Functional mobility refers to a child’s ability to move safely and effectively within their daily environments, such as moving around at home, school, and in the community. In OT, functional mobility is an essential skill that supports independence in many areas, including transitions between activities, navigating playgrounds or classrooms, and moving safely around obstacles. Therapists work on enhancing a child’s core strength, balance, coordination, and body awareness to help them move with stability and confidence. They may use exercises such as obstacle courses to improve agility, stepping stones or balance beams to strengthen coordination, and scooter boards or climbing activities to support motor planning and postural control. Functional mobility training is tailored to each child’s needs to ensure they can participate fully and safely in daily tasks, promoting greater autonomy and confidence in their physical abilities.

Activities to Complete at Home:

  1. Obstacle Course – Set up a path with pillows, boxes, and chairs to step over, crawl under, and weave around.
  2. Balance Beam – Use a strip of tape or a low piece of wood for walking in a straight line.
  3. Animal Walks – Practice moving like animals (e.g., bear crawls, frog hops, crab walks) to strengthen coordination and balance.
  4. Stair Stepping – Practice stepping up and down stairs or a small step stool with supervision.
  5. Scooter Board Rides – Use a scooter board to push off with hands or feet and maneuver around, strengthening core and coordination.
  6. Hopscotch – Draw a hopscotch board with chalk or tape and have kids jump on one and two feet.
  7. Simon Says with Movement – Play “Simon Says” with actions like jumping, spinning, crawling, or balancing.
  8. Wheelbarrow Walks – Hold the child’s legs while they walk on their hands, building upper body and core strength.
  9. Yoga Poses – Try simple poses like “tree,” “downward dog,” and “warrior” to improve balance and body awareness.
  10. Jumping Jacks and Star Jumps – Fun exercises for whole-body coordination and rhythm.
  11. Rolling and Crawling Games – Play games where the child rolls from one side of the room to another or crawls on different surfaces.
  12. Tightrope Walk – Place a piece of string on the floor to pretend it’s a high wire, challenging balance and control.
  13. Red Light, Green Light – Practice starting and stopping movements on command to enhance control.
  14. Climbing Up and Down Steps or Small Structures – Safely climb on play equipment, steps, or even a sturdy couch cushion tower.
  15. Dancing to Music – Play music with varying speeds, encouraging kids to move to the beat, building coordination.
  16. Pillow Walking – Scatter pillows on the floor and have kids walk or jump from one to another, enhancing stability and balance.
  17. Ball Kicks and Dribbles – Practice kicking or dribbling a ball around cones or markers for foot-eye coordination.
  18. Freeze Dance – Dance to music and freeze when the music stops, helping kids work on starting and stopping movement.
  19. Crawling Through Tunnels – Set up a tunnel or a blanket fort for crawling, promoting strength and spatial awareness.
  20. Follow the Leader – Take turns leading with different movements like marching, hopping, or skipping, challenging body control.