Therapy Tips #2

Here are some fun therapy ideas to do with your child if they are experiencing delays in fine or gross motor development. Even if your child is not experiencing delays but is young and still needing pre-writing skills, these activities will be very beneficial.


1) Rice bowl- get a big bowl and fill it with rice. Have the child put their hands in the rice to feel the texture. Also hide small items in the rice (small toys, small pop beads, paper clips, etc) and let them find them. Have them use tongs to get the items out of the rice.

2) Beans in the hand- have a pile of beans, erasers, small toys, etc. and have your child use only their first finger and thumb to pick them up and hold them in their hand. Have them pick up at least 3-4 before dropping the ones in their hand. Practice with both left and right hands.

3) Going on a trip- draw a road for your child to "drive on" from one destination to another. Have them hold their pencil and make them cross over the middle of their body to begin the "trip". (This is really good to do on a black or white board where they road is much bigger than they are. It makes them cross their midline to work on fine motor, balance and eye hand coordination) Make the road curvy, wavy or straight, and make the road wide or skinny to test their ability to stay within the lines.

4)Water dropper- get a little eye or medicine dropper, some water and a spoon. Have the child suck water into the dropper then drop drops of water onto the spoon as they hold it in the opposite hand. Go back and forth practicing with both left and right hands.

These exercises are fun and they work little fingers that might not otherwise get that fine motor workout. Children who have sensory disorders sometimes do not seek out those activities on their own like coloring, writing or playing. My daughter was craving activity, and we thought that we were doing what the "normal" parents do, but with this disability she craves more than usual. Her body was craving more input, and it needed to be organized. Random play did not come easily for her when she was younger, and sometime still doesn't even though she is six. It's getting better, but we needed these activities to help us to get her ready to write as her fine motor skills were underdeveloped and needed stimulation. Her handwriting is still not perfect, nor is it always very controlled, but it is MUCH better since we started with some of these activities.

Other things like small pop beads (Target), Lego's, finger games (Where is Thumbkin?), Light Brights, and putting pennies in a slit in a jar top are all great ways to promote fine motor and writing skills.

Comments

ThreeGirlyGirls said…
Those are great! Thanks for sharing them!!
Stephanie D. said…
Hey Melissa, I tagged, you have fun.
Mulchy Mama said…
Those are great! I'll definitely have to try them with the girls!

I am totally cracking up every time I open your blog and hear Kirk say "Let me hear you make some Holy Ghost Crazy Noise!" Considering the fact that the main time I read blogs is late at night (midnight) or early a.m. (i'm talkin 4:30 or 5) my family would die if I started making "Holy Ghost Crazy Noise" at that time of day! :)

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