Ideas for an activity for DS6? (Maybe martial arts aficionados can chime in?)

[Um_2_4]

So I am looking for an activity for DS6 (maybe DD6 also). He has SPD and is in OT. I am looking for something that has structure and allows him to get out some of the need for movement. He needs to work on his core stability. 

These are my ideas so far:

 

- Martial Arts: Is there some form of martial arts that does not require bowing (we will not bow to another person or room or building for religious reasons, so this is non-negotiable)? I thought maybe some of the martial art moms might have an idea here. MMA maybe? Do they have classes for this age? We have so many schools around here, so if I can get a term I will look it up. 

 

- Gymnastics maybe? but he has "gravitational insecurities" per OT. Which we are working on in OT, but I know right now he would not be ready for any height related work. Do they do that from the get go??? Is tumbling more the term for what I want?

 

- Swimming maybe? There is an indoor school nearby, but not sure he will "trust" a stranger in the pool iykwim.

 

I am not too interested in the usual team sports (soccer, football) as in my neck of the woods there really is no "just for fun" rec teams. I checked with our city and county and at his age (6 1/2), most teams have moved into the more competitive realm. And he would be considered behind since he didn't start at 4 like most of the kids. Plus I think group things where he would have to wait would be just too much for him at this stage, maybe later.

 

Before anyone suggests it : the Y here does not have much to offer (nothing daytime or for homeschoolers, etc) and is in a very bad part of town (area I would not go by myself at daytime).

[Dmmetler]

My child with SPD who is "gravitationally insecure" has benefitted greatly from tumbling, and, after several years, can now climb up the cargo net (admittedly, this is a skill most of the 3-4 yr olds master, but for DD, that was a BIG deal!). I truly think she's gained more from tumbling and cheer (cheer is why she was willing to try tumbling at age 6) than from OT

[plansrme]

Swimming! Core, structure, whole-body movement, no bowing, and it is a go-at-your-own-pace sport forever. And Dr. Mom here is convinced that there is something magical about the rhythmic back-and-forth that is just good for what ails you, as they say.

 

Eta: I also could see swimming being useful for the gravitational insecurities. Young swimmers learn to jump in, them dive from the side and then to go off of the blocks, which are much higher than they look from the stands. But the littles can always start from the side if they are not comfortable on the block.

Edited April 30, 2016 by plansrme

[UCF612]

How well does he swim? You mention trusting someone but at our swim team the coach doesn't get in the water. The kids are required to be able to swim the length of the pool without help to join. It has been a great sport for us. My oldest loves it and it is do good for him physically and mentally. He doesn't have SPD but he is just happier all around when he's participating in swim team.

 

Ditto plansrme on everything!

[Um_2_4]

How well does he swim? You mention trusting someone but at our swim team the coach doesn't get in the water. The kids are required to be able to swim the length of the pool without help to join. It has been a great sport for us. My oldest loves it and it is do good for him physically and mentally. He doesn't have SPD but he is just happier all around when he's participating in swim team.

 

Ditto plansrme on everything!

 

He has never swam in a big pool, only the small backyard pools and playing in the summer. My main concern besides if he would let someone else help him in the pool is that he is super skinny and always gets cold outside in the play pool even with a rash guard. I am guessing an indoor pool would be better???

[rebcoola]

 Gymnastics would not likely involve heights at the beginning most places start the kids on low beams and low bars.  A tumbling class would  be all floor unless they do rope climb/net climb for strength but that is something he could opt out of.   Can you just try them all of the gymnastics classes offer a free trial class.

Edited April 30, 2016 by rebcoola

[Storygirl]

Gymnastics has been excellent for DS12 who has SPD and ADHD and also dyspraxia. He has poor proprioception. Gymnastics really has worked on many of the same things that OT did.

 

At age 6 in a beginning gymnastics class, there are not going to be many things to be concerned about with heights. Boys don't do balance beam. They do work on the rings, the high bar, the parallel bars, and the pommel horse, but there will be constant spotting by the coach, and the skills start out super easy before ramping up slowly. Depending on the class, they might not use the equipment at all until older. Age 6 might focus more on tumbling.

 

We haven't done martial arts, but someone else might be able to chime in about the bowing issue. Couldn't you bow to someone out of respect for that person as a teacher (men used to bow to each other in greeting, just as women would do a curtsy), and not for a religious purpose? I think some places will emphasize the religious/philosophical elements, and others will not, so you would need to look into what is available in your area.

Edited April 30, 2016 by Storygirl

[City Mouse]

Honestly, I think any of those would be a good choice depending of the facility. What is most convenient?

[Um_2_4]

Thanks everyone, I will look into gymnastics as there is a place near here that I heard has homeschool classes. If not second would be swimming. There is an indoor pool here that has lessons. I will have to see what they offer.

[gingersmom]

Ice skating

 

My sons OT recommended it when he was young. I was super skeptical. After one group lesson he was skating. It was crazy that my non-athletic child picked it up so fast.

 

It's been 10 years and he still loves ice skating.

[Guest]

He has never swam in a big pool, only the small backyard pools and playing in the summer. My main concern besides if he would let someone else help him in the pool is that he is super skinny and always gets cold outside in the play pool even with a rash guard. I am guessing an indoor pool would be better???

 

My kid was/is super skinny.  The activity in the pool warms you up some, and so does a big thirsty towel that has been sitting in the sun.  My son swam ages 6-18 and it was the best activity we could have had for him.  He wasn't a champion after the elementary years, but he was faithful, and in the later years, showing up gets you a lot of team points...

 

:0)  

 

We did summer swim team.  Year round would have been way too much commitment for us as he and I have other interests.

[UCF612]

My son is skinny too and we can only do swim team from April to Oct/Nov. He's still pretty cold when he gets out during those end months (April, Oct/Nov) but does ok in the heated pool. We are in FL though, I imagine it is worse in other states. His asthma gets bad when cold too.

 

Hope you have good luck with whatever you try! We don't have a quality gymnastics place here or we might have tried it at some point!

[4ofus]

Lots of families use our TKD school as a sort of OT. The progress I have seen in so many children over the 6 or so years we've been there is astounding. There is bowing ~ it is a gesture of respect & not in any way, shape, or form, an act of worship. 

[HSmomof2]

nm

Edited September 30, 2017 by Bethany Grace

[Guest2]

Even the Chrisitian oriented martial arts tend to have bowing as respect to opponent, and entering the room. They don't bow to the photo of the schools' founder though. Ths was our family's expereince, yours might be different.

[Truscifi]

The only martial arts I am familiar with that don't have students bow at least to the teacher are Filipino arts. They have a salute, but no bow. I've never seen a Fililpino martial art with classes for kids that age though.

 

The schools I've seen that train MMA styles have different classes for stand up and ground fighting, and usually at least the stand up classes involve some bowing. You might be able to only do grappling/ground classes. I don't know if they bow.