When Adam started Occupational Therapy for his Sensory Processing Disorder we were asked to work on his core strength. The core is the center of control for everything the body does. If you do not have a strong core then simple tasks such as balancing, siting up straight on a chair and holding a pencil to name but a few are difficult. Adam also requires a lot of proprioceptive input. So we decided to combine the two along with Easter and created a simple Easter Core Strengthening activity. It would challenge Adam’s core and balance.
I placed some colourful polystrene Easter Eggs into a cocktail bowl and positioned four small bowls in front of it.
I got out our new Wicked Mega Bounce XL. Although the Mega Bounce isn’t specifically designed to be used as a therapy ball we have found it incredibly useful. It is the perfect size for Adam to lay on and it is extremely durable.
During the activity Adam had to lay on the Mega Bounce ball whilst I held his legs in place. He needed to sort the polystrene Easter Eggs into the correct coloured bowl whilst remaining on the ball. I knew Adam would be able to sort the eggs easily but the activity distracted him from the muscle building he was doing. The activity proved impossible to photograph without obviously letting go of Adam! Although the photos are blurred, you get an idea of the fun Adam had.
Adam normally excels in gross motor activities so it was interesting to see how difficult he found the core strengthening activity. It demonstrated how often he has to do similar exercises in order to build his core strength. We even tried the activity on his swing.
The Mega Bounce has proved a huge hit with Adam. He loves to lay on it and roll around the living room. As he is getting lots of proprioceptive and vestibular input, the activity calms him.
The Mega Bounce is incredibly easy to inflate. It comes with a foot pump included in the box along with a tape measure to ensure you get the right sized ball. You don’t have to worry about storage as the ball deflates easily too. It means that you can inflate the ball whenever and where ever you want.
The Mega Bounce ball is huge. It has a massive 2.51 meter circumference. It also claims to be the world’s bounciest inflatable ball and it certainly delivers. It is able to bounce on almost any terrain including grass and sand. It bounces high too. The graphics on the side of the ball make it easy to catch the ball despite its size. It was worked wonders on developing Adam’s gross motor skills.
You can purchase a Wicked Mega Bounce directly from the Wicked Vision website or from most toy stores.
Disclaimer: We were given a Wicked Mega Bounce XL to review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.
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