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Push/Pull Toy

The following activities can be done with the push/pull toy given to your child in their Therapy to Go bag.

A push/pull toy shaped like a dinosaur

Targeted skills

  • Gross motor: reaching, sitting or standing balance
  • Visual motor
  • Fine motor: grasping, coordination
  • Cognition: shape identification, color identification, problem solving, turn taking, direction following

First time doing this activity? Find more tips and information.

Reminders

  • Only do activities that your therapist has recommended. If your child cannot walk, run, jump, or do stairs, do not try these activities at home.
  • For your child’s safety, always stand next to your child during activities that test their balance.
  • Be patient with your child. Give them enough time to complete each activity.
  • Show your child how to do each activity before they do it themselves.
  • Help your child as needed.

Activities

Cause and Effect

  1. Place the toy on the floor.
  2. Teach your child to pull the string on the toy to make it move.

Sitting

  1. Place the toy on the floor, just out of your child’s reach.
  2. Have your child lean forward and reach for the toy.
  3. Roll the toy back and forth with your child.
Person pulling push/pull toy by its string

Crawling

  1. Place the toy on the floor.
  2. Roll the toy on the floor.
  3. Encourage your child to crawl to the toy while you roll it.

Squatting

  1. Place the toy on the floor.
  2. Have your child squat down to pick up the toy.
  3. Have your child stand back up while holding the toy.

Walking forward and backward

  1. While standing, have your child hold the string of the toy.
  2. Tell your child to walk forward while pulling the toy behind them.
  3. Tell your child to walk backward while pulling the toy in front of them.

Stairs

  1. Place the toy on the stairs. You may choose to put the toy on a low stair or at the top of the stairs. The number of stairs for this activity should be chosen based on how difficult it is for your child to go upstairs.
  2. Teach your child to climb the stairs to reach the toy.
  3. Have your child come down the stairs while holding the toy.
A push/pull toy at the top of a set of small foam stairs

Running

  1. Roll the toy away from your child.
  2. Have your child run to the toy and pick it up.

Jumping

  1. Place the toy on the floor.
  2. Have your child jump over the toy. Be careful not to trip or jump on the toy.


Reviewed: July 2024