OT Path, Frog Squatting and Heel to Toe Walking

HEEL TO TOE WALKING

A major motor milestone assessed in most OT motor assessments. Good activity to complete after squatting as it regulates the sensory system after a more active activity like squatting and jumping. Children can receive proprioceptive input by walking on their toes.

Motor skills:

Motor coordination, balance, visual memory, body awareness, posture/stability, develops concentration.

Sensory input: tactile, proprioception and vestibular input received during this activity.

FROG SQUATTING

Jump, hop, or leap, that’s what you can do with our frog lily pads!

Motor skills:

• Squatting is a vital exercise for increasing the strength of the lower body muscles
• Develops core strength
• Improves function and strength of hip, knee, ankle and foot joints/muscles
• Posture and stability
• Body awareness
• Trunk control

Sensory input:

• Proprioceptive input: squatting involves pressure to the muscles and joints in the form of proprioceptive input. Squatting require the muscles to stretch and work hard all of which stimulate the proprioceptive system which is very important to the brain as it plays a big part on self-regulation, coordination, posture, body awareness and the ability to attend and focus.
• Vestibular input: jumping is very alerting and stimulates the vestibular system. Every time our head moves towards space we trigger the vestibular system which is very alerting to our sensory system.

OT TREE PATH

The tree path is a fun element to engage your kids in before that engage in more challenging motor tasks.

Motor skills:

• Gross motor body movements
• Coordination
• Balance

Sensory input: