Scootin' Around

Scooter boards are something you may see us use often at Therapy OPS. We use them frequently because they are not only a TON of fun and motivating for the kids, but they also promote a variety of skill building! For starters, using a scooter board is a great strengthening activity. It works on leg muscles, arm muscles and those big muscles of our core! Second, it provides sensory-motor input through ‘heavy work’ for the proprioceptive system and puts our heads in different positions so the vestibular system can organize/help regulate our bodies. Additionally, using a scooter board challenges the visual system, requiring us to scan our environment from a different viewpoint. Finally, scooter boards also require us to use both hands at the same time which helps bilateral coordination (coordinating the movements of both hands together). These are just a few of the many skills that a scooter board can work on!
So now that you know some the great benefits, here are some fun ways to use a scooter board! If you have one at home, try some of these out!
Prone: laying on your stomach
•    Pull yourself forward with rope (add clothespins to rope as target points and have children remove them for added fine motor strength). Or try adding puzzle pieces at the beginning and have them pull themselves to the end of the rope where they can put them in the puzzle.
•    Push off a wall with your hands, or try with your feet for an increased challenge with vision eliminated (add a ‘tower’ of blocks behind to knock over for added fun)
•    Push/pull yourself around an area to retrieve items and bring to new locations (collect puzzle pieces, or coins for piggy bank)
•    Holding a hula hoop, have adult or another child pull you forward and maybe even spin in circles (additional vestibular input)
•    Maneuver around cones (place cotton balls on top of cones to be blown off when reaching target for added trunk extension for increased strength and breath support)
•    With a straw, blow a small ball or similar item around/to targets
•    Play real life ‘Hungry Hippos” game with laundry baskets and balls (need 4+ people to play)
 
Supine: laying on back
•    Push both legs off a wall (add tower to knock over every so many pushes, or whistle blowing each time to promote breathing)
•    Pull yourself with a rope (the rope will be going over your head/body)
•    Push self-backwards, maneuvering around targets
•    Build a small ramp and go down feet first
 
Seated: on bottom
•    Use your legs to pull/push yourself around (around targets or collecting items)
•    Add a ball and play soccer
•    Have parent or peer push/pull
•    Use clean plungers, or similar items, as paddles to move around

Any position:
•    Body bowling! Set up bowling pins at one end of the room and have the child scooter down to knock them over.
•    Follow a tape path on the floor
•    Create an obstacle course for them to scoot around
•    Play a shopping game. Have different grocery (pretend/fake) items scattered around and allow them to go “grocery shopping” by scooting around
 
If you have any questions, please contact Therapy OPS at 651-455-0561 or info@therapyops.com