DYE-NAMIC Regular Airwalker User manual

Regular Airwalker®Activity Guide
designed and written by movement therapist, Kimberly Dye, MS. BC-DMT.
contact us at: www.dyenamicmovement.com
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase! Both therapists and teachers love using the Airwalker because it promotes
sensory integration, coordination, muscular strength and spatial awareness. The Airwalker is a specially designed,
Spandex sack that can be suspended from a properly installed ceiling bolt, a swing or a gymnasium basketball
backboard. From ceiling bolt, use a safety snap and then hook to rotator device, or use the adjustable webbing
strap to connect the rotater device to the ceiling bolt for variable height adjustment.
The Airwalker’s resistant fabric provides a total body pressure that, not only feels good, but also gives tactile
feedback that contributes to positive body image and self-esteem. Being suspended creates a heightened
relationship to gravity, which stimulates the vestibular system responsible for balance and coordination. The
Airwalkers’s ability to shield the child from being seen by others creates a feeling of safety which inspires
relaxation. It’s elasticity and strong support can also help build muscle strength through specific exercises
described in this guide. The Airwalker’s holding, deep pressure, elastic walls promote positive body
movement experiences that assure self calming and regulation, as well as co-ordination and body control.
Plus, it’s fun! Children may be totally enwrapped, laid out flat, sitting, or kneeling.
SAFETY TIPS
1. Place a well cushioned mat beneath the Airwalker.
2. Always supervise children in the Airwalker. Adjust the height so they can get in and out easily.
3. To enter, instruct child to face the Airwalker, grasp both sides and put one knee or foot in first. Then
tell them to use their arms to pull themselves in and move their body to the center.
4. Prevent flopping out by instructing child to step out feet first
5. Do regular checks for misalignments of top fabric or internal webbing/clamp integrity.
6. Do not let child get out of control by over spinning or continuous swinging in one direction.
STRENGTH BUILDERS
Thigh Builder
Adjust the Airwalker height so it is easily accessible from the ground and your feet can just touch the ground. Sit half-way back into
the fabric so your legs are bent with feet near the floor. Use one leg, then the other, then both, to push and bounce off the ground.
Variaton: If your Airwalker is close to a wall you can swing and push off the wall with your feet.
Variation: Stand in Airwalker, hold up high on fabric and use your legs and arms to bounce while standing.
Push-Ups
Lie flat out, face down to the floor, using the material like a sling around your torso. Your hands should touch the floor. Bend and
stretch your elbows to push the floor away while the Airwalker supports your body.
Abdominal and Torso Strength and Flexion
1. In the push-up sling position, alternately jackknife and arch backwards creating torso flexion and extension. Then “fishflop” side
to side creating lateral flexion. Moving against the resistant fabric will build strength and elasticity in the muscles.
2. From a sitting position, hold edge of fabric with both hands, lean back slowly while wrapping legs around fabric. Slowly return
using abdominal and torso strength. This can be performed close to the floor or in mid-air.
MOVEMENT TASKS
Around The World
Adjust height so you can stand on floor and bring upper body through sling so it wraps around the chest and under arms. Keep your
feet in the center like a compass point and make a full circle around by leaning your body forward, keeping it absolutely straight, and
pushing with your legs. Try using one leg as the compass point.

Around the World Variation
Try looping your arms through the Airwalker, or harder yet, hold it with one arm hooked over, while performing “Around the
World”.
Peter Pan
In the “Around the World” position use your legs to run, push, and squat while you “fly” through the room. Adjust the height of
Airwalker so you can lift your legs and feet without bumping the floor.
Full Year Limited Warranty
All Dye-namic Movement Products are guaranteed against defects in materials and workmanship for one full year from date of
shipment. All equipment will wear with use and no guarantee is made against normal deterioration. We recommend you establish
a regular inspection program of all equipment, fittings and support systems to guard against injury. Any alteration of equipment
or use of equipment in a non-recommended fashion voids all warranties.
Limitation of Liability
Our products are intended for use with adult supervision. Though we use the finest materials available, we cannot guarantee
freedom from injury. The user assumes all risk of injury.
Dry Clean or Hand Wash preventing top part from getting wet.
For more sensory products visit www.dyenamicmovement.com
Airwalker®is a Registered Trademark of Dye-namic Movement Products, Inc.
Diaper Wrap
Instruct or assist child in sitting up
and bringing both legs out of fabric
so that they are straddling it. Child
holds on with hands and may rock
forward and back by pressing and
pushing body into fabric. Adjust
height closer to floor so child can
bounce by pushing floor with legs
and feet.
Leg Wrap
From the Diaper Wrap suggest
keeping legs wrapped around
fabric while finding new
positions for child’s back
and head. Make sure you
spot them. Try hanging
upside down with just legs
wrapped.
Two in the Sack
Put two children sitting back to back in the Airwalker. Instruct them to shift positions together so they feel each other’s weight and
make necessary adjustments to remain in balance. Allow them to experiment finding ways to counterbalance each other while they
change to different positions.
Washing Machine
For younger children have them sit with crossed legs and hold on with hands. You create the “Washing Machine” agitation by
standing in front of child and moving fabric right to left. Have them put sound to it. Challenge them to stay in the seated position
while you agitate it faster.
GAMES
Around the World Tag
The person who is “It” is in the Airwalker in the Around the World position and tries to tag others as they run by.
Two-Headed Tag
First child gets in lying on their stomach with head and arms outside Airwalker. Assist the second child to get into the Airwalker
beside the first child with their head and arms out on the opposite side. Once positioned they can twist and wriggle trying to tag the
other childs arms, or use two soft, small Slo-Mo balls to tag each other.
On Top Of The World
While enwrapped in Airwalker, place a medium to large size Slo-Mo ball on the floor so your child can work at finding a balance
point sitting or lying on the ball. A more advanced version is to use the Airwalker as a sling under the arms and chest while trying to
stand and move their feet on the ball.
Airwalker
From the Diaper Wrap, use your
arms to pull to standing, placing
each foot on the fabric edge.
Once balanced, you can walk on
air or “see saw” pushing forward
and back into the fabric.