Improving Fine Motor Manipulation and More!

OT Activity of the Day:

Play Doh Fun

Target Age Range: 3 and up

Parents are always asking me what games or activities I would recommend them buying to help their children thrive.  For the most part any game that you can buy will focus on certain aspects of your child's development, so rest assured you can't go wrong in the game or toy isle.  

Here I have a play doh activity set that I recently bought and have been able to use for a variety of different children.  For example:

1. Sequencing and Thought Organization: How do we build a pizza?  What do we need to make first, second, last?  Make a plan!

2. Fine Motor Manipulation and Strength: There are several small utensils in this set that you can use for for wonderful tool practice.  You can also add larger plastic silverware to really practice fork and knife skills, just be sure to monitor!  You can also "kneed" the dough and challenge your child to squeeze the play doh with both hands together or just use one hand at a time.  Challenge your child's bilateral skills by having them make a "dough" ball first before using the rolling pin to roll out the pizza.

3. Handwriting: Be a pizza restaurant! Have your child write down your order first or maybe they want to make a menu of what their restaurant offers.  

These are just a few ways I have adapted a store bought play doh set to meet my OT needs.  There are other ways of adapting this I'm sure, so be creative!

Enjoy!

Sensory Fun

OT Activity of the Day:

Bubble Fun

Target Age Range: 2 and up

Want a fun and easy way to make bubbles?  Grab a bucket, whisk, dish soap, water, mix everything together and you will have bubbles for days!  This is a great sensory experience and fun for all.  Add small cars or animals and pretend to have a car wash or a bath for the animals.  You can add more tools, like an old toothbrush for the bath or car wash, or even more kitchen utensils to help improve tool use.

Enjoy!

Improving Bilateral Coordination

OT Activity of the Day:

Water play-squirt gun

Target Age Range: 2 and up

It's summer and there's little chance that your child is going to be ok with sitting inside at the table and practicing their handwriting or cutting or other fine motor related skills that hindered them during the school year.  So let's make it more fun!  For those kiddos who struggled with bilateral coordination (this kiddo would have a harder time appropriately coordinating both hands to cut or has a harder time using the helper hand to stabilize the paper when writing) here's a squirt gun just for you!  What you want to look for is the squirt gun that needs both hands to operate (those that are pump based instead of just trigger).  This will help your child start learning to use both hands in a more effective way.  It's motivating because without without coordinating both hands effectively, your child will not be able to squirt the water at their enemies.

Get outside and enjoy!  

Improving Tool Use and Prewriting Strokes/Letters

OT Activity of the Day:

Painting with water

Target Age Range: 2 and up

Who doesn't love water play?  It's officially summer and kids love to play outside in the water.  Why not add a small dish of water and a paint brush so your child can paint the patio, driveway, or the sidewalk?  If nothing else your child can practice holding the paint brush appropriately (ideally tripod, though if an appropriate pencil grip is challenging for your child, try to get your child to grip the paint brush so the brush rests between the thumb and index finger webspace). Or you can challenge your child to practice those prewriting strokes or letters.  Best part is there is virtually no clean up!

Enjoy!

Improving Fine Motor Manipulation

OT Activity of the Day:

Ice Cream Bowls

Target Age Range: 3 and up

Apparently I have a thing with ice cream, I think this might be my third post about the delicious dessert.  And I know I'm not the only one, kids love ice cream as well.  Here we're using tongs, dice, poms and ice cream "bowls" to help us work on improving our fine motor manipulation.

With this activity, I will have the child roll the dice first, I only have one pictured here, but you can use two to work on counting higher.  Then after we figure out what number we have rolled we will then use the tongs to help build the ice cream sundae in one of the bowls.  You can add movement to this activity and fine motor endurance by splitting up the container of poms and the bowls/dice.  Place them on opposite sides of the room and the child would then have to walk back and forth across the room carrying the poms in the tongs without dropping them.  

Enjoy! 

Improving Attention/Regulation

OT Activity of the Day:

Sensory Break Fun

Target Age Range: 5 and up

Sensory breaks are wonderful things.  We all take them throughout the day (stretching, taking a quick walk to get more water or coffee, exercise, or fidgeting with an object).  I, for one, love fidgeting with my pen.  Bottom line, we all have our strategies and use them appropriately, throughout the day.  

Unfortunately many children feel this same need for a break/movement during school, so they find ways that work for them, use them, but then those strategies are sometimes not deemed appropriate.  "No Johnny, you may not jump off your desk, or push your friends, or run around the classroom, etc..."

OT helps by teaching children and their families/teachers/caregivers appropriate breaks that children can take, before, after and during school so they can sit and focus when it is required.  

Here I've created a "sensory break" game to help introduce sensory breaks to kids.  On the backs of these cards I have various breaks that kids can take during the school hours.  (I realize I only have two cards pictured, but there were about 8 cards taped to the wall). Next we will take turns throwing the sticky animals at the wall and if we hit a card we get to do that sensory break.

It's fun, there's no pressure, the kids just get to try out various breaks to see which ones work for them.  Once we've established what works, it's easier to implement them into the classroom setting.  

Enjoy! 

Improving Handwriting

OT Activity of the Day:

Silly Sentences

Target Age Range: 6 and up

If handwriting is difficult for your child then odds are homework and handwriting practice are pretty challenging.  The trick to practicing handwriting at home is to make it fun.  When activities are fun, kids have no clue what it is they are actually working on.  I was on Pinterest the other day and found this amazing printable worksheet.  All you need in addition is a deck of cards.

I used this with a handwriting kiddo earlier this week and it was an absolute hit.  The child and I were able to sit and practice writing for an extended period of time and the child was actually bummed when it was over!  The child wasn't even bothered by the gentle reminder for letter placement or spacing between words.  

To play, you can do this one of several ways, you can sort the cards into suits and then take turns pulling from each pile, or you can have one pile and pull from there.  You can have the cards at the table with you or you can spread them around the room to add movement to the game.  You can use the words already provided or make your own silly words.  

Let the laughs begin! Enjoy!

Improving Visual Scanning and More

OT Activity of the Day:

Number Find

Target Age Range: 4 and up

Visual scanning is so important.  It helps with reading, writing, and other classroom activities.  However some children's eye muscles do not move as easily or as smoothly as they should.  If this is something your child struggles with, you may notice that they rub their eyes frequently throughout the day or complain of headaches.  They may have no problems actually seeing, it has more to do with the strength and endurance of the muscles responsible for moving the eyes.

A great way to work on this skill, if this is something your child struggles with, is to create a page much like I just did.  The object of this task is for your child to scan the page and locate the numbers and then place the appropriate colored sticker over top.  So not only are your child's eye muscles getting a work out, but your child is also working those fine motor manipulation muscles by getting the sticker off the page.

Enjoy!

Improving Fine Motor Control and More

OT Activity of the Day: 

Color by number

Target Age Range: 5 and up

Coloring is a really easy way to improve fine motor control, in addition to other fine motor aspects.  When the emphasis is on control, you can "challenge" your child to stay inside the lines as best they can.  Obviously there's no shaming if the marks go outside the lines, this is just fun and practice!  

A great way to do this is to find a color by number.  Not only are you working on controlling the crayon marks so they stay inside their designated area, but you're also working on following directions.  If you "Google" color by numbers, and then click on the images section, you will find plenty to choose from (which is how I found the picture above).  You can even be more specific in your search and find your child's favorite character.  In the past I've also photo copied a picture from a coloring book and made my own color by number.  So don't feel like you have to go out and buy a new coloring book, you can easily do this with the materials you already have.

Enjoy!  

Improving Fine Motor Strength and Endurance

OT Activity of the Day:

Coloring with CRAYONS

Target Age Range: 4 and up

Want a great way to improve your child's hand strength and endurance? Have them color!  And be sure to hide the markers, crayons are the way to go.  

It sounds silly, but crayons work to improve your child's hand strength more than markers because you actually have to press harder to get the crayons to mark on paper.  And as much as children hate it, the broken crayons are actually the best crayons.  Smaller, or broken, crayons naturally promote an age appropriate grip simply because there is very little space on the broken crayon to hold it in any way other than a tripod.  

Enjoy!

Improving Upper Limb Coordination

OT Activity of the Day:

Flying Monkeys

Target Age Range: 2 and up

I found these sticky monkeys in the dollar section at Target and man have they been a hit!  If you throw them at the wall, they stick for a few seconds before rolling down to the floor.  This is a very motivating way to practice throwing over and underhand.  At first you can have the child throw them any way they want, once they're hooked then suggest to copy your throwing ("Look how fast I can throw if I throw like this!).  Practice more precise hand eye coordination by using painter's tape to tape a target on the wall, how close can they get to hitting the target?  

These toys don't leave any sticky residue or mark, at least none that I've seen yet.  In addition to the monkeys I also bought the worms and lizards.  Throwing fun for days!

Enjoy! 

Improving Fine Motor Strength and Manipulation

OT Activity of the Day:

Feed the monster!

Target Age Range: 3 and up

I have been waiting until I had an empty tissue box to use for this activity.  And thanks to the sudden impact of allergy season, that time has come!  This activity is two-fold.  You get to create your "monster" and you and your child can be as creative as you want (great time to use glue, paint, markers, crayons, etc...).  And then you can pick how and what you feed the monster.  I'm using poms, but feel free to use cheerios, cotton balls, balls of paper, etc... Here are some ways that I will use this activity:

1. I will have some children use tongs-great way to work on improving fine motor strength and manipulation.

2. I will have some children use scissors tongs- great way to work on improving fine motor manipulation and scissor use.

3. I will have some children use a spoon- nice way to work on upper limb stability and wrist/forearm rotation.

4. I will have some children pick up the poms with their fingers- great way to work on a pincer grasp.

5. I will have some children rip paper and ball it up and then feed the monster- great way to work on pre-cutting, wrist forearm rotation, pincer grasp and bilateral coordination.

6. To add an element of fun I may use some dice and see how many poms a spoon or scissor tongs can hold.

Feel free to use these ideas or others!  Enjoy!

Improving Scissor Skills and Much More!

OT Activity of the Day:

Ice Cream Cone

Target Age Range: 5 and up

It's Summer, well almost, and that means it's time for ice cream and popsicles.  And what better way to pass the summer hours than making a little ice cream craft?!

All you need is some construction paper, a pair of scissors and your imagination.  You can use traditional ice cream "colors" or "flavors" or you can create your own.  Use some glitter or other scraps of paper and make sprinkles.  Use makers or crayons to decorate as well.  Another idea?After you've finished the craft, you can have your older kids write about their ice cream cone!  

During this craft you're practicing scissor use, drawing circles or triangles (both prewriting shapes), and working on bilateral coordination (using scissors with one hand and turning the paper with the other).

Enjoy! 

Improving Letter Recognition and Formation

OT Activity of the Day:

Making letters out of pipe cleaners or wiki sticks

Target Age Range: 3 and up

By the age of 4 most children should be able to write at least their first name in all capital letters. By the time they enter kindergarten children should be very comfortable with most of the upper case alphabet.  I know I've mentioned those fun facts before but as we enter the summer it's always important to think about the demands of the coming school year and to find ways to practice or enhance these skills over the summer.  

Here's another "fun" way to practice upper or lower case letter formation.  Make the letters out of pipe cleaners or wiki sticks.  You can have letter flash cards and the child can then copy the letter, or they can choose to make the letters of their name, like I have started doing, or they can pick letters at random.  Really, as long as they're engaged in this activity, it doesn't matter what letters they're making.

Enjoy!  

Improving Visual Motor Skills and Sequencing

OT Activity of the Day: 

Paper Airplanes

Target Age Range: 4 and up

Paper airplanes are fun.  Kids love making them and then love seeing how far they can fly.  Paper folding is a skill tested early in kids (2-3 years of age) and is an indicator of visual motor abilities.  For children who struggle to accurately line up the edges, or have a hard time duplicating what they are seeing, making a paper airplane is great practice because there is so much wiggle room, less pressure, and it's fun.

I have used this technique often in therapy and it's always a hit.  For the younger kids, it's mostly about simply copying what they see, as best they can, and producing creases.  For the older kids, I may print off paper airplane directions and have them sequence through the more challenging steps.  I have also used paper that I have cut holes in, or hula hoops, hung them up and then challenge the kids to fly their airplanes through the holes for different point values.

Enjoy!

Improving Regulation

OT Activity of the Day:

"Herding sheep" 

Target Age Range: 4 and up

Providing regulating input on a daily basis can be key for some families with a child who's sensory system may require more attention.  For these families, I often suggest movement right after school, or making sure that a child has adequate movement breaks throughout the day.  A question I often get is how to then calm a child after they have jumped in pillows for 5 minutes or run around the house 10 times?  Good question!  Deep breathing is a very effective strategy to couple with a movement break.  This helps the child organize their body and mind and effectively process the input their body just received.

Want a fun way to do this?  Grab a straw, some paper, and either poms or cotton balls.  You can pretend the cotton balls or poms are sheep, or goats, or pigs, or whatever your child wants, and then spread them around on a hard surface like a hardwood or kitchen floor.  Next give your child the straw and have them use their breath to "herd" the animals into their home.  

Another idea for the competitive child is to have a cotton ball race!  All you need is a starting and finish line, the rest is about the same.  Enjoy!

Improving Upper Limb Coordination

OT Activity of the Day:

Play with a balloon

Target Age Range: 2 and up

Most kids love balloons.  They love to throw them up in the air, catch them, and even pop them.  Little did they know it's also a great way to practice upper limb coordination, also known as ball skills.  

When kids struggle with this portion of the testing I usually suggest that the family start playing with balloons.  Balloons travel slower and allow the child to position their body so they can catch it more successfully.  Balloons also give children a chance to practice throwing over hand or under hand without worrying about the speed at which the ball travels, balloons move much slower.

You can also play balloon volleyball, basketball, or even monkey in the middle and work on some visual tracking skills.  Switch it up and practice some core work and play crab soccer or crab volleyball.  

Enjoy!

Improving Utensil Use

OT Activity of the Day:

Painting with a fork!

Target Age Range: 3 and up

I know I've mentioned utensil use before so here's another idea to get those hands ready to manipulate and use a fork.  For those kids with fine motor delays, mealtime is the worst time to solely work on utensil use.  Everyone's hungry, adults and children alike become agitated and no one wins.  It's best to get kids used to utensils in more sneaky ways.

Here's one!  I'm painting with a fork.  I'm making what I hope looks like a lion, but feel free to "free paint" or make other animals or pictures.  In this activity, the child is getting used to the feel of the fork with less pressure and it's fun.  A win for all!

This is also a great way to get those kiddos who don't like "messy" play involved in finger painting with peers!

Enjoy!

Improving Hand Eye Coordination and Hand Strength

OT Activity of the Day:

Water Fun!

Target Age Range: 2 and up

Summer is almost here and that means kids will be off of school, at home, and in need of something to do.  Send them outside to enjoy a little water play!

I designed this activity to work on hand eye coordination and hand strength.  First fill the bucket with water, then drop the koosh balls in until they fill with water.  When the balls are ready, have the kids pick them up, squeeze out the excess water (hand strength), and then try to toss them into the hula hoops (hand eye coordination).  I bought the hula hoops at the dollar store and the koosh balls from the dollar section at Target.  Cheap and fun!

Don't have a hula hoop?  Draw shapes with sidewalk chalk and have the kids aim for the shapes instead.  Don't have koosh balls?  Use water balloons instead (always an instant hit and you can work on light touch instead of hand strength)!

Enjoy!

Improved Fine Motor Manipulation

OT Activity of the Day:

Wind up toys

Target Age Range: 3 and up

 I love playing with wind up toys.  They come in all different animals or objects these days and they stimulate and work those small hands and fingers so nicely!  Here I have a caterpillar, a T-Rex, and a butterfly that I bought at the dollar store.  Not going to lie, my favorite may be the T-Rex.  

Want a fun idea?  Have a wind up toy race!  

Enjoy!