Top 5 Paediatric Physiotherapy Approved Toys
9th December 2020
Erin Oakman & Alison Shipp
Little Steps @ Rehab Hub Paediatric Physiotherapists
Some Christmas shopping ideas aimed at your baby’s gross motor development
What toy is best to buy my child?
“This is a question we get asked a lot at this time of the year. As parents we want a toy that will last longer than 5 minutes before becoming discarded at the bottom of the toy box but most importantly, we want a toy that helps our children develop”. Alison Shipp, Little Steps Paediatric Physiotherapist.
Here are our top 5 physiotherapy approved toys for developing gross motor skills. Every day should be a physio day!
1. Silver Foil Survival Blankets
Babies love the rustling sound, crinkly texture and reflective surface. Great for sensory play and practising gross motor skills.
- Tummy time is great fun laying on the shiny surface
- Wave the blanket over your baby as they lay on their back
- Play Peek a boo while in sitting!
2. Stacking Toys
- Great for reaching in sitting to develop core strength and balance
- Reach and crawl to towers to knock then down
- Cruise at the sofa to collect them!
Stacking toys encourage; cause and effect, hand eye co-ordination, object manipulation and grasp and release.
3. Ride-on Toys
- Practice weight shift and motor planning getting on and off
- Riding helps build leg strength, core control and spatial awareness
- Can last as your little ones grow and play imaginary driving games!
4. Balance Bikes
- A great way for toddlers to start to develop balance
- Develop leg muscle strength
- Spatial awareness
- Gross motor planning.
5. Interlocking blocks – Duplo or Mega blocks
- Stimulate imagination and discovery
- Fine motor skills
- Open ended play
- Hand strength and dexterity
More about Ali & Erin of Little Steps Physiotherapy
Little Steps Physiotherapy offer developmental assessments and play activities to get your baby meeting gross motor milestones.
Ali and Érin each have over ten years’ experience in paediatric physiotherapy working across a variety of NHS settings. For many years they have also offered private paediatric physiotherapy, supporting children and their families in their own homes across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
They now run a paediatric physiotherapy clinic from the Rehab Hub in Biggleswade for babies, toddlers, teens and in-betweens. Their mission is to help every child feel confident with movement so that step by step they reach their individual physical potential.
