Doorway Swing

We have added a new product to our online store – Doorway Swing – every child’s dream. This indoor swing is a great solution for a home where there is either not enough space for a full jungle gym, or our solutions for small spaces do not work due to installation difficulties. Most places have a doorway that can be turned into Doorway Swing or Mini Jungle Gym.

DreamGYM Doorway Swing kit includes a chrome plated support bar with padded grips. The weight capacity for the bar is 210 lbs, therefore parents can exercise too. It adjusts to fit most standard width door frames from 28″ to 36″. The Doorway Swing kit also includes mounting hardware, two hanging straps and two spring clips to make switching different accessories easier. We also included a trapeze bar with rings, because it is one of the favorite swing set accessories. Children can somersault, swing, twist.

ADHD/ADD Therapy for Children without Drugs or Side Effects

We all know the necessity of physical exercise in the maintenance of good health.  Physical activity can help children with ADHD/ADD channel their boundless energy and focus better in school or other tasks. Not all sports are appropriate for ADD/ADHD children, and not all children will like the same sport, so you might have to experiment a little bit. There are some activities that have been proven to be successful and generally enjoyed by children. The list below offers a good starting point for introducing physical activity to a child who is struggling with ADD/ADHD.

The first thing that can be done to increase the level of physical activity for your child is easy and affordable. Simply spend more active time outdoors! Spending more time in nature is a proven remedy for relieving many mental disturbances and increasing the levels of endorphins and serotonin, hormones associated with emotional well-being. Add some physical activity and reap the benefits! Children usually like to go for daily walks, visit playgrounds, ride bikes or hike on forest trails. Daily active time outside is a proven and fun way to increase your fitness level and is good for the whole family.

Swing Therapy for Autistic Children

Most of us have no problem combining all our senses. For autistic children (and grownups) however, it’s a mighty challenging task. Processing stimuli from the senses of sight, smell, sound, touch, taste, balance and body is overwhelming. Those suffering from autism will often withdraw to avoid overstimulation, or try to sort out the input from their senses with self-developed soothing mechanisms and repetitive behaviours.

A significant amount of occupational therapy for autism focuses on sensory integration through specially designed programs. Some of the greatest tools for sensory integration therapy for autism type disorders are various types of swings. People with various autism spectrum disorders such as Autism, PDD, ADHD, Asperger’s, proprioceptive dysfunction and tactile defensiveness will benefit from using swings as part of their therapy.

Additionally, children and adults with Sensory Processing Disorders (also called Sensory Integration Disorders), especially those with proprioceptive or vestibular dysfunction, should definitely have swings or hammocks as a crucial element of their treatment.

Physical activity – therapy for autistic children

While parents and educators of autistic children often realize the benefits of education and routine, quite often the benefits of physical activity and sports are overlooked. Some parents might think that their child is simply not capable for participating in a sports program. Or they might just feel too busy and overwhelmed with the daily routine of taking care of an autistic child, and think the time spent on sport is not as valuable as other programs. However, physical exercise has been shown to greatly improve the lives of autistic children and to improve their behaviour as well.

Autistic children, like all children with a disability are more prone to avoid sports and thus run the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. Perhaps the greatest risk however, is simply not having the opportunity to reap the benefits that regular physical exercise can provide, such as improved endurance, a chance to develop fine and gross motor skills and a self-confidence boost. A right exercise program can also introduce the autistic child to a social environment and a chance to interact with his peers. Physical exercise is a proven way to help autistic children (and even non-autistic ones) to burn off excess energy and be able to focus better on their school work or other learning opportunities.

Therapy Gym – Monkey Bars in Barrie, ON

Monkey Bars for Therapy room

On a last day of January 2009 we installed the therapy gym in one school in Barrie, Ontario. They were looking for monkey bars to add to their occupational therapy room, because one of the boys in their care needed a tool to develop upper body strength. But I am sure other children will benefit from the monkey bars too.

It was a custom made structure. Due to limited space they have we couldn’t offer them a jungle gym with wall bars.  The wood choice was soft maple which looked terrific. Concrete walls helped us to eliminate the whole phase of “stud finding”.

There are eight eye hooks under the monkey bars. You can see a rope ladder attached to two of them. Right now they use only a rope ladder, but they can always extend their therapy gym with a platform therapy swing, children hammock, gym rings, disk swing and any other accessory. With a help of quick links you might have  a lot of different configurations.

Certainly, children will love this place.

Marina Mironov

P.S. You can read more about therapy gym, accessories and hammocks at my website.

Indoor Therapy Gym installed in Barrie, ON