The Power of Playground Therapy: Supporting Gross Motor Skills Through Occupational Therapy

Slides, swings, and climbing frames may look like simple fun—but for young children, they’re also powerful tools for building gross motor skills, balance, and sensory processing. At OrbRom Center in Phnom Penh, our occupational therapy approach includes outdoor play and movement-based sessions that help children develop the foundational skills they need to move, explore, and grow with confidence.

Especially for toddlers and young children, play-based gross motor therapy is essential for building coordination, body awareness, and emotional regulation.

Why Gross Motor Skills Matter

Gross motor skills involve the large muscle groups responsible for movements like:

• Crawling, walking, running

• Jumping, climbing, and balancing

• Sitting upright and maintaining posture

• Navigating space safely

Delays in gross motor development can lead to poor posture, low endurance, difficulty with balance, or even sensory challenges that affect attention and emotional control.

How Occupational Therapy Uses Outdoor Play

At OrbRom Center in Phnom Penh, we often integrate playground activities into therapy sessions—because the benefits are endless:

• Sliding improves trunk control and spatial awareness

• Climbing builds strength and bilateral coordination

• Swinging supports vestibular processing for balance and calm

• Running and chasing help with endurance, timing, and social engagement

Our therapists carefully guide each activity to meet the child’s individual goals, while ensuring safety, fun, and confidence-building moments.

Supporting Toddlers with Movement-Based Learning

For younger children or those with developmental delays, playground therapy can serve as both intervention and motivation. By combining physical movement with praise and connection, we help children:

• Overcome fears of movement or instability

• Improve self-regulation and sensory processing

• Develop social interaction and imitation

• Gain confidence through successful physical challenges

We also coach parents on how to create simple home-based activities that mimic playground benefits, using stairs, cushions, and other safe props.

Is Your Child Struggling with Balance or Movement?

If your child avoids climbing, struggles to sit still, or seems uncoordinated, they may benefit from occupational therapy focused on gross motor development. At OrbRom Center, we turn everyday play into targeted therapy—giving children the support they need to grow strong and confident.

Discover our occupational therapy services in Phnom Penh and how we use movement to unlock learning and independence.