Supporting your Child’s Body & Brain as they return to School
Happy First Day of School! As your child heads to pre-k or kindergarten for the first time, I’m sure there are a thousand things running through your mind. As pediatric physical and occupational therapists, we get a ton of questions from what backpack is best, to how to help your child follow a schedule. Let’s set your child up for success this school year!
Backpack basics:
Bags should be 10% of their body weight. If necessary, physical and occupational therapists can help you get a set of school and home books to reduce the weight of their bag.
Keep the straps tight! You want the bottom of the bag to rest at their hips or above (not on their butt).
Build Routines without Stress
Make a daily schedule with your child. Pro Tip: Use a picture schedule to do so, our occupational therapist, Mikaila, is so good at this!
Add movement breaks before or after stressful activities. Pediatric occupational therapists can collaborate with teachers to organize ‘movement breaks’ at school.
Communicate early and often. If there will be a sudden change to your child’s typical routine, try to inform them as early as you can.
Safe Play
Our favorite afterschool activities are:
Karate/Taekwondo and Gymnastics are great for balance, coordination, motor planning, and sensory input.
Swimming which is excellent for core strength and endurance.
Remind your children to speak up if something hurts! Whether its ‘growing pains’ or a hard fall, we want your little ones to stay safe!
At EMpower, we’re here to support your child’s growth, development, and confidence. Whether it’s helping with posture, motor skills, sports readiness, or injury recovery, our pediatric PTs and OTs are your partner in keeping kids moving strong all year long.
👉 If you’d like to schedule an appointment email us at info@empowerpt.org or text us at 201-591-5253.