Occupational Therapy

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    This page is dedicated to providing parents with resources to enable their children to reach their full potential.  These resources are geared toward areas such as visual motor, visual perceptual, fine motor and sensory processing areas.  Other areas that may be helpful include self-help skills, organizational skills and calming strategies for children.  We hope that you find it enlightening and helpful.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Occupational Therapist at your child's school.  Your participation in your child's education is key to their success.  
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  • HOLIDAY and Birthday Gift Ideas

    Fun ways to help improve visual perception and fine motor skills

       “Thinking Putty”- Great stress reliever as well as hand strengthening and just plain fun!  From:  http://www.chinaberry.com/

     

    Below From Magic Cabin- www.magiccabin.com

     “Rope Ladder”- Great for core strengthening, motor planning, upper/lower extremity movements. ($19.98) 

     “Pulley”- Great item to work on upper extremity strengthening, heavy work. ($69.98)

    “Crayon Rocks”- Small bits of crayon packed into a velvet bag. Great for fine motor! ($8.98)

     “Fingermajigs Push Puppets”- These are great to work on fine motor strengthening, isolation of  finger movements as well as great fidgit tools! Set of 6 ($15.98)

     “Fishing Set”- Great for working on fine motor, bilateral skills , and visual motor skills. ($29.98)

     

    From:  MindWare- www.mindware.com

    “Spyro Gyro Art Kit”- Great for imaginary, tactile, proprioceptive, and fine motor skills. ($22.95)

    “Plush Craft Pillow Kits”- Great to work on fine motor, proprioceptive, and motor planning! ($16.95)

     Take A Part Airplane and Crane Truck”- Great for the builders to work on fine motor, motor planning! ($29.95)

    “The Cat in the Hat I Can Do That! Game- Great for gross motor, following directions, motor  planning, cooperative play! ($24.95)

     “Rush Hour and Rush Hour Junior”- Game that helps work on motor planning and fine motor.

     

    From: Fun and Function- www.funandfunction.com

    “EZ Socks”- These are seamless socks that have loops to help little ones pull up! Great for the  tactile sensitive child!! ($9.99)

    “Scooter boards”- Great for the vestibular, proprioceptive, upper extremity strength, CORE strength activities! Comes in 2 sizes ($16.99-18.99)

     

    STOCKING STUFFERS:

    These are just a sampling of small items that would be great!

    Theraputty- You can purchase this from Therapro, Amazon, or Ebay. Great not only for

    fine motor strengthening, but is also great for stress relief, fidgit tool.

     

    Crayola Model Magic, Playdoh, clay - Also is great for fine motor manipulation and

    strength and as a fidgit tool.

    Poppers, tops,fidgits- anything that challenges the fingers to build up strength and

    coordination.

    Bubbles- Great for oral motor, visual motor, and organizational tool.

    Squiggly pen-Not only will it provide vibration, tactile input when writing, but it also

    helps to organize and calm the body.

     

    Scented Markers, Pip Squeak Markers

    Jacks

    Uno, Skip-O, and card games

    Spot It.

     

    COMMERCIAL GAMES:

    This is a suggested list of games in various stores (Walmart, Toys R Us, Target, Ocean State Job Lot, Big Lots,Amazon, Ebay) that will help build fine motor manipulation, motor planning, direction following, and attention. Remember try playing these games on the floor in high kneeling, prone (on stomach) and in cross-leg sitting.

    Bed Bugs

    Bingo

    Colorforms Silly Faces Stick-Ons Game

    Perfection

    Squiggly Worms

    Don’t Break the Ice

    Don’t Spill the Beans

    Connect Four  and Connect 4 Launchers

    Operation

    Jenga or Stackable Uno

    Building Sets

    Lite Brite :  provides a repeated motion using the skilled side of the hand to complete a picture.

    Loom Band bracelets – approx.  age 7 and up

    Head Banz

    Boggle Junior

    Picture Link

    Topple

    Tricky Fingers

    Perfection

    Orb factory mosaic toys

    Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Pets 

    Bouncers (Check Christmas Tree Shops for this game or on Ebay)

    Easel - drawing paper or coloring on an easel can help increase a child’s shoulder strength.

    Misc. activities such as :pegboard activities, geoboards, puzzles (can order simple puzzles of any photograph online!), windup toys, Tissue Art,
        modeling clay/play-doh

     

     

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