New cbeebies programme - help with dyspraxia (Tree Fu Tom)

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[I've also posted this in SN recommendations, not sure where is best!]

I hope this is ok to post - please forgive the shameless self- (well, DH) promotion. My DH has been heavily involved with a new telly programme which I thought MNetters who are parents of children with movement/coordination disorders such as dyspraxia should hear about. I promise I am a regular! I'm just very proud of him and want the programme to do well :)

On Monday at 5:25pm on cbeebies, Tree Fu Tom will air. It'll be on Mondays-Fridays. It's a new action adventure series featuring a young boy, Tom, who travels into a magical world. Whenever he comes up against a problem, he asks children watching to help him create movement magic by moving along with him at home.

The idea is to get kids moving and the spell movements have been created in partnership with experts from the Dyspraxia Foundation. The aim is to help with all children's physical development and coordination, but in particular it should help children with movement/coordination disorders.

You can see more about it either on the BBC website or on the Foundation's website: www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/

The programme looks absolutely amazing (well, I would say that!) and it has David Tennant and Sophie Aldred doing the main characters' voices.

I am sure DH would love to hear feedback from MNers; he knows how much I value this site and the collection wisdom here!
(I should point out that I am posting this purely in my own capacity as a DW and this is not on behalf of the BBC.)

Thank you :)

Both my ds's enjoyed it but ds1 (dyspraxia) absolutely refused to join in with the exercises. It seems like a nice programme but I still wonder whether those few movements would even touch the sides with severe dyspraxia sufferers. Still maintain its great for awareness. We will certainly watch again tomorrow night though.

Maybe something similar but aimed at a slightly older market next?!

It is on iplayer if you missed it, but it's on every weekday.

My DSs watched. They are 4 and nearly 8. The older one joined in the exercises as I made him - he is borderline dyspraxic with finemotor problems... and I did it too. But the NT 4 yo refused. He liked the story though. They both thought it was exciting and funny.

I would say that I was expecting a few more exercises in the programme. I suppose the makers are expecting the kids to learn the "spells" and practice in play at home....?

yes I would have liked a few more exercises to be truthful

My son is 5 and one of his diagnosis' is dyspraxia - he loved it, never normally joins in with interactive things, but he was copying the movements and joining in, it really appealed to him, I've series linked it on tivo.

DH and I stood there with lumps in our throats - he never ever copies things due to his poor co-ordination, this was the first time we'd seen him do it.

That's so awesome! Am feeling quite emotional about the impact the programme might (hopefully) have.

Thanks to everyone who posted, I'll share the thread with DH so he can feed back to the powers that be.

My son (nearly 8) who has just got a diagnosis of Asperger's, and who has balance and co-ordination issues, really loves it. Your post made me start watching it today and it's great. I encouraged him to do the moves along with Tom. What a good idea to conceal the therapy within such a great, interactive entertaining programme.

Know this is a bit of an old thread, but my DS has just discovered this prog (home from school with conjunctivitis) and loves, loves, LOVES it.

The dyspraxia thing doesn't apply, but he virtually never interacts with telly programmes and this has him jumping around doing all the moves (and correcting DP and I when we get them wrong cheeky bugger ).

We love this program! Have found it an excellent way to get ds to do big arm movements. We make up magic spells all the time now.

My Ds (5, ASD) and DD (3) absolutely LOVE this programme. They talk about it and get excited when it comes in.

I personally don't 'get it' but then I have little patience for pretty much any TV.

My ds1 who is 8 and has sen/sn loves it as does my NT 3 year old....they both copy the moves.

Its a sweet programme.

congrats.

My friend's 7yr old with learning difficulties and motor skills /co-ordination issues loves it and stands up at all the right bits.

My 3yr old with language delay and challenging behaviour has been shooting balls of energy at me lately when he's cross which I assume is down to Treefu Tom! Better than being hit.

I know- it's an old post, but I just wanted to say my daughter loves it! Many congratulations to your DH :)

My Ds who is dx with dyspraxia has OT from one of the people involved in developing the program. The movements are similar to some of those in his therapy and are designed to strengthen the core muscles to help with balance and gross motor co-ordination. There are also moves which cross the midline which is an indicator of bilaterial coordination, as in the ability to use both sides of the body at the same time. This is an important skill for many tasks: climbing stairs, typing on a computer, riding a bicycle, etc. Bilateral coordination is also important for the development of cognitive skills, such as the ability to read and write. Both skills utilize both hemispheres of our brain.
I think the program is great.

I was wondering where this thread went. My three year old (nt) dd absolutely loves this programme. It's her favourite thing on tv at the moment and she always jumps up and joins in with the magic moves.

My boys are a bit old for it now, but actually ds1 (ASD, hypotonia and borderline Dyspraxia) wouldn't have joined in anyway, as he has never yet joined in the actions from a tv programme. I could never understand why he just sat there in front of things like Boogie Beebies and the Tweenies when they were doing actions to join in with. Dd on the other hand loves getting involved and throws herself heartily into copying the tv characters.

DS (6) won't even look at the programme. I think that he is like Moose boy no 1. He never danced to the TV.

Both my DC adore this programme, And they both 'make the magic' each time.
Neither of then have confirmed DX of anything yet but it certainly is helping them,and I had no idea that that was its intention!
Thankyou.it is fab.