7. Week

The tightrope walker

1. The child stands on one end of the rope and puts one foot in front of the other.

2. The child walks over the jump rope by repeatedly placing the heel of the front foot tightly in front of the big toe of the back foot. He places the heel first, then the toes.

3. Then try it backwards. In the beginning the child may look at his feet. When it goes well, we can make it harder so that he/she can only look in front of him/her (we can put a pillow on his/her head, which may not fall)

Note: at the beginning it is normal if the child does not yet put one foot in front of the other and has gaps between them. But gradually try to minimize the gaps between the legs. This will improve balance and body awareness.

Goal:

• Improve balance

• Improve proprioception (body sensation)

Flower in the wind

1. Have the child lay supine on the floor. Show how to curl up by crossing the right leg over the left leg and right arm over the left arm (or the left arms/legs over right), with the chin on the chest, shoulders relaxed, and (if possible) eyes closed.

2. Now the child spread out the arms and legs towards the ceiling and lays down the head (like a flower opening in the morning to greet the sun). The arms remain slightly bent, the palms facing upwards. There is a 90° bend in the hips, knees and ankles. All movements are simultaneously.

3. In this position, we unexpectedly push the child's knees to the side, the child must quickly balance and maintain the position

4. The head initiates the movement of returning to the original position, but with a smooth exchange of the opposite arm and leg on top

Note: we need the child not to fall sideways and be able to compensate the unexpected sideways movement. When you drum on the child's palms as if it were raindrops, he/she automatically puts down the shoulders and shoulder blades on the ground, and so the position will be more stable.

Goal:

• Strengthen deep trunk muscles (core)

• Inhibit Moro reflex (if persistent)

The Wheelbarrow

1. Have the child lay on his/her tummy on a big gymball

2. Then let him/her walk their hands forward and back, the legs stay on the gymball and the back must stay straight.

3. Note: It's important to ensure that the child doesn't bend their back during this exercise. Instead, encourage them to take small steps forward while keeping their back straight, rather than striving for a greater distance that may compromise their torso posture. The hands should be with open palms and fingers pointing forward. To motivate the child, you could place a toy within a short distance from them to encourage them to reach for it.

Note: Alternatively, you could modify the exercise by having the child wrap their legs around your torso and holding them by their pelvis. However, it's important to avoid holding the child solely by their legs, as this may be too challenging for them and compromise their ability to maintain a stable torso.

Goal:

• Strengthen deep trunk muscles (core)

• Strengthen arms

• Inhibit Tonic Labyrinth Reflex (if persistent)

Hopscotch Jump

1. Have the child draw a hopscotch grid on the ground. The grid usually consists of a series of numbered squares or rectangles, with a single square at the top and two side-by-side squares at the bottom.

2. The first player tosses a small stone or beanbag into the first square. They then hop through the grid, skipping the square with the stone or beanbag.

3. Players must hop on one foot into the first square, then hop with the same foot into the second square. They then hop on one foot into the third square, and so on, until they reach the end of the grid.

4. When they reach the end of the grid, they turn around and hop back through the grid, retrieving the stone or beanbag as they pass through the square where it landed.

5. If a player steps on a line or touches the ground with both feet, they lose their turn.

6. The game continues with the next player taking a turn. The game ends when all players have completed the grid.

7. Players can add variations to the game, such as hopping through the grid with both feet, hopping backward, or performing other challenges while hopping through the grid.

8. The winner of the game is usually the player who completes the grid with the most skill and accuracy.

Goal:

• Improve coordination of movements

• Improve graphomotor skills by drawing the grid

• Improve balance.

Funny riddles

Give your child riddles like: “I think of something blue and has two legs. What is it?” The child answers “Pants!”, or “it has four legs and a curled tale” (pig). Etc.

Goal:

• Improve vocabulary and logic thinking

Have you ever seen a flamingo at a zoo? Then look forward to next week's exercise called Flamingo! I look forward to seeing you next week!