Does your child go to physical therapy for an injury? Wondering how to make the experience more fun?
Physical therapy exercises are important if you want your child to get better sooner.
They can help people regain strength and improve their mobility. But, if you made your child go through physical therapy, they might be feeling uncomfortable, frustrated, or even angry.
That’s why it’s important to distract them with games and activities that they can do in the therapy room. By adding a few specific objects and activities, you’ll make your child’s experience more enjoyable.
Here are some tips to use. Keep reading!
1. Game Time
Game time is a great way to make pediatric physical therapy enjoyable for kids. Games are an excellent way to engage their imagination and distract them from the fact that they are doing therapy.
For example, when working on a range of motion exercises with kids, have them pretend they are swimming or flying through the air like a superhero. Making up some individualized hand and arm exercises can also have fun involved by using a ball or a toy as part of the exercise.
For those working on gait or walking, turning it into a game of follow the leader can be a blast, along with creating obstacle courses to negotiate. Balance exercises can be enhanced by having kids pretend to be skating or tight roping as they practice keeping their balance.
2. Music and Dance
Choose their favorite tunes or catchy songs, and have them move and groove along. As a physical therapist, you have to make it fun for them, or else they won’t want to do the exercises!
It might also be helpful to create specific dance moves for each exercise. This makes it a playful and rhythmic experience that can be more engaging than just following standard instructions. Letting them choose their music or select their moves through dance can help them to feel in control and be less reluctant to do the exercises.
Through this approach, kids can benefit from both physical therapy exercises and dance in a fun and creative way.
3. Stickers and Rewards
Going to physical therapy for kids can be tricky, so adding these rewards can help them to stay engaged and stay motivated. With stickers, you can let them collect them on a chart after they complete certain exercises or milestones, offering a sense of accomplishment.
Small prizes for their efforts can also work wonders. A toy, candy, or a chance to receive something special can make the exercises feel more like a game. Aside from the rewards, encouraging words and compliments can also encourage kids to stay on track.
Ways to Make Physical Therapy Exercises Enjoyable for Kids
Physical therapy exercises don’t have to be dull for kids. By setting up a good environment, staying focused on achievable goals, and having patience with them, it can be a fun and even rewarding experience for all involved.
Kids that excel in physical therapy gain more confidence and a sense of accomplishment. Try it today and find out!
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