11/23/2025
✨ Why I Use a Dance Mat in OT Sessions! ✨
If you’ve ever walked into my session and seen a kid jumping, stomping, or sliding across a dance mat… it’s not just for fun (even though it definitely is fun!). 🎉
There’s actually so much therapeutic magic happening under those little feet. 👣
💥 Impulse Control
When kids have to wait for the beat, follow a pattern, or step only when it’s their turn, they’re practicing stopping their bodies, thinking before moving, and controlling those “GO NOW!” impulses.
🧠 Body Awareness
Hitting the right spot on the mat helps kids understand where their bodies are in space. It boosts proprioception and helps them move with more intention instead of feeling “all over the place.”
🤸♂️ Balance & Core Strength
Shifting weight, stepping sideways, and reaching for different arrows builds stability and improves posture. The mat looks simple, but it’s basically a full-body workout disguised as a game!
👀 Visual-Motor Skills
Kids match what they see on the screen to what their bodies need to do on the mat. This strengthens the brain-body connection, hand-eye coordination, and visual processing.
🎶 And the best part?
They think we’re just playing. But really… we’re working on foundational skills for classroom success, emotional regulation, and everyday life.
Sometimes the best therapy comes wrapped in music, movement, and a whole lot of giggles. 💛
