Having a strong and stable core will allow your child to complete a plethora of daily activities. This includes having the ability to sit upright to perform a table top task. If your child is demonstrating difficulties with fine motor tasks, we may have to turn our attention towards the core!
Core strength allows us to have proximal stability, or the ability to hold up and sustain our core/neck/spine. We need this first in order to complete distal mobility, or tasks requiring us to use our arms or legs. In other words, we need a strong base!
So how can we target core strength through play? Check below for a few ideas:
- Play catch with a therapy ball, but have your child lay on their backs with their elbows supporting their upper body. Throw the ball, and have them kick it to you with both feet!
- Trapeze swings! Encourage your child to pull their legs up to target those deep core muscles
- Using a medicine ball, stand back to back with your child and pass the ball around your bodies!
- While laying in an inner tube, have your child reach for stuffed animals behind their head with both arms. Once they grab the stuffed animal, you can play a fun basketball game to try to throw the animals towards a target!
- Climbing! Head to your local playground and practice that stability and balance in real time
Taylor Johnson Therapy, PLLC 