Therapeak Performance

This activity is a further progression of our obstacle course sessions, where the child now independently creates and builds the course using different toys and equipment available ✨

For the second round, the OT challenged the child to change one part of the obstacle course they originally created. The child successfully modified one step by changing double-leg jumps in the agility hoops to single-leg hopping. While the change was still simple in complexity, it was great to see the child begin demonstrating flexible thinking and the ability to adapt their original plan.

From an OT perspective, this activity targets:
✅ Executive functioning skills such as cognitive flexibility, planning, sequencing and problem solving
✅ Ideation and creativity through generating new ideas
✅ Motor planning and body awareness
✅ Gross motor coordination, balance and core strength
✅ Confidence and autonomy through leading the activity independently

The next stage is supporting the child to increase the complexity of ideas, think beyond simple changes, and further develop higher-level problem solving and flexible thinking skills. Activities like this help children learn how to adapt, create and respond to challenges, which are important skills for school, play and everyday life 🌟

This activity focused on developing important foundational skills through play and movement ✨

Using a wooden spoon and fork, the child practised scooping, transferring and carefully placing balls onto the board. While it may look simple, this activity challenged a wide range of skills including:
✅ Bilateral coordination
✅ Crossing the midline
✅ Hand-eye coordination
✅ Visual tracking
✅ Motor planning
✅ Upper body coordination
✅ Grading force and control
✅ Wrist stability and shoulder strength
✅ Attention and concentration

The child needed to control the movement and placement of the balls with precision, helping develop coordination and stability required for more complex functional tasks. From an OT perspective, activities like this help prepare children for everyday skills such as using cutlery, managing classroom tasks, dressing, handwriting and participating in self-care activities.

Play-based activities like this allow children to build functional independence in a fun, engaging and meaningful way 🌟

This activity is a progression from our previous structured obstacle course, where the child is now encouraged to independently create and build their own obstacle course using the equipment available ✨

Instead of simply following instructions, the child now takes the lead by planning the setup, creating rules, and deciding how each part of the course should work. This approach challenges ideation, creativity, decision making and problem solving in a fun and meaningful way.

From an OT perspective, this type of child-led activity supports:
✅ Executive functioning skills including planning, organising, sequencing and cognitive flexibility
✅ Motor planning and body awareness
✅ Gross motor coordination, balance and core strength
✅ Communication and self-expression through explaining rules and ideas
✅ Confidence, autonomy and resilience when ideas need adjusting or don’t go as planned

Giving children opportunities to create and lead activities helps build independence, self-confidence and flexible thinking skills that transfer into school, play and everyday life 🌟

“The Fuzzies” might look like a simple stacking game, but from an OT perspective it targets so many important developmental skills ✨

Similar to Jenga, but even more challenging, this activity requires greater precision, grading of force, and upper body control to carefully remove and place the fuzzy balls without knocking the tower over. The child also follows movement instructions from the cards, adding another layer of cognitive and motor challenge.

Through play, the child worked on:
✅ Fine motor control and hand stability
✅ Visual motor integration and hand-eye coordination
✅ Bilateral coordination
✅ Motor planning and body awareness
✅ Sustained attention and working memory
✅ Executive functioning skills such as impulse control, planning, problem solving and decision making
✅ Emotional regulation, patience and resilience when the tower falls

Games like this are a great way to build functional skills while keeping therapy fun, engaging and meaningful for children 🌟

This structured obstacle course was more than just movement and play ✨

In this activity, the OT first created and demonstrated the obstacle course, then the child was encouraged to explain and demonstrate the sequence independently. This challenged executive functioning and cognitive skills including working memory, attention, sequencing, planning, problem solving, processing speed, impulse control, and motor planning.

At the same time, the obstacle course supported gross motor development through balance, coordination, body awareness and core strength, which are all important foundations for fine motor skills and everyday functional tasks.

Activities like this help children build confidence, follow multi-step instructions, and develop the physical and cognitive foundations needed for school, play and daily life 💪🌟