If you have not been doing pediatrics and now find yourself thrust into the school setting, here are some of the most common standardized tests being used. **VMI = Beery Buktenica Visual Motor Integration (good for ages 3 and up), This test can be done every...
Fingers love to explore what is inside and move them around. It can calm an Alzheimer's patient or give sensory feedback to a small child. You can also place a variety of small items inside such as foam letters, glitter, fuzz balls, marbles, spangles, plastic...
Painting pine cones can be meaningful and fun for clients of all ages and this activity works on a variety of skills such as standing tolerance, balance, visual-motor, and communication skills. You can place them in a decorative bowl with lights or hang them on a...
If you do not have time to color some bugs to put on your obstacle course, we have you covered. These can also be used as examples for coloring. OPTIONS: Using games or challenges with bugs are usually a hit with kids. Bugs move and are...
This DIY matching activity is easy and cheap to make. I got a free shoe box from a TJMaxx store, then took a piece of paper and placed colors on it with markers and glued it to the top of the shoebox. Then I took scissors...
Crossing midline is important for not just physical benefits but also for the brain. Balancing activities also assist the brain development that affects skills such as reading, math, and activities of daily living (ADL's) such as donning socks. Balancing is also important, so this activity gets...
This is a favorite with just a tricky part where you fold the mouth into the center of the card. With lots of folding and coloring, this might end up being one of your favorites. Fun for any occasion and super for building skills such as...
This is easier and cheaper than it looks. Just go to your fabric store (JoAnn's Fabrics is where we got this) and ask for a fabric sock. They have bolts of stretchy cotton (t-shirt material) fabric that is like a tunnel. It is a wonderful...
This task is a favorite with school based OT's because not only are kids motivated to write, they also get to work on spacial awareness, visual tracking, visual motor integration, fine motor coordination, asymmetrical bilateral integration, and sensory tolerance. SUPPLIES: Fork, dark colored paper, white pencil,...
Sometimes adults can be particular with visual motor tasks, so here is a picture idea that can help. Depending on skill level, you may take photos and ask clients to find or draw selected elements. This type of activity can assist with working memory, visual memory,...