As parents, we are the captains of our boat! It is no different with pediatric physical therapy. While the child is putting in the work, parents are vital to a successful outcome.
Here are five tips and tricks to break this down to an easier task:
Exercise = Play
We’d never ask a 1-year-old to do a bicep curl. So how can they exercise? We mask this as intentional play. Intentional because we pick a movement or activity that will target the area we want to strengthen. Your physical therapist can give you a few ideas on how to make this fun. Below are a couple places to start:
- Obstacle courses: Try this indoors with couch cushions or pillows. Or take it outside with sidewalk chalk. Walking on lines, stepping on pillows, and jumping to targets are all fun activities to include.
- Ball games: Kicking, catching, and throwing are great ways to work on balance, coordination, and strength.
- Board games: Jenga and Candyland are great to turn into an “exercise” version.
- Jenga: Write different exercises on each block. When you pull a block, everyone does that exercise
- Candyland: Designate an exercise for each color. For example, if you pick a card with “yellow,” you get to do 5 sit ups.
- Card games: When you draw the number “7” you have to do 7 jumping jacks.
- Dance parties: Unstructured dance is a great way to increase the heart rate. Songs with prompts are also fun, such as “freeze” dance.
- Animal walks: Walking like different animals can strengthen various muscles. Walking on your heels while pretending to be a penguin can strengthen the muscles in front of the shin.
Everyday Objects
Your therapist may use fancy equipment in the clinic, but this is not necessary for a good outcome! Curbs and pillows work great to work on balance. Laundry baskets are multimodal. Check out the stair climbing blog for one technique. You can also have your child fill it with toys and have them push/pull it. Our toy blog even has a few of our favorite common toys that can be incorporated.
Involve the entire family
Siblings are often the most motivating “toy” I can find in the office. This doesn’t change at home. Involve the entire clan and make it a family affair. Babies love to watch their older siblings while on their tummy and our older kids love to make it a competition. It can feel less like a chore when the family is involved. Yoga and board/card games are a great way to include the entire family. Check out our holiday themed yoga poses for more family fun.
Pair exercises with everyday routines
Children tend to thrive on a schedule. This will help the exercises feel more natural and less like work. A few ways you can incorporate exercises into everyday routines are below:
- Brushing your teeth: while standing on one leg
- Stair climbing: Pick one exercise to do every time you go upstairs
- House to car: Walk or jump like an animal *Pro parent tip – my kids love this, and it gets them out of the house quicker. Jumping like a frog and walking sideways like a crab are their favorite.
- Clean up: encourage squatting verse sitting on the ground when doing this.
Consistency
Don’t get frustrated if you don’t see results immediately. Remember it takes time to build strength! Celebrate the small gains and work with your therapist to advance the exercises as they become easy.
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