Benefits of Scooter Boards in Occupational Therapy
Scooter boards are popular tools in occupational therapy, especially for children. They are small, flat boards with wheels that children use to move around by pushing with their hands or feet. These boards offer many benefits, helping children develop critical skills. At OneOnOne Children’s Therapy in Bondi Junction and Mascot, our occupational therapists regularly incorporate scooter boards into therapy. Here’s why scooter boards are so effective.
1. Improving Gross Motor Skills
Strengthening Muscles: Using a scooter board requires children to engage their arm, leg, and core muscles. This strengthens these muscles, which is important for physical development. It also helps improve posture and balance.
Enhancing Coordination: When children use scooter boards, they must coordinate their hand-eye movements. This improves their bilateral coordination. Over time, they get better at using both sides of their body for activities like dressing or playing sports.
Building Endurance: Propelling themselves on a scooter board is a fun way for children to build endurance. Regular play helps them engage in physical activity that improves stamina, supporting their overall growth.
2. Promoting Fine Motor Skills
Hand Strength and Dexterity: Pushing on a scooter board strengthens the muscles in the hands and fingers. This is crucial for fine motor tasks like writing, cutting, and holding objects. Our occupational therapists use this activity to enhance a child’s hand strength and coordination.
Grasp and Release: Holding and releasing the edges of a scooter board improves fine motor control. These movements teach children how to better manage their hand movements, essential for tasks like drawing and picking up small objects.
3. Enhancing Sensory Processing
Proprioceptive Input: Scooter boards provide deep pressure input to a child’s muscles and joints. This helps improve body awareness and calms the nervous system. Children with sensory processing challenges benefit greatly from this calming, grounding input.
Vestibular Stimulation: The movement stimulates the vestibular system, which helps with balance and spatial awareness. Children who struggle with balance or coordination gain valuable sensory input from scooter board activities, helping them move more confidently.
4. Supporting Cognitive Development
Problem-Solving Skills: Moving around obstacles on a scooter board challenges a child’s problem-solving skills. They learn to plan their movements and adjust their strategies, which improves cognitive flexibility and decision-making.
Attention and Focus: Scooter board activities require children to focus on their movements and surroundings. This helps improve their attention span. As they practice, they become better at concentrating on tasks for longer periods.
5. Promoting Social Skills
Taking Turns: In group sessions, scooter boards teach children to take turns and share. This helps develop social skills like patience and cooperation. Our occupational therapists in Bondi Junction and Mascot often use games to encourage teamwork during scooter board activities.
Playing Games: Occupational therapists create fun, social games with scooter boards that encourage communication and collaboration. These games help children build positive relationships with their peers.
6. Boosting Confidence and Independence
Sense of Achievement: Successfully navigating a scooter board gives children a sense of achievement. They gain confidence as they master the activity, encouraging them to try new challenges.
Independence: As children become more proficient with scooter boards, they build independence. Knowing they can move and play on their own helps develop self-reliance, a key life skill.
Scooter Boards in Occupational Therapy
Scooter boards are more than just a fun activity. They provide an effective way to improve motor skills, sensory processing, cognitive abilities, and social skills. At OneOnOne Children’s Therapy, our occupational therapists in Bondi Junction and Mascot use scooter boards to create engaging, skill-building sessions tailored to each child’s unique needs. The benefits of scooter boards contribute to a child’s overall growth and success in daily life.
We’re Here to Support You
At OneOnOne Children’s Therapy, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to grow and thrive. Our occupational therapy clinics are places where children can discover their strengths, overcome challenges, and reach their full potential.
Reach Out for Support
If you’re concerned about your child’s development or want to learn more about how occupational therapy can help, we’re here to help. Our clinics in Bondi Junction and Mascot are in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Call us at (02) 80657837 or email us to schedule a consultation or book a free 30-minute phone call with one of our expert occupational therapists. We’ll discuss how we can support your child’s unique journey.
Our Occupational Therapists are proud members of AHPRA. We are a team of Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists and Certified ESDM Therapists working together for all children!
