These activities can help strengthen your child’s muscles and build their endurance!
Swimming – Weightless in Water!
“Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!” Dory in Finding Nemo had the right idea! In the water, the body is weightless…which means that low muscle tone is less of a hindrance and there’s no chance that your child will lose balance and fall.
Moving the body through the water can also build low muscle tone as gross motor skills improve and gives your child the coordination and strength he needs to function better outside of the water!
Horseback Riding – Never Enough Horsing Around!
Who ever said horsing around was a bad idea?! A child doesn’t have to ride competitively or participate in the more dangerous riding sports to benefit from riding.
Horseback riding (while sitting or lying down on the horse), helps children with low muscle tone build their cores and many other muscles. According to a CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research study, riding horses teaches children to manipulate their bodies and builds muscles in many areas throughout. They can work on improving their balance as well!
Martial Arts – “Ay-ya!”
Martial arts are a great way to build muscle tone once your child is comfortable standing and has gained balance. According to Understood, a non-profit focused on learning and developmental delays, martial arts are great for kids with motor challenges because, children are taught slowly and deliberately, and in an organized manner.
