2015 Gift Guide

Are you looking for a gift for a child who struggles with gross motor skills?  Look no farther!

Rody

Rody is a fun alternative to a peanut ball for working on balance skills and trunk/leg strengthening.  His legs offer more stability and his ears are a handy place for kids to hold on while they bounce.  Not only is Rody super cute, but they come in all kinds of fun colors. 




Teeter Popper

This toy is similar to a standard rocker or balance board, but with one fun feature -- it's suction cup bottom provides great auditory feedback!  The suction cups also provide a bit more stability for those who struggle with their balance.  WARNING:  This may not be the best choice for those who are sensitive to sound.  For them, try a standard rocker board.

Wobble Deck

For a different type of challenge, try the Wobble Deck.  By playing one of its 3 games, kids' balance is challenged even further.  Because it moves in multiple planes, this toy is more appropriate for kids 4 and up with good balance.

Magic Moves Electronic Wand

Not only does this toy encourage movement, but it also helps kids to follow simple commands.  Kids will move like animals, dance, or freeze -- perfect for motor group activities, as well!

Cat in the Hat "I Can Do That!" Game

This is a quieter option to encourage movement and following directions.  Some of the activities are quite silly, which just makes them more fun!  It also comes in a smaller card game version.

Twister Moves

This is another fun game to encourage gross motor skills, balance, and following directions.  The CD will instruct players to step on the colored circles to dance along with the music.  It's a bit fast-paced, so it may frustrate beginners.  And because the instructions ask the players to step on certain colors, it may be difficult for those with visual impairments.

Hopscotch Rug

This is a way to bring hopscotch indoors during inclement weather and to add some cute decor to your home at the same time.  These are a fun way to learn numbers, sequencing, counting forwards and backwards, jumping, and hopping.

Bean Bags

Bean bags are a painless way to learn throwing and catching.  Throw them into a bucket, play corn hole, throw them into hula hoops laid on the ground or taped to the wall, try to strike a target -- the possibilities are endless.  And as a bonus, they come in really cute colors and shapes that can add to the learning by teaching colors and letters.  "Throw the bean bag with the letter A."  "Catch the green frog!"

Gross Motor Summer Fun!

Take advantage of the hot summer weather and enjoy these fun activities with your child:

• Swimming:  Other than being a fantastic cardiovascular activity, swimming is terrific for general strengthening, as the water provides gentle resistance in all directions.  Also, the water provides sensory input, both deep pressure and tactile input.
• Ride bikes, tricycles, scooters, etc.:  Not only is this a fun cardiovascular activity, but children improve their balance and steering skills.  The movement will also provide lots of vestibular input.
  
• Games like horseshoes, ring toss, tee ball, and badminton help your child develop hand-eye coordination.
• Playing limbo helps build flexibility and improve balance.
• Jumping rope:  Not only will your child get a cardiovascular workout, but jumping rope helps with jumping and timing skills.
• Water Play:  This is always a hit with the kiddos!  Have a bucket brigade to encourage heavy work.  Hold a water balloon toss to work on hand-eye coordination.  Have your children help you wash your car/bike/dog to get a work out, receive some sensory input, and to help out with chores.  
• Bubbles:  I use bubbles all the time in my treatment sessions.  Blow bubbles and have younger children bat at them while older children stomp or jump on them.  Catch a bubble on the wand and hold it just out of reach to encourage your child to rise up onto his/her toes.

Most of all, have a great time spending quality time with your child!  

 

Easter Egg Hunts as therapy

If your child struggles with gross motor skills, you can tailor your Easter egg hunt to provide gross motor challenges:

• Put eggs up high to help your child raise up onto his/her toes
• Put eggs in low places to encourage squatting

• Make your hunt area large and on varying terrain (grass, cement, hills, etc.) to provide challenges while walking

• Carrying a basket will alter your child's center of mass, providing a balance challenge.

Have fun and happy hunting!



Gross Motor Fall Fun!

Take advantage of the autumn weather and enjoy these fun fall activities with your child:

• Have your child help you rake leaves into a pile, then have a great time jumping in the pile
• People cook more this time of year, so have your child help you with the entire process: help push the shopping cart, help put groceries into the card, help carry groceries into the house, help put groceries away, help with child-friendly cooking tasks like stirring and pouring...
• Run into the wind for some weather-assisted resistance training
• Go on a walk in your community to enjoy the changing leaves, making sure you walk on sidewalks, on grass, on dirt, up and down curbs, etc.
• Participate in fall sports like football and hockey
• Turn on some music and have a Turkey Trot dance party

Most of all, have a great time spending quality time with your child!

Cheap, Easy Ways to Work on Your Child's Gross Motor Development

Parents ask me all the time what they can do to help their child's gross motor development and the best answer I can give is to play!  If Mom or Dad acts like a therapist, trust me, your child will rebel!  Here are some fun, easy things that you can do with things you already have at home:

• Use a board, curb, or low wall as a balance beam.
• Play ball!
• start with rolling and corraling a large ball while sitting
• progress to tossing a small ball in standing
• have your child extend his/her arms out in front to practice catching (start with a balloon or beach ball)
• throw at a target
• A piece of rope can be used as a balance beam, something to step over, or something to jump over
• If you don't have stairs, have your child practice stepping up and down a curb or stool
• Make obstacle courses that would make your child have to move over, under, around, and through things
• Play Follow the Leader or Simon Says
• Move to music
• try fingerplay to songs like "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" or "Twinkle, Twinkle"
• Perform actions that correspond with lyrics: march to "The Ants go Marching," skip to "Skip to My Lou," do the Hokey Pokey
• Unstructured dancing is always fun and your child may surprise him or herself by doing something new like standing on one foot or jumping or spinning
• Have your child bend down and pick things up from the ground then reach up to hand them to you or put them on a shelf or table.

*All activities should be performed with adult supervision.  If your child has difficulty, please help him or her -- safety is of utmost importance!*