This activity turns routine therapeutic exercises and cognitive checks into an engaging game that is easy to play - with a fun Autumn theme! The interactive card deck combines functional physical movements with cognitive and conversational prompts, and you can adapt it to your particular environment.
You’ll Need:
Printed Autumn Brain & Body Balance Card Deck (double-sided - find this in our app!)
Scissors
A bowl, hat, or table space to draw the cards from
Instructions:
Prepare the Deck: Use scissors to cut out the double-sided activity cards along the dotted lines.
Set the Stage: Shuffle the cards and place them face-down in a bowl, or scatter them safely across a tabletop or counter. For an added mobility challenge, you can place the cards on different surfaces around the room.
Draw & Move: Retrieve a card. The person picking the card must first perform the functional physical movement listed on the front of the card (e.g., 5 sit-to-stands, or 10 seated toe taps).
Storytelling Time: Once the physical movement is complete, the patient turns the card over and answers the cognitive or speech prompt on the back (e.g., explaining step-by-step how to bake a pie, or naming 5 fall-themed items).
Repeat: Continue drawing cards until you are ready to stop for the day!
Therapeutic Benefits:
Physical Therapy: Navigating the room to retrieve cards builds functional mobility and dynamic balance. The exercises on the front of the cards target lower body strength, endurance, and safe reaching outside a person’s base of support.
Occupational Therapy: Cutting out and shuffling the cards requires bilateral coordination and fine motor control. The functional movements translate directly to improved stamina for Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
Speech & Language Pathology: The prompts on the back of the cards target critical cognitive skills, including executive functioning, memory recall, sequencing, word fluency, and clear articulation during storytelling.
