Stair Training Activities

Stair Training with Visual Markers

To encourage your child to alternate his/her feet up the stairs, place visual colorful tactile foot markers on the stairs. Place one foot marker on each stair to encourage placement of only one foot on each step. Also provide the child with verbal cues such as “big boy steps,” “big girl steps,” “one, two, three..,” or “left, right, left.” Then stand one step below the child as he/she ascends or descends the stairs for safety.

If your child is unable to follow the foot markers while ascending the stairs, stand behind your child and place your hand around one ankle to guide the child’s foot up to the next foot marker. Then place your other hand on the child’s other ankle and guide that foot up to the next foot marker. Follow this pattern all the way up the stairs.

If you child is unable to follow the foot markers while descending the stairs, stand in front of your child, hold the child’s hand that is not on the hand rail, and place your hand around one ankle to guide the foot to the next foot marker. Then guide the other foot to the next foot marker. Follow this pattern all the way down the stairs. Also provide cues such as “ step on red, step on blue,....”

Complete this activity: 5 times

Complete for: 2 sets

Perform: 1-2 times per week

As your child demonstrates more of an ability to place one foot on each step, please decrease the amount of assistance you are providing them.

Please type the following web addresses in your browser (one at a time) to give you a visual of what this activity looks like:

1. Pediatric Physical Therapy – Walking Up the Stairs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k69h0-klXLA

2. Pediatric Physical Therapy – Walking Down Stairs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wSUK2Z0YD0

IMPORTANT

Parents please be able to tell your Physical Therapist if your child can alternate his/her feet on the stairs or if the child uses 2 feet per step. Then, be able to state if the child requires a hand rail, no hand rail, or a hand rail and hand-held assistance to use a step-to or step over step pattern on the stairs. Also, be able to explain if your child requires the foot markers or verbal cues from you.

Stair Training Tips, Milestones, and Therapeutic Exercises

Please type the following web address into your browser

https://blog.dinopt.com/stair-climbing-tips/

Complete the first 5 activities under “Tips and Tricks to Encourage Stair Training”

1. Step Stool

2. Sit to Stand

3. Bicycle Kicks

4. Single leg balance

5. Stair climbing with visuals

Complete 2-3 sets of each of the activities. Complete activities 1-4 in a safe open area of your home with an adult present.

Complete these activities: 1-2 times per week

IMPORTANT:

If your child becomes very tired or short of breath during any of the stair training activities please give then standing rest breaks and encourage then to perform

Pursed lip breathing exercises:

1. Slowly breath in through your nose for as long as you can with your mouth closed (tell child to smell the flowers)

2. Slowly breath out fully through your mouth with your lips pursed or puckered (tell child to blow out the candles)

Perform this technique until shortness of breath subsides.

Please type the following web address into your browser for more information:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9443-pursed-lip-breathing