Activities to Improve Postural Stability

Postural control is the ability to keep oneself in and upright and stable position. It is necessary for a child’s ability to sit upright, pull up, stand, walk, maintain balance, and even perform fine motor tasks. Postural control provides a foundation for future participation in academics, daily routines, and sports. Postal control provide stability for the hands and fingers and supports other actions, such as looking, touching, grasping, and dynamic motor skills. When the hips, trunk, neck and shoulders are strong and stable, this provides a foundation for head control and upper extremity movement. In a previous post, I described how tummy time plays an important role in the development of postural control.

How to Improve Postural Stability
 
Below you will find a variety of activities in which a child can engage to improve postural control.

*  Animal walks
*  Crawling
*  Wheelbarrow walks
*  Holding a “superman position”
*  Playing games while in a tall or half kneeling position
*  Jumping, swinging, and hopscotch play
*  Play “waste basket” basketball with light wrist weights (1/4-pound) while lying on the stomach over a large exercise ball or ottoman 

 

Edible Finger Paint Activity!

Finger painting is a wonderful sensory activity, and it is also a great way to work on drawing, pre-writing, and writing skills. It's so simple to make and it's a great activity for a rainy day or a screened free afternoon. 

You will just need some food coloring and vanilla yogurt! Put 2 to 3 drops of food coloring into the yogurt, and stir well! Have fun finger painting. You can even show your child how to mix colors such as blue and yellow to make green. So much fun!!!
 

Worry Monster Craft for Kids

This "Worry Monster" craft for kids is a an effective therapeutic activity to help children deal with their anxiety and worries. A child can simply write down or draw a picture of what worrying them on a piece of paper. Then encourage the child to tell you about the worry, which will help them process their feelings and work through them. Next, instruct the child to crumple the paper into a small ball and "feed it" to the Worry Monster! Ensure the child that the monster will now deal with the worry so that they won't have to any longer.

Supplies Needed:

• Empty tissue box
• 2 pipe cleaners
• Construction paper in a variety of colors
• Googly eyes
• Scissors
• Scotch tape

Cover the tissue box with construction paper and secure the paper in place with tape. Decorate the box with shapes cut out of the construction paper or use colorful stickers. Be sure to make the monster some teeth! Twist each pipe cleaner around your finger to make a spiral. Tape a circular piece of construction paper to one end of each of the pipe cleaners then stick a googly eye sticker onto each circles. Poke 2 holes in the top of the tissue box, insert each "pipe cleaner eye," and secure them in place with tape inside the tissue box. Now feed those worries to your "Worry Monster."