Movement and Dance with Occupational Therapy
There is a lot of research to support the strong connections between physical education, movement breaks, recess, energizing activities, and improved cognition.
To be more specific, reseach has been completed to support the relationship between movement and the visual system (Shulman et al., 1997), movement and the language systems (Kim, Ugirbil, & Strick, 1994), movement and memory (Desmond, Gabrielli, Wagner, Ginier, & Glover, 1997), and movement and attention (Courchesne & Allen, 1997).
And as Occupational Therapists we agree with these findings and will often use movement strategies as part of a child’s sensory diet/ program for home and school to support attention and a range of other skills.
Occupational Therapists will involve a range of movement based activities in to therapy sessions such as combining a swing with a bilateral activity, or using the big therapy ball to coordinate timing a two footed kick while on their back etc.
Using sensory equipment for movement based activities provides strong, specific input necessary to the child's therapy program.
However, when we go in to schools, it is not often possible to use suspended sensory equipment.
For this reason, we at Little Achievers Occupational Therapy will be commencing Movement and Dance classes for children of all ages to assist with the connection between brain and body for a range of skills such as:
Bilateral integration
Following multiple step instructions
Developing muscle tone
Improving and supporting social skills and interactions
Enhancing confidence and well- being
Improving hand and body strength
Developing turn- taking skills and working as a team
Improving rhythm and sequencing through working with a strong beat
These classes offer a range of skills and will have goals specific for each client. The group will be adjusted according to age, sex and skill ability of the children.
Classes can be run at our Hurstville clinic and also within the school setting.
Please contact us on sam@littleachievers.com.au or (02) 8021 3630 for more information and to discuss how to start a group at your school or put your name down for a class in our Hurstville clinic!
