running
An Everyday Therapy Activity to Help Your Child's Running
A simple Everyday Therapy activity for running is bubble chasing: blow bubbles slightly ahead so your toddler runs, stops, turns and pops them. This playfully builds the flight phase, single-leg balance and arm-leg coordination that running needs, in short joyful bursts.
Some of the best therapy doesn't look like therapy at all — it looks like a giggling toddler chasing bubbles across the garden.
In short
One simple, high-value Everyday Therapy activity for running is bubble chasing. Blow bubbles a little ahead of your toddler and cheer them on to chase and pop them. This naturally builds the running pattern — pushing off, balancing on one foot mid-stride, and coordinating arms and legs — all wrapped in play your child already loves.How to do it
- Choose a safe, open, even space — a lawn, hall or quiet park.
- Blow bubbles low and slightly forward so your child runs towards them, not just upwards.
- Vary direction so they learn to start, stop, turn and change speed — the building blocks of confident running.
- Cheer every pop. Joy and praise keep your child moving longer and trying harder.
- Aim for short, happy bursts of 5–10 minutes, a few times a day.
The science
Running is a gross-motor milestone that usually emerges between about 18 and 24 months and refines through the third year. It needs more than fast walking — it needs a brief flight phase (both feet off the ground), single-leg balance, and rhythmic arm–leg coordination. Activities like chasing give the brain and body repeated, motivated practice, which is how motor pathways strengthen. Because the goal moves, your child practises stopping, turning and accelerating — exactly the control that makes running steady and safe. Play-based repetition, not drilling, is what builds lasting skill at this age.The Pinnacle way
A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care — this activity supports development at home and never replaces assessment. If you'd like guidance, our team can map running and other gross-motor goals through structured physiotherapy tailored to your child.Trusted sources
Aligned with CDC developmental-milestone guidance and American Academy of Pediatrics advice on active play, and the Gross Motor Function Measure framework used by paediatric therapists.Next step — try bubble chasing today, and message the Pinnacle team on WhatsApp +91 91001 81181 for a friendly developmental check.
This is general information, not a diagnosis — a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care.
What to watch
Keep sessions short, on even ground, with you close by for safety. If by around 24 months your child isn't attempting to run, often falls heavily, or tires very quickly, mention it at a developmental check.
Try this at home
Blow bubbles low and slightly ahead so your child runs towards them — then vary the direction so they practise starting, stopping and turning, all in 5–10 happy minutes.
Trusted sources
Developed by SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network · Last reviewed 2026-06-10 · reviewed every 540 days
This is general information, not a diagnosis. A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care.
Frequently asked
At what age should my toddler start running?
Most children begin to run between about 18 and 24 months and refine the skill through their third year. Early attempts often look like fast, stiff walking — that's completely normal as balance and coordination develop.
How long should we play bubble chasing?
Short, happy bursts of 5–10 minutes, a few times a day, work best. Stop while it's still fun — motivation and joy are what keep your child practising the running pattern.
What if my child trips a lot while running?
Some trips and tumbles are a normal part of learning to run. If your child falls very heavily, tires unusually fast, or isn't attempting to run by around 24 months, mention it at a developmental check for friendly guidance.