“W” Sitting: What is it and what can be done?
W-sitting is a sitting position in which a child sits with his/her bottom on the floor, with both feet turned out. All children will W-sit at one time or another, especially as they move in and out of positions when playing on the floor. W-sitting can be a typical part of development and play time, […]
Osteoarthritis: Just Another Challenge (blog #7) – I Continue to Continue
In November, 2011, I wrote the following conclusion to my blog post: I will not offer you false hope about our treatments or accomplishments. Although I’m not cured and there is no cure for osteoarthritis, Sue and I have regained a life worth living by exercising and being physically active. We are enormously grateful for […]
Play like animals!
A great indoor or outdoor (weather permitting) activity for toddlers and preschoolers is pretending to be animals. Pretending to be animals can encourage motor planning, strength, balance and coordination. It also provides an opportunity for pretend play, social skills, and problem solving. Parents can play too and might even be surprised by how much exertion […]
Classes to keep your kids moving!
Is your family starting to get some cabin fever from being stuck indoors with the winter weather? Now might be a great time to sign up for a local class to get out of the house and encourage physical activity. There are a number of activities that help promote a child’s physical, emotional and social […]
The Importance of Recess
On December 31st, 2012 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a statement on the importance of recess during the school day. The policy statement appears in the association’s medical journal and it states “recess is a necessary break in the day for optimizing a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.” (You can see […]
Hand-eye Coordination
Most people think of hand-eye coordination as the ability to catch a ball or throw with accuracy. However, hand-eye coordination is much more and is used in everyday tasks. Simply put, it is the ability of the body to coordinate hand movement based on information from the eyes. It seems simple, but hand-eye coordination involves […]
Activities to Help Develop Balance
Good balance helps keep us upright throughout the variety of movements we experience everyday. Balance starts as infants learn to balance on their arms during tummy time, and as they learn to control their trunk in sitting, while working their way to independent standing and walking. Toddlers and preschoolers continue to improve their balance through […]
Safe to Sleep
Since the 1990s, families have been told about the Back to Sleep program to reduce the risk of SIDS. Recently, the American Academy of Pediatricians, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many other groups updated the recommendations of the Back to Sleep campaign to promote a safe sleeping environment for children. Updates to […]
Signs Your School-aged Child May Need Physical Therapy
The school year is now well underway and many families are starting to have the first parent-teacher conferences of the year. During these conferences a child’s teacher might mention some observations regarding a child’s gross motor development that could affect their participation in learning and school activities, especially in elementary school-aged children. Here are some […]
Fall Activities with Children
With the weather changing, it can be challenging to find ways to incorporate physical activity into the day. However, the Northwest provides lots of opportunities for fun activities that can help a child be active while working on developmental skills. Here are just a few ideas of activities unique to the fall season: Take a […]