Keeping kids regulated and engaged during therapy / teaching sessions often means finding the right tools for movement. Here are 5 of my go-to favorites! These are perfect for quick movement breaks and can easily be incorporated into lessons. In this post, I’ll share some of my favorite ways to use different tools to support regulation, engagement, and fun during sessions.
- Ollyball - $18.96
This is hands down one of my favorite purchases! If you work or have kids that love kicking, throwing, tossing balls, then this is for you!
Pros
- Incredibly lightweight, almost like a balloon
- Shock absorbent so you can play indoors without worrying (too much) about breaking items inside
- Great for bad weather days since you can play indoors!
- Can be colored in with markers
- Made from up-cycled materials
- Can be deflated for easy storage/ transportation
- Easy to inflate
- Fun to play with
Cons
- You will need to keep the straw because it naturally deflates overtime
- Kind of similar to a balloon. You can say it's between a balloon and a regular ball. If your budget is tight, you can have fun with balloons for a better price
2. Aerobie Pro Ring Outdoor Flying Disc - $9.97
Here is another toy I highly recommend! It flys VERY far and claims to be in the Guinness World Record for farthest throw. It's really easy to play with and can be used in various different games to keep things interesting.
Pros
- Flys very far with not much effort, the kids love it!
- Great for kids who are new to throwing a frisbee!
- Easy to travel with
- You can come up with a lot of different games (ring toss, hit a target, etc.)
- Great Price
Cons
- Sometimes it goes TOO far! I've purchased this 2-3x because they went over a fence or on top of the roof. It's better for a large yard or park.
3. Exercise Ball - $17.84
We love a multipurpose item for sessions, and the classic exercise ball checks so many boxes! There was a point in my in-home career when I always had two of these (a large and a small) taking up space in my back seat 😅. I love using exercise balls for movement breaks! They’re also perfect for days spent inside!
Some of my favorite ways to use them include:
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The child sits on the ball while I hold their hands and help them bounce.
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Rolling the ball on top of them while they lie down for deep pressure.
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Bouncing the ball back and forth.
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Having them lie on their belly on top of the ball while I slowly rock them forward and back.
4. Swings
I love incorporating swings in my sessions! Sometimes I would switch it up and have my client push me for some added "heavy work" movement. In home, I've worked with families that had outdoor swing sets or indoor hammock style swings.
5. Blanket / Pillows
Sometimes, the most fun can come from simplicity and items that you have laying around the house!
- Blanket Swing - For smaller kiddos (>2 years) you can turn the blanket into a handheld swing with parents/caregivers to gently swing the child back and forth with an adult holding each end.
- Blanket Rides - This one is quite the work out for whoever is doing the pulling. If you are working with smaller kiddos and you're in an environment with hardwood/laminate floors, you can have the child sit on the blanket and pull them around. It can be especially fun if you pretend to be a train or a bus. Great way to throw in some communication targets too! As one of my client's got bigger, I had him (try) to pull me for heavyweight movement 😅
- Pillow crashes - If you have a child who loves to crash, you can each grab a pillow and "gently" crash. Another variation would be to hold onto a pillow and crash into a crash pad or beanbag
- Blanket Burrito - Grab a large blanket and have the child lay down at the edge. Slowly roll them up tightly like a burrito. You can make it more fun by pretending to add in whatever toppings they like. Great for deep pressure! Some of my kiddos would also request to be rolled out at different speeds (slow/ fast).
Alright this is the end of my short and sweet list! If you have some favorites you'd like to share, please feel free to shoot me a message or email. I'd love to hear it!
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