Thinking Outside of the Box Creative Ideas for Pediatric PT’s and OT’s.
Our sensory paths are packed full of fun activities. However, variety is the spice of life and a necessity to keep children motivated. Our Thinking Outside the Box Series will show our paths as a starting point for imaginative and impactful sensory fun…with accessories!
Teamwork is Dreamwork
While each student has his own therapy goals, sometimes it’s beneficial to work with a friend to reach those goals.
We’re big believers in the theory “We’re in this together”! Teaching children to look out for each other while playing is common sense, AND it’s sneaky therapy. They encourage each other and work together. In PT lingo that’s a brain break, motor planning and improving fine and gross motor skills.
Fun
The secret for successful pediatric physical therapy is to make it FUN! Challenging fun is more likely to make gains with your pint-sized clients than sets of standard PT exercises. As kids laugh and smile through exercise they’re building muscles and improving coordination. Using fun, you help kids grow stronger and gain more mobility. This provides greater access to childhood experiences that were previously out of reach.
Bubble Wrap
We’ve all heard the phrase, “Play is children’s work”. Who doesn’t love that satisfying feeling when popping bubble wrap? Adding the auditory sense increases his brain’s ability to learn new actions. Adding bubbles that his feet can pop, takes his focus to the next level!
Scooter board
Using a scooter board encourages open ended play, and creative problem solving. All our rugs work well with them too! Play “Simon Says” on a scooter with our path! Ask the child to move a certain way to a particular spot on the rug (ie push backwards around the pond). Scooting teaches motor planning skills to coordinate a route. While on their belly they strengthen their upper body through supporting their body weight.
Bosu Ball
Standing on a bosu ball, adds the challenge to constantly maintain balance. This action creates new learning pathways between the brain and the body. Activating his core, he is getting stronger, stabilizing his body against the weight of going forward. Adding the activity of catching magnetic fish improves hand/eye coordination.
Using props
Shifting the student’s focus to take another object (ie gingerbread man) on ride, lets them experience movements without over analyzing and worrying about what is going to happen. Sneaky Therapy!
321 Sensory Path – Case Study
Colton loves the 321 Sensory Path, Walk in the Meadow Sensory Path design.
Colton was born at 34 weeks and is the definition of neurodivergent. Colton has a diagnosis of spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and global developmental delay. He is visually impaired and has a diagnosis of CVI which is a neurological disorder that results in unique visual responses to people, educational materials, and the environment. Because of his visual differences he startles very easily and doesn’t like textured items. A 321 sensory rug changed his mind.
At his initial evaluation for school, Colton was using army crawling for his main method of mobility. He could stand with moderate assistance from an adult. He needed adult help to sit upright. He was walking short distances with a gait trainer. He used a stroller for long distances.
He can now crawl using a reciprocal pattern. He can now sit upright for up to 3 minutes all by himself! He can cruise at a support surface with assistance. He can walk with 2 hand support of an adult. He is now walking for up to 500’ with a gait trainer. He has his own wheelchair and he can propel himself when motivated. A 321 sensory rug gave him mobility options.
The vibrant colors of the 321 sensory rug draw his attention and motivate him to move. Colton previously would not crawl on textured surfaces and preferred to use his wheelchair, however after using the sensory rug he now enjoys exploring the high contrast colors locating all of the elements. The soft rug texture on the Walk in the Meadow Sensory Rug made a positive impact.
Here are a few reasons why crawling is such an important developmental milestone. Crawling is one of the first independent ways of movement. It helps to develop and enhance our vestibular and balance systems, sensory systems, cognition, problem solving skills and coordination. It helps to establish body awareness, while moving over and under objects. It helps the left and right side of their body and brain to work together and build coordination. It helps enhance depth perception. The images on the 321 Sensory rug helped Colton focus by motivating him to see what was coming next.
Enhances sensory input by allowing them to move over different textures. It helps to builds core/trunk strength. Crawling works on balance, and weight shifting. It begins weight bearing into hips and shoulders and builds hand strength. While crawling objects are within 8-36” of the face, thus strengthening the tiny muscles around his eyes and improving his visual motor skills. Crawling also builds binocular vision (the ability to look ahead in the distance, then back down at his hands while crawling.
321 Sensory Rugs Walk in the Meadow design provided Colton with a visually stimulating and motivating activity that promoted movement. While crawling on the 321 Sensory Rug he was exposed to a variety of textures. The 321 Sensory Rug helped to build his trunk strength and balance which translated to functional mobility improvements.
321 Sensory Paths is the perfect tool (sensory path mat, sensory path rug, therapy sensory mat, autism sensory mat, SPD sensory mat, Autism sensory mat) for the neurodivergent population. In 29 studies involving 1000 young people on the autism spectrum, exercise was proven to benefit their lives! Humm, just like everyone in the human population! Physical activity provides a wide range of benefits including social functioning, motor skills and stress relief. We have our sensory paths on sensory mats, sensory rugs, sensory wall graphics and vinyl sensory paths. We have pediatric occupational therapy sensory mats and sensory rugs, and pediatric physical therapy sensory mats and sensory rugs. Occupational therapist use sensory paths for teaching input and de escalation techniques. OT Sensory Mat. OT sensory learning. Occupational therapy sensory. Sensory Integration Therapy. All of our products can be used for sensory processing disorders, autism spectrum disorder, and any client with neurodiversity. They are perfect for preschool and elementary school students as they include a variety of educational sensory components. Children Sensory Mat. Sensory mat for school. Educational sensory mat.
