top of page
pediatric physical therapy boston ability center

Happy Physical Therapy Month!

Did you know? October is National Physical Therapy Month! Join us in celebrating with some favorite home exercises from our pediatric physical therapy team!

Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month
Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month

When playing basketball, you can practice:

​

  • Standing and dribbling, try to beat your high score on how many consecutive dribbles you can get

  • Walking and dribbling

  • Shooting a basketball into a hoop. You can use a laundry basket or someone holding a hula hoop as a target if you don’t have a basketball hoop!

  • Passing to a partner: try chest passes and bounce passes

  • You can add different challenges before each shot or pass:

    • Standing on one foot

    • Sitting down and standing up from a step stool

    • 5 jumping jacks

    • 5 squats or lunges

    • Passing or shooting the ball while on your knees

PLAYING BASKETBALL

Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month Half Kneel

HALF KNEEL WITH ROTATION

  • Play in ½ kneel

  • Reach with ball or throw bean bags across body 10x each side

  • Alternate leg that is forward and repeat

CONE EXERCISES

Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month Cone Taps

  • Hide Pieces of a puzzle or other surprise under cones or plastic cups 

  • Have your child balance on their left foot as they tap the top of the cone with their right foot 

  • Then have your child balance on their right foot as they tap the top of the cone with their left foot 

  • After they tap the cone with both feet let them squat down to retrieve the surprise under the cone  

Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month
Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month Cone Taps

SWIMMERS

Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month Swimmers
Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month Swimmers

  • You can use any soft item that you have at home – physioball, stack up a few pillows, etc.

  • Start in a plank position and then try to lift up opposite arm/leg (ex. right arm, left leg) and switch!

  • Just do arms if it’s tricky to do both

Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month
Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month

KAYAKING

You can get as creative as you can with kayaking practice at home. The key things to keep consistent are:

​

  • Focusing on core and balance by sitting on an unstable or wobbly surface to simulate the water

  • Alternating which side is going into the water

  • Holding on tight to the paddle with both hands reaching all the way in

 

You can do this in a laundry basket, on a couch cushion, or skateboard at home. Feel free to add waves and splash some water to prepare them for the water.

SQUATS WITH WEIGHT

You can use a water jug, can of food, or any other household item.

​

Make sure your knees do not go past your toes. 

 

Perform 3 sets of 10.

Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month Weighted Squats
Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month Side Stepping up Stairs

SIDE STEPPING UP STAIRS

Walk up the stairs sideways, holding onto the railing if needed. 

 

Perform 3 times on each side.  

Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month Side Stepping up Stairs

ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT

You can perform this activity on any surface, preferably a mat or a carpet with or without a pool noodle or other rod-like object in your hands.

​

Lift your legs and back off the mat and hold yourself in a “V” position while you row your boat gently down the stream.

Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month Twist Crunch
Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month Twist Crunch

YOGA

Grab a friend or family member and strike a pose! Yoga is an excellent way to stretch and strengthen your muscles. Partners can use each other for added balance for standing poses such as tree pose, bow pulling pose and warrior pose. Be sure to try some poses meant for two people to do together such as sitting seesaw and lizard on a rock. A quick YouTube or Google search will put you well on your way. When in doubt, remember to BREATHE.  

Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month Downward Dog Yoga
Pediatric Physical Therapist Exercise Physical Therapy Month Hopscotch

HOPSCOTCH

Work on different variations of playing hopscotch. Try jumping with both feet together on each number, then try hopping on one leg. Be sure to try hopping on one leg with each side!

Interested in learning more about how physical therapy services can benefit your child? Learn more about physical therapy at the Boston Ability Center or schedule an evaluation with our team!

Learn more with information and tips from our experts at the BAC Blog!

bottom of page