29 Jul Let’s Move!!
Here are some great activities to get children of all ages moving (Courtesy of Deb Lund, Occupational Therapist from the Hopkins School District).
Push and Pull Activities
- Push Toys (toy shopping carts, baby strollers, trucks)
- Push a cart or box (filled with toys or books) across the room
- Pull a wagon (with toys or books in it to provide more resistance)
- Tug-of-war activities (can use a towel, rope, scarf, pool noodle)
- Row Your Boat (sit facing each other, hold hands, and rock forward and back while pushing and pulling each other and singing)
- Place a doll or other toy in a blanket and have your child give the toy a ride by pulling it around the room
Lifting, Carrying, Reaching Activities
- Have your child help you carry groceries into the house (even if it’s only one item)
- Encourage your child to reach up and put toys away on higher shelves
- Place paper or coloring pages on an easel providing an upright surface in which to draw or color
“Crashing/Falling” Activities
- Take turns with your child “falling” into a beanbag chair or onto cushions
“Squishing” Activities
- Play “sandwich games” taking turns being the bread and the filling ~ using beanbags, cushions, or pillows as the bread, one of you lies down between the bread while the other gently “presses” the sandwich together
- Play with play dough, clay, or bread dough (squishing, pulling, rolling)
- Play in wet sand (scooping, building, filling pails)
General Movement Activities
- Animal Walks (bear, elephant, alligator, etc.)
- Wheelbarrow Walks – holding the child near the hips provides more support, holding the child closer to the ankles provides less support.
- While in wheelbarrow position, encourage the child to pick up items and place into a container.
- Obstacle Courses (set up an obstacle course for your child encouraging crawling, knee walking, jumping under, over, and between objects) – can be set up with household items such as cushions, chairs, tables, etc.
- Balance Activities (balance while standing on one foot, walk along a balance beam, walk up and down curbs or uneven surfaces)
- Playground – climb, swing, slide
- Play catch or kick ball
- Jump on a small trampoline or jump off low surfaces
- Bowling – using heavier ball or beanbags, roll or toss to knock down pins, empty milk cartons, or other objects
- Scavenger Hunt – hide items around the room (placing them up high and down low), have your child carry a bag or bucket and go around the room locating the items and placing them in the bag/bucket