Exercises for 7 Years and Up
Older children and teens need strength and control they can actually use, on a field, on a bike, or getting through a school day without folding over the desk. These three movements ask for more than the younger sets do. They are general ideas for practice at home, not a therapy plan written for your child.
Form first, effort second.
At this age a child can usually muscle through a movement badly, which is exactly what you do not want. Watch the clip together, agree on what good looks like, and stop the moment form falls apart or something hurts.
Hurdles
Stepping and hopping over a low obstacle asks the body to lift the knee, clear the bar and land under control, which is what keeps a child upright when the ground changes under them. Watch for a clean high knee and a quiet, bent knee landing rather than a stiff thud.
Superman
Lying on the tummy and lifting arms and legs together builds the back and hip muscles that hold posture at a desk and on a bike. Watch for a long neck and for arms and legs lifting together rather than one at a time, which is the shortcut most children take.
Knee tucks
Drawing the knees in toward the chest asks the deep abdominal muscles to hold the trunk still while the hips do the moving. Watch for the low back staying in contact with the surface instead of arching as the legs travel, and slow the movement down until it does.
General ideas, not a personal program.
These videos exist so families have something useful to work on at home. They are not tailored to any one child, and they are not a substitute for a plan. Your child's home program should come from the therapist who has evaluated them, because it has to account for how your child moves, what they are working on, and anything a physician has flagged. If your child has a diagnosis, a recent injury, or a medical condition, check with your pediatrician or therapist before trying these at home.
More movement ideas, sorted by age.
The younger sets break the same skills into smaller pieces, which is useful when a movement is not going well. Single exercises from our school age home program are broken out one per page.
Teens with flat feet, tired legs or a recent injury do better with a plan than with a video. Call us at (914) 939-6400 →