Dear Families,

This month we will be focusing on activities for upper body and trunk strength.

The first activity is called prone on elbows. It is important for preschoolers to be on their stomach and to weight bear through their hands and forearms. This position strengthens the upper back, neck and shoulders. When doing a prone on elbows position, your child should maintain their upper back and shoulder position and not collapse their back and/ or shoulders.

The second activity is wheelbarrow walking. This activity is great for upper body and trunk strength and can be a lot of fun for parents and siblings. Wheelbarrow walking can be performed a few ways and can progress from holding a child at their waist to holding the child at their feet. One can also progress the distance a child walks on their hands. It is also important to remember posture when wheelbarrow walking including making sure the shoulders and back are not collapsed.

Please remember to start all the activities with a short amount of time and increase as your child progresses. Also remember to have fun.

Feel free to contact us with any questions.

Thanks,

Cory and Ellen

Prone

• Have your child lie on his/her stomach.
• If he/she cannot lift up their head in prone, place them across your leg at their shoulders or put a towel roll under their shoulders.
• Prone on forearms is easiest and prone on hands is harder.
• Make sure their back stays flat and doesn’t collapse. If it does, take a rest or stop the activity after a cue does not help to maintain your child’s posture
• Encourage head to be up (not hyperextended).
• Child can do a puzzle in this position, play with a toy or have screen time.

Wheelbarrow Walking

• Wheelbarrow walking is easiest for the child when they are supported at the waist and gets more difficult as the support is moved towards the ankles. See picture below.
• Practice wheelbarrow walking on a carpeted floor if you have one.
• Give some thought to your own body mechanics. Bend at your knees not at your waist and hold your child in close to you.
• Encourage your child to look up.
• Encourage your child to have straight arms.
• Make it a game and pick a hallway in your house to wheelbarrow walk in.
• Start a puzzle on one side of the room and put the pieces on the other and walk like a wheelbarrow to retrieve puzzle piece. If your child can only do one piece that is fine. Try moving the puzzle closer or continue on another day.

Both kids have good posture here.

This is a picture of how not to do this. The child has an extended spine and the adult will eventually hurt her back as she is leaning over.