Summer Drinks

OT Activity of the Day:

Summer Drinks!

Target Age Range: 3 and up

For many, summer is here!  That means pool time, cool drinks, and relaxation.  Today we're talking about our favorite summer drinks!

This is a great activity to continue to work on scissor skills, fine motor manipulation skills, and writing skills during the summer.  To make this craft, first you have to cut out the cup, and this can be whatever color paper you would like.  Be sure to add some guidelines to practice fine motor control!  Next you decorate!  Now I used stickers to work on fine motor manipulation, however you can use whatever you'd like (ex. markers, crayons, paint, etc...).  Last, I wrote down my favorite summer drink!

For your younger kiddos, you can have the cup pre cut and they can simply work on decorating their drink.  For the older kiddos, you can add lines for them to write on and they can write a bit more than simply their favorite drink!

Enjoy!

And let's be honest, lemonade may not be my favorite summer drink 😉

Twister with a Twist!

OT Activity of the Day:

Twister with a Twist!

Target Age Range: 4 and up

During the summer it's important that your child continue to learn and study so that they're ready for the coming school year.  While I say this, I know it's hard to motivate a child to sit and study during the summer months.  This is when you have to be super creative with your methods.  Today we're playing Twister with a twist!

In this picture I'm using only upper case letters, however you can use sight words, lower case letters, and numbers.  Whatever you would like your child to review this summer!  To play this game, simply substitute the colors on the Twister spin board and playing mat with your desired lesson.  Instead of matching colors, your child will be recognizing letters, numbers, or sight words!  

Happy Monday and enjoy!

Combat the Summer Boredom!

OT Activity of the Day:

Combat the Summer Boredom!

Target Age Range: 2 and up

With summer around the corner it's time to start thinking about summer vacation!  While some kids will be heading off to camps, others may be hanging out at home.  Regardless of your child's summer plans, it's inevitable that you will hear the words, "I'm bored".  While there's nothing wrong with your child being bored, it can foster creativity, you can help combat boredom by providing them with a "Boredom Jar".  This is a jar I found off the blog "chasserveddaily", and would be very easy to recreate at home.  

Here are a few OT ideas to add to your jar!

1. Create an obstacle course inside or outside of the house (gross motor and sensory).

2. Use sidewalk chalk outside (fine motor skills).

3. Use a paintbrush and "paint" the patio or deck (fine motor).

4. Hopscotch (gross motor).

5. Nature scavenger hunt (fine motor and gross motor).

6. Paint a rock (fine motor).

7. Build a fort (gross motor and sensory).

8. Animal walk relay races (gross motor and sensory).

9. Play doh (fine motor).

10. Coloring books (fine motor).

These are just a few ideas, you can always scroll back through this blog for more! 

Happy summer and enjoy!

Memorial Day Scissor Fun

OT Activity of the Day:

Memorial Day Scissor Fun

Target Age Range: 4 and up

Once a child is comfortable snipping with scissors, the next developmental step is to cut across a piece of paper.  So for Memorial Day, we're using strips of paper to make a flag.  You can make a guideline for your child to cut on, or you can simply allow them to cut the paper at widths they chose, it's entirely up to you.  The most important part is that they're cutting.  Once they've cut everything out, you can glue the strips down and create stars in the corner.  You can use white paint, crayons or even stickers for the stars.  Feel free to use your imagination!

Happy Memorial Day!  Here at FUNdamentals we wish everyone a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Scissor skills!

OT Activity of the Day:

Hair!

Target Age Range: 2 and up

To help facilitate snipping, today we're making some hair!  This is the perfect activity for your Preschooler.  You can either have the paper plate pre-cut or, depending on the skill level of your child, they can cut the bottom part of the plate off themselves.  Once the plate is ready, you can draw a face and start snipping some hair!

Not only does this perfectly promote snipping, it's also a great way to work on prewriting skills and bilateral coordination.  Happing snipping and enjoy!

Scissor skills!

OT Activity of the Day:

Scissor Skills

Target Age Range: 2 and up

By the age of 2 your child has the ability to begin to snip with scissors.  Snipping is different than cutting, with snipping your child simply has to be able to make a small snip in a piece of paper one time.  Where cutting is a more continuous motion.  

To help make scissor orientation easier for your young child, I would suggest putting a sticker on the thumb loop side so that your child knows that the sticker should be up!  For kiddos who are 2 I would even suggest starting with play doh scissors or even scissor tongs so that there is no stress from a sharp blade.  You can easily add stickers to those scissors as well!

Enjoy!

Prewriting Skills

OT Activity of the Day:

Prewriting Skills

Target Age Range: 3 and up

In order for your child to be able to have age appropriate prewriting skills, they have to have appropriate hand strength and stability.  If a child does not have appropriate hand strength and stability then they tend to display a more non-functional grasp on their writing tool.  This puts them at a disadvantage to be able to engage in prewriting skills appropriate for their age.

The games and activities pictured today are all designed to build strength and stability in your child's hand.  Pictured items include: play doh, therapy putty, wind up toys, squeeze darts, and tongs.  These can be purchased at places like Target and Amazon and would be perfect additions to any household!

Enjoy!

Prewriting Skills

OT Activity of the Day:

Prewriting Skills

Target Age Range: 2 and up

Recently I've had several parents and educators ask about the best grip for early writers and the best way to facilitate that grip.  Ideally children will write with a tripod grasp.  This means that the pencil, or writing tool, will be stabilized by the index finger on top, the thumb on the side and the tall man underneath.  Sometimes this is not the grip children first display and sometimes by simply switching the writing tool, you'll see instant results!  

Pictured are some of the preferred writing tools for young hands.  These writing tools will naturally promote a more functional grip for child.  We have Flip crayons from Handwriting Without Tears, small pencils from Handwriting Without Tears, Pipsqueak markers, Dot markers, triangle crayons, Q-tips and sponges.  The q-tips and sponges are great for painting and using water on a chalk board.

Happy Wednesday and enjoy!

Wikki Stix!

OT Activity of the Day:

Wikki Stix!

Target Age Range: 3 and up

I know I've talked about wikki stix before, but I'm going to talk about them again today.  As we continue to talk about prewriting skills, wikki stix are a modality I use constantly with younger kids.  I especially like to use them to teach letter formation (as pictured).  Children of all ages love wikki stix and when learning letters is difficult it always helps to engage your child's interests. Plus, wikki stix are a great way to promote fine motor manipulation and using two hands together.

I also use them to help teach letter placement and coloring inside the lines.  Just place the wikki stix on the line your child is trying to write on or color in and you have a barrier that will gently remind your child to stay within the line!

So grab your wikki stix and enjoy!

Prewriting Skills

OT Activity of the Day:

Prewriting Skills

Target Age Range: 2 and up

Prewriting skills are very important.  It's important that your child understand the different lines including vertical, horizontal and circle lines.  This will come in handy when your child is then asked to put these strokes together to form letters.  By the age of 2 you child should be able to imitate (different than copy) a vertical line.  Between 2 and 3 this should progress and your child should also be able to imitate and copy vertical, horizontal and circle lines.

To help promote these skills you can get a large piece of paper and place it on your table.  (If you'd like to also promote some shoulder stability, you can tape the paper to the wall using painter's tape.). I've placed some stickers and guidelines on the paper to help facilitate the lines I would like to see.  Should your child not need the lines, you can simply place the stickers on the paper and have them connect the stickers!

This is wonderful practice for your young toddlers.  Enjoy!

Flowers for Mom!

OT Activity of the Day:

Flowers for Mom!

Target Age Range: 2 and up

Moms love flowers.  So for Mother's Day why not make her a flower?  This craft is perfect for your toddlers, all you need is a paper plate and some dot markers.  Dot markers are great because they promote visual motor and fine motor skills with their twist tops.  They also provide a wide base of support for your child's early grasp patterns. 

To make a paper plate flower, first have your child decorate their plate with the dot markers.  Once the plate is all covered, you can glue the plate on a piece of paper and create a stem.  You can easily create an outline for the stem and have your child fill it in, or you can allow them to make the stem however they see fit.

Enjoy!

Mother's Day!

OT Activity of the Day:

Mother's Day!

Target Age Range: 2 and up

Today we're continuing in our celebration of all things Mothers.  Today's craft is for your toddlers. Ripping paper is a precursor skill to cutting, so not only is your child gearing up for Mother's Day, but they're working on age appropriate skills.

All you need is paper, glue, and markers.  Your child can first fold the paper in half.  After that you can help your child write out the words "Mom, I love you to pieces".  Lastly, have your child rip paper.  The color of the paper can be their mother's favorite or theirs, whichever is more motivating.  Once they have ripped enough paper, you can start gluing!

Enjoy!

Mother's Day!

OT Activity of the Day:

Mother's Day Craft

Target Age Range: 5 and up

Mother's Day is Sunday May 14th and this week we are celebrating mothers!  This craft is perfect for your Kindergarteners and First Graders.

To make this craft you will need a piece of paper, markers, and scissors.  First you fold the piece of paper in half.  Next take your child's hand and trace the hand making sure the thumb and index finger are on the folded ridge (Your child can also do this part on their own for an added challenge).  Then your child can cut out the hand making sure to keep the folded ridge on the index finger and thumb in tact. Finally, open up the hand and write your message.

This activity promotes bilateral coordination, scissor skills, and early writing skills.  Happy Mother's Day and enjoy!

Breath Maze

OT Activity of the Day:

Breath Maze

Target Age Range: 4 and up

This is the time of year that children tend to become unregulated.  They're getting excited for summer and time off from school.  A good way to calm children down is by taking deep breaths.  This activity naturally promotes taking deep breaths and adds an element of competition/fun.

I've set up a small maze with some of my wind up toys (bonus fun, after your child has taken a few deep breaths, they can work on fine motor manipulation through play with the wind up toys). I have a start and a stop point.  I then found 2 poms and a straw.  Now for multiple kids, you can use multiple straws and poms, probably best not to spread germs.

Once the maze is all set up you can start the fun.  The object is to use the straw to blow the pom from one side to the next without hitting a toy.  This promotes the smooth and controlled breath we're looking for to help calm children down.

Enjoy!

Lady Bug

OT Activity of the Day:

Lady Bug!

Target Age Range: 4 and up

Yes, this is a very primitive lady bug with little thrill.  However this is the perfect activity if your child needs more practice with their scissor skills!  After being able to cut along a straight line, the next developmental milestone is to be able to cut out a circle.  So today we have all the circles. For this craft, all you need is a paper plate, construction paper and scissors.

First I put the paper plate on the red paper and trace the outside for the body.  This is perfect practice for bilateral coordination, it challenges your child to stabilize the plate in one hand while tracing around with the other hand.  Then I cut out the body and glued it on the plate.  Next I took black construction paper and cut out some smaller circles for the spots.  Last I took some googly eyes and glued them down, to complete my lady bug!

Happy scissor skills and happy Monday!

More Caterpillars!

OT Activity of the Day:

More Caterpillars!

Target Age Range: 5 and up

This is such a fun fine motor manipulation activity.  All I used were pipe cleaners (I used 4 total), a straw, googly eyes and glue.  

First you take your straw and wrap the end of one pipe cleaner around the top 2-3 times.  Then you start to cascade your wrapping so that the pipe cleaner is wrapped all the way down to the bottom of the straw.  Follow suit with two other pipe cleaners.  Then I pushed and rotated the pipe cleaners in so that the caterpillar was smaller than the straw.  I clipped the ends of the straws so that you wouldn't see them.  Last I took a final pipe cleaner and wrapped it around the "head" of the caterpillar.  The final act was to glue on some eyes!

For your kiddos who are in First or Second grade, you can always add an element of writing by creating a few sentences or a short story about the caterpillar.

Enjoy!

Caterpillars

OT Activity of the Day:

Caterpillars

Target Age Range: 5 and up

Spring has sprung and that means all things caterpillars.  So many of my kiddos are learning about the caterpillar to butterfly process in their classrooms and we thought we would join in!

All you need is some paper, markers, glue, scissors and poms.  Of course if you don't have one of these items, you can always improvise!  This activity if perfect for those kiddos who need some extra practice with scissors.  Not only can you cut out the leaf, but you can make small snips around the leaf.  It's also a great activity to promote hand strength and control when using the bottle of glue, not a glue stick.

For an added writing challenge, you can always have your child write a sentence or two about their caterpillar:).

Happy Spring and enjoy!  

Roll a Story

OT Activity of the Day:

Roll a Story

Target Age Range: 6 and up

For those kiddos who struggle with writing, participating in additional handwriting practice is never fun.  Whether the issue is more with creating sentences and stories, or sustained hand strength and endurance, this activity can make writing more enjoyable.  The link for the featured "Roll a Story" is provided below, though you can make your own version based on the interests of your child.

https://msjordanreads.com/2012/08/11/roll-a-dice-literacy-fun/

All you need is dice, paper, and a pencil and you're good to go!  Enjoy!

Bowling with Letters!

OT Activity of the Day:

Bowling with letters!

Target Age Range: 3 and up

"F" is for Friday!  If you're looking for a fun and engaging way to introduce letters to your toddler, try using bowling pins!  Kids love to bowl and there tends to be less pressure when letters are introduced away from pencil and paper.  This makes the learning process fun and engaging and will lead to better letter retainment.  

We're also working on hand-eye coordination and letter formation.  An educational and OT win!

Enjoy! 

Avalanche!

OT Activity of the Day:

Avalanche

Target Age Range: 3 and up

I bought this game off Amazon a few weeks ago and it's been in heavy rotation ever since.  This game focuses on fine motor strength, fine motor control, bilateral coordination, and problem solving.  It's made for kiddos who are 3 years old and can be easily scaled up for kiddos who are in Kindergarten and beyond.

The idea of the game is to collect all 5 different fruits without causing an "avalanche".  The trick is that you can't use your hands to pull the fruit out, you have to use the tongs.  This has been a fan favorite for all.  Enjoy!