During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was working in a school for children with special needs. The virtual setting presented a unique challenge—many of my students found it difficult to remain focused during our physical therapy sessions. With their home environments full of distractions, they would often run away from the screen or avoid the work altogether. I thought to myself, How can I get my students more engaged and excited to participate in these virtual PT sessions?
I knew many of my students enjoyed classroom activities, and I wanted to capture that same sense of engagement. That’s when the idea struck me: what if I created a story that not only kept their attention but also encouraged them to move their bodies? Since I knew most of my students loved animals, and it was an interest that spanned both boys and girls, I decided to craft an adventure story filled with animals. Throughout the story, the characters would encounter challenges, and my students would need to perform different exercises to help the characters move forward in their journey.
Almost immediately, my students went from avoiding the screen to staying engaged for a full 30-minute session. They were immersed in the story, excited to help the characters by performing their exercises. It was so effective that even when we returned to in-person sessions, the students were still asking for the interactive story! They even began requesting new plotlines and characters, keeping me on my toes.
To this day, I have written seven different interactive stories that I use with my students, and I’m in the process of publishing the first of these. Becoming a children’s book author was never something I imagined for myself. When I was younger and people asked me what I wanted to be, I knew I wanted to be a physical therapist—but “author” wasn’t on my radar. Yet, writing interactive stories that combine fitness, imagination, and engagement came naturally to me.
These stories allow children to not only use their imagination but also benefit physically by moving their bodies, which is especially important in our technology-driven, sedentary world. The exercises in each story can be modified based on the child’s ability, making them accessible and engaging for all.
I am incredibly grateful to all the students who inspired me to create these stories. They’ve pushed me to explore this new aspect of my career, and for that, I will always be thankful. To my kiddos: you are the reason I do what I do!
Until next time,
Dr. Brittany Nardone, PT, DPT
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