Why Does My 4-Year-Old Fall Down So Much?

Plenty of 3- to 6-year-olds fall a lot, because they’re small, they’re fast and their balance is still a work in progress. At Flow Academy BJJ Indio, our Little Ninjas class for ages 3 to 6 turns balance and falling into games every Thursday from 3:15 to 4:00 PM. The first class is free, then it’s $120 a month, month-to-month.

You can read about the whole class on our Little Ninjas page. Here’s what the wobbling actually looks like on the mat.

A Tape Line and a Stork Stand

We stick a long line of tape to the blue mat and the kids walk it with their arms out like airplane wings. Some tiptoe. Some go sideways like crabs. Almost every one of them wobbles, throws a foot out to catch themselves and giggles. That’s the whole point of the game.

Then comes the stork: stand on one foot while the coach counts to three out loud, then switch. Plenty of four-year-olds make it to two. If a foot comes down early, they start over, and nobody is keeping score.

Falling Is a Game Too

Kids this age are going to land on the floor sometimes, so we practise it where the floor is soft. “Fall like a leaf” means sinking to your knees, sitting down and rolling gently onto one side, then popping back up. A coach kneels close by, and we only ask for as much as each child is comfortable doing. For some three-year-olds, the roll is a lie-down, and that’s fine.

We can’t promise any child will never fall. Nobody can. But a kid who has practised getting down and getting back up on a mat has had the practice, and they usually think it’s the funniest game of the day.

November in the Coachella Valley

The evenings are finally cool enough for the park again, and Thanksgiving is a couple of weeks out, so there are plenty of cousins to chase. It’s a good month to give those wobbly legs a little structured practice. Thursday’s class is tomorrow at 3:15 if you want to bring your child to try it.

Try It at Home in 10 Minutes

Put down a strip of painter’s tape on the rug and clear the corners of the coffee table. Then:

• Walk the line with arms out wide, barefoot, then try walking backwards.
• Do the stork on each foot while you count to three out loud.
• Pile up a few couch cushions and “fall like a leaf” onto them: knees, sit, roll, up.

Stop while it’s still funny. Cheer for the wobble as loudly as you cheer for the balance.

Questions Parents Ask

Is it normal for a 4-year-old to fall a lot?

Plenty of kids this age fall often while they grow into their balance. If you ever have a worry, the CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” milestone checklists are a good place to look, and your child’s pediatrician is the right person to ask.

Do kids practice falling in Little Ninjas?

Yes, as a game on a padded mat with a coach close by: sitting down, rolling to the side and getting back up. We keep it to what each child is comfortable doing.

What should my child wear, and where is the class?

Comfortable clothes they can move in, and bare feet on the mat. We’re at 42425 Jackson St, Suite C112, Indio, CA 92203. Call or text (951) 337-3781 and a coach will help you book the free first class.