Starfish Therapies

A pediatric therapy company operating in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. We provide physical, occupational, speech and aquatic therapy services in the most beneficial and convenient setting for you and your child, including our clinic, currently located in Burlingame, your home, school or daycare.

  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • FAQ
  • Our Services
    • Motor Smart Kids
    • Continuing Education
    • FREE Resources
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Corona Virus (Covid-19) Response / Move to Telehealth

Let’s Get Moving – Exercise Ideas and Tips to Get Your Little Moving!

November 26, 2019 by Stacy Menz

We are so excited to have a guest post from Emily Heisey of @Kinesio_Kids! She is a Pediatric Physical Therapist and shares so many of her amazing ideas for kids on her instagram page which you should definitely go follow! She also has an Amazon Store with toy recommendations broken down by ages.

Read on to learn her recommendations for getting kids moving!

Piggy backing off @starfishtherapies post on hypotonia, children with low muscle tone actually exerts 2-3x more energy than a child with typical muscle tone. Why? Because the muscles that surround the joints have less resting tightness and therefore their joints move through greater range of motions. More motion=more work……. So what do we do with this information and how does it relate to my child with “hypotonia”. Well let’s take a look…

The more energy a task requires the less likely a child with low tone will be willing to perform it.

Lets’s dive into my Top Ten Tips and Tricks to get your kiddo moving and excited to work their muscles….

1. Do it with them: Children love doing things with their parents.

Walking up inclines helps with frequent falls, poor endurance in walking and is great for flexible flat feet

2. Make it a competition: If mom or dad can do it, then I can do it better! Nothing pushes a child more than competition.

This challenging tummy exercise is great for older kiddos ages 5 and up

3. Make it a playdate: Get friends together or even other siblings and moving will seem like a party.

Obstacle courses with painter’s tape is great for multiple kids and challenges a child’s endurance and strength

4. Make it creative: Balancing and core work can be challenging, So let’s spice it up….

Picking up colored cotton balls with feet is great for balancing on one foot but I really love it for kiddos with flat pronated feet. This activity strengthens the arch of the foot making it stronger for walking and jumping.

5. Lower your expectations of how long your child will attend to the activity: Promote success first.

Don’t place 20 puzzle pieces or 15 blocks to stack for your child to complete. Choose a challenging position. Start with 4-5 then go up from there.

6. Play with something messy: Kiddos forget how challenging an exercise is when you add something exciting.

Shaving cream, finger paint, and pudding are great examples of messy play

7. Give life to an old toy: Finding a new use for a familiar toy can engage interest and motivation.

Instead of jumping on a trampoline try throwing a weighted ball towards it to work on coordination and arm strength

9. Don’t use traditional toys: Try everyday household items instead.

Pushing and pulling a weighted laundry basket is great for building muscle strength (and maybe you’ll get laundry help!)

10. Make movement apart of your everyday routine: This allows it to become habit and doesn’t feel like you are making them do work.

Add an unstable base to any chore and you’re working those ankles, core and challenging your balance

Who is Dr. Emily Heisey?

Hello! My name is Emily Heisey and I’m the mother of two beautiful girls, Hannah and Heidi, and wife to Dr. Christopher Heisey. I’m also an active member of Compass Church here in Colleyville, Texas.

After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University (go Mustangs!) I headed off to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center where I received a Doctorate of Physical Therapy.

Since 2009, I’ve worked in a pediatric setting. My day to day for years included working in both the outpatient and home health settings, focusing on developmental delay, neurological disorders and Torticollis.

My passion lies in understanding how our bodies work and guiding littles like yours and mine on the path to a healthy life. I hope that through the information on this website, your children are able to develop the skills needed to grow and develop into the best versions of themselves!

Related

Filed Under: Blog, Developmental Milestones Tagged With: balance, coordination, core, education, exercise, gross motor development, hypotonia, low tone, Motor Smart Kids, physical therapy, playing, Starfish Therapies, strengthening

Search

Subscribe To Our Emails

Subscribe and receive access to our FREE products, incredible list of pdfs, websites, readings, and many other useful recommendations!

Primary Programs

  • Motor Smart Kids
    • Free Play
    • Kids Action Hour
    • Yoga for Kids of All Abilities
    • Functional Movement Screen
    • Video Running Analysis
    • Youth Sports Injury Prevention
    • Concussion Screening and Management
  • Continuing Education
    • PNF 1: Introduction to PNF
    • PNF 2: Accessing the Trunk
    • Strength Training in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
  • Resources
    • Telehealth
    • Informational Handouts
    • Useful Websites
    • Recommended Readings
    • Helpful Products
    • Blogs to Follow
    • Favorite Therapy Products at amazon.com

What Clients Are Saying

Our family moved to the bay area 6 years ago, and Starfish Therapies have been a part of our family ever since. Everyone at the clinic is caring and warm. The owner always looks for ways to improve the clinic and the services provided. The therapists are patient, enthusiastic, and know how to motivate the kids to do their best. Even after moving more than an hour away from the clinic, we kept going back to Starfish for intensive therapy sessions every summer! We cannot thank Starfish Therapies enough for helping my daughter to get stronger and to become more independent over the years!”

Recent Blog Posts

  • Occupational Therapy Round-Up
  • Should I Be Concerned?
  • Dr. Seuss Books and Activities
  • More Ideas for Catching
  • Book Inspired Activities

Disclaimers

  • Full Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • HIPAA Patient Notice
  • Accessibility Statement

Search

Patient Resources

  • New Patient Intake Forms
  • Starfish Resources
  • Our Services

Clinical Resources

  • Career Opportunties
  • Continuing Education

Contact

  (650) 638-9142
  (650) 638-9141
  admin@starfishtherapies.com

Join Our Online Community

Location

BURLINGAME
  1541 Old Bayshore Highway
  Burlingame, CA 94010

© Copyright 2023 Starfish Therapies · All Rights Reserved · Powered by babaLucas

 

Loading Comments...