Kids can have fun while moving around, even in the middle of winter.
With the cold weather upon us, many parents are looking for indoor activities and toys for their children that will not only burn off some of their pent-up energy but also help them succeed. As a physical therapist, I use and evaluate toys that improve a child’s strength, balance, coordination, and agility. These skills help children with a variety of school demands, such as sitting upright during long hours of learning, easing reading and homework with improved eye-hand coordination, and enabling their imaginations to flourish.
I find that putting two or three of these toys together as an obstacle course with different configurations can make the same toys more interesting. For example, one day you can place the tumbling mat for somersaults, then a balance beam as a bridge, with the ball pit on the end. On another day, incorporate the balance beam first, then the rocker board, and finally the walking stilts and the ball pit again at the end. Allow your children to imagine they are using different scenarios as they take pretend trips to the moon, picnics in the woods, running from a bear, or being in a circus, to add fun and excitement.
|