Physical Therapy

Dear Families,

This is a list of gross-motor related areas of focus, activities, and strategies for all children of varying needs. Please review and integrate throughout your day as you determine as safe and appropriate for your child. Children should be provided with close supervision at all times in order to maximize safety and by utilizing any of the following resources you agree to do so.

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Upper Body Strengthening:

Have your child lay on their belly when watching television or coloring to improve strengthening
Encourage children to play while seated with and without support to increase core strength and reaching patterns for objects/toys of interest

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Range of Motion/ Positioning:

Continue with your child’s range of motion and positioning as you have always done on a daily basis.
- Take daily routines as opportunities to integrate these principles, such as during dressing, bathing, feeding, hygiene, leisure time.

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Stair Negotiation:

For those students working on stair negotiation, should be encouraged to do so safely in their environment.
- Please perform these activities with CLOSE SUPERVISION or have your hands on the child to aid them with their balance as needed.

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Additional Suggestions/Ideas for Play:

Visual Motor Skills: Refers to the ability to control hand movement guided by vision (eye hand coordination). Here are some activities to work on visual motor skills with a gross motor emphasis:

· Ball toss into a basket or garbage can, use rolled up socks or crumpled up balls of paper.

· Catch and pop bubbles

· Playing catch – Indoor catch with a rolled sock and bowl or pan for target

· Flashlight tag: shine a flashlight on a spot, your child has to run and “catch it” then move to another spot

· Hokey Pokey or Simon Says: emphasize spatial directions such as in, out, on, off, right, left

Gross Motor Skills: Refers to the control of large muscles of the body to complete tasks such as walking, running, and jumping. Here are activities to work on gross motor control.

· Complete tasks lying on stomach (reading, watching TV, playing board game)

· Play charades or Simon Says

· Wheelbarrow or animal walk: walk like a bear, crawl like a crab, jump like a frog, slither like a snake

· Balloon toss or balloon volleyball

· Jump Rope or play limbo

· Monkey in the Middle

· Pillow case race: put legs in pillow case and jump to the finish line

· Play in half kneel

· Use playground equipment

· Obstacle Courses; At home use pillows to jump over, tables to crawl under, or chairs to walk around

· Hopscotch

· Bowling; bowl at home with empty soda or water bottles and a soft ball