Activities for Tummy Tighteners

• Sit-ups


• Holding “plank” position


• Hold position on hands and knees (without locking elbows), extend right arm and left leg (hold for 10 seconds and switch sides)


• “Superman” activity – lay down on stomach and extend arms and legs off the ground


• Maintaining upright position sitting on therapy/exercise ball

Activities for Hand strengthening and development for fine motor tasks (scissors, writing)

General hand strengthening

• Squeezing stress ball (or balloon filled with flour)


• Use turkey baster to transfer water from one container to another


• Baking activities that involve mixing/kneading dough and making balls


• Putting money in a piggy bank: Collect 5 coins one at a time and tuck in palm of hand. Manipulate coins to finger and thumb to place coin into bank.

Scissor skills

• Use tweezers or tongs to pick small pieces of sponge or cotton balls


• Hide small objects (pennies, beads) in clay and/or theraputty and find by pulling clay apart


• Use hole puncher to punch holes in different mediums (computer paper, construction paper, tag board, etc.)


• Play with spray bottles and/or water guns using middle and index finger to pull trigger


• Pinching clothespins to hang up pictures, artwork, etc.


• Pinch and seal ziplock bag using thumb and index/middle finger

Activities for Handwriting Development

Promote hand strengthening (see activities above)

Promote pre-writing skills

• Draw lines and copy shapes in shaving cream, sand, or finger paint trays


• Coloring activities


• Complete simple dot-to-dot or maze worksheets


• Promote right/left discrimination


• Promote familiarity with printed language


• Label pictures, objects, favorite topic etc.

Activities for Bilateral Coordination (using both hands together)

• Stringing beads


• Playing with legos


• Practice buttons, fasteners, and zippers during dressing routines

Activities for Improved Attention

Provide “heavy work” experience. These activities contract the muscles and compress the joints that provide calming input to help regulation and focus on tasks

• Jumping on trampoline


• Crashing into pillows, mattresses, etc.


• Wheelbarrrow walking


• Carrying heavy objects (laundry, groceries, etc.)


• Weighted vests/backpack to and from school

Providing movement breaks when needed – jumping, wall push ups, running errands, etc.
Move and sit cushion to sit on during table top activities
Tie theraband around table legs and allow to kick when “fidgety”

Sensory Diet Examples:

Alerting

• Intense foods (hot/cold/spicy/sour)


• Oral motor – sucking/blowing activities (bubbles, whistles, etc.)


• Swinging with changes in directions


• Light touch and tactile play (playdoh, finger paints, shaving cream, dry beans/pasta, sand, rice, water, etc.)

Calming/Organizing

• Heavy work activities-Jumping, crashing, wheelbarrow walking, carrying/pushing heavy objects


• Deep pressure (“bear” hugs, rolling child up in blanket like a hot dog, etc.)


• Rhythmic bouncing on therapy ball, adult’s knee, etc.


• Rhythmic rocking

Oral Motor

• Sucking/blowing activities (bubbles, whistles, etc.). It can have an alerting or calming effect!

Vision

• Complete paper and pencil mazes


• Track a marble in a maze with finger


• Flashlight tag (use two flashlights to practice visual “jumps” to targets)


• Complete “Where’s Waldo” type activities


• Set up an obstacle course/maze to complete


• Balloon volleyball

Activities to build vocabulary

Talk about words and word-meanings. Discuss why certain names have been chosen for people, pets, or characters, like why Big Bird is called Big Bird or Cookie Monster, Inspector Gadget, etc.

Try to work these conversations in around topics of genuine interest to your child.

Read, read, read, read! When you read stories, recite rhymes and sing songs. Include “obvious” sentence completion tasks like, “I do not like them in a box, I do not like them with a ___” (fox).

Play impromptu word-games. Transform one part of speech into another. For example. Today I am riding, yesterday, I …(rode) and tomorrow, I…(will ride).

Play word classification games. See how many items you can name in a category (tools, games, drinks, movies, sports, colors, etc.) Limit each person to just minute to see who can name the most!