Milestones
Hi Lisa,
I’m a pediatric occupational therapist and sensory specialist with expertise on the impact of technology on child development, and would like to comment on your question “How do I know if my child is ready for…?”
Growing children is a little like building a house in the sense that children require a solid foundation for achieving optimal child development. This foundation is achieved through receiving adequate amounts of three critical factors: movement, touch and connection with other humans.
I think expanding on each of these three critical factors for child development might be an effective way to answer your question “How do I know if my child is ready for…?”
For example:
Q: “How do I know if my child is ready to ride a tricycle?”
A: To ride a tricycle, toddlers require adequate postural tone and bilateral coordination, largely achieved through rough and tumble play. Toddlers require 3-4 hours per day unstructured play time on the floor or outside. This rough and tumble play stimulates the toddler’s vestibular (balance) and proprioceptive (muscle) sensory systems, which are responsible for maintaining centre of gravity positions and coordination of opposite sides of the body for riding a tricycle. Test: the toddler should be able to stand independently on one foot for 2-3 seconds prior to attempting to ride a tricycle. This task will ensure the toddler can sustain enough postural control that they can swing a leg up onto the tricycle.
Let me know if you’d like to hear more? I’ve attached a Foundation Scale for infants and toddlers I use in my early intervention workshop that you may find useful. I’ve also attached a bio and our Zone’in Fact Sheet, which documents research regarding the impact of technology on early child development.
Have a GREAT day!
Sincerely,
Cris Rowan, BScOT, BScBi, SIPT, Approved Provider AOTA
CEO Zone’in Programs Inc.
6840 Seaview Rd.
Sechelt, BC V0N3A4
604-885-0986 office, 604-885-0389 fax, 604-740-2264 cell
email crowan@zonein.ca
website www.zonein.ca