Magnetic Marble Run- Great Therapy Tool!

magnetic wall marble run

One thing occupational therapists love is using fun toys to develop skills and this magnetic marble run fits the bill. We found this Tumble Trax magnetic wall marble run and loved the ways to support fine motor skills, visual motor skills, and gross motor skills. Let’s take a better look at how to use a marble run to support development, and break down the activity analysis for this particular magnetic marble run toy.

Magnetic marble run activities for therapy

Amazon affiliate links are included in this post.

How to Use a Magnetic Marble Run

Use this magnetic marble run in so many ways to work on a variety of skills. From fine motor, to core strength, to visual tracking, to crossing midline…this marble run can be so helpful.

We covered how to support skills such as visual tracking using marble runs in a different blog post but here, we hope to cover more ways to support development with a simple toy.

Because this marble run attaches to the wall using magnets, and because the magnetic marble run pieces are movable, there are so many ways to support development.

Some of these skills include gross motor development, visual motor skill development, fine motor development, and more.

Use a Magnetic Marble Run for Gross Motor Skills

Use the magnetic marble run on a vertical surface to address skill development:

  • Work on core strength by working on a vertical surface.
  • Address visual shift and upright posture by working at a plane equal or slightly above the head and line of sight.
  • Work on postural control
  • Address changes in positioning to bend, squat, and challenge different muscle groups by bending to retrieve marble run pieces and place them on the magnetic surface.
  • Work overhead to visually track and shift vision in different planes.
  • Address balance and coordination skills
  • Incorporate breathing

Use a Magnetic Marble Run for Visual Processing Skills

Move magnetic marble run pieces to target specific visual motor skills:

  • Work on visual tracking to watch the marble run through the track.
  • Address visual scanning skills to shift vision to the next area the marble will move
  • Incorporate eye-hand coordination skills
  • Address visual perceptual skills such as figure-ground, visual closure, visual discrimination, etc.
  • Address visual motor skills by copying designs using the movable track pieces, included with the Tumble Trax Magnetic Marble Run set. (affiliate link)

Use a Marble Run for Fine Motor Skills

  • Address crossing midline to move a marble to a starting point across the midline.
  • Trace the track with fingers.
  • Pick up and manipulate the marble onto the Tumble Trax (affiliate link) ledge.
  • Strengthen hands, including grip and pinch to manipulate and move the track pieces against the magnetic surface.

Attach it to a magnetic wall or board, garage door, and even the refrigerator. It’s a fun way to play and work on the skills kids need.

Magnetic marble run

Learning Resources Tumble Trax Magnetic Marble Run

This marble run attaches to the refrigerator or any magnetic surface for endless visual motor integration exercises. Visually tracking the marble is a skill builder for reading and writing tasks.  Kids can address the form copying skills needed for handwriting with this interactive toy.

Click here to get this magnetic marble run. (affiliate link)

More Marble Run Activities

Check out these other marble run activities we’ve shared before:

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.

Looking for more ways to support fine motor skills, visual motor skills, sensory challenges, and gross motor skill development? Grab one of our therapy kits to work on so many areas!

Working on fine motor skills, visual perception, visual motor skills, sensory tolerance, handwriting, or scissor skills? Our Fine Motor Kits cover all of these areas and more.

Check out the seasonal Fine Motor Kits that kids love:

Or, grab one of our themed Fine Motor Kits to target skills with fun themes:

Want access to all of these kits…and more being added each month? Join The OT Toolbox Member’s Club!

Homemade Colored Sand

Color sand for sensory play

Have you ever thought about making colored sand? It is possible to color sand, easily, and get the kids involved in the process, too. Here, we are covering how to color sand as a sensory play material for the sandbox, for art, and for homemade colored sand fun!

We have been playing outside so much recently.  Our sandbox is right outside and the kids are in there daily. We added a little color to some of the sand this week and have been having fun with our colored sand!

Color sand for a sensory play experience with many therapy benefits.

Color Sand for Developing Skills

Kids love to color sand, and the process is a fun motor and sensory activity to support development of a variety of skill areas, too:

  • Eye-hand coordination to pour and scoop the sand
  • Bilateral coordination to pour sand into a bag or container
  • Gross motor skills, heavy work, proprioception, and motor planning skills to shake the containers of sand and paint
  • Executive functioning skills to mix and color the sand
  • Tactile sensory play to manipulate the mixed textures of dry sand and wet paint.
  • Fine motor skills to pinch the crumbled dry clumps of colored sand
using food coloring to make colored sand

How to Color Sand

We made a simple batch of colored sand very easily.  This simple recipe is a great activity for kids to make as a cognitive and direction-following activity. Read on for directions on how to make colored sand…

Big Sister helped me with this and we had fun while the little kids were napping.   So how did we make our colored sand?  

  1. Scoop a little sand into plastic baggies.
  2. Add around 10-15 drops of food coloring.
  3. Seal the baggie and shake it up. (great for some gross motor play!!)  
  4. Let the sand dry and have fun playing.  

We left our sand right in the open baggies and let it dry overnight.  If you wanted to play right away, you could spread the sand out on a tray and it would dry much sooner.

Color sand for sensory play
add food coloring to baggies of sand

Color Sand Activities

Once you have mixed a batch of colorful sand, you can use it in various sensory and motor activities.

Make Color Sand Pictures

So the next day, we spread the sand out on a tray and played!  She loves making pictures in the sand and telling stories (like Nina on Sprout!)  This was such a fun activity.  

Practice Writing Letters with Colored Sand

We spread out the sand onto a low tray and used it as a writing tray. My preschooler told me all kinds of stories, made words, and we practiced some lower case letter formation.

Big Sister is knows how to make most lowercase letters and can copy all of the letters.  This is a great activity for letter formation and practicing handwriting.  

Use Colored Sand for Pre-Writing Skills

For kids that are still working on diagonals, crossed lines, and shapes, a sand sensory writing tray is a great tool to work on pre-writing skills. The tactile feedback offers muscle memory for forming lines and shapes.

The sand adds a sensory aspect to letter formation. Using a large tray like this one adds whole arm movements which are perfect for the young child who is just learning letter formation.  I love the contrast that the white tray adds to the colored sand.  

We played for a long time with this (again during Little Kid nap time).

colored sand on tray for child to form letters

Of course, when you have bags of colored sand, you have to mix the colors together to see what happens 🙂  

Color sand for a sensory tray.

Grade the colored sand activity for therapy

How can you grade this activity for different aged children? There are many ways to color sand and use one batch with several ages. This is especially good for families with children at various ages. Consider the contamination aspect when using a batch of colored sand in the therapy setting.

  • Toddlers would love to explore the colors and sensation of the sand on their fingers.
  • Pre-writers can copy and trace shapes, zig-zag and intersecting lines
  • Early writers can trace upper case letters.
  • Older hand-writers can copy a word from a card positioned off to the side. 
  • Practice spelling words with school-aged kids.

    We saved our bags of colored sand and will be using them again.  Have you done any projects with colored sand? 

Finally, after playing with your homemade colored sand, use the opportunity to add this tactile sensory play experience to your toolbox of handwashing activities!

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.

Working on other fine motor skills through play? Grab one of our Fine Motor Kits to get started!

Working on fine motor skills, visual perception, visual motor skills, sensory tolerance, handwriting, or scissor skills? Our Fine Motor Kits cover all of these areas and more.

Check out the seasonal Fine Motor Kits that kids love:

Or, grab one of our themed Fine Motor Kits to target skills with fun themes:

Want access to all of these kits…and more being added each month? Join The OT Toolbox Member’s Club!

Fine Motor Milestones

Fine motor checklist

Let’s break down child development into the fine motor milestones typically seen at each age. This compilation of early childhood physical development includes a fine motor milestone checklist for each age range, birth through six years. This fine motor milestones list can be helpful for parents of young children, teachers in preschool through the early grades, and occupational therapy professionals looking for fine motor developmental resources. 

Fine Motor milestones impact function. Get this printable fine motor checklist and support kids development of fine motor skills.
Fine Motor milestones impact function. Get this printable fine motor checklist and support kids development of fine motor skills.
Access at the bottom of this blog post.

Fine Motor Milestones

Developmental milestone guidelines may be shifting as reported in this Evidence-Informed Milestones for Surveillance Tools article, but your friendly neighborhood occupational therapist can help you understand what to look for at each stage of child development. 

Most children follow a general developmental pattern in early childhood physical development. Understanding the typical and expected development of skills, is important when identifying potential areas of concern. Fine motor skills, the area of development detailed in this post, entails the actions of the arms, hands, wrists, and fingers, in order to manipulate objects. 

It’s important to note that these fine motor milestones indicate a developmental progression. While not every date is a hard marker, it is important to see progression, and the ability to achieve the motor skills that make up pre-writing skills. Pre-writing fine motor skills are the important skills needed in preschool, before a child is asked to write.

It is critical that the child is developmentally ready for writing, by learning these early fine motor skills first. 

If you know a child who is not meeting the early childhood physical development suggestions below, don’t fret – there are many ways to address fine motor skills through these fun activities found on the OT Toolbox! 

FINE MOTOR MILESTONES – BIRTH to 6 MONTHS

In the newborn stage of life, starting in utero, foundational movement skills are practiced. Babies move their hands and arms generally and reflexively (check out this article on primitive reflexes), while they learn their bodies and the environment. As they start to grow, you will see a very active and capable 6 month old baby – see below for a fine motor skills checklist.

NEWBORN – 2 MONTHS

  • Has a strong grasp; Opens and closes fists
  • Brings hand to, or near mouth 
  • Arms stretch out and hands open 
  • Scratches fingers along blanket or clothing
  • Looks toward outstretched hand (often eliciting the ATNR reflex)

3 – 5 MONTHS

  • Holds a toy when placed in hand
  • Uses arms to purposely swing at toys
  • Brings hands to mouth consistently
  • Pushes up onto elbows/forearms when on tummy

6 MONTHS 

  • Consistent, purposeful reach using vision to guide movement
  • Transfers objects hand to hand
  • Finger feeds large foods (e.g., biscuit)
  • Shakes/bangs toys 
  • Leans on hand/s to support seated position

FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT 7 to 24 MONTHS

Gross motor development is very noticeable at this time, therefore fine motor development slows during this stage. Crawling, furniture cruising, and walking usually occur. What about fine motor skills? Read on to see all of the development that occurs in the “small” motor movements in the way of fine motor milestones for toddlers.

7 – 9 MONTHS

  • Plays using arms (Peek-A-Boo; So Big!)
  • Index finger use to “poke” 
  • Raking cereal with fingers to grasp 
  • Purposeful grasp and release of objects into containers
  • Grasp on thumb side of hand 

10 – 12 MONTHS

  • Grasps with thumb and 2 fingers
  • Pincer grasp develops; picks up cereal/small objects with thumb and index finger
  • Imitates tool use (e.g. brushing hair, using a toothbrush)
  • Uses hands to push, pull, squeeze and rotate
  • Removes socks 
  • Stacks blocks; may not balance them

12 – 24 MONTHS

  • Self feeds using hands or utensils
  • Points with index finger
  • Complete simple form shape puzzles (circle, square, then triangle)
  • Brings hands together to midline for use 
  • Scribbles on paper spontaneously 
  • Holds crayon with fisted hand
  • Stacks 2-6 block tower

FINE MOTOR MILESTONES FROM 2 to 4 YEARS

As children develop from toddlers into preschoolers, and gross motor development has reached major milestones, tons of fine motor skills begin to shine! Check out this checklist of fine motor milestones for young preschoolers.

2 – 3 YEARS

  • Pushes, winds, slides to activate toys
  • Self feeds with utensils and open cup, some spillage. 
  • Screws/unscrews lids
  • Strings several large, 1 -1.5  inch beads
  • Imitates, eventually copies from a model, vertical, horizontal lines, and circle 
  • Holds crayon with thumb and fingers
  • Stacks 6-8 block tower, begins to follow block designs
  • Uses scissors to snip paper
  • Turns single pages in book

3- 4 YEARS

  • Self feeds with utensils and open cup, little spillage.
  • Strings small beads
  • Snaps clothing, zips with assistance, begins to manipulate large buttons
  • Folds and creases paper
  • Imitates, then copies a cross (“t”) 
  • Draws a two part person
  • Holds pencil with thumb and fingers
  • Stack 9-10 block tower, begins to copy block designs (train, bridge, wall)
  • Uses scissor to cut along a thick, straight line 

FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT FROM 4 to 6 YEARS

Fine motor milestones for kindergarten and young elementary ages are a huge part of development during these years. Somewhere around this time, children with start school. Many of the fine motor skills will be tested here. Think of all of the crafts, puzzles, books, and small play items that they will encounter! 

4 – 5 YEARS

  • Self feeds with utensils and an open cup, no spillage.
  • Imitates 4-6 part block designs
  • Buttons clothes
  • Laces sewing card
  • Opens all fasteners
  • Imitates then copies a diagonal line, square, triangle, and X
  • Draws a 3 part person
  • Uses scissors to cut simple shapes 

5 – 6 YEARS

  • Builds complex designs with Legos, Tinker toys, etc. 
  • Imitates, then copies a rectangle
  • Connects two dots with straight line
  • Copies, then prints first name from memory
  • Copies letters and numbers
  • Draws an 6 part (or more) person, and recognizable pictures
  • Uses scissors to cut complex shapes
  • Ties laces together 
  • Cuts food with butter knife 

RELATED: Interested in more than just fine motor? Read all about Child Development!

Free Printable Fine Motor Checklist

Want a printable Fine Motor Checklist with ages for developmental milestones of these fine motor skills? Use it to support child development, progression of fine motor skills, and to check off fine motor accomplishments.

Want to add this resource to your therapy toolbox so you can help kids thrive? Enter your email into the form below to access this printable tool.

This resource is just one of the many tools available in The OT Toolbox Member’s Club. Each month, members get instant access to downloadable activities, handouts, worksheets, and printable tools to support development. Members can log into their dashboard and access all of our free downloads in one place. Plus, you’ll find exclusive materials and premium level materials.

Level 1 members gain instant access to all of the downloads available on the site, without enter your email each time PLUS exclusive new resources each month.

Level 2 members get access to all of our downloads, exclusive new resources each month, PLUS additional, premium content each month: therapy kits, screening tools, games, therapy packets, and much more. AND, level 2 members get ad-free content across the entire OT Toolbox website.

Join the Member’s Club today!

FREE Fine Motor Milestones Checklist

    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.

    Sydney Thorson, OTR/L, is a new occupational therapist working in school-based therapy. Her
    background is in Human Development and Family Studies, and she is passionate about
    providing individualized and meaningful treatment for each child and their family. Sydney is also
    a children’s author and illustrator and is always working on new and exciting projects.

    occupational therapy for children with cerebral palsy

    cerebral palsy occupational therapy interventions

    Occupational therapists (OTs) treat a wide range of conditions in children. This post focuses on occupational therapy for children with cerebral palsy and treatment. One of the more common neurological diagnoses that OTs treat is cerebral palsy. This post breaks down what cerebral palsy is, and how an occupational therapist can provide interventions and services to address the functional deficits caused by this condition. Some families may need to start with this post: What is Occupational Therapy?

    Occupational therapy and cerebral palsy

    WHAT IS CEREBRAL PALSY?

    Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that can affect the body in different ways, depending on the type and severity. According to the CDC, it is the most common motor disorder among children in the United States.

    The broad condition is better understood by breaking down the meaning of the words: “cerebral” meaning brain, and “palsy” meaning muscle weakness. In the case of CP, the muscles of the body become weak due to an injury to the brain. 

    This injury in the brain can happen during the brain’s development in utero, or early on in an infant’s life. The neural pathways get interrupted or damaged, causing a dysfunction in the way that the brain communicates to the muscles of the body. 

    types of cerebral palsy

    It’s important to cover the various types of cerebral palsy because each type can involve differing occupational therapy interventions. The most common types are spastic, ataxic, dyskinetic, and mixed cerebral palsy.

    Spastic Cerebral Palsy- The most common type of Cerebral palsy is spastic CP. The term”Spastic” refers to the presentation of the musculature affected by the condition. The muscles are spastic, or stiff and tight. The stiffness in the affected muscles, or increased muscle tone, causes difficulties with movement. They may be too “stuck” to move properly. 

    Occupational Therapy for Spastic Cerebral Palsy

    Occupational therapy for spastic Cerebral Palsy can include:

    • Self care interventions
    • Participation in meaningful activities
    • Education on adaptive tools
    • Build on strengths
    • Manage sensory and emotional regulation needs
    • NDT interventions
    • Splinting
    • Positioning
    • Adaptive equipment
    • Compensatory techniques

    Ataxic Cerebral Palsy- Results in balance and coordination deficit. This type of palsy results in abnormal gait patterns, decreased safety in mobility, low muscle tone, tremors, and generally reduced coordination for fine or gross motor activities. 

    Occupational Therapy for Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

    Occupational therapy for Ataxic Cerebral Palsy can include:

    • Environmental modifications
    • Weight Bearing
    • Self-Care
    • Participation in meaningful activities
    • Education on adaptive tools
    • Build on strengths
    • Manage sensory and emotional regulation needs
    • Positioning
    • Adaptive equipment
    • Functional mobility
    • Compensatory techniques

    Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy– This type of CP describes many different muscle deficits: dyskinetic means uncontrolled muscle movement. Those with dyskinetic CP may have too tight or loose muscles, uncontrollable movements that are fast or slow, or an ever-changing combination of any of these symptoms. In more severe cases, these uncontrollable movements occur often, resulting in requiring more assistance for daily activities. In milder cases, the involuntary movement may be smaller and infrequent, therefore the individual can be more independent. 

    Occupational Therapy for Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy

    Occupational therapy for Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy can include:

    • NDT interventions
    • Self-care interventions
    • Participation in meaningful activities
    • Education on adaptive tools
    • Build on strengths
    • Manage sensory and emotional regulation needs
    • Splinting
    • Positioning for safety and function
    • Adaptive equipment
    • Compensatory techniques

    Mixed Cerebral Palsy– There is also a category of “mixed” cerebral palsy, meaning more than one type of palsy is present. The diagnosis of Mixed Cerebral Palsy is given when a child shows symptoms of multiple types of cerebral palsy. When this occurs, there may be differences in different areas of the brain. Mixed cerebral palsy type can present with a wider variety of physical and neurological symptoms.

    Occupational Therapy for Mixed Cerebral Palsy

    Occupational therapy for Mixed Cerebral Palsy can include:

    • Any of the occupational therapy interventions listed above, depending on the specific needs of the individual and based on symptoms.

    No matter the type of CP, every case will be different, because each child comes with their own unique abilities. 

    Cerebral palsy occupational therapy interventions

    Occupational Therapy for children with Cerebral Palsy

    Aspects of the occupational therapy interventions for cerebral palsy are listed below. Because each individual with cerebral palsy diagnosis is so different in the way of tone, musculature, abilities, difficulties, environmental considerations, family environment, and other aspects, there will be no two treatment plans that are exactly alike.

    Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT): NDT is a holistic movement based approach, involved in handling and moving the child. In the most serious cases of cerebral palsy, an individual may require total assistance, or be dependent, for the majority of their activities of daily living.

    An OT and a PT provides treatment to control the muscles, and reduce the likelihood of joint contractures. If a joint is bent for too long due to high spasticity, the bones of the joint may begin to “fuse” and a joint contracture is formed.

    This happens often at the elbows, hips, and knees preventing that joint from moving.

    In order to avoid joint contractures, therapists can provide skilled therapy, such as NDT, to correct the spasticity and promote functional movement in the affected muscles.

    Splinting for Cerebral Palsy: In milder cases, a child with spastic CP may be able to perform most tasks independently, but benefit from a splint to guide their upper extremity posture.

    A commonly used splint is a thumb splint with a supinator strap. Many children with cerebral palsy present with tightly closed fingers, and a pronated forearm.

    A thumb splint with a supinator strap can help to position the thumb, wrist, and forearm in a more functional position. This splint is typically prefabricated, made of a soft fabric, attached with velcro. 

    Environmental Modifications: Safety is the number one priority. Occupational Therapy and for children with cerebral palsy might involve an environmental assessment for safe mobility in the home.

    Recommendations may include: non-slip mats, professional railings installed in bathroom/ hallways/stairs, lighting accommodations, removal of clutter/cords/rugs/other tripping hazards, depending on the unique needs of the child.  

    Weight Bearing: Occupational therapy for children with cerebral palsy includes upper extremity weight bearing activities. These can be used on the affected arms to help increase muscle tone in a child with ataxic CP.

    Weight bearing can also increase bone density, to reduce the chance of fractures. It can also improve sensory awareness and proprioception that sends information to the brain about where the body is in space.

    Effective strength and sensory processing can increases safe, functional movements. To make weight bearing fun and playful, try placing the child prone over a physioball, having them reach for preferred toys with one hand, then the other.

    Adaptive Equipment: Feeding tools like the ones in this article on adaptive feeding equipment from the OT Toolbox, may help increase independence, by compensating for shaky movements while feeding.

    To increase coordination for handwriting skill, a variety of adaptations can be used (Amazon affiliate links):

    It is important to make these activities as client-centered and motivating as possible. Having uncontrollable movement can be very frustrating, especially for small children who don’t understand what his happening to their body. Celebrate the little victories and find out what motivates your client to try, try again! 

    Compensatory Techniques: Based on the unique movement needs of the child, occupational therapy for children with cerebral palsy may include alternative methods for the child to complete activities as independently as possible. One example; practice and identify the most functional order to get dressed and undressed.

    Teach which arm to thread into a sleeve first, when to pull the shirt over their head, or how to orient the shirt to efficiently motor plan the following step. Create a song, social story, or picture book to help the child and their family learn.

    A Final Note on occupational therapy and cerebral palsy

    It is important to note that while some children with cerebral palsy may also have cognitive deficits, it is not a trademark of this diagnosis. Many children with CP meet their cognitive milestones.

    A cerebral palsy diagnosis does not mean an individual can not learn, see, hear, and communicate as well as their peers. Seizure disorders, communication deficits, feeding, and swallowing disorders are common comorbidities for individuals with cerebral palsy.

    Be sure to understand the medical needs of your clients in order to provide the best practice and occupational therapy for children with cerebral palsy.

    As with any other patient, once you understand what their barriers and goals are, therapy can be meaningful and fun! 

    Sydney Thorson, OTR/L, is a new occupational therapist working in school-based therapy. Her
    background is in Human Development and Family Studies, and she is passionate about
    providing individualized and meaningful treatment for each child and their family. Sydney is also
    a children’s author and illustrator and is always working on new and exciting projects.