A Look at Body Awareness in Kids

What is body awareness, really?

I have this conversation often with parents—especially during evaluations when I’m describing how their child is moving through space or why they might be tripping or stumbling more than expected. Recently, I was explaining this concept to a parent after noticing her daughter, who is hypotonic (has low muscle tone), having trouble navigating around our gym.

So, What Is Body Awareness?

Body awareness is your internal sense of where your body is in space. It’s made possible by something called “proprioceptive input”—aka sensory signals sent from your muscles and joints to your brain.

A quick example: Stick your arm straight out to your side. Now close your eyes. You still know where your arm is, right? That’s proprioception. That’s body awareness.

This ability allows us to automatically and accurately position our bodies so our hands, eyes, and other body parts can do their jobs—like picking up a cup, walking around obstacles, or standing in line without bumping into the person in front of us. It’s the reason we can bring a spoon to our mouth without needing to look, or write with just the right amount of pressure.

Signs Your Child May Have Decreased Body Awareness:

• Stumbling or tripping over objects
• Bumping into things or people
• Using too much or too little force when doing everyday tasks (brushing hair, holding a pencil, etc.)
• Seeming “clumsy” or “uncoordinated”

What Can You Do About It?
If your child’s therapist has used the term “body awareness” and you’ve been unsure what it meant, I hope this gave some clarity. And if you’re just now hearing it and it’s making things click—great. You’re not behind.

Some simple ways to help at home:

• If your child isn’t very mobile, try giving some gentle but firm “deep pressure” to their arms and legs (think squeezes or weighted blankets).
• Activities like crawling, jumping, climbing, pushing, and pulling are great for waking up those proprioceptive senses.
• Yoga, obstacle courses, and games like “Simon Says” can also help build this awareness in fun ways.

Still Have Questions?
We’re always here to help—reach out anytime!

Christine Astarita