Colleen Beck OTR/L

Colleen Beck, OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist and the owner and author of The OT Toolbox website. She manages all of The OT Toolbox social media accounts and runs the popular newsletter. Read about Colleen's experience and career as an occupational therapist, including how The OT Toolbox began on our About The OT Toolbox page: https://www.theottoolbox.com/about-us/ Colleen created The OT Toolbox in 2011 and since then has written thousands of blog posts designed to support therapy providers, educators, parents, counselors, admin, and caregivers in promoting the healthy development of kids. Check out Colleen's blog posts below:

Actividades de integración bilateral

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Actividades de Integración Bilateral-Recurso de Terapia Ocupacional en Español

La integración bilateral es un área que los niños necesitan para muchas tareas… pero no es un hito del desarrollo que destaque a menos que se note necesariamente un problema. Desde escribir y sujetar el papel, hasta sostener un proyecto artístico y cortar con tijeras, pasando por cerrar la cremallera de una chaqueta, coordinar ambos lados del cuerpo de forma eficiente es una habilidad necesaria para casi todo lo que hacemos.

La coordinación bilateral se desarrolla desde una edad muy temprana.

Actividades de coordinación bilateral- Recurso de Terapia Ocupacional en Español

Actividades de coordinación bilateral

Cuando los bebés empiezan a juntar las dos manos en la boca, se está viendo que empiezan los esfuerzos coordinados. Cuando el bebé empuja hacia arriba con ambos brazos mientras está tumbado en posición boca abajo, se producen los movimientos integrados de las manos y las piernas junto con la fuerza y el control.

Aquí encontrará actividades de integración bilateral que pueden incorporarse a distintas edades. Utilice estas actividades de coordinación bilateral para promover movimientos coordinados y eficientes en actividades significativas.

 

Estas actividades de coordinación bilateral son formas creativas de ayudar a los niños con la integración bilateral necesaria para las tareas de motricidad fina como la escritura a mano, el uso de tijeras y otras habilidades funcionales.
 
 

Actividades de integración bilateral 

En este post se incluyen enlaces de afiliación a Amazon.

En primer lugar, hablemos de algunas formas en las que el uso coordinado de los brazos y las piernas es necesario para los movimientos coordinados. Se trata de habilidades y tareas que pueden ser realizadas fácilmente por algunos niños.

Otros, que tienen dificultades con la planificación motora, la fuerza del núcleo, las necesidades posturales, la discriminación izquierda-derecha, las habilidades motoras visuales o muchas otras áreas pueden tener dificultades. Es fácil ver que el simple hecho de abordar algunas áreas no solucionará el problema cuando existe una preocupación subyacente.

Tareas que requieren una integración bilateral

¿Conoces a un niño (o adulto) que tenga dificultades con una o varias de las tareas que se indican a continuación? La integración bilateral puede ser un reto.

  • Escribir y mantener el papel en una posición estable
  • Cortar y mantener el papel firme y a una altura adecuada
  • Ponerse un abrigo mientras se sostiene una mochila (u otro artículo)
  • Atarse los zapatos
  • Subirse los pantalones y no perder el equilibrio
  • Ponerse los calcetines
  • Saltos con movimientos coordinados
  • Pasar una página y escribir o copiar el trabajo
  • Escribir en
  • Tocar un instrumento
  • Alcanzar objetos
  • Estabilizar un objeto con una mano mientras se manipula otro objeto con la otra
  • Saltar la cuerda
  • Atrapar una pelota
  • Montar en bicicleta
  • Natación

Para fomentar las habilidades necesarias para estas tareas, pruebe algunas de las actividades que se enumeran a continuación para promover la integración bilateral:

Lectura relacionada: Aquí tienes otras actividades de coordinación bilateral con temática invernal.

Actividades de integración bilateral para bebés

Proporcionar varios juguetes y objetos apropiados para los bebés pequeños. Incluya objetos de colores llamativos, como artículos negros, blancos y rojos, o colores contrastados, juguetes o imágenes en una manta o alfombra de juego durante el tiempo boca abajo. Este libro de cartón en blanco y negro se puede apoyar o utilizar en el regazo de un adulto.

Proporcionar un suave masaje al bebé durante y después del baño, y en todas las extremidades. Aquí tienes un libro de recursos sobre el masaje infantil.

Proporcionar juguetes y objetos adecuados a la edad para alcanzar y agarrar. Este mordedor con forma de plátano tiene unas asas moldeadas que lo convierten en un artículo ideal para la dentición de los más pequeños.

Proporcione juguetes para la dentición cuando el bebé se lleve las manos a la boca.

Proporcione juguetes apropiados para que se los lleven a la boca y que puedan sostenerse con ambas manos.

Proporcione juguetes de mano mientras el niño está sentado en una trona. Este tiene una base de ventosa para mantenerlo estable, pero tiene un anillo blanco y negro en la base que los bebés pueden agarrar con una mano mientras manipulan con la otra.

Proporcionar juguetes de diferentes pesos cuando se está sentado en posición vertical para proporcionar resistencia contra la gravedad y promover el fortalecimiento de las extremidades superiores. Los bloques, los anillos, los juguetes de clasificación o algo como este juguete de calidad para la dentición, hecho de materiales más pesados, pueden ser útiles para proporcionar variaciones de peso, al tiempo que permiten al bebé manipular el artículo.

Disponga de juguetes en la superficie de la trona o de la mesa a distintas distancias para que tenga la oportunidad de percibir la profundidad al alcanzar los juguetes y llevárselos a la boca.

Continuar con el tiempo boca abajo mientras se juega en prono para promover la fuerza y la estabilidad de las extremidades superiores

Actividades de integración bilateral para niños pequeños

Proporcionar juguetes que requieran que una mano estabilice una base mientras la otra manipula un objeto. Los clasificadores de formas son estupendos para esto.

Otros juguetes son:

Tablas de clavijas

Bloques- Estos bloques sensoriales de presionar y permanecer son perfectos para animar a usar una mano como estabilizador y una mano como

Plastilina

Dibujar/colorear- Aquí hay más información sobre los beneficios de colorear.

Actividades de integración bilateral para preescolares

Anime a los niños a participar en las actividades de cocina.

Utiliza la plastilina para recortar con tijeras y extender serpientes de plastilina o bolas de plastilina.

Las manualidades y los juegos de manualidades apropiados para esta edad son estupendos.

Juega con pegatinas de distintos tamaños.

Hacer “ángeles de nieve” en una alfombra o manta mullida

Simon Says es un juego estupendo para fomentar combinaciones motrices novedosas y variadas.

Realiza varios juegos de canciones y movimientos como el Hokey Pokey, Farmer in the Dell, etc. Aquí hay actividades de movimiento y canciones que se pueden utilizar en el tiempo de círculo, calentamientos, centros o en actividades de grupo. Todas estas canciones para moverse y bailar fomentan la fuerza y la estabilidad del núcleo.

Sube a las zonas de juego exteriores de los parques infantiles y a los árboles bajos.

¡Añadir sensorial! Prueba esta actividad de coordinación bilateral de mesa para dibujar formas.

¡Dibuja con las dos manos! Esta actividad del trébol de cuatro hojas es muy potente, ya que abarca una gran variedad de habilidades.

Actividades de coordinación bilateral para niños en edad escolar

El plegado de papiroflexia u otras manualidades de papel son estupendas a esta edad.

Prueba estos movimientos de motricidad gruesa con temática de dinosaurios con un juego de bricolaje.

Dobla aviones de papel.

Trabaja la correspondencia de letras y la coordinación ojo-mano con un juguete de superficie rodante DIY.

Construye con LEGOS u otros juguetes de construcción.

Pruebe con actividades artesanales como el abalorio, la fabricación de joyas o las manualidades con cuentas de perlas.

Construye y crea con Pop Tubes. Esta actividad de coordinación bilateral es divertida.

Actividades de tejido.

Actividades de encaje.

Intenta realizar esta actividad de tejido de coordinación bilateral.

Prueba estas actividades de integración bilateral e ideas de coordinación para promover el uso de ambas manos juntas en actividades como la escritura a mano, el corte con tijeras y tantas otras tareas.

Últimas reflexiones sobre el fomento de la integración bilateral

¿La mejor manera de fomentar y promover la integración de ambos lados del cuerpo? ¡Movimiento y juego! Haz que los niños estén activos, se muevan y experimenten varios planos contra la resistencia y con la exposición a todo tipo de experiencias sensoriales. La combinación de la información propioceptiva en una experiencia de juego que promueve el fortalecimiento de una manera divertida proporciona todos los beneficios que los niños necesitan para mejorar las habilidades de coordinación bilateral. Añade intereses personales a medida que el niño crece. Y por último, ¡diviértete!

Utilice estas actividades de coordinación bilateral para promover la integración bilateral necesaria para habilidades como escribir y sostener el papel y cualquier actividad que utilice una mano para manipular un objeto mientras se estabiliza con la otra mano.

Sensory Meltdowns

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sensory overload and sensory meltdowns

Overcoming sensory meltdowns can be a real challenge. For parents in a household where sensory challenges are common, having an understanding of what’s really going on with self-regulation and sensory processing is even better. Today, I have information on sensory overload meltdowns as well as a powerful tool for addressing this sensory need in families, so that the child struggling has resources and strategies available to them. Understanding meltdowns is one of the first steps in addressing sensory challenges. A sensory meltdown is sensory overload in action! Another way to look at this is sensory dysregulation that has reached a point where the individual erupts.

sensory overload and sensory meltdowns

Sensory Overload

There is a lot to consider when it comes to sensory meltdowns. Think of it like a volcano that is building up under the ground. We might not suspect that below the surface, things are building up and brewing a storm where we see the explosion. Just like that volcano, sensory input might be building and building.

Then, there might be Overstimulation anxiety for potential overload…it’s a cycle!

We see sensory overload and then we have the meltdown.

Many things can led to sensory overload, especially in the school environment:

  1. Noisy classrooms
  2. Busy hallways
  3. Visual noise or visual clutter
  4. Fireworks
  5. Fire alarms
  6. Noisy buses
  7. Smells from the cafeteria
  8. Crowded spaces
  9. Bright or flashing lights
  10. Loud music or sound effects
  11. Strong odors (perfumes, cleaning products)
  12. Scratchy or uncomfortable clothing
  13. High-pitched noises (whistles, sirens)
  14. Sudden or unexpected touches
  15. Television or computer screens
  16. Chaotic environments (malls, playgrounds)
  17. Multiple people talking simultaneously
  18. Heavy traffic noise
  19. Vibrations from machinery or vehicles
  20. Intense weather conditions (strong wind, heavy rain)
  21. Sports crowds or pep rallies
  22. Cluttered spaces
  23. Physical constraints (tight spaces, restraint in seats)
  24. Unstructured play areas
  25. Overwhelming choices (large menus, toy options)
  26. High-demand situations (tests, performances)
  27. Interpersonal conflicts
  28. Physical exertion without breaks
  29. Changes in routine or unexpected schedule changes

Auditory sensitivities and sensory needs can impact learning because of sensory overload. This is where the school based OT comes in. Having a sensory diet or sensory solution to the auditory input can support sensory needs before meltdowns occur.

Sensory meltdowns, information on self-regulation and sensory processing, as well as questions that parents have about meltdowns.

Sensory Meltdowns

I’ve shared before the difference between a sensory meltdown vs a tantrum…but that defining line can be hazy when it comes to sensory overload.

I’ve also shared many meltdown tips and tricks to address sensory meltdowns in children, as well as coping tools and sensory strategies that can help children.

There are also many sensory diet tools and resources here on this website, which can be valuable resources for the child with sensory processing challenges.

But all of these self regulation strategies, resources, and tools can be inconsequential if you are missing an important piece of the sensory puzzle.

Understanding what’s really going on behind a meltdown is the key component to helping children who struggle with sensory overload.

There’s more; Once you’ve got a handle on really understanding a meltdown and the specifics on what might cause them, it’s important to know how to help the child that does launch into meltdown mode.

Because, even with all of the understanding in your back pocket, there will still be those moments where a meltdown is inevitable. So, having the resources and tools available to help a child debrief after a meltdown is crucial.

Debriefing with your child after a meltdown is such an important step for both of you. Having the ability to compose oneself following a meltdown and really understand what might have caused that overload empowers your child so that they can discover their own self-regulation strategies. What an empowering concept, right?

Not only that, but getting an understanding along with your child of that sensory meltdown gives you both specific strategies and tactics to help overcome those sensory meltdowns the next time they might occur. You can define and discover their triggers. 

All of this makes sense, right? But if working as a pediatric occupational therapist has taught me anything, it’s that addressing feelings of overwhelm with sensory processing take some time.

Parents often have questions about sensory meltdowns. Understand sensory meltdowns and resources to help.

Sensory Questions

There are so many common questions that parents have about sensory processing and sensory meltdowns. Below are listed some common sensory questions that parents have. Sometimes just knowing you are not alone in your questions and concerns is helpful! So, those questions that oftentimes come up include:

Parents often times feel overwhelmed or stressed with how to respond to their child’s meltdowns. If this sounds familiar, you might be questioning if your child’s behavior is sensory or if it’s defiant behavior. 

Parents wonder if the behaviors their child has is a temper tantrum or if it is a response to sensory overload and having a meltdown.

Many times, parents see meltdowns that seem to come out of nowhere. You can’t seem to figure out what the triggers are. Where do you even start?

Or, maybe you know your child’s meltdowns are sensory related, but nothing you’ve tried seems to work. You wonder if maybe you’re Googling the wrong things or if there is something you’ve missed.

Parents often feel like their child is just trying to get attention, and that it’s behavioral rather than sensory related.

Another question that parents often have is regarding the aggressive behaviors they see from their child. What can cause a child to act out so physically with hitting, spitting, head banging, biting, scratching, and yelling? These actions are physically and emotionally exhausting for both you and your child.

Still other questions that parents have regarding meltdowns is how to better understand their child and help them feel accepted?

Parents often wonder how they can better recognize the signs of sensory overload so they can prevent it from happening in the first place.

A big question parents have is how they can stay calm in the moment when their child is in the midst of a meltdown. How can they help their child without “losing it” themselves.

Sometimes, just knowing that others have the same questions is so helpful.

Overcoming Sensory Meltdowns

If any of these questions sound familiar, I’ve got a resource for you. The thing is that sensory overload is one of the leading causes of sensory meltdowns, but it is far from the only cause. And, actually, there are sound principles that can help children in the midst of a meltdown.

There are tools you can have in your back pocket so you can address meltdowns when they are happening, and can shorten the duration and intensity of a meltdown. You can even help your child to recognize what’s going on when a sensory meltdown occurs.

Part of the strategy to get the answers to better understand exactly what’s going on behind meltdowns is to get to the root of the sensory needs.

This course can help you feel confident and overcome meltdowns with proven sensory integration tips, tools, and strategies to help your student self-regulate and give you both a toolkit of ways to minimize sensory related issues and even catch them before they escalate.

Sensory Overload Meltdown

To better understand what’s happening in a sensory overload meltdown, it helps to understand sensory integration.

This refers to the organization of sensation for use within the brain and body. Our body and sensory systems give information to our brain on the body in the environment.

The brain organizes all of that information it gets from the sensations. When the sensations flow in a well organized manner, the brain forms all sorts of perceptions, behaviors, and learning can occur. We can participate in the world around us.

However, there’s more to it. The nervous system operates best at an optimal arousal state. This means that the nervous system is able to attain, maintain, and regulate that information so we can complete meaningful and functional tasks. When the brain is not able to organize the incoming sensory information, it can become too much for the brain and body.

As a result, we see sensory compensations. The body attempts to compensate for organizing the information in ways that look different, but work for the individual. There may be sensory defensiveness. However, sometimes neurodiverse responses to the information isn’t sustainable and we see overload. This is the sensory meltdown.

A few tools we have is a school sensory room, or a sensory diet to plan for sensory needs.

This is a very simplified explanation that explains a sensory overload meltdown.

Check out the blog comments below to discover common questions about about sensory meltdowns.

Sensory Meltdown Strategies

There are many ways to support the individual and their sensory needs before sensory overload and meltdowns occur.

  • Preparing for the event- talking about what is going to happen at the fireworks event or celebration
  • Using noise cancelling headphones or earbuds
  • Sensory diet tools like deep breathing exercises or weighted blankets to regulate and organize sensory needs
  • Sensory chaining techniques
  • Using sensory friendly clothing
  • Earplugs
  • Chewlery
  • Personal space away from crowds

Would you like to use some strategies designed to offer organizing input? Our sensory strategies resource has some great ideas.

Free Classroom Sensory Strategies Toolkit

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    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.

    Soap Shaving Bookmark Craft

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    Picture of a child using a vegetable peeler to shave soap into soap shavings as a fine motor task.

    This is a fun activity we did many years ago, and I keep coming back to it. Using soap shavings as a fine motor tool can open the door to motor planning, bilateral coordination, and functional experiences for kids. At The OT Toolbox, we believe in hands-on activities that promote fine motor skills, sensory exploration, and creativity. As pediatric OTs, we know the power of using crafts to support development so this soap shavings craft is a great way to encourage these skills while making something functional and fun. Every parent, teacher, and therapist can benefit from having a collection of soap craft ideas to incorporate into play and learning.

    Picture of a child using a vegetable peeler to shave soap into soap shavings as a fine motor task.

    The cool thing about using a vegetable peeler on a bar of soap is that you can use the soap shavings projects to make wax paper bookmarks to other creative soap crafts, and at the same time, you are supporting the development of functional life skills cooking tasks by using the vegetable peeler. If you’re looking for an easy bookmark craft, this simple yet effective activity is a great way to build skills while creating something useful.

    Wax Paper Bookmarks

    Today I wanted to share a fun kids craft that supports life skill development: using an iron and ironing board. To make the soap shavings, we also used a vegetable peeler, so this is a great way to incorporate fine motor skills into kitchen tasks needed for using kitchen items like the vegetable peeler. We also worked on a few different skills with this craft: cutting with scissors, fine motor skills, bilateral coordination, and executive functioning. Be sure to check out our music bookmark craft as well.

    Make wax paper bookmarks using soap shavings to create soap shaving bookmarks.

    Soap Shavings Bookmark Craft

    Today we are incredibly excited to share this Soap Shavings Bookmark craft with you! 
     
    Soap Shaving Bookmarks with peeled soap, part of the book, Pop! Squirt! Splash! book for kids with soap, water, and bubbles
     
     
     
    Kids can get creative in their crafting using soap and a few materials from around the house.  We made these soap shaving bookmarks and had a blast creating!
    Soap Shaving Bookmarks with peeled soap, part of the book, Pop! Squirt! Splash! book for kids with soap, water, and bubbles
     
    This post contains affiliate links.
     


    To make Soap Shaving Bookmarks:

    You’ll need a few materials:

    This soap craft is as beautiful as it is simple.  Kids will love to use a vegetable peeler on bars of soap to create soap shavings.  

    Here are the steps to make this soap shaving bookmark craft:

    1. To make the bookmarks, lay a sheet of wax paper out on a hard surface like a cookie sheet or cutting board.  
    Use a vegetable peeler to create soap shavings

    Using a bar of soap to practice using a vegetable peeler is a great beginner step for kids learning to use kitchen tools, because the soap peels shavings much easier than an apple skin peels away from the apple.



    2. Show your child how to grasp a bar of soap and using hand-over-hand guidance, help your child to slowly peel shavings from the bar of soap. Encourage them to peel away from their body for safety. 

    This is important when teaching kids how to peel a potato or an apple, as well, so it’s great practice!

    3. Peel long strips of soap and small shavings, mixing the colors of the different bars of soap on the wax paper.  Managing the vegetable peeler and the soap is a great way to encourage bilateral hand coordination (the use of two hands together in a coordinated manner).  


    Children need bilateral hand coordination for functional skills like cutting with scissors, handwriting,  tying shoes, and managing clothing fasteners.  An activity like using a vegetable peeler on a soft bar of soap is a great way to work on using tow hands together effectively with a non-dominant assisting hand and a dominant hand with fluid and controlled motions.  


    4. Arrange the soap peelings on the wax paper and place the second piece of wax paper on top.  

    5. Carefully move the wax paper to an ironing board.  

    6. Place a dishtowel over the wax paper and using an iron heated to medium, slowly press down.  The soap will slightly melt and flatten under the heat.  

    7. Check often to see if the wax paper is adhering.  You can remove the dish towel and carefully heat the edges of the wax paper.  

    8. Cut the wax paper into rectangular book marks.  

    9. Punch a hole near the top of the book marks using the hole puncher.  

    10. Tie a piece of ribbon in the hole.  This bookmark will smell great and would make a lovely gift!

    Soap Shaving Bookmarks with peeled soap


    *Note: This craft should be done under close supervision of an adult.  Be careful with the use of a vegetable peeler with small children.  For younger children, provide hand-over-hand assistance with the vegetable peeler.  Adults may want to complete the peeling portion of this soap craft.  Adults or responsible older children should manage the iron.  As always, use judgement when it comes to completing this and any activity with your kids.

    Using the vegetable peeler and an iron to make our soap shaving bookmark makes working on IADLs fun and engaging. Life skills tasks like cooking is an essential Instrumental Activity of Daily Living that occupational therapy professionals address.

    Soap Shaving Bookmarks with peeled soap, part of the book, Pop! Squirt! Splash! book for kids with soap, water, and bubbles

    Alternate activities:

    1. Vary the scents and colors of your bookmarks with various soaps.
    2. Add a personal message or quote to the bookmarks.
    3. Add flower petals or scraps of paper to the soap shavings before ironing.
    4. Arrange the soap shavings in a mosaic or mandala pattern.
    Use a vegetable peeler on a soap bar

    Using a vegetable peeler to proactive the bilateral coordination and motor planning needed for peeling vegetables is a good way to grade down the activity because of the soft texture of the soap.

    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.

    Music Bookmark Craft

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    This music bookmark craft uses an old sheet of music and is a fun easy cutting skills craft that kids can give as a gift or can use in their music books! We actually have another fun soap shaving bookmark craft too, if you would like to check out that craft that builds skills as well!

    Music bookmark craft

    Music Bookmark Craft

    You’ll need just a few materials to make this music bookmark craft:

    • One sheet of music (We have several books found at a yard sale.  We used one sheet for this craft.)
    • Red card stock, cut into heart shapes
    • Glue
    • Scissors
    Music note bookmark craft

    To make the music bookmarks

    This musical craft is easy to make, which makes it an easy scissor skills craft for kids.

    1. Cut the sheet music along the space between each staff.  You’ll end up with several strips of music notes.  
    2. Cut the red card stock into heart shapes.  
    3. Glue the hearts to one end of the music strips.  As easy as that, your music bookmarks are done!
    Music note bookmark craft

    We made these bookmarks at the same time we made our DIY bottle xylophone, which is why the bottle of Coke is in the picture below.

    bookmark craft

    You could cut any shape and glue it at the top of the craft. We went with a heart because of our love of all things music.

    Heart and music gift that kids can make.

    This bookmark would make a great music gift that kids can make for music teachers!

    Other fun musical crafts and activities that we loved include:

    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.

    Laundry Skills

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    laundry checklist

    Today, we have a great life skills activity: specifically, laundry skills! In this blog post, we are discussing the life skill of laundry. Washing and drying clothes is an independent living task that anyone who manages their activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living must learn. Getting dressed each day requires clean clothing. And in order to manage and wear clean clothing, dirty clothes must be laundered! Whether you are looking for information on teaching laundry skills to teens, or working in a special needs classroom with special education students in a life skills classroom or group home, laundry skills are a part of occupational therapy interventions. You’ll also want to check out our cooking life skills activities for more ways to support IADLs.

    Laundry skills

    Laundry Skills

    Don’t you just love those 12 seconds when the laundry is all done?  Laundry is the gift that keeps on giving.  Laundry life skills are necessary and inevitable. Unless you plan to do your kid’s laundry for the rest of their lives, start teaching laundry skills early. 

    Teenager Laundry Schedule

    Washing: 30 minutes

    Drying: 30 minutes

    Folding and putting away: 7-10 business days

    How do you know when it is really time for your kids to learn laundry skills?

    • When half of the clean laundry ends up in the dirty basket unworn
    • When they wear like seven outfits a day
    • Clothes are so wrinkled in the drawers, they have to be rewashed to be worn
    • They ask you to do laundry so often because they only wear their favorite three things

    Laundry Life Skills Learning Lessons

    People learn by doing. They also learn by making mistakes. Suffering natural consequences versus being nagged at or scolded, is a better way for people to learn.  These are some valuable life lessons my teenagers learned while learning to do laundry properly.

    • Teenager claims they need more underwear and socks.  Turns out they are all just dirty
    • They shove so many clothes into the washer, the clothes are barely wet
    • Everything goes in the same load, creating lovely pink blobs on everything
    • The laundry stays in the washer for five days.  EWWW
    • The laundry stays in the dryer for five days. Has to be rewashed
    • Your kid looks like they dragged their clothes out of a garbage bag each time they get dressed
    • Your teen does not do laundry until the only option left is their prom dress!
    • Too much soap, not enough soap, hot water, you get the picture
    Laundry life skills include executive functioning skills
    All steps of laundry life skills include executive functioning skills.

    Laundry Task Analysis

    Doing laundry requires many underlying skill areas. We can look at these in a laundry task analysis.

    First, let’s look at the areas needed for this life skill task. Because there are multiple steps to doing laundry, there are many aspects that go into laundry skills, there are many underlying areas of development that impact teaching laundry.

    The underlying areas of laundering include:

    1. Fine motor skills: pinch and grip strength, coordination
    2. Gross motor skills: upper body strength, core strength, balance, coordination, posture, stability, range of motion
    3. Visual motor skills: eye-hand coordination,
    4. Visual perceptual skills: visual discrimination, visual scanning, visual figure ground, form constancy,
    5. Sensory motor skills: Tactile discrimination, proprioceptive input, vestibular input, visual processing, auditory processing
    6. Executive functioning skills: task initiation, task completion, working memory, attention, organization
    7. Cognitive skills: Direction following, problem solving, safety awareness

    With all of these considerations it’s no wonder that laundry skills are a challenge for all ages!

    We have a checklist of tasks that need to be done listed below. This is an important part of the task analysis, because the layout of the home, laundry area, and other environmental considerations will play a huge role in the laundry task analysis, especially for the motor skills involved.

    Laundry Checklist

    Laundry skills involves many steps. It’s because of this multi-step process, that sometimes the task “falls apart”. Laundry skills includes the following basic steps:

    1. Sorting clothing by light and dark colors or by fabric. For some individuals, starting with a sorting task is a great first step. Use these sorting colors ideas.
    2. Placing clothing into a hamper or clothes basket and emptying pockets.
    3. Carrying a full basket of clothes.
    4. Lifting a full basket to empty into a washer. Or bending/reaching to place dirty clothes into the washing machine.
    5. Pre-treating any stains.
    6. Adding the correct amount of detergent, the appropriate type of laundry detergent, and motor tasks such as: opening the detergent bottle, pouring the correct amount of soap, adding the soap to the correct place in the washing machine. 
    7. Using an appropriate load size for the washing machine and the clothing type.
    8. Selecting a water temperature appropriate for the clothing fabric type, such as using cold water for certain clothing fabrics and using warm water over hot water for others.
    9. Turning on settings for the appropriate wash cycle.
    10. Remembering to listen for the laundry machine buzzer or setting an alarm for the end of the washing cycle.
    11. Removing wet clothing and placing into a dryer.
    12. Removing any clothing that needs to air dry.
    13. Selecting the right amount of drying time for the clothing from the dryer’s settings
    14. Turning the dial to the appropriate setting.
    15. Using an appropriate dryer load size.
    16. Setting an alarm or remembering to remove dry clothing from the dryer when complete (task completion).
    17. Removing all of the dry clothing from the dryer.
    18. Folding clothing, including how to fold pants, shirts, and other types of clothing.
    19. Matching and rolling socks together.
    20. Putting away clothing.
    21. Hanging clothing on hangers when appropriate.

    Each of these steps could potentially be a stumbling block, right? Especially when you take into consideration the various physical and cognitive skills needed for each task. Breaking down the tasks can be helpful.

    For example, a shorter list of laundry tasks is as follows:

    1. Gather dirty laundry from around the house.
    2. Sort laundry into categories (e.g., lights, darks, delicates).
    3. Load the washing machine, being careful not to overload.
    4. Add laundry detergent.
    5. Select the appropriate wash cycle and temperature.
    6. Start the washing machine.
    7. Once the wash cycle is complete, remove clothes from the washing machine.
    8. Select the appropriate dryer setting.
    9. Start the dryer.
    10. Once dry, immediately remove clothes from the dryer.
    11. Put clothes away in their designated places.

    Tips and Strategies for teaching Laundry Skills

    These tips are helpful for all learning, not just laundry.

    • Break the tasks down into smaller chunks to make them more manageable. The learner may not be able to do all their laundry, but can probably stuff the items in a basket or washer.
    • Choose times for learning when there is not a rush.  Learners cannot work under pressure.
    • Set realistic expectations.  Your two year old might not be able to fold clothes properly.  That’s ok, they can put them in the basket.
    • Accept mediocracy.  Learn to accept the towels and sheets will not be folded correctly.  Be happy they are clean and in the closet.
    • Think first about any sensory/motor/logistical components of the task and problem solve before starting.
    • Backward or forward chain. Backward chain would be to do all of the work for your learner, then have them come in and finish the final step. This offers a sense of accomplishment.  Forward chaining is having your learner do the first step, before they become overwhelmed, then you finish for them.  This gives confidence that they can do some of the laundry task.
    • There are many laundry steps for a learner to remember during any life skills task.
    • Minimize distractions and sensory input prior to starting.
    • Stay calm and do not add more pressure.
    • Let your learner do for themselves, only intervening when they start to get upset. Do not rush to fix everything so quickly. They will not learn that there is a problem if we constantly fix the errors before they notice.
    • Give the learner opportunities to be independent, even at a small task.
    • If your learner has sensory related concerns, the OT Toolbox has a great resource called the Sensory Lifestyle Handbook, with checklists and strategies to weave sensory activities into your learner’s day

    No wonder laundry skills are such a complex task!

    “Sometimes you might feel like no one is there for you.  You know who is always there for you?  Laundry.  Laundry will always be there for you.” Author Unknown

    Other Benefits of Doing Life Skills like Laundry

    • Allows more free time for parents to focus on other things
    • Instills a sense of responsibility for their belongings
    • Builds executive function skills – starting and finishing a project, time management, planning, prioritizing, and foresight to name a few.  The OT Toolbox has a FREE course on developing executive function and several resources on this valuable life skill.
    • The task can be adjusted to meet levels, whether developmental disabilities are present or specific areas of need: motor planning, executive functioning skills, physical abilities etc.
    • Sensory processing skills and self regulation. Heavy work is a great way to regulate the sensory system through proprioception. Laundry has built in heavy work from filling the laundry basket, pulling or pushing the basket, piling clothes into the washer, dragging wet clothes out of the washer, pushing them into the dryer, and pulling them out.  There are other senses alerted in a negative or positive way during laundry, such as smell of detergent, feeling the water on the clothes, the sound of the washer and dryer, or the warm feeling of clothes fresh out of the dryer. 
    • Builds independence and self reliance.

    Laundry and Executive Functioning Skills

    One of the biggest challenges with accomplishing laundry tasks tends to be the executive function component. I mean think about it: There are at least 17 steps to doing laundry…and if you use our simplified laundry list, there are still 11 steps!

    Each of those 11 steps could potentially be it’s own task (sorting laundry. putting clothes in the washer. Folding. Putting away.) When you break down “laundry”, no wonder this life skill is so challenging when you add in difficulties with working memory, task initiation and completion, planning, prioritization, attention…It makes total sense!

    One way we support these needs is by breaking down the huge task of “laundry” into steps. Then, we can come up with strategies for each component. This includes:

    • Using timers
    • Creating routines
    • Minimizing steps
    • Segmenting tasks

    We actually made a handout on executive functioning hacks to assist with laundry. You can get a free copy of this in the form at the bottom of this blog post.

    How to develop laundry life skills (or any other skills):

    If you sit a seven year old down and ask them to do laundry, you will be met with either dread, frustration, or shutdown.  The task in entirety is too much all at once.  Not only can you break the task into measurable chunks, use the following adaptations to build laundry or any other life skills:

    • Print a laundry checklist with clear laundry steps and directions. Read here about visual schedules that can be used as a support.
    • Use a picture story sequence to walk through the task using real images of the individual completing the laundry task.
    • Make a social story about doing laundry so your learner gets a clear picture of the task ahead of time
    • Create a picture board with cards and velcro to move items from the “to do” to the “done” side.  
    • Create visual reminders in the laundry area to assist with the chore such as how much detergent, what temperature for the clothes
    • Adapt and modify the task as needed.  Determine what the barriers might be to making this task independent for your learner. Create folding boards to fold shirts, use laundry pods instead of measured detergent, wash all items on cold for ease, different colored baskets if sorting items, a clear system of where everything belongs, step stools if needed.
    • If you are hitting roadblocks when addressing life skills, there may be a motor or sensory component making skill acquisition more difficult. Problem solve these first, then move forward. The book, (affiliate link) Seeing Your Home and Community with Sensory Eyes is a great resource to problem solve and find solutions to everyday events such as going to bed, bathing, cooking, riding the bus, going to the dentist, doing chores, or the dreaded cafeteria.

    After catching up on laundry this week, I am implementing prison rules. Each member gets one jumpsuit for the week.

    Free laundry checklist and laundry hack sheet

    Free Laundry Checklist

    One tool that I love to use, especially when practicing laundry life skills with pre-teens and teenagers, or when executive functioning skills impact the ability to stay on top of laundry tasks, is printable checklists.

    I created a printable checklist of laundry tasks broken down into stages:

    1. Preparing and Sorting Laundry
    2. Washing Laundry
    3. Drying Laundry
    4. Folding Laundry
    5. Putting Away Laundry

    Each of these four steps could be a stumbling block, which means that the laundry sits there in a wet and stinky lump in the washer for a week. Or, the dry and clean laundry sits crumbled in the laundry basket for a month. Breaking down the steps is a huge piece of the puzzle.

    I also made the checklist with columns for days of the week. This way, you can sort the laundry on one day and wash and dry the laundry on the next day. Then, you can fold and put away the laundry on another day. Doing these tasks on the same day each week makes it not only manageable, but also part of a routine.

    You can get this free printable by entering your email address into the form below. Plus, when you grab this printable, we also have a bonus- our list of executive function hacks for each step of laundry. These tips are great for targeting the working memory, attention, planning, and task completion of all of these steps.

    FREE Laundry Checklist

      Are you interested in resources on (check all that apply):
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      These resources, along with many other life skills tools and activities are also found inside The OT Toolbox Membership!

      Victoria Wood, OTR/L is a contributor to The OT Toolbox and has been providing Occupational Therapy treatment in pediatrics for more than 25 years. She has practiced in hospital settings (inpatient, outpatient, NICU, PICU), school systems, and outpatient clinics in several states. She has treated hundreds of children with various sensory processing dysfunction in the areas of behavior, gross/fine motor skills, social skills and self-care. Ms. Wood has also been a featured speaker at seminars, webinars, and school staff development training. She is the author of Seeing your Home and Community with Sensory Eyes.

      Raccoon Craft for Math and Fine Motor

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      racoon craft

      We made this racoon craft many moons ago, when my oldest was in second grade. She’s now a sophomore in high school, and I have to say that those years went by like a flash. This post was originally written in October, 2015 and I’m just updating it now with some tips about how to use the racoon craft to support fine motor development. One thing is for certain; this fine motor math craft still remains as cute as it did all those years ago!

      This is a clothespin activity that supports development of many areas of motor skills AND learning regrouping in math!

      racoon craft

      Racoon Craft

      I love that this racoon craft supports fine motor skills. Not only by making the craft, but by playing with the racoon clothes pin, there are some big fine motor benefits. Plus, it’s a fine motor STEM activity that kids seem to love.

      There are so many benefits to using the clothes pin as a fine motor tool in math (and in kids crafts)!

      For example, when manipulating clothes pins, fine motor contributions include:

      Similarly, the fine motor contributions that are needed for threading beads includes:

      • Arch development
      • In-hand manipulation
      • Eye-hand coordination
      • Open thumb web space
      • Tripod grasp/pincer grasp
      • Finger isolation
      • Thumb opposition
      • Wrist extension
      • Dexterity
      • Bilateral coordination

      We made a video that shows how manipulating and pinching clothes pins promotes grasp development. Check it out here:

      In the video, we show how to use the clothes pins to work on pinch strength and grip strength. You can use your racoon clothespin craft to do these things!

      Regrouping Math Activity

      Second grade.  They say it’s the old third grade in public schools.  My second grader is our oldest, so I’ve no previous school years to compare the class work or curriculum to.  We are plowing through the first few months of school though.  We are well into a routine with schedules, homework, and have only missed the bus once.  (This is our best year so far in that area!)  

      While my second grader might be doing the stuff that third graders used to do, she is a trooper.  She works hard and she loves her teacher and her friends.  I mean, she even comes home from a long day of school and PLAYS school with her siblings.  While they have zero interest in regrouping addition problems, they are cooperative little students.

       
       Raccoon craft with a clothes pin for use in second grade math: this Regrouping Raccoon will help with regrouping double digit addition math problems!
       
       
       

      Raccoon Craft

      This Raccoon craft made the perfect tool to practice a math skill with my second grader: Regrouping Double Digit Addition Problems.  It was a fun craft to make alongside my daughter and turned out to be a pretty fun second grade craft, too!

      Raccoon craft with a clothes pin for use in second grade math: this Regrouping Raccoon will help with regrouping double digit addition math problems!

       

      What is Regrouping Double Digit Addition?

      So, we actually did a regrouping activity last year when my little future teacher was in first grade.  That activity was about regrouping single digits in addition.  Now, a whole year later, we’re regrouping double digits and feel like big shots.  Ok, not really.  But it IS a whole other column of numbers that we are adding, here! 
       
      Now, I’ve said it before.  I am not a teacher by trade.  In fact, I’m an Occupational Therapist.  So I don’t have a huge understanding of teaching techniques or educational standards and the like.  But, I do have the motivation that only a mom has when it comes to making homework fun, and easy.  I am so over pulling teeth to get homework done.  Let’s do a creative and playful activity to build on school-found skills and I’m good.  And really, when we pull in my OT-ness to the play and fun, it’s even better.  Fine motor skills, here we come!

      Ok, ok back to what is regrouping question.  

      Essentially, regrouping in math is borrowing or carrying a digit to aide in a math operation. In addition, digits from the ones column are added to the tens column to add single or double digits. 

      My second grader is adding double digit numbers.  When the ones column of those double digits add up to more than 9, there is another tens to add to the tens column.  

      Regrouping in Math Activity

      Now, to practice regrouping double digit addition problems, you could do page after page of worksheets.  But if your kiddo is like mine (and any other kid out there), that will not go over well.  We made this sneaky little raccoon clothes pin craft to practice regrouping in math practice.
       
      It’s a pretty easy craft that your second grader will love to try.  You’ll need just a few materials: (These are affiliate links.)

      Raccoon craft with a clothes pin for use in second grade math: this Regrouping Raccoon will help with regrouping double digit addition math problems!
      Raccoon craft with a clothes pin for use in second grade math: this Regrouping Raccoon will help with regrouping double digit addition math problems!
       
      To make the racoon craft:
       
      1. Start by cutting a strip of newspaper to fit on the front of the clothes pin.  
      2. You’ll also want to cut a small circle for the raccoon’s head, and a tail-ish shape.  
      3. Glue the newspaper strip to the front of the clothes pin.  
      4. From the black cardstock, cut small strips to make the raccoon’s eye mask, tow triangle ears, and stripes for the tail.  
      5. Glue all of these paper pieces into place.  
      6. Add the googly eyes and draw on a cute little smile.  That raccoon is done and ready to help with regrouping. 


      Regrouping Raccoon and Double Digit Addition

      We decided that since raccoons are pretty sneaky and sometimes steal garbage from trash cans, that our Regrouping Raccoon would be the perfect buddy for stealing numbers from the ones column and placing them over in the tens column.  We practiced with a problem or two and added up the ones column.  If the total had 10 or more, than that sneaky little raccoon helped us move the ten over to the tens column.  Fun, right?
       
      Now, grab a sheet of regrouping addition problems.  We used a homework page, but you could just write out problems on a piece of paper.  
       
      As my daughter did the double digit math problems, I had her clip the raccoon onto the edge of the paper if it was a regrouping problem.  For the problems that did not require regrouping, we just left the raccoon in place.  

      Raccoon craft with a clothes pin for use in second grade math: this Regrouping Raccoon will help with regrouping double digit addition math problems!
       
      We ended up making a few more raccoon pinch clothes pins and had a family of raccoons!
       
      Raccoon craft with a clothes pin for use in second grade math: this Regrouping Raccoon will help with regrouping double digit addition math problems!
       
       
       
       
       
      More second grade activities you will love:
       
       
       
       
       
       
      We have a few other resources that might help as well. These are free tools you can find on The OT Toolbox and all three include free downloads. These would go great with our racoon craft activity!
      forest sensory path

      Use the forest sensory path with our racoon craft to support self regulation needs.

      shadow matching worksheet with forest animals theme

      Add our forest animal visual discrimination worksheet to your therapy toolbox to work on visual scanning, visual form constancy, and other visual perceptual skills.

      free forest animal worksheets

      And, use our forest animal puzzles to work on scissor skills and visual motor skills.

      I hope the racoon craft and all of the tips in this activity supports development! Have fun!

      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.

      Coin Activities for Kids

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      These coin activities are fun ways to develop fine motor skills AND functional money skills. The fact is that coin sorting activities and counting coins activities are functional…they are tasks kids need to develop for daily living skills. But, did you ever stop to think about the fine motor benefits of playing with coins? There are a handful! So, grab a handful of coins and use these coin activities to help kids with fine motor skill development!

      Examples of coin activities for occupational therapy- dropping coins into a slotted container, counting money, stacking coins.

      Coin Activities

      This is an older blog post on the website, but one that has so many fine motor activities using just coins. You’ll find coin sorting activities, coin rubbing art, money counting skills, and counting coin activities that build math and money skills as well as fine motor skills.

      But, I also wanted to go into detail on the various ways kids can use a stack of coins to develop skills needed for fine motor tasks.

      You may have seen a previous blog post detailing the use of plastic gold coins to develop fine motor skills…today’s article covers real coins you have in your purse or pocket, and can be used for teaching money to kindergarten or first grade students.

      Coin activities for counting coins and sorting coins as an occupational therapy tool and a functional task for kids as they use money in IADLs.

      Coin Sorting Activities

      A warm-up activity with sorting coins is a nice start to the therapy session because it can help to connect with the child and that they are engaged in the process, using a functional task that is needed for IADLs.

      I made a video that shows different activities to do with just a handful of coins. These activities are:

      1. In-Hand Manipulation- Rotate a coin by turning the edges with the pads of the fingers. This movement is used to open a tube of toothpaste or to rotate a pencil.
      2. Pincer Grasp- Picking up coins by the edge and stacking them in a pile requires pincer grasp.
      3. Transferring Coins Fingertips to Palm- Transferring coins from the fingertips to the palm is an in-hand manipulation skill.
      4. Transferring Coins Palm to Fingertips- Transferring coins from the palm to the finger tips is another in-hand manipulation activity. Then push the coins into play dough for finger precision and strengthening.
      5. Pincer Grasp Strength- Pull coins out of play dough using only the tips of the fingers to work on finger dexterity and range of motion of the distal finger joints.

      These 5 fine motor activities to do with coins are the best from the perspective of a school based OT!

      We have even more ideas listed below, including how and why these coin activities are so powerful!

      fine motor activities using coins

      Stack Coins Fine Motor Activity

      A nice warm-up to an occupational therapy session is this coin sorting activity: Once we’ve said hello and I have checked in with how my client is doing its time to ‘show me the money’.

      Place a pile of coins on the desk, and spend some time sorting coins into piles. I ask the child to show me the coins that match and we discuss what pictures we can see on the coins, what numbers we can see and how much the coins are worth.

      Sorting coins is a great task to work on a variety of skills:

      Sort Coins by Touch

      Once we have looked through all our coins I ask the children to place the coins in a pile in front of them and close their eyes. With their eyes closed they must pick a coin and show me which one they have collected.

      This activity targets Stereognosis, or the touch awareness related to identifying coins by touch, or by determining the coin by “feel”. When you sort through coins, you can find a quarter vs a penny by feeling the size of the coin.

      I have a list of corresponding whole body, gross motor exercises that they must perform depending on the coin they have selected. These exercises will target specific gross motor goals that we are working on.

      The gross motor skills addressed with these coin sorting exercises include:

      Grab this handout by entering your email address into the form at the bottom of this blog post.

      Coin Activities for Fine Motor Skills

      Once we are all warmed up and feeling focused and attentive, we are ready to work on our fine motor skills. One aspect of money counting skills that can be difficult for children is the fine motor component. These coin activities take into consideration, all of the fine motor skills needed for counting and sorting coins.

      In-hand manipulation activities are a great way to boost fine motor skills needed for tasks like managing clothing fasteners, using a pencil when writing, manipulating items like coins or beads, and more. 

      The dexterity that is worked on when picking up coins from a flat surface is huge!  You need to pick up the edges with a tip-to-tip grasp and perform in-hand manipulation to “squirrel away” the coin into the palm of the hand. 

      In-hand manipulation is moving an object within the hand, without help from the other hand. This resource explains ways to work on in-hand manipulation with coins.

      Stacking coins is another great exercise.  We put the quarters into piles and counted out dollars.  But at the same time, we were working on translation of the coin from the palm of the hand to the tips of the fingers.  

      Translation is a type of in-hand manipulation that you use when moving an object from the finger tips to the palm and vice versa.  Stacking requires a lot of controlled dexterity!  

      Stack coins for a fine motor workout and to improve coin sorting skills.

      Why are these skills important? Kids need to refine their fine motor skills and in-hand manipulation in order to manipulate the pencil with slight movements while writing, erasing, and coloring. 

      They need the small motor control to manage fasteners like zippers, snaps, buttons, and shoe tying. 

      Using coins is a wonderful way to work on so many fine motor skills. You can target selective finger movements, tactile discrimination, in hand manipulation and finger strengthening. 

      For these fine motor coin counting activities, ask the children to count out a certain number of coins. I have been working with the number range between 10 and 20 depending on the child’s age. 

      1. Use plastic coins to build fine motor skills– This blog post includes a free printable handout detailing coin activities. This is a great home exercise program for parents.
      2. Count coins. Use these ideas to work on counting money and building fine motor skills. You can also use a paper coin wrapper to count coins.
      3. Use coins to work on patterns and skip counting, but also finger isolation skills. This blog post includes a free handout to use in skip counting with coins.
      4. Coin road – line the coins up in a row as quickly as you can using only your right hand. The children enjoy competing with me during this task. Once completed ask them to perform this activity again using their left hand. 
      5. Coin flip – line the coins up in a row. Using only one hand flip each coin over starting at one end and flipping each coin until you reach the end of the row. Work from left to right to reinforce directionality. Repeat with the other hand.
      6. Coin stack – see how high you can stack your coins. Keeping going (and counting) until your stack falls over.
      7. Coin grab – using one hand see how many coins you can pick up and keep safe in your hand. Don’t drop any coins while you are collecting. 
      8. Coin counting – this requires a piggy bank or a parent to assist with making a simple money counting receptacle from a cardboard box or recycled container. See you many coins you can count within a time limit. 
      9. Playdough and coins – this activity requires the addition of playdough. Where this is available encourage children to make impressions of their coins with playdough, roll small balls of playdough and build coin sandwiches or roll snakes of playdough and stand coins in the roll to represent the scales. 
      10. Dice and coins – If your child has a dice available try the following activities. Roll the dice and see if you can pick up the number of coins the dice lands on. Roll the dice and set out your coins in the same position as the dots on the dice (re-create the dice number pattern).
      11. Coin Rolling– Practice rolling the edge of coins on a flat surface using fingers. This activity focuses on finger strength and dexterity.
      Make coin rubbing art to work on learning coins, and building fine motor skills in kids.

      Coin rubbing art

      Coin rubbing art is a fine motor activity with huge benefits that you can add to your math art ideas. Rubbing the textures of coins onto paper builds so many fine motor skills: precision, bilateral coordination, pinch and grip strength, and eye-hand coordination skills.

      To make a coin rubbing, you’ll need a few materials:

      • A handful of coins
      • Paper
      • Crayons
      1. First place the coins on a table. Be sure to place some coins heads side up, and others tails side up. This helps children to identify both sides of the coin.
      2. Place a piece of paper over the coins.
      3. Use the side of a crayon to rub the texture of the coin through the paper. The image of the coin will show up on the paper.

      Work on holding the coin below the paper without moving the coin (bilateral coordination.

      Work on rubbing the crayon at the “just right” level of pressure (proprioceptive input)

      Read more about the benefits of coin rubbing art projects in this sight word crayon rubbing activity that we did.

      Coin Activities for Visual Perception

      An important part of money lesson plans is identifying different images on the coins, to enable counting and money use.

      But, visually discriminating between coin size and images can be very difficult for some children. Then consider that each coin has a different “heads” side and a different “tails” side. Then, consider that there are different versions of each coin. In the U.S. for example, each state has it’s own version of the quarter. This can make coin counting very difficult for children with visual perceptual skill challenges.

      Visual perception Coin sorting – this is a great way to work on visual discrimination. I ask my children to draw four or five circles on a piece of paper depending on the different denominations of the coins. Then we sort out pile of coins into the different denominations. Each circle is home to a certain denomination of coin.

      The coin whole body movement exercises listed in the form below is a fantastic way to work on discriminating between coin differences. Sometimes adding movement to learning is a game changer, and this multi-sensory learning activity is sure to be a hit.

      Coin activities for kids to improve fine motor skills, gross motor skills, pencil control, and visual discrimination.

      Teaching Money to Children and Pencil control  

      Finally, the following money activities incorporate the skill of pencil control. Right around kindergarten and first grade level, students are gaining more precision and finger dexterity with pencil control. Why not work on both coin sorting and coin identification AND pencil control for a doubled functional task?

      Managing coins may even be a manual dexterity goal because it’s very functional and relevant.

      Coin decorating – Ask your child to write their name in large letters and then place coins over each letter to decorate their name. This can be done with individual letters or numbers if you are working on number formation or letter formations. 

      Coin race track – encourage your child to draw a race track. Use the coin as a car and demonstrate how to drive the car along the track using an individual finger. Each finger can have a turn to drive the car. 

      Coin rubbings – place a few coins on the table and place a piece of paper over the coins. Rub over the coin with a crayon or pencil to produce the impression of the coin on the page.

      Free coin exercises or learning money with multisensory learning.

      More Activities for a Money Lesson Plan

      Occupational therapists know the value of multisensory learning and this list of coin counting and sorting activities are sure to build knowledge and functional skills in children. For a whole-body, movement based resource on learning coins, grab this coin exercise handout.

      Free Coin Sorting Exercises

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        Be sure to wash hands after manipulating coins!  And as always, keep a close eye on your child when coins are part of fine motor play to ensure safety.

        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.

        Sensory Tooth Brushing Tips for Brushing Teeth

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        Is toothbrushing a nightmare in your house? Sensory related toothbrushing issues can be! Need some sensory tooth brushing tips? For individuals with sensory difficulties, toothbrushing challenges mean more than cavities, plaque build up, and gum sensitivities. Sensory toothbrushing issues can lead to meltdowns, anxiety, and daily struggles with nightly and morning routines. Does your child cry when it’s time to brush their teeth? Do you know, or suspect, that they have some sensory challenge with brushing their teeth? 

        sensory tooth brushing issues and tooth brushing tips by a pediatric occupational therapist

        sensory tooth brushing tips for kids

        Brushing teeth is an ADL that can be a challenge for many kids whether it’s from sensory processing challenges, challenges with routine, anxiety, or any other variety of reasons.

        This is an area that an occupational therapist (OT) can help you with, by helping you set up a home program to make brushing your child’s teeth easier. Check out the tips below to help make tooth brushing easier for your family! 

        These toothbrushing tips are interventions for making brushing teeth easier, or strategies for helping with sensory challenges that impact  tooth brushing.

        Teaching dental hygiene to preschoolers or older learners addresses a daily occupation.  Incorporate these tips and recommendations daily to impact independence with tooth brushing.

        Amazon affiliate links are included below.

        toothbrushing tips

        Tip # 1: Use a Visual Schedule 

        Adding a visual picture schedule can help reduce stress and anxiety during teeth brushing by providing clear expectations of what’s going to come next. It also helps to reduce the auditory input for following directions, helping your learner focus on the task at hand.

        Another perk of using a tooth brushing visual schedule is that it ensures that the same routine is used every time that tooth brushing occurs. This can also help to reduce stress and anxiety by ensuring that the child knows what’s coming next. Which brings us to tip # 2! 

        Tip # 2: Create and Use a Consistent Routine 

        Create a routine that works for you and your family! It can evolve over time, so don’t worry if it’s not exactly what you want it to be right away. Having a routine helps take away anxiety around the unknown, and establishes what to expect during the situation. 

        Once you determine what works, plan to utilize the same language, visuals, toothbrush and toothpaste every time you work on toothbrushing.

        It will also be helpful to complete this toothbrushing routine around the same time every day. It doesn’t have to be rigid in that you brush teeth every night at 5pm, but should always follow an event like a meal, or when you first wake up in the morning.

        Consistency and practice is key! 

        Bonus Tip! Make sure that when you’re done with the toothbrushing routine, follow it up with a fun activity like play or a preferred game.

        Tip # 3: Use a Timer 

        Similar to creating a routine, using a timer helps to take fear of the unknown out of the picture. It also helps your child see that there is an end in sight to the activity. (Amazon affiliate link) Timers, or counting, are great to pair with a visual schedule. This nighttime toothbrush schedule offers more tips.

        Tip # 4: Sing a Song 

        If a timer causes too much stress or becomes an object of fixation, you can play a song or count to 10 for each side of mouth, top and bottom.

        Brush to the tune of 1, 2, buckle my shoe or any other preferred tune or song that is easily broken into small chunks for brushing each quadrant of the mouth.

        Tip # 5: Use a Vibrating Toothbrush 

        For sensory seeking children, a vibrating toothbrush is a great way to engage them in toothbrushing! Not only do they get stimulation that they are seeking, they also get a thorough teeth cleaning with the vibration. 

        Using a vibrating toothbrush does not need to be solely at toothbrushing time. It can be used anytime during the day.

        There are cost-friendly options at most grocery stores and large box stores for families that are concerned with the cost of getting an electric toothbrush, or feel that their child won’t use it. 

        Tip # 6: Flavored Toothpaste 

        Flavored toothpaste brings an element of fun to a task that can feel like a chore (unlike household chores that kids can do!). To add an extra layer of fun, and to encourage buy in from your child, go shopping together for new toothpaste. Get a few different flavors to try, and to have on hand in a pinch if the “preferred” flavor becomes boring or there is resistance to using it. 

        Bonus Tip! Offering choices during an challenging activity such as brushing teeth, gives your child some sense of control of the situation. 

        Tip # 7: Mouthwash that Shows the Plaque 

        Like flavored toothpaste, mouthwash is another tactic to help get buy-in from your child. Listerine Smart Rinse or Plaque Disclosing Tablets are a couple of the many great products that help your child see where the plaque is.

        Once they see where the plaque is, make a game out of cleaning all the “junk” out of their mouth. For kids that are older, you can use the visual the mouthwash gives to start talking about cavities, and the effects of not cleaning your teeth. 

        Tip #8: Brush Only One Time Per Day 

        The American Dental Association recommends tooth brushing twice a day. However, for kids that this task is extremely distressing, sometimes one REALLY good brushing a day is a success, and is a great start, and can be built upon.

        The second time a day can, and should, still be attempted, but can have less focus on quality, as you build the child’s tolerance to the task.

        The second time a day may have more focus on going through the motions, such as talking about the steps, doing a dry run, or if your child is emotionally regulated enough, attempting to brush their teeth. 

        Tip # 9: Take Turns Brushing 

        Helping your child with tooth brushing can take away stress over the motor component of coordinating hand to mouth, and challenges with completing multiple steps needed for toothbrushing. 

        Taking turns during the tooth brushing process, your child brushing one time a day and you brushing their teeth the second time, can give back some control and insure at least one time a day is done thoroughly. This is a great way to incorporate turn taking lessons into functional performance of the essential life skill of brushing teeth!

        Find what works for you and your child! 

        Tip #10: Use a Water Pick 

        If a toothbrush is still causing too much frustration, stress and anxiety, a good option is to change the tool completely, and try to reset the routine and behaviors. This is where a water pick is really great!

        While the water jet can be overstimulating and noxious to some, others may find it less so than tooth brushing.

        Implementing Tooth Brushing Tips 

        These tips can help to break any negative behaviors or emotions that may surround your child’s tooth brushing routine, and give you a foundation to start a fresh routine. Start by trying one recommendation that you think will work for your child, give it a week and if it’s still not working try another. Working through toothbrushing challenges takes time and is a trial-and-error process. Hopefully you find these tips helpful!

        Using tools like a sensory brush or sensory diet tools can help depending on specific needs of the individual.

        Incorporate these hygiene and grooming tasks and recommendations:

        For specific ways to integrate sensory needs into a daily lifestyle, check out the Sensory Lifestyle Handbook. This resource uses not only a sensory diet strategy into daily activities, but it offers tools and resources to create a sensory lifestyle that uses motivating and meaningful daily tasks to offer much-needed sensory input so individuals can function throughout their day.

        Toothbrush Social Story

        Another tip that I wanted to add is using a brushing your teeth social story. I love using social stories with my kids because it makes the task relatable and meaningful. Ideally, the social story you create has pictures from the child’s bathroom and includes details about their personal lives, like morning routines or evening routines. This makes a social story about brushing teeth very powerful because it’s the child’s personal task in picture and word form.

        Some key components of a social story about toothbrushing might include:

        • In the morning and at night, I brush my teeth.
        • I use my toothbrush.
        • First, I rinse the bristles to get them wet.
        • Then, I squeeze just a little toothpaste on the brush. It should be about the size of a pea. If I squeeze too much toothpaste, it will fall off the bristles.
        • Then I brush my teeth up and down and forward and back.
        • I make sure to brush all the way in the back.
        • I also brush my tongue.
        • When I have brushed my teeth for (set amount of time), then I rinse my mouth with water. I spit the water into the sink.
        • Then I rinse the toothpaste off my toothbrush.

        Every social story will be slightly different, depending on the individual’s needs and routines. These basics can be used to create a toothbrushing social story that works for the individual.

        Brushing Teeth Story

        A social story that is individualized might work best, however, I have also seen kids use a picture book or a general story (social story or even videos) be very helpful too! For example, one individual that I worked with really liked reading a picture book just before bedtime. Then they would brush their teeth and the story in the book was part of that routine that they created before bed. One book that is great for this is Brush! Brush! Brush! (Amazon affiliate link) because it has simple wording and nice pictures to teach the steps of toothbrushing.

        We also made this video on the steps of toothbrushing. It’s a take on a social story because it walks through the steps, but it is more of a story. There are characters in the video: Tommy Toothbrush, Pasty Paste, and the Icky Plaque Monsters.

        In the video, as we brush teeth, Tommy Toothbrush is on a journey to battle the dreaded Icky Plaque Monsters and learn the importance of proper dental hygiene along the way. Kids can follow the storyline as Tommy and Pasty team up to fight off the pesky plaque monsters threatening their dental health. With the help of their trusty toothbrush and toothpaste, they’ll demonstrate the step-by-step process of brushing teeth while overcoming obstacles and learning valuable lessons.

        This video is perfect for parents or therapy professionals supporting kids who are learning to brush their teeth or for parents and educators looking for a fun way to reinforce good oral hygiene habits.

        One last toothbrushing tip that we mention is to earn superhero points toward a healthy brushing badge. You can use any type of reward system like a sticker chart or other visual reward chart for each time the child brushes their teeth. This is a great visual prompt for toothbrushing!

        This toothbrushing story is one of our first videos on life skills…more to come!

        If you can’t view the video, we have it on YouTube as well:

        YouTube video on a toothbrushing story

        Whether you are using a toothbrushing social story, sensory strategies, or some of the other toothbrushing tips we’ve listed, a routine will help with this life skill!

        Contributor: Kaylee is a pediatric occupational therapist with a bachelors in Health Science from Syracuse University at Utica College, and a Masters in Occupational Therapy from Utica College. Kaylee has been working with children with special needs for 8 years, and practicing occupational therapy for 4 years, primarily in a private clinic, but has home health experience as well. Kaylee has a passion for working with the areas of feeding, visual development, and motor integration.

        Finger Opposition

        by
        finger opposition

        In this blog post, we’re covering an important piece to the fine motor skills puzzle: finger opposition! Finger and thumb opposition is a dexterity and precision skill that develops from a young age, and is very important in eye-hand coordination tasks that we complete every day. Let’s cover what this term means and how to support finger to thumb opposition skills.

        finger opposition

        Finger Opposition

        Have you heard of the term “opposable thumbs”? You probably heard it as a reference to the difference between human hands and other, less advantaged animals. However, many other animals have opposable thumbs which work much like ours!

        But what does it actually mean to have opposable thumbs? What are we talking about when we say “finger opposition”? Why is it advantageous? 

        What is finger to thumb opposition?

        Finger opposition, thumb opposition, and finger to thumb opposition all refer to the same thing. When we say these phrases, we are referring to the range of motion of the thumb (thumb ROM) as is rotates and flexes (or bends) to touch the pad of the thumb to the pad of the pointer finger.

        To break it down further, the word “opposition” refers to something being placed opposite of another. So, having an opposable thumb means one has the ability to place the thumb opposite to, or across from the other digits (the fingers).

        This thumb ROM is useful in order to grasp objects between the thumb and fingers.

        Many grasps involve the oppositional movement of the thumb, think: picking up coins, grasping a baseball, or turning the pages of a book. An occupational therapist can begin to assess for strengths and weaknesses in thumb opposition by asking their patient to tap their thumbs to the tip of each finger. 

        A hand assessment typically addresses the thumb ROM to oppose several areas:

        • Thumb to tip of each finger
        • Thumb to base of each finger

        These motions allow the hand therapist to assess the ability to flex the thumb CMC joint, the thumb MP joint, and thumb IP joint for functional use in picking up and handling objects.

        Also a major part of this assessment is a detailed look at finger ROM (range of motion). The following areas will also be assessed in a typical hand therapy evaluation:

        • Finger isolation
        • Range of motion of finger MP joints
        • Range of motion of finger PIP joints
        • Range of motion of finger DIP joints
        • Pinch strength
        • Grip strength
        • Sensation
        • Edema (swelling)
        • Pain
        • Coordination and precision skills
        Development of finger opposition to thumb

        DEVELOPMENT OF THUMB OPPOSITION

        We can follow the development of an infant’s thumb oppositional skills by observing their grasps on rattles, bottles, cheerios, or whatever they may have nearby. A typically developing infant is expected to go through this timeline of grasping skills:

        Newborn: Reflexive Grasp (Palmar reflex)

        • Newborns (up to 3 months of age) will reflexively hold whatever is placed in their hands. This reflex lays the foundation for a purposeful grasp in the baby’s life! 
        • Opposition? No thumb opposition yet, as the reflexive grasp focuses on the fingers curling in. 

        4-6 Months: Purposeful Palmar Grasp

        • Little ones this age are just starting to figure out how to reach for a desired object and grab a hold of it. They tend to hold the object between the palm and fingers, which is why this is called a “palmar” grasp.
        • Opposition? No thumb opposition just yet; the thumb may begin to move towards the palm, but is usually unused in the grasp, placed away from the hand, as in a “thumbs up”. 

        6-8 Months: Radial Palmar Grasp

        • In a radial palmar grasp, the thumb is secured along the side of the palm or the side of the index finger while the fingers hold the object in the palm. This demonstrates increased strength and precision of movement.  
        • Opposition? Here we can see the beginning of oppositional skill, but we aren’t quite there yet. 

        8-10 Months: Radial Digital Grasp

        • All of these grasp names sound confusing, but do you see how we went from “palmar” to “digital”? In other words, the thumb went from touching the “palm” to touching the “fingers”! 
        • Opposition? Ladies and gentlemen, thumb-to-finger opposition has officially begun. 

        10-12 Months: Immature and Mature Pincer Grasp 

        • First, the immature pincer grasp will develop. This is the grasp when a baby will hold a cheerio (or another small item) between the thumb and the side of the index finger. 
        • Later on, the mature pincer grasp develops which means that the thumb can oppose to the index finger! This is also known as a “tip” pinch, where the tip of thumb and the finger tip are together, much like the “okay” signal. 

        Over the next several months and years, the developing toddler will hone their fine motor skills to be able to oppose their thumb to each finger and coordinate their movements to complete tasks. To support these skills, age-appropriate toddler play activities are essential.

        In most cases, the development of thumb to finger opposition is considered “complete” around age five. The average five year old should be able to demonstrate certain movements that indicate developed hands, for example: a functional pencil grasp, stringing beads, zip/unzip, button/unbutton, and various in-hand manipulation skills. 

        To promote these skills during the ages of 3-5 (and if motor skills appear to be delayed), try some of these preschool activities for age-appropriate motor tasks to support development.

        WHY IS OPPOSITION USEFUL?

        This movement is essential for how we function with the world around us. For the koala (another member of the opposable thumb family), they are skilled climbers and tree-dwellers by use of their thumb wrapping around a branch, towards their other digits, as a way to secure their bodies for safety.

        Most humans are not quite as skilled in tree climbing, but will instead use our opposable thumbs for complex skills like playing guitar, tying our shoes, and handwriting. 

        For the able-bodied, one way to feel how we may function without the use of our opposable thumbs is to try to zip or button an item without using the thumbs…it is quite the challenge! 

        Delayed Finger to Thumb Opposition

        What happens when finger to thumb opposition is delayed or a challenge for kids? 

        There are some cases where finger-to-thumb opposition becomes challenging. This could be due to weakness, injury, muscle tone, weakness, range of motion difficulties, or malformation of the hand, fingers, thumb, or wrist.

        Really, anything that leads to reduced mobility of the thumb carpometacarpal joint (the point near the wrist that the thumb rotates on) can result in reduced thumb opposition. 

        When there is a lack of thumb opposition, one solution to increase function is to provide interventions for joint range of motion and muscle strength. This can be done in play-based ways that are therapeutic but tons of fun! 

        ACTIVITIES FOR Finger to Thumb Opposition 

        Craft and play-based activities are one great way to increase thumb to finger opposition in kids. The best part, though, is that you are increasing so many more skills at the same time! We’re talking fine motor strength and coordination, visual motor skills, bilateral coordination, social skills, and more! 

        Along with the many great activities below, check out our page all about Fine Motor Skills and our Fine Motor Checklist for more information on development of these skills. 

        Activities to Open Thumb Web Space – These activities open the thumb web space so a nice round circle is seen during thumb opposition. This enable precision of motor skills and a refined pincer grasp.

        Finger Play Songs– These opposition activities promote thumb ROM and coordination of the thumb and finger movements.

        Hand Eye Coordination Activity– Precision and motor planning go hand in hand with eye-hand coordination tasks. This is where you will see thumb and finger opposition in action.

        Finger Isolation Crafts– Isolating a single finger is a refined and graded motor task that enables opposition movements from the thumb to a single finger.

        Fine Motor Travel Box– This activity is a fine motor tool that makes working on thumb and finger opposition skills fun.

        Separation of the Hand Activity– The thumb is on the precision side of the hand and along with the pointer finger and middle finger is responsible to precise motor movements and dexterity in tasks. Finger to thumb opposition is a main piece of this.

        Play Doh Fine Motor – Opposable thumb activities like this one support strengthening and thumb ROM.

        Tongs Activities– Strengthening the arches of the hands allows for a stable and supportive base for thumb opposition in functional tasks.

        Stickers for Fine Motor – Stickers are a therapist’s best friend when it comes to finger opposition activities.

        The way we move our hands can be synonymous with the way we interact with our environment. For a lot of us, the use of our hands are the way that we function in daily life!

        Build finger to thumb opposition with these activities:

        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:

        Letters Fine Motor Kit
        Kit de motricidad fina de verano
        Summer Fine Motor Kit
        Outer Space Fine Motor Kit
        Space Fine Motor Kit
        Spring fine motor kit
        Valentines Day fine motor kit
        winter fine motor kit
        Winter Fine Motor Kit

        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!

        Examples of finger opposition

        Recently, we posted a couple of videos on YouTube that show finger opposition. These are designed to highlight how the fingers and thumb move in opposition tasks. I love using these short videos as exercises, too.

        This video shows finger and thumb opposition where the tip of the thumb touches the tip of each finger. As the thumb opposes each finger, thumb flexion is occurring at a greater range to reach the ulnar side of the hand.

        Finger and thumb opposition exercise

        Next, I also created a video that shows opposition of the thumb to the pointer finger. We also fully extend the thumb. This is a great exercise for opposition because the thumb takes an extension break in between each repetition. You could pair this exercise with the first one, to fully extend the thumb before opposing each digit.

        Thumb extension and opposition exercise

        Lastly, I have another finger opposition exercise for thumb opposition with finger and thumb flexion and extension. This moves the thumb opposition through the full range of an open thumb web space to a closed thumb web space. This is a great exercise because it moves through the full range.

        Thumb opposition with finger and thumb flexion and extension

        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.