Summer’s here - Now What?

A Physical Therapist’s Guide to Boosting Balance and Coordination All Summer Long

Kaari Pieper, Clinic Director, DPT

The backpacks are hung up, the routines are out the window, and the first “I’m bored!” is already echoing through the house. Welcome to the start of summer.

For many families, this season is a breath of fresh air—more freedom, more play, and a little less pressure. But if you’re a parent of a child who’s working on physical development, the shift away from structure can leave you wondering:

How do I keep the progress going?

What can we do at home to build balance and coordination without turning everything into a lesson?

The good news? Summer is full of natural opportunities for movement—and some of the best tools for physical therapy goals aren’t found in a clinic. They’re at the park, the lake, your backyard, or right in your living room.

As a pediatric physical therapist, I spend my days helping kids build the strength, control, and confidence they need to move through life with ease. But I also know that therapy doesn’t stop when school does. And it definitely doesn’t have to feel like work.

Here are some ways to turn your child’s summer into a season of playful progress.

Backyard Balance Boosters

There’s no place like home—especially when it comes to practicing the basics.

Set up a mini obstacle course with pool noodles, couch cushions, jump ropes, or sidewalk chalk. Walk heel-to-toe down a driveway crack. Play classic games like Simon Says or Freeze Dance. These might look like simple childhood games, but they’re doing heavy lifting in the world of motor planning and balance control.

At-home bonus: Try a “one-foot challenge” each morning—see how long your child can balance on each foot while brushing their teeth.

The Playground: A Hidden Therapy Gym

Swings, slides, monkey bars—they’re not just for fun. They’re full-body, multi-sensory workout stations.

When your child navigates a playground, they’re improving their spatial awareness, ability to weight shift, core strength, and joint stabilization—all crucial to safe, confident movement.

Encourage them to climb ladders, walk across a balance beam, or swing and jump. You don’t need to coach or correct—just let them play.

Try this: Use chalk to draw shapes or numbers along a path and have them hop, tiptoe, or crab-walk their way through a game you make up together.

Lakeside Movement Adventures

Sand, docks, shallow water, and uneven ground are all natural balance challenges.

Even walking barefoot on sand or shallow water helps build foot muscles and coordination. Tossing a beach ball, balancing on a floaty, or racing to a stick in the water adds trunk control and reactive balance to the mix.

Keep it playful: Instead of structured tasks, use pretend play. “Let’s be flamingos on one foot” or “Can you hop like a frog and pretend to catch bugs with your tongue?”

Vacations with Purpose

Travel brings new textures, surfaces, and obstacles that challenge a child’s sense of balance and spatial awareness.

Let your child carry their own small bag, navigate airport terminals or hotel hallways, or climb stairs instead of using elevators. These “micro-movements” build endurance and functional strength.

Tip: Build in short movement breaks—hopping, wall push ups, pulling heavy luggage—during long travel days to help with regulation and attention.

Why Balance and Coordination Matter

Good balance helps kids walk safely, play freely, and feel confident in their own bodies. Coordination supports everything from handwriting to climbing to tying shoes. When these skills are strong, your child has more independence, better safety awareness, and greater readiness for school and social settings.

If you’ve ever noticed your child tripping, avoiding the playground, or struggling to follow movement-based instructions, these might be signs that their coordination system could use a little extra support.

And summer is the perfect time to work on it—without worksheets, screens, or stress.

Quick Self-Check for Parents

Ask yourself:

• Does my child often lose balance or bump into things?

• Are they hesitant to climb, jump, or ride toys?

• Do they struggle with stairs, ball play, or jumping?

• Does your child have difficulty sitting still and attending to tasks?

If you answered yes to a few of these, they might benefit from physical therapy or simply more structured movement time over the summer.

Let Prairie Grit Help

Whether you’re already part of our therapy family or just exploring services for the first time, we’re here to support your child’s growth—indoors, outdoors, and everywhere in between.

Our pediatric physical therapy team can help you build a plan that works with your child’s summer routine, whether that’s through in-clinic sessions, peer-setting groups, or customized home ideas.

Want more support? Let’s talk. We’d love to help your child stay steady, strong, and full of joy this summer.