The SlackBoard looks like a toy, and kids treat it like one. That's exactly the point. Every wobble, bounce and careful step trains far more than balance: it gets brain and body working together, puts healthy load on growing bones, and gives restless energy somewhere to go.

Here's what happens when kids hop on the board, plus our favourite tips to get it off the wall and into everyday play.

1. Better posture, smoother movement

Standing on the SlackBoard is a full-on teamwork exercise for the brain. The eyes, the balance organ in the inner ear, and the muscles and joints all send signals at once. The brain compares them and reacts in a split second.

Several parts of the brain share the job:

• The cerebellum coordinates and fine-tunes every movement.
• The brainstem fires off the fast, automatic balance reactions.
• The motor cortex plans and controls the deliberate adjustments.

Because the surface keeps moving, this teamwork never gets to switch off. Over time, kids build more than strong muscles: they get better at steering their body quickly, safely and precisely. You'll often see it in how they stand, walk and move. 

Tips to try

• Statue game: Find a steady stance, then freeze. How long can you hold it? Try again with eyes closed.
• Slow-motion walk: Cross the board in tiny steps, as slowly as possible. Slow is harder than fast.
• Look up: Fix your eyes on a point on the wall instead of your feet. It forces the body to balance by feel.

2. Bouncing that's good for growing bones

A springy surface asks a lot of a child's body. Kids constantly react to the moving board, coordinate each move, hold their balance and adjust how hard their muscles work. Researchers who looked at kids hopping on elastic surfaces found they actually move and activate their muscles differently than on solid ground.

The bouncing itself pays off too. Regular hopping and jumping sends small, healthy impact signals through the skeleton, and bones respond by building up. In one well-known study (Fuchs, Bauer & Snow, 2001), kids who did a jumping programme for seven months gained noticeably more bone mineral at the hip and lower back than kids who didn't. The authors see jumping as a simple, effective way to support bone building while children grow.

Tips to try

• Bounce counter: Small bounces in the middle of the board. Count them out loud and try to beat yesterday's number.
• Frog hops: Hop on and off the board from the side, landing softly with bent knees.
• Bounce and freeze: Bounce to music. When the music stops, freeze in balance.

3. Sharper focus and a way to calm down

On the SlackBoard, the body is always making tiny corrections. That steady activity pulls attention inward: to the feet, to the body, to right now. It's hard to think about ten things at once while you're balancing.

The rhythm helps too. Gentle, repeated balance and bouncing movements can help bring an overexcited nervous system back down. So the board becomes a playful outlet: kids can shake off restlessness through movement, or use a few quiet minutes to refocus. It can easily become a natural reset button.

Tips to try

• Homework break: Five minutes on the board between tasks, then back to the desk.
• Wiggle-out time: Feeling fidgety or wound up? Bounce it out first, then talk.
• Calm balance: Stand still in the middle, breathe slowly and feel the board settle under your feet.

Make it a habit: 6 ways to use the SlackBoard more often

The biggest benefit comes from little and often. A few minutes every day beats one long session a month.

1. Keep it in sight. A board in the living room gets used. A board in the basement doesn't.
2. Link it to a daily moment. Teeth brushing, waiting for dinner, the first five minutes after school.
3. Play it with the TV on. Balance during the ad break or the opening song of a favourite show.
4. Turn it into a family challenge. Who can stand longest on one leg? Parents included.
5. Change it up. Add a ball to catch, a soft toy to balance on the head, or a song to bounce to.
6. Bring friends in. Take turns, set up a mini course, or let kids invent their own tricks and name them.

Safe and fun from day one

• Set the board up on a flat floor with space around it, away from furniture edges.
• Younger kids play with an adult close by, especially when learning new tricks.
• Bare feet or grippy socks give the best feel for the board.
• Start simple: stand, then bounce, then walk. Let kids set their own pace.

Ready to wobble?

The SlackBoard brings balance, movement and a bit of calm into your home, all in one playful board. Put it where your kids can see it, pick one tip from this list, and try it today. Just watch how fast they make it their own.