Building strength while having fun is the best and easiest way to get your child to work those weaker muscles. TAG would like to share three of our most loved and successful activities used in our therapy sessions.
1. Wheelbarrow Puzzle Builder
Put on your builder hat! It’s time to start! You only have 5-10 minutes to finish your build before you get tickled! If your tummy touches the ground one point goes to your exercise partner. For every puzzle piece you put down you will get a point! Who will be tickled? Who will have the most points?
Equipment required: A puzzle
- Step 1. Have your child on their hands and knees next to a puzzle piece and have the puzzle board 1-2 metres in front of them.
- Step 2. The exercise partner will then lift up their legs like a wheelbarrow. This can be adjusted to make it easier or harder. To make it easier the exercise partner holds closer to their hips. To make it harder, the exercise partner will hold them at their ankles.
- Step 3. Have the child pick up a puzzle piece next to them and rotate their trunk to give the puzzle piece to the exercise partner’s hand above their head. Make sure they stretch their arm when giving the puzzle piece.
- Step 4. Walk forward with their hands to the puzzle board in front of them. Remembering NOT to slouch the back. (Ask the child to bring up his tummy. This will activate their core).
- Step 5: When the child has arrived at the puzzle board, have him rotate to fetch the puzzle piece above their head from their exercise partner’s hand and place it in the puzzle board.
- Step 6. Walk backwards with their hands to fetch another puzzle piece and start again.
Alternate easier option 1: If walking forward and backward is too difficult they can place their legs on a sofa and hands on the ground with their arms extended. Place the puzzle board in front of them and have them build the puzzle.
Alternate option 2: Walk forward on their hands over an exercise / peanut ball with a puzzle piece to build the puzzle.
Rules:
- 1. Don’t drop your tummy to the floor or you will give one point to your exercise partner.
- 2. You get one point for every puzzle piece you put down. How many points can you get in your time?
Targeted areas: Endurance, upper limb strength and stability, core strength, and motor planning.
2. Scooter Board Rescue
Chose one of these two scenarios:
Scenario 1: Your toys have fallen overboard! You are a lifeguard. You have to save them!
Scenario 2: The prisoners have escaped! You are a police officer. You need to catch them and put them in jail!
Equipment required: Scooter board/ skateboard and toys
- Step 1. Spread the toys over the floor.
- Step 2. Lying on the scooter board collecting the toys on the floor only ONE at a time returning them to a bucket.
- Step 3. This can be timed. Repeat and try to beat the time.
Rules:
- 1. Only use your arms.
- 2. Collect one toy at a time.
- 3. Be careful not to pinch your fingers under the wheels.
Targeted areas: Endurance, upper limb strength and stability.
3. Handstand Dance
Feel like turning your dancing upside down? Try this out!
Equipment required: a wall and mat
- Step 1. Place a mat on the floor against the wall.
- Step 2. Choose your favourite music to dance to.
- Step 3. Sit on your feet with your bottom against the wall and hands on the floor.
- Step 4. Wiggle your bottom and shoulders to the music.
- Step 5. Now start to climb the wall with your feet while you dance. Remember to only go as high as you can go comfortably.
- Step 6. Dance here for 10 seconds, if you can and feel safe, wiggling and shaking to the beat.
- Step 7. Come down to rest but keep dancing and then go back up again and repeat.
- Step 8. Do this until the song has finished.
Rules:
- 1. Use a mat under you so you don’t hurt your head.
- 2. Have an adult to supervise.
- 3. Keep your arms straight.
- 4. Go only as high as you can go safely.
Targeted areas: Endurance, upper limb strength and stability.
23 August 2023 I Author Claudia Vila Boa, Senior Physiotherapist