occupational therapist Archives - Page 2 of 2 - New Horizons Wellness Services

Cold weather play ideas help kids stay active indoors using sensory-rich activities like obstacle courses, scavenger hunts, dance games, and movement tasks to support regulation and behavior. Oh the Weather outside is frightful….(Part one) What to do on a cold, wet day when you have kids with that need to move? This time of year, days are short, cold and often rainy. It can be hard for our kids to get the movement that their bodies need. This can make it hard for kids to regulate themselves and lead to more problem behaviors, difficulty concentrating on homework and trouble sleeping at night. So what is there to do? First, think about your options inside: Scavenger hunts or treasure hunts. They can take on almost any theme, and can be adapted for various ages and skills levels. By placing some weighted objects on a blanket, children can pull along their treasure to their hide-out. Or have kids carry a laundry basket to fill up with the treasure that you hid for them. Obstacle courses. You can use blankets, pillows, pieces of paper or tape on the wall or floor to mark off spots to touch. Pile up a mountain of blankets and pillows to crawl or bear walk over. Turn on the music and dance- then play freeze dance where you have to “freeze” every time the music stops. Pillow fight anyone? Play-doh. Make a city for your cars to drive through or try out some kitchen tools to “cook” up a meal Simon Says- take turns being Simon Make a Physical Challenge. How many push ups can you to do 30 seconds? How long can you hold a plank position? Or stand on one foot? Get out a timer and give the kids different challenges or have them come up with their own ideas. All of these sensory rich activities provided opportunities to play, build motor skills and practice social skills. For more ideas, take a look at the book The Out of Sync Child Has Fun by Carol Stock Kranowitz So take a few minutes to help your children get to the movement that they need. Chances are you’ll have fun in the process and everyone will feel better. In our next blog, we will share ideas for outside fun….

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Tag: occupational therapist

Cold Weather Play- Part One