Encouraging physically awkward kids

Activities for six- to nine-year-olds

Skating
Let him learn to skate with a hockey stick. It provides support and brings his centre of gravity lower.

Tandem biking
Letting your child ride on a tandem bike attachment behind you introduces her to the pleasures of the open road before she's mastered the turning and stopping skills.

Water slides
Going up and down those stairs is a good workout. It's fun to do with friends.

Paddleboating
There's no arm movement required. The legs get good exercise in a very easy motion.

Beanbag throwing
Set up targets (pizza boxes are a good size) and let your child toss away.

Mini-golf
Make your own course in the back yard or head out to one in your community.

At school
Traditional physical education classes and outdoor games at school are difficult for awkward kids. Most provinces now include differently abled kids in the regular classroom, so teachers are more accustomed to making changes in sports or other activities to include a range of abilities. To make up for physical deficiencies, children need the same parental and school support that they would need to overcome academic deficiencies. Ask your child's teacher how she modifies the phys. ed. activities so that all kids can participate without the pressure of competition. Perhaps the teacher might invite a parent with a strong arm to throw out ball after ball so that these kids can practise catching a ball and throwing it back. This one-on-one activity gives them more opportunity for participation than a game of baseball in which most players on the teams sit on the bench.