There are so many benefits of juggling for kids that it’s hard to list them all. And because we really understand so little about the way we learn and the human brain, these are just what we know now.
1. It’s Fun!
Fun and play is really under-appreciated or overlooked in many adults. But children (and adults) NEED fun, playful experiences. Kids learn about the world, themselves and others through play, and having fun is good for the body; it makes us relaxed and happy when we do fun things.
So if your child enjoys juggling, it will likely help them when they feel sadness, or stress and it will give them a creative way of processing the world around them.
Other ways to make it more fun:
- Do it together
- Put on upbeat music
- Try your craziest tricks (can you jump, spin or ride a bike while juggling?)
- Put on a show for others
- And be a total oddball for your kids!
2. It’s Good for the Mind!
Research has shown that juggling for kids increases connections and growth of the brain.
Juggling for kids also improves hand-eye coordination, reduces stress levels, increases attention span, offers an opportunity for self-discipline, improves focus and clarity and creates motivation and confidence in kids. We’ve even read of schools that incorporate juggling into their day and see improvements in reading and math (explained further below).
If you learn together, especially learning to pass from one to another, your kids will also build teamwork, good sportsmanship, and communication skills. Heck, us parents could benefit from more of that too!
Remember the brain benefits most when it’s challenged but not too challenged, so keep introducing new tricks as soon as the last one is mastered by everyone who is juggling together.
3. It’s Good for the Body!
Juggling gets your heart pumping and your body moving! It’s a great way to bring fun movement into your day. Juggling also improves balance, rhythm and coordination in the body. It can improve endurance, reduce fidgeting, impulsivity and hyperactivity in kids by providing a physical outlet for all that amazing energy. Because of all this juggling for kids is also recommended for reducing symptoms of ADD/ADHD.
However, forcing kids to get active is a really good way to make them HATE getting active.
But juggling is a fun way to get outside together (or play inside if you have high ceilings and few breakables) and get your bodies moving – and let’s face it, us adults probably need it more than our kids!
As an activity you can do together, make it silly and challenge one another and it will become an effortless and bonding way for both of you to begin to feel strong and energetic.
Some other things to try or remember:
- Try juggling to the beat of a song to learn new rhythms
- Juggle before dinner or any time your child might feel fidgety
- Invite your kids to join you at least several times a week
- And above all, keep it silly and not a chore they “have to” do!
4. It’s Creative!
Learning to juggle, learning new tricks, increasing your skill and creating your own tricks gets your creative juices flowing. We already know how juggling for kids increases certain areas of the brain, which means it can help your child increase their creative problem-solving and brainstorming.
A few creative ideas:
- As soon as you and your child are good at one trick, start moving on to the next.
- Make up your own crazy tricks and share them with us!
- Challenge each other to a game of HORSE to get really creative!
- And to engage even more of the right side of the brain, listen to fun music while you juggle.
5. It’s Mathematical!
Juggling is all about numbers and patterns. You and your kids can help each other by counting one another’s catches. You’ll also be watching the patterns you throw for certain tricks. This way you’re both increasing the grey and white matter in those mathematical areas of your brains as you juggle!
To support mathematical juggling for kids:
- Point out the patterns to different tricks and cascades
- Count out loud as you throw and catch
- Talk about creating new patterns together
- You can even try mixing up the colors of your juggling balls and notice how that affects your patterns, especially as you move from one trick to the next.
- Talk about the laws of gravity
- Discuss the height of the throws and weight of the balls
- Point out the force and trajectory of your throws and so on.
6. It’s Inclusive!
Juggling for kids really includes ALL ages! It can be learned as young as 5 or 6, and even toddlers love to get involved, throwing and catching balls and laughing together. Older kids, teens, adults of all ages and grandparents can also join in the fun as it’s a low impact sport that can be done at everyone’s own pace.
We’ve also seen how juggling is an icebreaker. It helps to start conversations in group settings, such as at parties or the park. And it gives you and your kids a chance to teach and learn from one another.
You can also meet all kinds of people – from hobbyists to performers – at meetups and gatherings around your area, the country or the world.
And people who love to have fun tend to be really fun people, so juggling is a great way to meet new friends through healthy interests.
7. It’s Bonding!
Really, this is what it’s all about.
Juggling with your kids is one of the best ways to really engage in your child’s world, spend quality time together doing something you both can enjoy and get to know your kids on a deeper level. It allows an opportunity to ask and answer questions, opening up the communication pathways for bigger topics.
Laughter and play is one of the best ways to connect to your kids.
And because it’s fun and offers a good challenge, it’s something neither of you will get bored of easily, meaning you’ll both always look back on juggling as some of the best times together.
Who knows! Maybe you’ll even end up creating a parent-child business or performance together, too!
Even if you can’t juggle, you can still get interested and involved in your kids’ juggling by helping them build on their interest:
- Help them count catches
- Find new tricks they might like to learn
- Learn about who invented juggling and its history and so on
Take a passionate interest in their interest and you’ll let them know how much you really care about them.
And that’s the most important thing they’ll ever learn.
