A new study is demonstrating the promising effects of using stability balls for chairs in classrooms. Some parents have long struggled with getting their boys and girls to stay still for long enough to focus on their school assignments. Children at young ages are often so full of energy that they find it hard to pay attention to what is in front of them. It is even harder for kids who have been diagnosed with ADHD.
Researchers studied a group of kids over the span of 12 weeks to find out what effects sitting on a stability ball would have on their classroom work. The results of their study "revealed increased levels of attention, decreased levels of hyperactivity, and increased time on task" when the students used a stability ball as a chair.
"However, the greatest effect of the stability balls occurred for the children who had significant difficulties in attending before the intervention. This study demonstrated that for the 8 children who were classified at or above the 92nd percentile in attention and hyperactivity difficulties, the stability balls appeared to have a dramatic effect in improving these areas of concern. Moreover, observer reported levels of in-seat and on-task behavior also improved over the course of the intervention."