who can provide an evaluation of the child.

You may have heard proprioception is often referred to as the sixth sense. Proprioception is a child’s sense of where their body is in space. A child who does not get enough proprioceptive input often appears to have attention issues or ADHD-like symptoms. It can be a sign the child’s body is craving pressure to their joints and muscles that can calm them when they get excited or inactive. 

Getting kids involved in activities that encourage crashing, jumping, pushing and pulling can help them feel more grounded and regulated. Introducing crash toys into the child’s daily routine is another wonderful way to help children get proprioceptive input to the joints and muscles.

Crash Toys

Here are a few of our favorite ideas to strengthen a child’s proprioceptive system for better attention and focus. They are also good for calming and self-regulation when the child experiences big emotions.

Crash Pads: Play race games jumping into the crash pad or try crashing in the crash pad using different body positions (feet first, back first, stomach, etc.).

Mats: Perfect for kids jumping, doing cartwheels and rolls for more proprioception.

Foam Pits: Great ways for kids to jump and crash into a pile of balls or foam squares.

Bumper Sumo Balls: Wonderful for kids who like to playfully rough house, punch and kick to get their proprioceptive input.

Here are a few more fun crash toys that may be a good fit for your child or students:

Integrated Learning Strategies is a Utah-based center dedicated to helping mainstream children and children with learning challenges achieve academic success. Our services provide kids with non-traditional tutoring programs within the Davis County, Kaysville, Layton, Syracuse, Farmington, and Centerville areas. Areas to find Integrated Learning Strategies include: Reading tutors in Kaysville, Math tutors in Kaysville, Common Core Tutors in Kaysville, Tutors in Utah, Utah Tutoring Programs