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Month: November 2016

Visual Motor Integration Tool with KORXX Blocks

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Disclosure: This post was sponsored by KORXX.  All opinions are my own.
 

We found a new favorite building toy for play, learning, and imagination, and are so excited to share it with you.  If you haven’t played with KORXX blocks before, you are in for a fine motor and visual motor integration treat.  These cork building blocks are a natural and sustainable and a light material for little builders. We received a set of KORXX blocks to try and had a blast using them for a visual motor integration challenge.  Using blocks to assess and build a child’s visual motor integration skills are an easy way to challenge the skills needed for skills such as handwriting and letter formation and any task that requires the child to use the hands and eyes together in a coordinated and effective manner.  


Address visual motor integration in written work by improving visual perception using block copying skills with KORXX cork blocks.
When we played with our KORXX blocks, we were excited to see how the blocks can easily be used to create three dimensional or two dimensional constructions. The therapist in me immediately noted the unique opportunity for addressing visual motor integration skills in this toy! 
 
Address visual motor integration in written work by improving visual perception using block copying skills with KORXX cork blocks.

Visual Motor Integration and KORXX Building Blocks

 
Blocks are quite often used as a therapy tool to address and assess visual motor integration skills.  The fact that blocks are a toy that is common in classrooms, playrooms, and therapy gyms makes using blocks for eye and hand skill needs easy and fun for kids.  
 
Visual motor integration skills are essential for any task that requires the hands to manipulate items based on what the eye perceives.  In that manner, our eyes must perceive certain information and process it to allow our hands to work in an efficient manner to produce written work, catch a ball, manipulate clothing fasteners, or copy and draw shapes and pictures.  
 
Visual motor integration is an essential skill needed for forming and copying letters in handwriting.
Address visual motor integration in written work by improving visual perception using block copying skills with KORXX cork blocks.


Visual Perceptual Skills and Visual Motor Integration

Skills that fall under visual perception are needed for visual motor integration. Skills such as form constancy, visual memory, visual discrimination, visual figure ground, visual closure, and visual sequential memory.
 
Form Constancy allows us to recognize shapes or letters and numbers no matter what position they might be in.  Blocks positioned on their side or in a different direction are still the same block.  A large oval shaped KORXX block is still a large oval shaped block and can be recognized for use in copying block patterns.
 
Visual Memory allows us to hold a memory in our mind of something we just saw.  It also allows us to recall letter formation when writing.  When we shift our vision to copy written work from the chalk board onto our paper, we are using visual memory to hold and then recreate that piece of information.  KORXX blocks can be used to address this skill by creating a block form in the upright position and then constructing a two dimensional copy of that form with the same shape and sized blocks.
 
Visual Discrimination allows us to discriminate between differences in parts of letters (for example, we are able to see the difference between an “R” and a “P”).  The different sizes in the KORXX block sets are perfect for this visual perception skill.
 
Visual Figure Ground is a skill that allows us to locate and identify items when they are scattered among other items.  Locating a single puzzle piece on a table of puzzle pieces is just on example of this skill.  Use the KORXX blocks to locate needed pieces when they are scattered on the table.
 
Visual Closure allows us to identify an object when we are able to see only a portion of it.  Blocks that are stacked in a scatter on a table surface require visual closure for children to locate specific needed pieces.  They can locate a small oval KORXX block when it is partially covered.
 
Visual Sequential Memory allows us to create words or numbers in the correct sequence.  When building and copying block forms, we need to start with the correct KORXX blocks in order to copy the form.
 
So, using the parts of visual perception is a necessary part of copying letters and words in written work, math problems, and block forms in a play activity!
 
Address visual motor integration in written work by improving visual perception using block copying skills with KORXX cork blocks.
For our block play, we used our Kuller set KORXX block set to copy different forms.  I created a few multi-dimension block forms to add a depth perception component.  I set up blocks in  front of my preschooler and asked her to copy the forms.  By looking for the correct block on the table surface, she had to use all of the visual perception areas described above.  
 
Address visual motor integration in written work by improving visual perception using block copying skills with KORXX cork blocks.
 
This is such a great exercise for kids who are copying written work from an overhead position.  In the classroom, kids might have to copy their homework from an overhead position.  Between using the information they perceive in combination with their motor component of forming letters and manipulating the pencil, there are a lot of areas where illegibility can occur.
 
Address visual motor integration in written work by improving visual perception using block copying skills with KORXX cork blocks.
Try using simpler block copying forms to address visual motor and visual perception needs can be done with forms placed flat on the table surface in a top-to-bottom orientation.  Place the block form on the table and the child can construct their own form directly under the block form.  Limit the number of KORXX blocks that are presented to the child.
Address visual motor integration in written work by improving visual perception using block copying skills with KORXX cork blocks.

A little more information about KORXX blocks:

  • These eco-friendly blocks are all natural and made free of any harmful contaminants. There are no phthalates, dioxins, or other sensory emissions. The product adheres to the guidelines for children’s toys (under 3 years) and the harmonized standard DIN EN 71.
  • The soft and light cork blocks provide excellent stability without slippage. This makes them perfect for grasping by young children.
  • The KORXX bricks are made from natural cork harvested without harming the trees.
 
  • KORXX is an all natural and sustainable building block made from natural cork harvested without harming the trees.
 
You can purchase any of the KORXX block sets here.
 
Address visual motor integration in written work by improving visual perception using block copying skills with KORXX cork blocks.
 

Check out these activities using KORXX blocks:

 
Nature Play with KORXX Blocks from Fireflies and Mud Pies  

Balancing Activities with KORXX Quiet Blocks from Preschool Inspirations

 

Clothing Fasteners and Sensory Processing Issues

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One aspect of the Activities of Daily Living we complete each day is fastening clothing fasteners. In this blog post we are covering the skills needed for managing clothing fasteners. Lets go over one aspect of sensory issues with clothing: clothing fasteners like buttons, snaps, zippers, and shoe ties.

Sensory processing affects everything we do.  From movement and learning on down to the tiniest snaps and buttons that adorn our clothing.  Many times, children with problems with sensory processing skills have difficulty with manipulating clothing fasteners. 


Here, you will find sensory-related issues that may impact a child’s ability to fasten and manipulate clothing fasteners, strategies that can help with independence in addressing sensory processing issues, and sensory-friendly clothing fastener solutions. 


Clothing fasteners and sensory processing issues can affect buttons, snaps, buckles, and zippers.



Clothing fasteners and sensory processing issues

 

Clothing Fasteners and Sensory Issues

Today in the Functional Skills for Kids series, ten Occupational Therapist and Physical Therapist bloggers are sharing everything there is to know about manipulating buttons, snaps, zippers, and buckles.  


The child with sensory processing issues may experience patterns of behavior related to many skills needed for managing clothing fasteners. There can be giant clothing sensitivities that are red flags that we can help the individual in some way. This might look like sensory friendly clothing that accommodates for challenges with clothing fasteners. Or, it might look like wearing compression garments under a shirt that has a zipper on it.

In turn, a difficulty in movement, reactions, balance, and posture can interfere with managing buttons, zippers, snaps, and buckles.  Clumsy fine motor skills may present during manipulation of clothing fasteners.  


There are many other issues that present with sensory processing problems that may present during management of clothing fasteners:

Clothing fasteners and sensory processing issues
 

 

Vestibular Sensory and clothing fasteners:

Poor bilateral coordination– Children with poor sensory processing often times present with bilateral coordination difficulties. Gross motor tasks and coordinated use of the hands in fine motor tasks at midline appear to be clumsy.  Managing buttons, snaps, and zippers are difficult when asking these children to use their hands together. Tasks such as buttoning and zipping require one hand to perform a precision task while the other hand assists.  These types of skills challenge the child with poor bilateral coordination.  While children with poor bilateral coordination may not have a clear established dominant hand, it can be difficult to manipulate buttons when one hand is not defined as the “skilled” hand. 


Difficulty with movement– Children with unmet sensory needs can present as fidgety and uncoordinated, making clothing fastener management quite difficult. 


Low Muscle Tone– Children with sensory processing difficulties quite often present with low tone. Weakness in the arms, shoulder girdle, and core can prompt the child to stabilize on table surfaces or with accommodating positioning.  These issues along with tone and strength weaknesses in the hands then prevents the child from manipulating clothing fasteners or enduring the length of a buttoning/zippering/etc task.  Fatigue can limit training sessions or prevent the child from completing clothing fastener tasks in an efficient manner


Poor motor planning (dyspraxia)–  A vestibular dysfunction can result in poor motor planning with the child having trouble in planning out the sequence of buttoning and unbuttoning clothing, or engaging a zipper into the chamber, then pulling up the pull. It can be difficult for these children to generalize what they have practice on a dressing board to clothing on the body.  Likewise, generalizing skills they have practiced with one sweater (and one size buttons/clothing material/ button hole opening/etc) to another sweater or one zipper to another zipper can be difficult.


Proprioceptive Issues and clothing fasteners:

Seek sensory feedback– Children who present with proprioceptive dysfunction may seek out sensory feedback.  Snaps or zippers can be a source of sensory feedback in an inefficient manner.


Inefficient body awareness– See below.


Inefficient grading of movement– Managing clothing fasteners can be difficult for the child who has trouble grading the amount of movement needed for positioning their arms and maintaining position while fastening clothing.  These children might grip the zipper pull too lightly or too tightly making fastening a zipper difficult.  Buttons might pull off of clothing when the child with grading issues attempts to button or unbutton clothing. 


Poor motor planning (dyspraxia)– See below


Tactile Sensory Needs and clothing fasteners

Hypersensitive to touch (Tactile Defensiveness)– The child with tactile defensiveness may have trouble manipulating clothing fasteners.  Certain clothing materials can be offensive to children with tactile defensiveness.  The texture of a zipper or Velcro can cause an adverse reaction.  Stiff collars or zippers, belts, and rough clothing textures and fasteners can cause a negative reaction from the child who is hypersensitive to touch.  These children may prefer clothing without fasteners or refuse to wear winter coats or jackets with these offensive fasteners.  


Hyposensitivity or an under-responsiveness to touch– The child with hyposensitivity to touch may present during an attempt to complete clothing fasteners.  These children may fail to realize that they have omitted buttons or snaps on their clothing.  


Poor tactile discrimination– Children who have difficulty with discriminating touch have difficulty manipulating items and using their hands without looking at what their hands are doing.  These children may be unable to perform the steps of buttoning and unbuttoning, zippering, and snapping clothing fasteners without visual cues.  They might perform these tasks in peculiar manners with inefficient grasps.   These children may seem to touch their clothing fasteners excessively, such as run their fingers up and down the zipper.  They enjoy the sensory feedback from running their hands over clothing fasteners.  


Poor tactile perception–  The child with poor tactile perception  will have trouble with perceiving the location of button holes without visually looking at the fasteners.  They will have trouble identifying the two sides of a zipper by touch.


Poor body awareness–  Children with sensory processing issues often times have trouble with body awareness.  They have difficulty knowing where their body is in space and how to move it in order to perform tasks.  Moving the arms in order to perform fine motor tasks such as buttoning and unbuttoning a sweater can be quite difficult.  


Poor motor planning (dyspraxia)–  Sensory processing issues may present with resulting dyspraxia or motor planning difficulties.  These kids have trouble organizing and following through with the movement needed to perform tasks such as buttoning and zippering.  These children will have trouble with precision of fine motor manipulation, making engaging a zipper and buttoning and unbuttoning very difficult. 

Visual Spatial Processing and clothing fasteners:

Difficulty seeing with eyes working as a “team”, particularly when managing fasteners on the body.


Difficulty shifting gaze from different planes when managing fasteners on the body.


Confuse or mis-align buttons to button holes. May present with increased difficulty when managing buttons on the body.


Difficulty with sequential tasks in buttoning or zipper management.

Looking at all of these different areas, it is easy to see why the child with sensory processing issues has trouble with managing clothing fasteners!

Many children have several of the above issues that present as a result of sensory concerns.  Bilateral coordination or low tone concerns may be accompanied by evidence of poor sensory processing.  Observations of issues described above may be part of the explanation for difficulty with fine motor manipulation, but it is important to note that every child is different and what is described here may not be the entire story.  Strategies and descriptions here will not explain every issue with clothing fasteners when sensory issues are present.


So, what is to be done to help kids with building independence and carrying over skills to allow kids to independently managing buttons, zippers, snaps, and buckles on their clothing?


RELATED READ: Zipper Activities for Kids

Sensory Strategies for clothing fasteners:

Some children with tactile discrimination difficulties have trouble processing the the spatial or temporal information gathered through touch during tasks such as managing clothing fasteners. Intervention for tactile dysfunction can be done along with intervention for dyspraxia.  Deep pressure, activities that provide tactile sensation with temporal and spatial qualities, brushing the skin, using vibrating stimulation to the skin, and tactile play activities can help with discrimination needed for clothing fasteners.  


Sensory needs may benefit from heavy input through the hands, strengthening, positioning, visual and verbal cues, practicing fastener management on the body, and practicing fasteners while seated or standing. 

Sensory Strategies to Help Kids with Clothing Fasteners



Affiliate links are included in this post. 

Clothing fasteners and sensory processing issues



Provide vibrating tactile sensory input with this Orbeez foot spa.  Typically, this toy is used with water beads for a sensory play activity.  We filled ours with crafting pom poms in various sizes and textures.  The vibrating bottom provides a vibratory tactile sensation, which is perfect for the hands. We explored the textures of the crafting pom poms as the foot spa vibrated and shook the pom poms.  Add additional components to this activity with small hidden toys that allow for visual discrimination, tactile perception, and awareness of body movements. 

Clothing fasteners and sensory processing issues using vibrating tactile sensory tools



More sensory strategies that can help with independence in clothing fasteners:

  • A weighted weighted blanket can be a source of heavy input for proprioception needs.  
  • Outline the button holes with a dark color thread or marker for easy visual perception.
  • Deep pressure through the hands is a technique that sometimes helps when manipulating clothing fasteners.  
Clothing fasteners and sensory processing issues using fingerless gloves
Clothing fasteners and sensory processing issues using fingerless gloves
Clothing fasteners and sensory processing issues using fingerless gloves

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs Jacks Game

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Jacks is a classic game.  Bounce a ball, scoop up the correct number of jacks, and be sure to catch the ball again! Playing jacks is a great way to sneak in eye-hand coordination skills, grasp, and motor planning.  So when we read the book, Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems this week with the Virtual Book Club for Kids, we were excited to try a dinosaurs version of the classic Jacks game!  


Get ready for a FUN kids’ book and an even more fun active game with Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs Jacks Game!



This post contains affiliate links.



Goldilocks and The Three Dinosaurs Jacks Game



Have you read Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs?  This book is completely FUN!


My kids are huuuuuuge fans of all of Mo Willems’ books and this one was no different.


This is definitely a book to grab at the book store or add to your library request list. 


So, read the book this week and then have fun with this dinosaur themed activity:


You’ll need just three items to play dinosaur themed jacks:


Mini dinosaur figures


Dice


Small rubber ball

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Use plastic dinosaurs in this Goldilocks and the Three DInosaurs jacks game based on Mo Willems childrens book.



RELATED READ: Dinosaur Themed Gross Motor Game


Then it’s time to play.


How to play Jacks

This game is just like the classic game of jacks. Do you know how to play jacks?  It’s pretty easy.


Scatter the jacks on the floor. 


Toss the ball into the air.  Scoop up one jack and let the ball bounce once before catching the ball in the same hand.


Collect all of the jacks in the same way.  This is called “onsies”. Then start another round called “twosies” where you will pick up two jacks at a time until all of the jacks are gone. 


Use plastic dinosaurs in this Goldilocks and the Three DInosaurs jacks game based on Mo Willems childrens book.



So, playing Dinosaur Jacks would be the same exact way.  Scoop up one dinosaur at a time until they are all gone. 


RELATED READ: Dinosaur Themed Proprioception Game

Use plastic dinosaurs in this Goldilocks and the Three DInosaurs jacks game based on Mo Willems childrens book.



How do playing Jacks help with development?

Jacks is a fun and active way to work on so many skills.

Catching a ball is a skill of motor planning.  Without a plan to adjust to the way the ball moves, it would be impossible to catch or dodge a ball.  It can be quite difficult for children with a lack of body awareness or sensory processing issues to move and create a plan in response to a stimulus such as a moving ball.

Jacks is a game of visual motor integration.  Scattered dinosaurs (or jacks) need to be gathered up while the bouncing ball is moving in different planes of vision.  
There are many visual processing skills that are used when playing jacks: visual attention, visual memory, visual spatial relationships, and visual figure ground.

Playing jacks requires the hands to move in response to what is perceived and is a challenge to eye-hand coordination skills.

Try using the game of Dinosaur Jacks to help with any of these skills that interfere with handwriting, reading, math, or other functional skills.

Looking for more ways to play and learn with a dinosaur theme?  Try these ideas from the Virtual Book Club for Kids team:

Dinosaur Themed Learning Activities

Dino Babies Letter Game ~ Rainy Day Mum
Preschool Dinosaur Name Activity from Preschool Powol Packets
Dinosaur Pre-Writing Tracing Pages from Sea of Knowledge

MATHS ACTIVITIES FOR THE DINOSAUR THEME

Dinosaur Number Maze from Inspiration Laboratories
Clothes Pin Dinosaur Count Tray from School Time Snippets
Dinosaur Shape Matching Game from Powerful Mothering
Build a Shape Dinosaur from Adventures of Adam

SENSORY AND ART ACTIVITIES FOR A DINOSAUR THEME

Collaborative Cardboard Dinosaur Art from Toddler Approved

COOKING IDEAS FOR DINOSAURS

SCIENCES IDEAS FOR A DINOSAUR THEME

MOVEMENT IDEAS FOR A DINOSAUR THEME

Roll a Dinosaur Movement Game from To Be a Kid Again
Use plastic dinosaurs in this Goldilocks and the Three DInosaurs jacks game based on Mo Willems childrens book.

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Bottle Caps Holly Craft

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We have quite a few activities and crafts that use recycled materials here on the blog.  Why not use those items that will otherwise get tossed out?  I am going to admit that almost all of the crafts that we create do end up getting thrown away at some point (You simply can not keep every.thing.)! However, I love to use recycled items in crafts and activities with my kids before they meet the recycle bin!  These bottle caps are a tool that we LOVE to use in play, learning, and crafts!  Today, I’m sharing a fun Bottle Caps Holly Craft that my preschooler made with me.  You can make a few and add them to Christmas trees, wreaths, and even as a gift topper!

Check out these Christmas Fine Motor Activities for more creative ways to work on fine motor skills and address development of skills this Christmas season. 



Make this bottle caps holly craft using recycled bottle caps for a fun Christmas tree holly ornament, a gift topper, or a holiday wreath.

Bottle Caps Holly Craft 


This post contains affiliate links.

You’ll need just a few materials to get started:
Red plastic bottle caps
Green felt
Green cardstock
Scissors
Marker
Ribbon (if you make yours into an ornament)
Glue (We go through so much glue that I love to have a glue in bulk on hand to save money, storage, and shopping.)
Hot glue gun
RELATED READ: Christmas Tree Counting Activity

This is a pretty easy Christmas craft for kids to make.  It’s a creative process craft and if you make them with friends or in a classroom setting, there will be no two that look exactly alike.

I love this craft for the fine motor development that occurs:  Scissor skills, bilateral coordination, eye hand coordination, and more.

To make the Bottle caps holly craft:

Make this bottle caps holly craft using recycled bottle caps for a fun Christmas tree holly ornament, a gift topper, or a holiday wreath.
First,  place  a few of the red bottle caps on the green cardstock.  Draw holly leaves around the bottle caps.  

Make this bottle caps holly craft using recycled bottle caps for a fun Christmas tree holly ornament, a gift topper, or a holiday wreath.
Then, cut out the holly shape.
Make this bottle caps holly craft using recycled bottle caps for a fun Christmas tree holly ornament, a gift topper, or a holiday wreath.
Make this bottle caps holly craft using recycled bottle caps for a fun Christmas tree holly ornament, a gift topper, or a holiday wreath.

Use the cardstock as a template.  Trace the shape onto the felt.  Cut out the felt holly shape.  

Use glue to attach the felt to the cardstock.

Glue the bottle caps onto the holly shape using the hot glue gun.  This is a job for parents or much older kids. 

Make this bottle caps holly craft using recycled bottle caps for a fun Christmas tree holly ornament, a gift topper, or a holiday wreath.

If using these as a Christmas ornament, attach a loop of ribbon with glue.

Make this bottle caps holly craft using recycled bottle caps for a fun Christmas tree holly ornament, a gift topper, or a holiday wreath.
How would you use this holly craft?  We strung ours onto a wreath and also made some Christmas ornaments with our bottle caps holly craft.

RELATED READ: Christmas Tree Card Craft for Kids
Make this bottle caps holly craft using recycled bottle caps for a fun Christmas tree holly ornament, a gift topper, or a holiday wreath.
Make this bottle caps holly craft using recycled bottle caps for a fun Christmas tree holly ornament, a gift topper, or a holiday wreath.

Looking for more crafts that use recycled bottle caps? 

Bottle Cap Mental Math~ Fine Motor Development
Christmas stamps with recycled bottle caps~ fine motor development
Recycled bottle cap sight word stamps~ sight word learning, visual scanning, matching
Letter learning with recycled bottle caps~ letter learning, visual scanning, matching

Highlighted Lines Christmas Worksheets

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Highlighted lines modified Christmas paper

Working on handwriting this time of year can be like pulling teeth when kids are excited for all of the things the holiday season brings. That’s why we’ve got these Christmas Worksheets available in highlighted lines writing pages with a Christmas theme. Use the holiday worksheets for writing Christmas lists, thank you notes, or a letter to Santa while working on line awareness with modified paper in the form of highlighted lined paper. 

Christmas Worksheets

Christmas worksheets for working on handwriting with highlighted lined paper.

Kids can sometimes try a handwriting trick and you will see the light bulb switch on.  What if you had a Christmas light strand switch on when you were working on written work with kids?  One way that helps kids develop written work skills and legibility is using highlighted lines on the paper.  A highlighted bottom space on lined paper is helpful in so many ways.  

This Highlighted Lines Christmas Paper is part of our modified Christmas paper packet.  It’s a Christmas worksheet for kids that will help with handwriting this season. I decided to break the packet up into parts so that those of you who are interested in just one type of paper can benefit from a lower price.

Highlighted Lines Christmas Worksheets

 
Highlighted Lined paper is beneficial to many kids for several reasons.  Using a highlighted space can provide a visual cue that allows kids to form letters with appropriate size, spacing, and placement. 
 
There are many areas of handwriting that this type of paper can address:
Line awareness
Letter size
Letter placement
Spatial awareness
Proper letter construction
 
Read more about highlighted lined paper and it’s benefits in written work.
 
Want to try color coded paper with a Christmas theme?  This is a great paper to use for letters to Santa, holiday wish lists, thank you notes, shopping lists, recipe sharing, and Christmas time to-do lists.
 
Kids can practice handwriting in a way that is fun and meaningful with color coded Christmas handwriting paper. 
 
 
Highlighted lines modified paper for Christmas worksheets that kids will enjoy using.

What’s in the Highlighted Lines Christmas Worksheet packet?

(1) 10 pages of paper for practicing handwriting, including:
  • 4 Christmas border designs in single space (narrow rule lines)
  • 4 Christmas border designs in double space (wide rule lines)
  • “Dear Santa” writing prompt paper in narrow rule and wide rule
(2) Christmas themed writing prompt for ideas to encourage handwriting in a fun and meaningful way
(3)A How to Use This Paper writing guide

 

Christmas Worksheets for handwriting 

Highlighted lined paper is a useful tool for kids who struggle with visual perceptual needs or visual motor challenges in handwriting. Children who write with letters placed haphazardly on the lines or have trouble with spacing between letters and words will benefit from this paper. Kids who write with letters of mixed size or those who write with a mixture of upper and lowercase letters will like this modified paper. 
 
Teachers in grades Kindergarten on up will benefit from the different styles of paper in this packet. The packet comes with different sized lines and a variety of rules with each holiday-themed styles. 
 
Therapists who work with children on handwriting goals will love to use the motivation of the Christmas and holiday season to work on underlying skills needed for accuracy and function in handwriting. 
 
Parents who want their children to write out Christmas lists or Thank You notes will LOVE this modified paper that allows independence in written work.

OR, if you want to try several types of paper (bold lined paper and highlighted lined paper are also available), you can purchase the packets that work for your child or students.  For teachers or therapists, the whole bundle might be a better option.  You’ll find 30 pages of printable modified paper bundled together and will save. 

 

More Christmas Worksheets

 
 
 
Get 30 pages of modified paper with a Christmas Theme for legible and neat Letters to Santa, Christmas Wish Lists, Thank You Notes, Holiday Lists, and MORE! 
GET YOUR Christmas Handwriting Pack!

Color Coded Christmas Paper

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Color-coded lined paper Christmas handwriting

Practicing handwriting can be a struggle.  Sometimes, making the writing task fun can be just the thing to encourage practice.  This Color Coded Christmas Paper is part of our modified Christmas paper packet.  I decided to break the packet up into parts so that those of you who are interested in just one type of paper can benefit from a lower price.

Christmas Handwriting Worksheets for Kids

Color Coded Christmas paper for modified writing to improve handwriting legibility.

 

Color Coded Christmas Paper

Color coded paper is beneficial to many kids for several reasons.  Kids can address handwriting needs when presented with color specific lines.  Knowing where to place their pencil to start and stop pencil strokes can help with legibility.

There are many areas of handwriting that this type of paper can address:

Line awareness
Letter size
Letter placement
Spatial awareness
Proper letter construction


Read more about color coded paper and its benefits in written work.

Want to try color coded paper with a Christmas theme?  This is a great paper to use for letters to Santa, holiday wish lists, thank you notes, shopping lists, recipe sharing, and Christmas time to-do lists.


Kids can practice handwriting in a way that is fun and meaningful with color coded Christmas handwriting paper.


Grab your Color Coded Christmas Paper packet for $4.99.

Who is the Color-Coded Modified Lined Christmas Modified Paper Packet for?

Color-Coded modified lined paper is a useful tool for kids who struggle with visual perceptual needs or visual motor challenges in handwriting. Children who write with letters placed haphazardly on the lines or have trouble with spacing between letters and words will benefit from this paper. Kids who write with letters of mixed size or those who write with a mixture of upper and lowercase letters will like this modified paper.

 
Teachers in grades Kindergarten on up will benefit from the different styles of paper in this packet. The packet comes with different sized lines and a variety of rules with each holiday-themed styles. 
 
Therapists who work with children on handwriting goals will love to use the motivation of the Christmas and holiday season to work on underlying skills needed for accuracy and function in handwriting. 
 
Parents who want their children to write out Christmas lists or Thank You notes will LOVE this modified paper that allows independence in written work.

 

What’s in the Color Coded Christmas Paper packet?

(1) 10 pages of paper for practicing handwriting, including:

  • 4 Christmas border designs in single space (narrow rule lines)
  • 4 Christmas border designs in double space (wide rule lines)
  • “Dear Santa” writing prompt paper in narrow rule and wide rule

(2) Christmas themed writing prompt for ideas to encourage handwriting in a fun and meaningful way

(3)A How to Use This Paper writing guide

Use color coded Christmas paper for modifications during handwriting.


You can grab this printable packet for $4.99 and print to use over and over again.

OR, if you want to try several types of paper (bold lined paper and highlighted lined paper are also available), you can purchase the packets that work for your child or students.  For teachers or therapists, the whole bundle might be a better option.  You’ll find 30 pages bundled together and will save.

Color coded Christmas paper packet for handwriting needs.
 
Get 30 pages of modified paper with a Christmas Theme for legible and neat Letters to Santa, Christmas Wish Lists, Thank You Notes, Holiday Lists, and MORE! 
GET YOUR Mega Christmas Handwriting Pack!

 

Bold Line Christmas Paper

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Bold lined paper for Christmas and holiday handwriting activities

You might have seen the Christmas Paper Packet that we released last week. This time of year, kids and parents start thinking about letters to Santa, holiday to-do lists, and wish lists.  It’s a great time to sneak in handwriting practice!  


Using modified paper is one way to make the task of practicing line awareness, spatial awareness, letter size, and overall legibility just a little bit easier.  I wanted to put together a packet of modified paper with a Christmas theme for all of that handwriting practice.  


Sometimes, kids need just one type of paper that makes handwriting legibility click.  If you want to have the whole packet with three types of paper, you can grab it here.  The variety of paper styles and spacing sizes are perfect for teachers and therapists who work with kids with a variety of handwriting needs.

Christmas Writing Worksheets 

 

Use bold line Christmas paper to help with legibility when writing letters to Santa and holiday wish lists!

Bold Line Christmas Paper

For those of you with just one writing need, there are three options of modified Christmas paper.  


This bold lined Christmas Paper is perfect for helping kids with several writing concerns:
Line awareness
Letter Size
Letter Placement


Read more about bold lined paper and how it can be beneficial for kids with handwriting concerns.


Get the Bold Lined Christmas Paper packet for just $4.99

Who would use this bold-lined paper handwriting packet?  

As an Occupational Therapist, I would LOVE to have this packet available for use during the holiday season.  As we get nearer to Christmas and the holiday break, kids start to get a little antsy in the classroom.  

Bold-lined lined paper is a useful tool for kids who struggle with visual perceptual needs or visual motor challenges in handwriting. Children who write with letters placed haphazardly on the lines or have trouble with spacing between letters and words will benefit from this paper. Kids who write with letters of mixed size or those who write with a mixture of upper and lowercase letters will like this modified paper. 
 
Teachers in grades Kindergarten on up will benefit from the different styles of paper in this packet. The packet comes with different sized lines and a variety of rules with each holiday-themed styles. 
 
Therapists who work with children on handwriting goals will love to use the motivation of the Christmas and holiday season to work on underlying skills needed for accuracy and function in handwriting. 
Parents who want their children to write out Christmas lists or Thank You notes will LOVE this modified paper that allows independence in written work.

 

Bold line Christmas paper for modified paper when practicing handwriting this Christmas season.


What’s in the Bold Lined Christmas Paper packet?

10 pages of paper for practicing handwriting, including:

  • 4 Christmas border designs in single space (narrow rule lines)
  • 4 Christmas border designs in double space (wide rule lines)
  • “Dear Santa” writing prompt paper in narrow rule and wide rule
  • Christmas themed writing prompt for ideas to encourage handwriting in a fun and meaningful way.
  • A How to Use This Paper writing guide

Pssst: Here’s a deal idea–If you want to try a couple of styles of the paper, you can grab both for for $4.99 each. OR, try the whole packet to SAVE. 


The whole modified handwriting packet is a great deal for parents, teachers, and therapists who want to print off different types of modified paper to meet the needs of several different students. 

Get 30 pages of modified paper with a Christmas Theme for legible and neat Letters to Santa, Christmas Wish Lists, Thank You Notes, Holiday Lists, and MORE! 
GET YOUR Christmas Handwriting Pack!

Bear Says Thanks Activity

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This Bear Says Thanks activity is a fine motor activity that goes along with the Bear Says Thanks book…and talking about gratitude with kids.  It’s perfect for expressing gratitude this time of year! Using a preschool book to work on specific skills in therapy, the classroom, or home can be a fun way to incorporate things like fine motor work, scissor skills, sensory activities, or other areas.

Add these fine motor activities to your line-up, too.

This Bear Says Thanks activity is perfect for Thanksgiving activities that foster gratitude in kids.

Bear Says Thanks Activity

It is fun to count blessings with kids.  Talking about the things that we are thankful for is one thing that I look forward to every day with my kids. Here are a few more gratitude activities that you will enjoy.

This post contains affiliate links.  


If you haven’t read the Bear Says Thanks book, be sure to grab it at your library.  It’s a must-read book for preschoolers, especially this time of year. Kids love this book and it’s a fun way to work on fine motor skills and counting tasks.

We used something we had on hand and tend to play with a lot…beads!

For this Bear Says Thanks preschool activity, we used just two items:
Pony Beads 
Pipe Cleaners




For this activity, read the book, Bear Says Thanks.

Bear Says Thanks gratitude activity for kids
Bear Says thanks gratitude counting activity for kids

Then, get ready to talk about the things that your child is thankful for.  It might be a discussion of gratitude for good friends like Bear has.

This Bear Says Thanks activity is one we created as part of the  Virtual Book Club for Kids series

Bear Gives Thanks Activity

Take the pipe cleaners and bend them into number shapes.  You can help your kids with this part or your family can work on this task together.

Bear Says thanks gratitude counting activity for kids

Then, use pony beads as counters as you name and count your blessings.  We expressed thankfulness and gratitude for each bead as it was placed onto the pipe cleaner number.

Bear Says thanks gratitude counting activity for kids

Kids can work on counting skills as they count out the beads and thread them onto the number pipe cleaners.

Bear Says thanks gratitude counting activity for kids
Bear Says thanks gratitude counting activity for kids

This was such a great way to sneak fine motor work into a literacy activity while expressing gratitude with the kids!


So tell me, what things are your kids thankful for?  I would love to hear! Let me know in the comments below.

Bear Says thanks gratitude counting activity for kids



Want to see more gratitude activities based on the book, Bear Says Thanks?  

GRATITUDE Activities for kids

Start with this bear craft to build fine motor skills.

LITERACY ACTIVITIES FOR A GRATITUDE THEME

MATH ACTIVITIES FOR A GRATITUDE THEME

COOKING WITH KIDS FOR THE GRATITUDE THEME

 SENSORY ACTIVITIES FOR GRATITUDE THEME

Bear Says thanks gratitude counting activity for kids

Check out these Fall favorite books you might like:Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert     

   Leaves by David Ezra Stein 


   Autumn Orange (Know Your Colors) by Christianne C. Jones

 

 
Counting activity for kids

Colleen Beck, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist since 2000, working in school-based, hand therapy, outpatient peds, EI, and SNF. Colleen created The OT Toolbox to inspire therapists, teachers, and parents with easy and fun tools to help children thrive. Read her story about going from an OT making $3/hour (after paying for kids’ childcare) to a full-time OT resource creator for millions of readers. Want to collaborate? Send an email to contact@theottoolbox.com.

Modified Paper Christmas Handwriting Pack

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Christmas modified paper for holiday handwriting for kids

It is hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner.  It’s just about that time of year when we have Christmas lists, to-do lists, letters to Santa, and thank you notes to write out.  


But what happens when your child struggles with handwriting?  


Writing out that Christmas wish list is a difficult task that brings out tears instead of holiday excitement.  I’ve got a solution for your kiddo with handwriting difficulties: a packet of modified paper for all of the Christmas handwriting tasks that come up each year.  Use this handwriting pack to help kids who struggle with handwriting to participate in holiday traditions while even working on and developing their handwriting skills!

Christmas Worksheets for Kids

Try this modified paper Christmas handwriting pack for helping kids work on handwriting this year.

Modified Paper for Handwriting Needs with a Christmas Theme



This handwriting packet will be a solution to so many handwriting needs.  It’s a 35 page handwriting pack that contains 30 different modified handwriting sheets.  There is a section that explains the “why” behind each type of paper and how they should be used to promote legibility in written work.  There is a printable Christmas themed writing prompt sheet to help inspire handwriting. There are two different sized line pages for each Christmas theme.  


This is a huge printable pack that can be used over and over again!

Modified paper Christmas Handwriting pages are great for kids to work on written work this holiday season.

 

Consider the ways that kids can write and practice handwriting this season:

  • Letter to Santa (Use the “Dear Santa” prompt page and additional sheets for longer letters to the Big Guy in Red.)
  • Christmas Wish List
  • Holiday To-Do List
  • Shopping List
  • Recipe Sharing
  • Thank You Notes
  • And more (There are a bunch of ideas on the printable writing prompt sheet!)
Want the packet? Grab it now in time for Christmas planning and your Advent calendar.
 
 
Dear Santa Christmas letter pages are part of the modified paper Christmas handwriting pack for kids.

So, what’s in the Handwriting Pack?

  • THREE types of modified paper: Bold lined paper, Color-coded paper (with Christmas-y colors), and Highlighted Paper
  • FIVE different Christmas and Winter themed borders.
  • TWO different sized lined of each type of paper: Narrow Rule for older kids and Wide Rule for younger kids.  
  • That’s 30 different sheets of modified paper all with a Christmas theme.
  • There is a detailed explanation of reasoning behind each type of paper.  This will help explain how to use each modified paper and the reasons why each type might be the style of adapted paper to use for particular handwriting concerns.
  • PRINTABLE Christmas writing prompt sheet.  Use this to inspire handwriting practice all season long in fun and meaningful ways…on fun Christmas-themed paper, of course!
All of this is available for printing as many sheets as you need throughout the holiday season.  The 30 handwriting pages, instructional sheets, printable Christmas writing prompt page is available for $7.99.
 
Use highlighted paper to work on letter size and formation, part of the modified paper Christmas Handwriting Pack
 
This handwriting pack will meet the needs of kids of all ages-From Kindergarten on up through High School.


What writing needs can be met with this handwriting printable pack?

  • Poor Line Awareness
  • Inaccurate Letter Size
  • Poor Spatial Awareness
  • Poor Letter Formation
  • Inaccurate Spatial Organization
  • “Floating” Letters and Words
  • Inconsistent Written Work
JUST ADDED: 


For those of you who would like to try just ONE style of paper for a lower price, you can.  I have broken the packet down into three sections so that parents, teachers, and therapists can benefit from just one style of modified paper.  Each smaller packet comes with 10 pages each of modified paper with a Christmas theme. Read about each of the packets here:

 
Highlighted paper in the modified paper Christmas Handwriting pack for kids
 

Who would use this modified paper handwriting packet?  

As an Occupational Therapist, I would LOVE to have this packet available for use during the holiday season.  As we get nearer to Christmas and the holiday break, kids start to get a little antsy in the classroom. 
Modified lined paper is a useful tool for kids who struggle with visual perceptual needs or visual motor challenges in handwriting. Children who write with letters placed haphazardly on the lines or have trouble with spacing between letters and words will benefit from this paper. Kids who write with letters of mixed size or those who write with a mixture of upper and lowercase letters will like this modified paper. 
 
Teachers in grades Kindergarten on up will benefit from the different styles of paper in this packet. The packet comes with different sized lines and a variety of rules with each holiday-themed styles. 
 
Therapists who work with children on handwriting goals will love to use the motivation of the Christmas and holiday season to work on underlying skills needed for accuracy and function in handwriting. 
 
Parents who want their children to write out Christmas lists or Thank You notes will LOVE this modified paper that allows independence in written work.
 
Use modified paper Christmas handwriting pack to work on legibility in written work.
 
Making writing practice fun and meaningful can be beneficial for addressing handwriting goal areas. Print off the pages that you need for individual students. 


Try one type of paper and then another to see what works.  When you find a modified style of paper that works, print off the other themed pages using that same modification.  
 
Bold lined paper and a modified paper Christmas handwriting pack
 
There are so many ways to practice handwriting skills in the weeks leading up to Christmas.  THEN, print off a few pages to send home with students for the holiday break. Students can use the paper to work on a list of writing prompts as part of their OT homework.
 
Work on handwriting with modified paper Christmas handwriting pack for kids.
 
Having so many different types of paper and border styles in one pack makes this resource easy to use for many different students.  Teachers can use the pack to address the needs of the whole classroom.
 
Modified paper Christmas handwriting pack for kids.
 
Parents can print off the pages that they would like to try with their child.  Use the writing prompts to work on handwriting in a fun and relaxed way.
 
Use this modified paper Christmas Handwriting Pack to work on legibility and handwriting struggles with kids.
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