A pose-copying game using picture cards. The child looks at a card showing a stick figure (or photograph) in a specific pose and shapes their own body to match. Trains postural praxis — translating a visual image of a body into a motor plan for one’s own body.
- Make 8–12 pose cards. Use stick-figure drawings, magazine photos, or yoga-pose cards. Mix easy poses (arms up like a star, sit cross-legged) with trickier ones (one foot up, hands behind back, twist sideways, lying on tummy with feet up). Avoid poses that need strength — focus on shape, not effort.
- Sit facing the child with the deck face-down between you.
- Flip the top card. Say: “Make your body look like this.”
- The child holds the pose for 3–5 seconds. Don’t correct details mid-pose — does the overall shape match? Then on to the next card.
- Once you’ve gone through the deck, switch roles — the child holds up cards and the adult copies. Children love catching adult mistakes, and being the “judge” is highly motivating.
Variation: show two cards in a row and have the child do pose A then pose B in sequence (memory + sequencing). Or stand behind the child in front of a mirror and say “make my body look like this” — they have to figure out the pose by watching you in the mirror (perspective-taking).
Requirements
- Space: A 1.5 × 1.5 metre area; carpet or mat for any floor poses
- Surface: Soft surface (carpet, rug, mat) for any lying or kneeling poses
- Materials: 8–12 pose cards (homemade stick figures, yoga cards, or printed photos); a small box or tin to store them
- Participants: 1 adult + 1 child; siblings can take turns being the card-shower
- Supervision: Light — sit nearby, no spotting needed for static poses
Rationale & Objective
Postural imitation is a core praxis assessment item — it is tested in two SIPT subtests (Imitation of Postures and Postural Praxis) and is a foundational element of Ayres’ Sensory Integration framework. To copy a pose the child must (1) read the visual image, (2) map it onto their own body schema (“where do my arms go?”), and (3) execute the motor plan. Difficulties at any stage suggest different intervention targets. By age 5 children should reliably imitate single static postures; by age 6–7 they should handle sequences of 2–3 postures. Practice with novel poses — rather than well-known shapes — is what builds the underlying capacity, since familiar shapes get retrieved from memory rather than freshly planned.
Progress Indicators
- Early: needs an adult to physically guide limbs into position; mirrors only the most prominent feature (one arm up) and ignores the rest; cannot hold the pose for more than 1–2 seconds
- Developing: copies simple symmetric poses (arms up, legs apart) on first try; struggles with asymmetric or twisted poses; holds for 2–3 seconds
- Proficient: copies most static poses on first try including asymmetric ones; holds for 5 seconds; self-corrects when comparing to the card
- Advanced: copies sequences of 2–3 poses from memory; copies a mirrored pose (left/right reversed); invents pose cards for the adult to copy
Safety Notes
- Skip poses that require strength holds (handstands, planks) — the goal is shape recognition, not endurance
- Use a soft surface so falls during one-foot poses are cushioned
- Avoid poses that twist or compress the spine sharply (deep backbends, full lotus); cards should feature shapes within typical 5-year-old range
- Stop if the child shows pain or strain; postural praxis is a perception-and-planning task, not a flexibility test
- Skip neck-load or full-inversion cards for any child with a known cervical or vestibular concern
Hints
- Playfulness: call it the “Statue Game” or “Living Sculptures.” Use a magic wand to “freeze” the child into the shape. Photos of the child in each pose make a fun keepsake deck
- Sustain interest: rotate decks weekly — animal poses one week, sport poses next, silly poses (hopping like a frog with one ear up) the week after. Let the child draw new cards
- Common mistake: correcting mid-pose breaks the flow and undermines confidence. Instead, after they’ve held it, hold the card next to them and say “let’s see — your arm is here, the picture’s arm is here. Want to try again?”
- Limited space: poses need only a body’s-length of floor; works in a hotel room or small bedroom. Standing-only deck for tight spaces
- Cross-domain: name body parts as the child positions them (anatomy/language); count seconds while holding (numeracy); describe each pose (“twisted starfish”) to add expressive vocabulary
- Progression: symmetric standing poses → asymmetric standing → seated/kneeling poses → lying poses → mirrored (left/right reversed) poses → sequences of 2 → sequences of 3 → poses with held objects (small ball, scarf)
Sources
- Ayres, A.J. (1972/2005). *Sensory Integration and the Child* (25th anniv. ed.). Western Psychological Services
- Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT) — Imitation of Postures and Postural Praxis subtests
- Bundy, A.C. & Lane, S.J. (2020). *Sensory Integration: Theory and Practice* (3rd ed.). F.A. Davis
- May-Benson, T.A. & Koomar, J.A. (2010). "Systematic review of the research evidence examining the effectiveness of interventions using a sensory integrative approach for children." American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 64(3), 403–414
- Smith Roley, S., Blanche, E.I. & Schaaf, R.C. (Eds.) (2001). *Understanding the Nature of Sensory Integration with Diverse Populations*. Therapy Skill Builders
- map[OT Practice Framework (OTPF-4) — performance skills:motor and praxis]
- Head Start ELOF — Approaches to Learning, Perceptual/Motor indicators