Brain Benefits of Sensory Motor Groups

Brain Benefits of Sensory Motor Groups

Do you provide group therapy sessions?  Is it ever a struggle for children to participate?  Do you find that some children have the motor skills when playing alone but then have difficulties when they start playing in a group game?  Participating in sensory-motor group games requires additional executive functions than playing alone.  Sensory-motor groups add on another level of cognitive load i.e. impulse control, higher motor planning, self-regulation, etc.  Providing group therapy sessions or offering additional opportunities for group motor play (i.e. recess, physical education or in class games) may help with executive functions, coordination skills and higher level motor tasks.

Here are 3 evidence based reasons to support brain benefits of sensory-motor groups:

Participation in group motor skill games and complex motor tasks may possibly induce neurogenesis in the hippocampus and physiological changes in the cerebellum.

Skills acquired during complex motor tasks and cognitively demanding group games may transfer to executive functions.

There is a close interrelationship between motor control and executive functions such as:

• the co-activation between the prefrontal cortex, the cerebellum, and the basal ganglia during several motor and cognitive tasks
• both having a similar developmental timetable.
• both skills requiring sequencing, monitoring, and planning.

Research indicates that increasing the mental engagement in physical activity by adding coordination and cognitive demands result in superior effects on executive functions when compared to physical activities without increased cognitive loads.

Reference:  Aadland, K. N., Moe, V. F., Aadland, E., Anderssen, S. A., Resaland, G. K., & Ommundsen, Y. (2017). Relationships between physical activity, sedentary time, aerobic fitness, motor skills and executive function and academic performance in children. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 12, 10-18.

Read Tips for Successful Pediatric Group Therapy Sessions.

Here are 3 resources for sensory-motor groups to encourage movement and learning:

The ABC’s of Movement®- Combine Movement with Literacy  – The ABC’s of Movement® is a pdf document of educational flash cards that combine movement with literacy development. Kids love these colorful flash cards that merge learning the alphabet with twenty six fun, noncompetitive movement activities. Designed for children of all abilities from preschool through 2nd grade, these flash cards were developed by a physical therapist with learning and physical development in mind. Ideal for home and school use. These bright, bold letters and full color photographs of children make learning easy and fun!

Movement Flashcards – Movement Flashcards digital download includes 10 aerobic exercises with flash cards templates. Students can get physical activity while reviewing material. The 10 aerobic activities include: run in place, jumping, hopping, squats, lunges, skipping, twists, cross crawls, jumping jacks and marching. Each page includes a picture image of the aerobic exercise along with a blank template to type in 18 flash cards. You choose what to work on for academic material.

Cardio Skip Counting digital download includes 3 videos and worksheets to get moving and working out while practicing skip counting by 2s, 5s and 10s to 100. Each video takes the students through skip counting while performing different aerobic exercises such as marching in place, running in place, cross crawls, trunk twists, lunges, squats and more! All you have to do is open the Powerpoint Presentation or the video files and select the movie you want to play. The worksheets include number writing practice and an aerobic activity. The students have to write in the missing numbers and then perform an exercise while counting to 100 by 2s, 5s or 10s.

The post Brain Benefits of Sensory Motor Groups appeared first on Your Therapy Source.

Movers and Shakers in the Classroom

I am so honored to be a guest blogger over at Dr. Jean and Friends for a post entitled 5 Tips for Movers and Shakers in the Classroom.  If you are not familiar with Dr. Jean Feldman, I highly recommend that you check out her website and follow her blog.  She has so many multisensory activities for young children and 40 years of experience working with young children to back it all up!  I especially love all of her action songs with different themes.  You can view the guest post and check out her blog at http://drjeanandfriends.blogspot.com/2015/03/movers-and-shakers.html

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Beach Ball Therex Games

Head over to YourTherapySource for three suggestions to play with a therex beach ball. 

Color Ball Game

Go to Your Therapy Source to learn how to play this group activity that encourages motor memory, following directions and coordination skills. 

3 Simple Group Games with a Hula Hoop

Here are three simple group games to play using a hula hoop:

1.  Circle Hoop - the group of children should stand in a circle all holding hands.  Have one pair of children unclasp hands and place a hoop on one child's arm.  They should all hold hands again.  The goal is to move the hula hoop around the entire circle never breaking the chain of hands.  Children will have to bend over, squat down and stand on one leg to get the hoop over the head to pass the hoop to the next child.  This is a great activity to encourage balance practice and motor planning.

2.  Through the Hoop - Break up the group into several small teams (about 3 children in each group).  Give each group one hula hoop.  Establish a starting line and another line about 10-20 feet away.  The first person in each group runs to the line that is 10-20 feet away and holds the hoop several inches off the ground.  Then the next person runs down, climbs through the hoop and back to the starting line.  The third person runs down, climbs through the hoop and back to the starting line.  The first person climbs through the hoop while holding it and runs back to start.  The first team with all three players through the hoop is the winner.

3. Hula Hoop Obstacle Course -  Divide the group into a few teams.  Give each team one hula hoop.  Place a few chairs, cones or obstacles in a line.  On go, the first player on each team tries to roll the hula hoop around the chairs or cones back to the starting line.  Then the next player goes until each player has gone.  First team to complete the course is the winner.

What are some of your favorite group games using only a hula hoop?

Need more ideas for groups?  Check out 25 Instant Sensory Motor Group Activities or  Sensory Motor Group Activities from A to Z.

Group versus Individual Sessions for Kids with DCD

A recent study in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine was published on motor skill training for children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Twenty three children with DCD (mean age 8 yrs 1month) were split up with 12 children receiving motor skill training in a group and 11 on an individual basis, one time per week for 8 weeks. Both groups also were instructed in home exercise programs. All children were assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. Following the 8 week program both groups significantly reduced their scores on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. There was no difference between the two groups in MABC scores, home exercise compliance and parent satisfaction. The researchers concluded that group motor skill training may be a "preferred treatment option due to the associated cost savings.".

Reference: Winnie W. Y. Hung, Marco Y.C. Pang Effects of group-based versus individual-based exercise training on motor performance in children with developmental coordination disorder: A randomized controlled study. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. Vol. 42/2010 (2): 122-128.

Sensory Motor Group Activities A to Z. Summary: Download of an electronic book of over 50 sensory motor group activities for every letter of the alphabet plus over 20 printable sheets to compliment the activities.