Great Physical Therapy Toys
Toys can be an effective tool in pediatric physical therapy as they can motivate and engage children in therapeutic activities. We use toys frequently as they make physical therapy more engaging and fun. Toys can help children stay motivated and make their therapy sessions more enjoyable.
How We Use Toys in PT
There are many uses for toys in PT. Toys can be used to improve strength and coordination. For example, a simple ball can be used for various catching, throwing, and rolling exercises. These activities can help improve hand-eye coordination and upper-body strength. Similarly, a jump rope can help improve coordination and balance while providing a cardiovascular workout.
Toys that require children to use their gross motor skills, such as throwing, catching, or jumping, can help improve strength, balance, and coordination. For example, a therapist may use a ball to help a child improve their balance by having them stand on one foot while trying to catch the ball.
Toys can be used to improve balance and stability. For example, a therapist can use a balance board to challenge a child's balance and core strength. This can help improve overall stability and reduce the risk of falls. Similarly, an exercise ball can challenge balance and core strength while providing a fun and engaging workout.
Toy Recommendations
If you’re looking for a specific toy to help with your child’s PT goals, the best thing to do is to ask your child’s physical therapist.
The toys on this list are great tools to help your child’s gross motor skills.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, EJ Therapy will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
1). Scooters
Scooters can be a fun way to work on core strength and balance. Children can use their arms and legs to propel themselves forward on the scooter, which can help improve their overall strength and coordination.
2).Therapy or sensory swings:
Therapy swings can be a great tool for improving balance, coordination, and sensory integration. Children can sit or lie on the swing while doing exercises or simply enjoying the movement. Sensory swings provide children with a safe and fun way to engage in activities that can help develop their gross motor skills. The swinging motion stimulates the vestibular system, which helps with balance, coordination, and spatial awareness. Additionally, the proprioceptive input from the pressure and resistance of the swings helps strengthen muscles and improve body awareness. Overall, sensory swings can be a valuable tool for children to improve their gross motor skills in a playful and engaging way.
You don’t have to purchase a swing, you can even take your child to the playground and have them lay on a tire swing or swing on a swing.
3). Play tunnels:
Play tunnels can be used to crawl through, climb over, and play hide and seek. They are also great for improving balance and coordination. They also give sensory input.
4). Balance boards:
Balance boards can be used to strengthen the core muscles, improve posture, and develop gross motor skills. They are also fun to use and can be used indoors or outdoors.
5). Therapy Balls
Therapy balls are a great way to improve strength and coordination. They can be used for various exercises such as rolling, bouncing, and catching. They are also great for improving balance and can be used to improve posture.
6). Cones or Dots
They can be used in various activities such as obstacle courses, balance exercises, and games. Cones can also be used to encourage reaching, bending, and stretching movements.
7). Trampolines
Trampolines can be beneficial for children to improve gross motor skills because they require the use of large muscle groups to jump and maintain balance. This helps to develop coordination, balance, and overall strength. The bouncing motion of a trampoline can stimulate the vestibular system, which plays an important role in balance and spatial orientation. Additionally, repetitive jumping can help improve cardiovascular health and be a fun way for children to stay active. However, it's important to supervise children while they're using trampolines to ensure their safety.
8). Go to the Playground
Playgrounds are beneficial for children to improve gross motor skills because they offer a variety of physical activities that encourage children to run, jump, climb, swing, and balance. These activities help children develop their coordination, strength, and balance, which are important components of gross motor skills. Additionally, playing on a playground encourages social interaction and imaginative play, which can help children to develop their cognitive and emotional skills. The best part is that this is free!
9). Balance Bikes and Bikes
Bikes can help children develop their balance and coordination by encouraging them to maintain their balance while pedaling.
Balance bikes are beneficial for children to improve gross motor skills because they require the child to use their core muscles to balance and steer the bike. This helps to develop their sense of balance and coordination, which are important skills for other physical activities such as running, jumping, and playing sports. Additionally, using a balance bike can help a child to build confidence and independence as they learn to control and maneuver the bike on their own.
10). Building toys
Our Picks:
Building blocks provide children with opportunities to practice gross motor skills such as reaching, grasping, and releasing. As they manipulate the blocks, children engage in movements that help them develop hand-eye coordination, balance, and spatial awareness. Additionally, building with blocks encourages children to use their large muscles as they stand, squat, and move around. All of these activities help improve gross motor skills and promote overall physical development in children.
11). Toys to climb on/step on
Our Picks:
Soft toys to climb on are beneficial for children to improve gross motor skills because they provide a safe and fun way for children to develop their coordination, balance, and strength. Climbing on soft toys also helps children develop their spatial awareness as they learn to navigate their bodies through different positions and movements.
12). Sports toys and Outdoor Games
Sports toys like basketball hoops and soccer balls, and nets are beneficial because they require physical activity that engages large muscle groups. This helps children develop their coordination, balance, strength, and endurance. Additionally, sports toys can promote social skills such as teamwork and communication, as children engage in group play and learn to follow rules and take turns.
Outdoor games like hopscotch are great for children to improve their gross motor skills as it involves jumping, balancing, and hopping. These movements help to develop their coordination, balance, and body awareness. Additionally, hopscotch can also help to improve their cognitive skills as they learn to plan their movements and follow a sequence.
13). Activity dice
By rolling the dice and performing the action indicated, children are encouraged to move their bodies in different ways, which helps to develop their coordination, balance, and strength. Additionally, the unpredictability of the dice keeps children engaged and motivated to participate in physical activity, which can help to improve their overall fitness and health.
14). Tummy time Toys
Tummy time is important for babies because it helps them to develop strong neck, shoulder, and back muscles, which are necessary for crawling, sitting up, and other gross motor skills. When babies are placed on their stomachs, they have to use these muscles to lift their heads and look around, which helps to strengthen these important muscles.
15. Squigz
Our Picks:
Suction toys like squigz are beneficial for children to improve gross motor skills because they require the use of larger muscle groups, such as the arms and legs, to manipulate and move the toy. The suction aspect of the toy adds an extra challenge and resistance for the child to overcome, further strengthening their muscles and improving their coordination and balance. Additionally, suction toys can encourage active play and exploration, which is important for overall physical development.