Activities: Strength

Developmental Strengthening: (Using our typical movement to get stronger.)

These activities are great for preschool age children as well as older children that are weaker.

Squat for items in place:

Repeatedly retrieve items from the floor while at the couch or coffee table. Place items at the child's feet or on a stool. The child reaches down to retrieve the item and place it to a toy on the work surface. This can be with puzzles or a shape sorter for example.

Squat for items around the room to return them to a location (puzzle):

This is similar to the task above, but the child walks to retrieve the items and squats to pick them up.

Sit to stand from a stool or bottom stairwell step:

Child sits on the surface and rises to reach the item to place in a toy like a shape, then sits to place it in the shape sorter. Or the shape sorter could be on a table and they rise from sitting with the shape.

High-kneel walk:

Child walks on their knees from place to place with a game like a puzzle. Knee walk when playing basketball type game.

All fours crawling:

Crawling various obstacles like bean bags, pillows, blankets. You can place a tunnel on these items or place them in the tunnel as well.

Belly Play:

Play with toys on your belly. You can also read and color in this position.

Rolling:

Practice rolling across the room like a log.

Animal Walks:

Animal walks help with strength and so much more like coordination and sensory input. It is okay to modify your expectations as they learn it.

Article:

https://lemonlimeadventures.com/animal-walks-sensory-diet/

Children First Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmbvqxKezw8&t=2s Animal Walks Simple

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ6SYO4vtNc Animals Walks Medium

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoqTEil48PY Animal Walks Complex

Exercise Handouts

Core Strength Home

Prek to Grade 4: Upper Body and Core Strength/Heavy Work

Core/Leg/Arm Exercise Videos

cannonball/crunch ball.mp4

Belly Muscles: Cannonball/Crunch Ball

Hold 10-30 sec.

Copy of crunches.mp4

Belly Muscles: Crunches/Diagonal Crunches

Do 10, increase sets as tolerated

boat pose.mp4

Belly Muscles: Boat Pose

Hold to count of 5-10, increase as tolerated

superman.mp4

Back Muscles: Superman

Hold 10-30 seconds.

pointer balance and alternating all fours.mp4

Core: Pointer Balance/Alternating Superman

Hold 10 seconds, alternate sides. Do 3 on each side.

slide.mp4

Slide

Hold 10 seconds or 5 breathes. Do 4.

table.mp4

Table

Hold 10 seconds or 5 breathes. Do 4.

clam shells.mp4

Clamshells

Do 10, increase sets as tolerated, do both sides

leg lifts.mp4

Leg Lifts

Do 10, increase sets as tolerated, do both sides

hip extension.mp4

Hip Extension

Do 10, increase sets as tolerated, do both sides

chair pose.mp4

Chair Pose

Hold 10 seconds or 5 breathes, repeat 4-6 times

wall squats.mp4

Wall Squats

Do 10, increase sets as tolerated

Couch/Therapy Ball Walk Outs: Get on the couch or over a ball with hands on the floor. Walk on your hands to stretch out your body. Do a task in this position such as a puzzle or move in an out 10 times. Slow and steady, do not rush.

Ball walk outs. Can use couch to adapt to home. See video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpufjgrLzlU

"Strength" Chores: All ages

1. Carrying/pushing laundry

2. Carrying Groceries

3. Yard work to child's age level (Raking, shoveling, pulling weeds)

4. Taking out the garbage

5. Washing the floor (squeezing out a mop or sponge, scrubbing the floor)

6. Loading the washer and dryer with clothes

7. Taking sheets, blankets, and pillowcases off beds to be washed

8. Making beds

Chores for many areas of motor development. See Link below.

https://theinspiredtreehouse.com/chores-for-kids-developmental-skills/