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:

Free Reset Menu-Resetting Your Nervous System

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free reset menu

In this blog post, we are talking all about a nervous system reset, using a simple printable reset menu we’ve created…much like picking a meal, you can pick regulation strategies that help to calm your body in everyday situations.

What’s A Nervous System Reset?

Our nervous system is constantly taking in information from the environment. Noise, schedules, social interactions, school demands, work responsibilities, and even excitement can impact how regulated we feel.

When the nervous system becomes overloaded, we may notice:

  • Difficulty focusing
  • Irritability
  • Emotional outbursts
  • Increased anxiety
  • Restlessness
  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty completing tasks
  • Trouble transitioning between activities

A nervous system reset helps bring the body and brain back into a more regulated state so that learning, participation, and meaningful activities can happen more successfully.

It’s like this; Have you ever had one of those days when everything feels overwhelming? Maybe your thoughts are racing, your body feels tense, or you find yourself becoming frustrated over small things. Children experience these feelings too. In fact, many kids struggle to recognize when their nervous system is overloaded and need support finding effective ways to regulate.

That’s what a nervous system reset is. It helps to calm down your body and thoughts so you can do what you have to do.

nervous system reset menu

Let’s talk about a Reset Menu

That’s where a reset menu can help.

A reset menu is a collection of simple activities that help support resetting your nervous system, improving self-regulation, and creating opportunities to return to a calm, organized state. Think of it like a restaurant menu. Instead of choosing food, you’re choosing activities that help your body and brain feel more balanced.

You’ve probably heard the term, sensory diet. It’s kind of like using those sensory diet tools that work for the individual to help meet sensory needs. With a reset menu, we’re talking about a similar strategy…just different terms.

Whether you are a parent, teacher, therapist, or someone looking for strategies to support emotional well-being, a reset menu can provide practical tools for managing stress and improving regulation throughout the day.

What Is a Reset Menu?

A reset menu is a visual list of sensory and regulation activities that individuals can select when they need a break, feel overwhelmed, or want to improve focus and attention.

Unlike a checklist that requires completing every item, a reset menu offers choices. The goal is to help children and adults learn which strategies work best for their unique nervous systems.

One day you may like one strategy, another you may like a different one.

Some people feel better after movement. Others need quiet, deep breathing, or a few minutes outdoors. A reset menu encourages self-awareness and independence by allowing individuals to choose the activities that help them feel their best.

You can self-reflect on what works, what you need in the moment and make choices based on what you see about yourself.

Understanding Regulation Through the Nervous System

From an occupational therapy perspective, regulation is not simply about behavior. It is about how the nervous system responds to experiences and whether a person feels safe, organized, and ready to engage.

When we are regulated, we are more likely to:

  • Learn new information
  • Problem solve
  • Communicate effectively
  • Participate in daily activities
  • Connect with others

When we are dysregulated, the brain shifts its focus toward protection and survival rather than learning and engagement.

A reset menu helps bridge that gap by offering activities that support the nervous system and encourage regulation.

Creating Your Own Reset Menu

The most effective reset menus include a variety of sensory and regulation strategies. Consider organizing activities into categories so individuals can choose what feels helpful in the moment.

Movement Menu

Movement is one of the fastest ways to support nervous system regulation.

Try:

  • Jumping jacks
  • Animal walks
  • Wall push-ups
  • Stretching
  • Dance breaks
  • Yoga poses
  • Obstacle courses
  • Taking a walk
  • Climbing stairs
  • Marching in place

Heavy Work Menu

Heavy work activities provide proprioceptive input that many people find organizing and calming.

Try:

  • Carrying books
  • Pushing a laundry basket
  • Pulling a wagon
  • Moving chairs
  • Wheelbarrow walks
  • Resistance bands
  • Bear hugs
  • Tug-of-war
  • Kneading play dough
  • Building with large blocks

Calm and Relaxation Menu

These strategies help slow the body and support emotional regulation.

Try:

  • Deep breathing
  • Listening to calming music
  • Guided imagery
  • Reading
  • Progressive muscle relaxation
  • Looking at nature
  • Coloring
  • Journaling
  • Quiet time
  • Meditation

Sensory Reset Menu

Sensory activities can help organize the nervous system and improve attention.

Try:

  • Drinking cold water
  • Chewing crunchy foods
  • Using a fidget tool
  • Wrapping up in a blanket
  • Smelling calming scents
  • Playing with sensory bins
  • Using textured materials
  • Taking a warm shower
  • Looking at calming visuals
  • Using a weighted lap pad

Social Connection Menu

Co-regulation is one of the most powerful regulation tools available.

Try:

  • Talking with a trusted adult
  • Playing a game with a friend
  • Reading together
  • Sharing a joke
  • Asking for help
  • Taking a walk with someone
  • Giving a hug
  • Spending time with family

How Occupational Therapists Use Reset Menus

Occupational therapists frequently use reset menus to support self-regulation and sensory processing. Rather than telling a child what they must do, therapists often help children identify which activities help them feel calm, alert, focused, or organized.

Over time, children learn to recognize their own needs and independently select strategies that support participation in school, home, and community activities.

This self-awareness is a critical component of lifelong regulation skills.

Teaching Kids to Use a Reset Menu

Introducing a reset menu works best when children practice using it before they become overwhelmed.

Some helpful tips include:

  • Review the menu during calm moments.
  • Model using the strategies yourself.
  • Allow children to personalize their menu.
  • Offer choices instead of directives.
  • Reflect on which strategies helped after using them.

The goal is not perfection. The goal is helping children build a toolbox of regulation strategies they can use throughout life.

Free Reset Menu Printable

Our free Reset Menu printable provides a simple way to introduce sensory and regulation strategies at home, in the classroom, or during therapy sessions.

Use it as:

FREE Nervous System Reset Menu

    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.
    Built with Kit

    Remember that every nervous system is unique. What works for one person may not work for another. The power of a reset menu is that it encourages exploration, choice, and self-awareness.

    When children learn how to support their own regulation, they develop skills that can improve participation, learning, emotional well-being, and independence for years to come.

    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.

    The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook
    The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook

    The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook walks you through sensory processing information, each step of creating a meaningful and motivating sensory diet, that is guided by the individual’s personal interests and preferences.

    The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook is not just about creating a sensory diet to meet sensory processing needs. This handbook is your key to creating an active and thriving lifestyle based on a deep understanding of sensory processing.

    Making Friends Worksheet

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    This Making Friends Worksheet was designed to support social emotional learning and executive functioning skills, for use in therapy or at home. We have other friendship activities on our website that you’ll also want to check out.

    making friends worksheet

    Helping children develop friendship skills is an important part of supporting participation in school, community, and daily life. This free making friends worksheet is designed to help kids build social awareness, and the social skills needed for communication skills, emotional regulation, and problem-solving abilities through simple and meaningful reflection activities. Whether you are a therapist, teacher, counselor, or parent, this printable can be used in many different ways to support social emotional learning across settings.

    Making Friends Worksheet

    Friendship skills are often connected to much more than simply “being social.” Children use executive functioning skills, emotional regulation, perspective taking, flexible thinking, and self-monitoring when interacting with peers. For some students, making and keeping friends can feel overwhelming because of anxiety, impulsivity, difficulty reading social cues, or trouble initiating conversations. These are very real examples of using self regulation skills in social situations.

    This worksheet helps break those skills into manageable pieces while encouraging positive social participation.

    The making friends worksheet can be used as an individual activity, small group discussion, classroom counseling tool, or therapy warm-up. Students can reflect on what makes a good friend, practice conversation starters, identify ways to solve social problems, and create personal friendship goals. The simple format allows children to explore friendship-building skills without the pressure of direct social interaction in the moment.

    This is a great tool for social emotional development that I like to use in OT sessions because we can also sneak in handwriting and coloring!

    Using a Making Friends Worksheet in Occupational Therapy

    Occupational therapy practitioners often address social participation as part of functional performance in school, play, and community engagement. Friendship skills impact recess participation, classroom collaboration, group projects, self-confidence, and emotional well-being. Social participation is recognized within the American Occupational Therapy Association Occupational Therapy Practice Framework as an important occupation for children and adolescents.

    This making friends worksheet can support occupational therapy sessions by helping students:

    • Develop social problem-solving skills
    • Practice emotional awareness
    • Improve self-reflection
    • Build communication strategies
    • Increase participation in peer activities
    • Strengthen self-regulation skills during social interactions

    The worksheet also naturally supports handwriting, visual motor skills, and pencil control when students complete written responses, checklists, and drawing activities.

    Executive Functioning and Friendship Skills

    Many social challenges are closely connected to executive functioning. Children rely on executive functioning skills during nearly every social interaction. For example, students use working memory to remember conversation details, inhibition to avoid interrupting, cognitive flexibility to handle disagreements, and emotional control to manage frustration during peer interactions.

    A child who struggles with executive functioning may appear shy, impulsive, overly controlling, withdrawn, or emotionally reactive during social situations. Sometimes these students want friendships but lack the planning, initiation, or flexible thinking needed to maintain interactions successfully.

    This making friends worksheet can help support executive functioning by encouraging children to:

    • Think through social situations before reacting (and using coping strategies when needed)
    • Generate possible conversation starters
    • Reflect on social outcomes
    • Identify calming strategies during conflicts
    • Practice perspective taking
    • Develop self-monitoring skills

    Pairing social emotional learning activities with executive functioning supports often creates more meaningful carryover into real-life situations.

    Screening for Social Emotional Needs

    This worksheet can also help therapists and educators informally observe social emotional needs. While it is not a standardized assessment, it can provide valuable insight into how a child thinks about friendships, communication, and emotional responses.

    As students complete the worksheet, observe:

    Students who have difficulty answering open-ended social questions, identifying emotions, or generating social strategies may benefit from additional support in social emotional learning, self-regulation, or executive functioning intervention.

    Therapists can also compare verbal responses versus written responses. Some children demonstrate stronger social understanding verbally but struggle to organize thoughts on paper due to executive functioning or written expression difficulties.

    Ways to Use the Making Friends Worksheet

    This making friends worksheet works well across a wide range of ages and ability levels because it can easily be adapted and graded based on student needs.

    For younger children or students with developmental delays, adults can read the questions aloud and complete the worksheet together through discussion. Students may circle answers, draw pictures, or role-play responses instead of writing full sentences.

    For older students, the worksheet can become part of deeper conversations about friendship challenges, emotional regulation, peer pressure, conflict resolution, or self-advocacy. Therapists and teachers can expand the activity by practicing real-life social scenarios or creating role-play situations connected to classroom routines, recess, group work, or extracurricular activities.

    The worksheet also works well in:

    • Lunch bunch groups
    • Counseling sessions
    • Push-in classroom support
    • Social skills groups
    • SEL centers
    • Executive functioning intervention groups
    • Speech and occupational therapy co-treatment sessions

    Because the activity is flexible, it can be used repeatedly while targeting different social goals.

    Grading the Activity for Different Needs

    One of the easiest ways to grade this activity is by adjusting the level of support provided.

    For students who need more support:

    • Use visual examples
    • Provide sentence starters
    • Complete responses together verbally
    • Use role-playing instead of writing
    • Limit the number of questions completed

    For students who need a greater challenge:

    • Ask for multiple solutions to social problems
    • Encourage perspective taking
    • Have students explain why a strategy works
    • Practice real-life social scripts
    • Add writing prompts or journaling extensions

    Therapists can also incorporate movement, sensory supports, or regulation breaks while completing the worksheet to help students maintain attention and emotional regulation during social discussions.

    Supporting Functional Participation Through Friendship Skills

    Friendship development affects much more than social interaction. Positive peer relationships influence classroom participation, emotional well-being, confidence, self-advocacy, and school engagement. Children who feel successful socially are often more willing to participate in learning activities, collaborative tasks, and group problem-solving situations.

    This making friends worksheet provides an approachable way to begin conversations about social participation while supporting executive functioning, emotional regulation, and communication skills in a functional and meaningful context.

    Whether used in occupational therapy sessions, counseling groups, classrooms, or at home, this printable can help children build greater confidence in navigating friendships and social interactions.

    Research supports the connection between social emotional learning, executive functioning, and school participation. Emotional regulation and executive functioning skills contribute significantly to peer relationships and classroom success. Social participation and self-regulation are also recognized as foundational components of child development and occupational performance within pediatric occupational therapy practice.

    We have a great resource that was developed by therapists and early childhood educators, Exploring Books Through Play, that supports friendship.

    This digital, E-BOOK is an amazing resource for anyone helping kids learn about acceptance, empathy, compassion, and friendship. In Exploring Books through Play, you’ll find therapist-approved resources, activities, crafts, projects, and play ideas based on 10 popular children’s books. Each book covered contains activities designed to develop fine motor skills, gross motor skills, sensory exploration, handwriting, and more. Help kids understand complex topics of social/emotional skills, empathy, compassion, and friendship through books and hands-on play.

    Click here to get your copy of Exploring Books Through Play.

    social emotional activities for kids

    Stress Bucket Worksheet for Emotional Regulation

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    my stress bucket worksheet

    Helping children recognize stress and develop healthy coping strategies is an important part of supporting emotional regulation and participation in daily activities. This free stress bucket worksheet helps kids identify stressors, notice body signals, reflect on emotional responses, and build personalized coping tools that support regulation across home, school, and community settings.

    my stress bucket worksheet

    Free Stress Bucket Worksheet

    The idea behind a “stress bucket” is simple and meaningful for children. Everyone has stress that builds throughout the day. When too many stressors pile up without healthy ways to release them, the bucket begins to overflow. For children, this overflow may look like emotional outbursts, meltdowns, shutdown behaviors, irritability, avoidance, impulsivity, trouble focusing, or difficulty participating in daily routines.

    Using a visual model like the stress bucket can help children better understand what is happening inside their body and brain while developing awareness of the tools that help them feel more regulated and successful.

    Looking at Stress Through a Holistic Lens

    Here’s the thing; stress does not come from one single source. Many factors contribute to a child’s ability to regulate emotions, maintain attention, and cope with daily demands. A holistic approach considers the whole child, including sensory processing, emotional experiences, executive functioning, physical needs, environmental supports, and social participation.

    Some children experience stress because of academic pressure, transitions, social conflict, or difficulty managing expectations. Others may feel overwhelmed by sensory input such as noise, crowded environments, clothing textures, movement, or unpredictable routines. Executive functioning challenges can also contribute significantly to stress when children struggle with organization, task initiation, time management, flexible thinking, or emotional control.

    Physical and environmental factors matter as well. Poor sleep, hunger, illness, overstimulation, fatigue, lack of movement, or inconsistent routines can all contribute to a child’s stress bucket filling more quickly.

    This stress bucket worksheet encourages children to begin identifying the different experiences, feelings, and situations that contribute to stress while helping adults recognize patterns that may impact participation and regulation.

    Using the Stress Bucket Worksheet in Occupational Therapy and the Classroom

    This worksheet can be used in occupational therapy sessions, counseling groups, classrooms, SEL lessons, or at home. It works well as both a teaching tool and a reflective activity.

    The stress bucket worksheet supports:

    Because the worksheet combines visual supports, checklists, and reflection prompts, it can also support handwriting, visual motor integration, and written expression goals during therapy sessions.

    The activity naturally opens conversations about how stress affects learning, behavior, attention, relationships, and participation in daily tasks.

    Executive Functioning and the Stress Bucket

    Stress and executive functioning are closely connected. When stress increases, executive functioning skills often become less efficient. Children may have greater difficulty organizing thoughts, focusing attention, controlling impulses, or managing emotions when their stress bucket becomes too full.

    At the same time, executive functioning challenges themselves can create stress. A child who struggles to start assignments, keep track of materials, transition between tasks, or manage frustration may feel overwhelmed throughout the day.

    This stress bucket worksheet can help children:

    Helping children understand the connection between emotions, stress, and executive functioning can improve carryover into real-life situations and increase independence with self-regulation.

    Screening for Needs and Strengths

    Although this worksheet is not a formal assessment, it can provide valuable insight into emotional regulation patterns, coping abilities, and executive functioning challenges.

    As children complete the worksheet, therapists, educators, and parents can observe:

    • Emotional vocabulary
    • Ability to identify stressors
    • Awareness of body signals
    • Self-reflection skills
    • Coping strategy knowledge
    • Perspective taking
    • Problem-solving abilities
    • Flexibility in thinking
    • Emotional insight

    The worksheet may also reveal strengths. Some children can identify stressors clearly but need support developing coping tools. Others may already use effective calming strategies independently but struggle recognizing stress before reaching overload.

    Patterns within responses can help adults determine whether additional support may be needed in areas such as:

    • Emotional regulation
    • Sensory processing
    • Anxiety management
    • Executive functioning
    • Social emotional learning
    • Self-advocacy
    • Interoception

    This information can guide intervention planning while helping adults better understand the child’s daily experiences.

    Helping Kids Develop Coping Tools

    One of the most important parts of the stress bucket worksheet is helping children identify coping tools that actually work for their individual needs. Not every strategy is effective for every child, and coping tools should match the child’s sensory preferences, emotional needs, environment, and regulation style.

    The worksheet can help children begin exploring strategies connected to:

    • Sensory regulation
    • Movement
    • Emotional expression
    • Executive functioning
    • Social support
    • Cognitive reframing
    • Relaxation

    For example, children who report feeling physically restless or overwhelmed by sensory input may benefit from movement breaks, heavy work activities, stretching, or calming sensory supports. Children who struggle with racing thoughts or worry may benefit from journaling, visual schedules, breaking tasks into smaller steps, or talking through concerns with a trusted adult.

    Children who become overwhelmed during transitions may need environmental supports, visual reminders, or advance preparation strategies. Others may need help identifying calming activities they can realistically use within the classroom environment.

    The goal is not simply to teach coping tools but to help children understand:

    • When they need a strategy
    • Which strategies help
    • How to use them independently
    • How stress affects participation and behavior

    Grading the Stress Bucket Worksheet

    This worksheet can easily be adapted for different developmental levels and support needs.

    For younger children or children with communication challenges, adults can:

    • Read questions aloud
    • Use drawing instead of writing
    • Provide visual choices
    • Complete the activity verbally together
    • Use role-play or examples
    • Focus on simple body signals and emotions

    For students who need more support with executive functioning:

    • Break the worksheet into smaller sections
    • Complete one section at a time
    • Use sentence starters
    • Provide examples of coping tools
    • Add movement breaks during the activity

    For older students or adolescents, the worksheet can be expanded through:

    • Journaling
    • Deeper reflection questions
    • Stress pattern tracking
    • Discussion of social stressors
    • Goal setting
    • Planning personalized coping routines
    • Identifying triggers and preventative strategies

    The worksheet can also be revisited over time to help students notice patterns and build self-awareness as they develop stronger regulation skills.

    Supporting Functional Participation Through Emotional Regulation

    Emotional regulation impacts every part of a child’s daily life. Stress can affect attention, learning, social participation, transitions, sleep, self-care, and overall well-being. Helping children recognize stress and develop coping tools supports greater participation across environments.

    This stress bucket worksheet provides a visual and approachable way for children to explore emotions, understand stress responses, and begin building personalized regulation strategies that support success in meaningful daily activities.

    Research supports the important relationship between emotional regulation, executive functioning, and participation in school and daily occupations. Executive functioning and self-regulation skills are foundational for learning, emotional well-being, and social participation. Occupational therapy practitioners also recognize the importance of supporting emotional regulation and participation through holistic, occupation-based approaches that consider the whole child and their environment.

    Free My Stress Bucket Worksheet

    Enter your email address into the form below to get the Stress Bucket worksheet. This item is also found inside The OT TOolbox Membership. Go into the membership and search Stress Bucket Worksheet.

    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.

    Eye Movement and Occupational Therapy

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    eye movement

    This is an online version of our email Lunch and Learn newsletter all about eye movement.

    Eye movement skills play a major role in reading, writing, attention, classroom participation, and play. These are the functional tasks we target as goal areas in occupational therapy. When children struggle to keep their place while reading, skip words, lose items on a busy worksheet, or become visually overwhelmed, the challenge may be connected to visual tracking, scanning, or saccadic eye movements. These foundational visual processing skills help the eyes move efficiently across a page, shift between targets, and locate important visual information in the environment.

    eye movement skills in kids

    In this week’s Lunch & Learn, we’re taking a closer look at eye movement skills, why they matter for learning, and practical activities, tools, and resources that therapists, educators, and families can use to support visual attention and visual efficiency in kids.

    Why Worry about Eye Movement?

    We often hear concerns like:

    • “My student loses their place while reading.”
    • “They skip words or lines.”
    • “Copying from the board takes forever.”
    • “They can find items in the classroom, but worksheets are overwhelming.”
    • “Reading comprehension is impacted even though they know the material.”

    Many times, these challenges are connected to visual eye movement skills.

    Today’s Lunch & Learn focuses on three important ​visual processing abilities​ that impact reading, attention, handwriting, and classroom participation:

    • Visual Tracking
    • Visual Scanning
    • Saccades
    • Convergence

    These are foundational visual efficiency skills that allow children to gather information from their environment and use it effectively during learning tasks.

    What Are Eye Movement Skills?

    Eye movement skills help the eyes move efficiently while reading, writing, copying, scanning, and navigating environments.

    These skills allow us to:

    • Follow moving objects
    • Shift attention between targets
    • Find information visually
    • Maintain place while reading
    • Move the eyes smoothly across a page

    When these skills are difficult, children may appear inattentive, distracted, slow, or frustrated during academic tasks.​ Vision has a huge impact on learning​!

    Q1: What is visual tracking?

    Visual tracking is the ability to smoothly follow a moving object with the eyes.

    This skill is important for:

    • Following words across a page
    • Watching a ball during sports
    • Copying from the board
    • Reading fluently

    Children with tracking difficulties may:

    • Lose their place while reading
    • Use a finger excessively when reading
    • Skip lines
    • Complain of eye fatigue

    Learn more about visual tracking. ​

    Try visual tracking activities here to incorporate play into developing visual tracking skills.​

    Q2: What are saccades?

    Saccades are quick eye movements that shift focus from one target to another.

    We use saccades constantly during:

    • Reading
    • Copying work
    • Looking between objects
    • Completing worksheets

    During reading, the eyes do not move smoothly across text. Instead, they jump from word to word using saccadic eye movements.

    Children with saccadic difficulties may:

    • Skip words
    • Read slowly
    • Lose their place
    • Have trouble copying accurately

    Learn more about saccades and learning.​

    Try some of these visual saccades activities.

    Q3: What is visual scanning?

    Visual scanning is the ability to search for and locate visual information efficiently.

    This skill impacts:

    • Finding information on worksheets
    • Completing word searches
    • Locating classroom materials
    • Reading charts and graphs
    • Organizing written work

    Children with scanning difficulties may:

    • Miss information on a page
    • Appear disorganized
    • Take extra time completing tasks
    • Overlook visual details

    Try visual scanning activities.

    Try scanning activities for reading. ​

    Why These Skills Matter for Attention & Learning

    Eye movement skills directly impact:

    • Reading fluency
    • Attention to task
    • Visual attention
    • Writing accuracy
    • Visual endurance
    • Classroom participation

    When eye movement skills are inefficient, children may use more energy simply trying to visually manage the task, leaving less cognitive energy available for comprehension and learning.

    These visual efficiency skills are often connected to:

    • Visual motor integration
    • Executive functioning
    • Visual perception
    • Postural control
    • Attention and regulation

    Explore the full ​Visual Motor Resource.

    Activities That Support Eye Movement Skills

    Try incorporating:

    • Mazes
    • I Spy games
    • Hidden picture tasks
    • Tracking flashlights or bubbles
    • Word searches
    • Ball activities
    • Spot-the-difference games
    • Reading guides or trackers

    You can also use movement-based activities to support visual attention and regulation at the same time.

    Read about visual perception.

    More visual perceptual activities.

    Strategies for visual perception challenges.

    Shop Resources for Visual Processing

    Looking for ready-to-use activities and tools?

    These OT Toolbox resources support visual tracking, scanning, perception, and visual motor development:

    ⭐ Visual Processing Bundle

    The Visual processing Bundle is a bundle of materials to support therapy providers in treating visual processing skills.

    ⭐ Tangram Shapes Visual Perception Packet

    The Tangrams Shapes Visual Perception Packet are Printable Puzzles to Strengthen Visual Processing & Spatial Awareness. The Tangrams Shapes Visual Perception Kit is a fun, hands-on way to develop essential visual processing skills through engaging, screen-free play. Whether you’re an occupational therapist, teacher, or parent, this printable kit supports children in building the foundational skills they need for handwriting, reading, and math.

    Join the Visual Processing Lab

    If visual processing is an area you work on often in therapy or the classroom, come join us inside the: ​Visual Processing Lab​

    Inside the Lab, you’ll find:

    • Visual processing activity ideas
    • Printables and worksheets
    • Visual motor tools
    • Visual perception strategies
    • Therapy planning ideas
    • Hands-on intervention resources

    Free Email Series: ​https://www.theottoolbox.com/visual-processing-lab/​

    Action Step

    This week, observe a child during a reading or worksheet task.

    Ask yourself:

    • Are their eyes moving efficiently?
    • Are they skipping lines or words?
    • Is visual scanning impacting accuracy?
    • Does the task require more visual support?

    Sometimes what looks like attention difficulty is actually a visual efficiency challenge.

    Share This Lunch & Learn

    New this month, our Lunch & Learn newsletters are now available on The OT Toolbox website so you can easily share them with:

    • Families
    • Teachers
    • Therapy teams
    • Colleagues

    Feel free to share the link to this article with anyone supporting children’s learning and development.

    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.

    August Occupational Therapy Calendar

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    August occupational therapy activities calendar

    We love a great Summer OT program for carryover of skills. The best activities involve play and the family. This month’s Occupational Therapy calendar is full of backyard summer fun activities that build skills using sensory processing components.  These are great activities to get the kids moving and developing skills using the senses.  

    August occupational therapy activities calendar

    This August list of Summer things to do with kids and families is a list of therapist-approved activities that help promote stronger core muscles, refined fine motor skills, and the very skills kids need to learn, play, and develop.

    August Occupational Therapy Activities Calendar

    This free August occupational therapy calendar is great for creating home programs and to use when school based OT is out of session for the Summer. We love to print these calendars off as a printable Summer OT program for parents and guardians to use all Summer long.

    You’ll also want to grab our free ​June OT Activities Calendar​. 

    And our July OT Activities Calendar. 

    We suggest to print these off and hang them on the fridge at home. Pick one OT activity and day and do them in order or do them in an order that makes sense for your schedule and family needs. We didn’t put dates on these calendars for just that reason. We want these Summer OT ideas to be fun and motivating…not a challenge to do!

    August Occupational Therapy Activities

    We have many Summer activities here on The OT Toolbox, and as a Member in our membership club, you can find thousands of printable, Summer themed activities.

    If you need some ideas, check out these resources:

    Free Summer I Spy/Writing Sheets​
    ​Free Ocean Animals I Spy Game​
    ​Free Letter to My Future Self​
    ​Free Summer Sensory Stations​
    ​Free Baseball/Softball Activity slide deck​
    ​Free Picnic Activities slide deck​
    ​Free Picnic L/R Discrimination slide deck​
    ​Free Ice Cream Play Dough Mat​
    ​Free Simon Says Commands​
    ​Free Cut and Paste Ocean Patterns​
    ​Free I Spy Beach Printable​
    ​Free Summer I Spy

    Free August Occupational Therapy Calendar

    Enter your email and we’ll send it right to you.

    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.

    Work on fine motor skills, visual perception, visual motor skills, sensory tolerance, handwriting, scissor skills, and much more so that kids can accomplish self-care tasks, learn, and grow through play all summer long.

    This bundle is perfect for the pediatric occupational therapist who needs resources and tools to use in summer therapy sessions.

    The Summer Activity Bundle includes:

    • Summer Fine Motor Kit
    • Summer Writing Sheets
    • Summer Memory Game- perfect for playing Memory or using in sensory bins
    • Summer OT Packet ($20 value)
    • 180 Outdoor Sensory Diet Cards- for when your kiddo is “sooooo bored” or using in sensory diets
    • BONUS: Summer Sensory Activity Guide

    This is a digital product that will last all Summer long!

    Summer fine motor kit
    Summer Fine Motor Kit
    Summer handwriting lists
    Summer Memory Game
    Summer activities for kids
    Outdoor sensory diet cards
    summer sensory activity guide

    The Summer OT Bundle is your ticket to sending the kids back to school in the Fall without worrying about the “Summer Slide”. Each Fall, kids need to catch up on areas that they’ve lost over the summer months. With the Summer OT Bundle, there is no worry about falling backwards. Use the materials to maintain and even grow motor skill development this summer so kids can thrive and jump into learning next Fall.

    Summer OT Bundle

    July Occupational Therapy Calendar

    by
    July occupational therapy activities calendar

    Can you believe that July is upon us?  This month’s Occupational Therapy calendar is full of backyard summer fun activities that build skills using sensory processing components.  These are great activities to get the kids moving and developing skills using the senses.  

    This list of Summer things to do with kids and families this summer is a list of therapist-approved activities that help promote stronger core muscles, refined fine motor skills, and the very skills kids need to learn, play, and develop.

    July occupational therapy calendar

    That’s why we made this…

    Free July Occupational Therapy Calendar! 

    This free July occupational therapy calendar is great for creating home programs and to use when school based OT is out of session for the Summer. We love to print these calendars off as a printable Summer OT program for parents and guardians to use all Summer long.

    You’ll also want to grab our free ​June OT Activities Calendar​. 

    And our August OT Activities Calendar. 

    Our recommendation is to print these off and hang them on the fridge at home. Pick one OT activity and day and do them in order or do them in an order that makes sense for your schedule and family needs. We didn’t put dates on these calendars for just that reason. We want these Summer OT ideas to be fun and motivating…not a challenge to do!


    These calendars and activities are backed by expertise, education, and experience as an Occupational Therapist.

     

     

     
    July Occupational Therapy Calendar ideas for a sensory-based backyard with therapeutic activities designed to build development in kids.

     

     



    This month is all about backyard summer fun and creative ways to incorporate sensory input into summer activities.



     

    July Occupational Therapy Calendar ideas for a sensory-based backyard with therapeutic activities designed to build development in kids.

    These activities are sure to keep away the summer boredom.  Many kids who receive school-based OT are on a break from their school-based therapy services and are following a summer program.  These ideas are perfect for adding to a summer therapy program or just doing for fun!

    Are you looking for Occupational Therapy activities to beat the summer OT slide?  What are you doing to work on certain goal areas?

     

     

    July Occupational Therapy Activities

    We have many Summer activities here on The OT Toolbox, and as a Member in our membership club, you can find thousands of printable, Summer themed activities.

    If you need some ideas, check out these resources:

    Free Summer I Spy/Writing Sheets​
    ​Free Ocean Animals I Spy Game​
    ​Free Letter to My Future Self​
    ​Free Summer Sensory Stations​

    ​Free Baseball/Softball Activity slide deck​
    ​Free Picnic Activities slide deck​
    ​Free Picnic L/R Discrimination slide deck​
    ​Free Ice Cream Play Dough Mat​
    ​Free Simon Says Commands​
    ​Free Cut and Paste Ocean Patterns​
    ​Free I Spy Beach Printable​
    ​Free Summer I Spy

    Free July Occupational Therapy Calendar

    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.

    Work on fine motor skills, visual perception, visual motor skills, sensory tolerance, handwriting, scissor skills, and much more so that kids can accomplish self-care tasks, learn, and grow through play all summer long.

    This bundle is perfect for the pediatric occupational therapist who needs resources and tools to use in summer therapy sessions.

    The Summer Activity Bundle includes:

    • Summer Fine Motor Kit
    • Summer Writing Sheets
    • Summer Memory Game- perfect for playing Memory or using in sensory bins
    • Summer OT Packet ($20 value)
    • 180 Outdoor Sensory Diet Cards- for when your kiddo is “sooooo bored” or using in sensory diets
    • BONUS: Summer Sensory Activity Guide

    This is a digital product that will last all Summer long!

    Summer fine motor kit
    Summer Fine Motor Kit
    Summer handwriting lists
    Summer Memory Game
    Summer activities for kids
    Outdoor sensory diet cards
    summer sensory activity guide

    The Summer OT Bundle is your ticket to sending the kids back to school in the Fall without worrying about the “Summer Slide”. Each Fall, kids need to catch up on areas that they’ve lost over the summer months. With the Summer OT Bundle, there is no worry about falling backwards. Use the materials to maintain and even grow motor skill development this summer so kids can thrive and jump into learning next Fall.

    Summer OT Bundle

    June Occupational Therapy Calendar

    by
    June activity calendar for occupational therapy

    If you are looking for Summer occupational therapy activities, this June occupational therapy calendar is for you! It’s loaded with June calendar ideas to help kids move, develop skills, and play this summer. Having a calendar for therapy activities ready to go is important to beat the summer slide when it comes to helping kids move with therapist-approved activities. Use this printable June calendar in occupational therapy home programs, summer lesson plans, and OT summer sessions! You’ll find more summer occupational therapy ideas on various places on the website.

    To get you started, also try this resource on summer occupational therapy crafts and this printable 100 things to do this summer.

    Both can be printed and used along with this free June activity calendar to support kids’ OT needs this year.

    June calendar ideas for occupational therapy and play at home during the summer.

    June Occupational Therapy Calendar

    We’re plugging along as the end of this school year arrives and the start of summer is right around the corner.  Are you ready for a summer with the kids?  
     
    It can be hard to stay on track with Occupational Therapy goals during the carefree days of summer.  This month, with the June activity calendar, I wanted to bring you easy ways to keep up on therapy goals.  
     
    There is nothing better than the whole family getting involved with a game or an outing. Family time is memory-making time and so this month’s  Occupational Therapy calendar is focused around family activities. 
     

    June Activities

     
    This Family wellness BINGO game is another tool to support overall family needs and can be a great addition to summer activities.
     
    The June OT calendar includes activities such as: 

    The June calendar ideas include other activities at the bottom of the page to support a variety of needs. These ideas can be used to replace activities on the calendar, if needed. 

    All of the June activities support a variety of developmental areas. We’ve selected the activity ideas based on development of skills through play and movement.

    Some of the developmental areas addressed in these June activities include:

    • Sensory processing
    • Visual processing
    • Executive functioning skills
    • Direction following
    • Motor skill development (fine motor and gross motor)

    Each June activity on the OT calendar targets sensory motor areas:

    • Tactile input
    • Proprioception
    • Vestibular input
    • Visual input

    Some activities are guided by olfactory, auditory, and gustatory input. 

    We’ve selected these June activities to support areas of functioning such as:

    1. Handwriting
    2. Scissor skills
    3. Self-care
    4. Cooking (following recipes)
    5. Game play
    6. Exploring the community

    More June Activities

    Exploring all that summer allows is a great way to develop skills during the Summer months. However, if you need a strategy, we’ve created a few resources for just this need.
     
    In fact, I’ve created a whole summer of OT activities that the get the family involved!  These are sensory-based treatment activities that build on skills that may make up your child’s Occupational Therapy goals.  The nice thing about these activities is that you can adjust the activity to meet individual goals. 
     

    You’ll be interested in our new Summer Occupational Therapy Activities Packet. It’s a collection of 14 items that guide summer programming at home, at school, and in therapy sessions. The summer activities bundle covers handwriting, visual perceptual skills and visual motor skills, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, regulation, and more.

    You’ll find ideas to use in virtual therapy sessions and to send home as home activities that build skills and power development with a fun, summer theme. Kids will love the Summer Spot It! game, the puzzles, handouts, and movement activities. Therapists will love the teletherapy slide deck and the easy, ready-to-go activities to slot into OT sessions. The packet is only $10.00 and can be used over and over again for every student/client!

    Grab the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet HERE.

    summer occupational therapy activities for kids
     
    June Occupational Therapy calendar of activities for the family
     
     
     

    Want to take summer play to the next level? Be sure to grab your copy of the Summer OT Activities Bundle!

     
    Summer activities for kids

    Free June Activity Calendar

    Want to print off this calendar and add it to home programs or use it in therapy planning this summer? Enter your email address into the form below.

    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 JUNE Activity Calendar

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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.

      Pyramid of Learning

      by
      pyramid of learning

      The Pyramid of Learning helps explain how higher-level skills like attention, emotional regulation, problem solving, organization, and executive functioning are built on a foundation of sensory, motor, and nervous system development. For example, executive functioning skills do not develop in isolation. Before the brain can consistently plan, focus, regulate emotions, manage time, or complete tasks, it first needs a strong foundation of body awareness, sensory processing, movement, postural control, and regulation.

      pyramid of learning

      When lower levels of the pyramid are unstable or overwhelmed, higher-level thinking skills can become more difficult to access. Understanding executive functioning through the lens of the Pyramid of Learning reminds us that learning and behavior are deeply connected to the nervous system, and that supporting the foundation often strengthens the skills at the top.

      What is the pyramid of learning

      The sensory Pyramid of Learning is a helpful visual framework often used by occupational therapists, educators, and parents to better understand how children develop the foundational skills needed for learning and participation. The pyramid illustrates the idea that higher-level skills such as reading, writing, attention, emotional regulation, and academic learning are built upon a strong sensory and motor foundation. Rather than viewing learning as isolated academic performance, the Pyramid of Learning helps us see how the nervous system, movement, sensory processing, and regulation all work together to support development.

      higher level thinking skills in function depends on lower level foundations. in the pyramid of learning.

      The Pyramid of Learning was developed by occupational therapist Kathleen Taylor and special educator Maryann Trott. Their work was heavily influenced by the sensory integration theories of A. Jean Ayres, who emphasized the importance of sensory processing in child development. The pyramid serves as a developmental road map, helping adults understand how foundational sensory systems support the growth of more complex skills over time.

      The Pyramid of Learning is a developmental framework often used in occupational therapy and education to explain how foundational sensory and motor skills support higher-level learning and participation. The idea behind the pyramid is that children build skills from the “bottom up.” Before children can successfully complete complex academic tasks, they first need strong foundational systems that support attention, regulation, movement, and processing.

      At the base of the pyramid are the sensory systems, including:

      • Vestibular processing (movement and balance)
      • Proprioception (body awareness and force)
      • Tactile processing (touch)
      • Visual and auditory processing
      • Interoception (internal body awareness)

      These sensory systems help children understand and respond to the world around them. When these foundational systems are well organized, children are better able to develop motor coordination, postural control, body awareness, and emotional regulation.

      The middle levels of the pyramid include:

      • Visual motor integration
      • Bilateral coordination
      • Motor planning
      • Attention and focus
      • Language processing
      • Emotional regulation

      These areas support participation in daily activities and classroom tasks.

      At the top of the pyramid are higher-level academic and functional skills such as:

      • Reading and writing
      • Problem-solving
      • Executive functioning
      • Organization
      • Behavioral regulation
      • Social participation

      From an occupational therapy perspective, the Pyramid of Learning reminds us that when a child struggles with attention, handwriting, behavior, or learning, it is important to consider the underlying foundational skills first. For example, a child who has difficulty sitting still during class may actually be struggling with sensory processing, postural control, or body awareness rather than motivation or behavior alone.

      This framework helps parents, teachers, and therapists understand that learning is connected to the nervous system, sensory processing, movement, and regulation. Supporting foundational skills through movement, sensory experiences, and meaningful activities can improve participation and functional performance across home, school, and community environments.

      Pyramid of learning

      pyramid of learning occupational therapy

      In occupational therapy, the Pyramid of Learning is used as a framework to understand how foundational sensory and motor systems support a child’s ability to participate in everyday activities. Occupational therapists often use this model to look beyond the surface of a child’s challenges and identify the underlying skills that may be impacting function.

      From an OT perspective, higher-level skills like handwriting, attention, emotional regulation, reading, and classroom participation do not develop in isolation. These abilities are built upon a strong sensory and motor foundation. If the foundational systems at the bottom of the pyramid are not well developed, children may struggle with more advanced tasks at the top of the pyramid.

      The lower levels of the pyramid include sensory processing systems such as:

      • Vestibular processing (movement and balance)
      • Proprioception (body awareness)
      • Tactile processing (touch input)
      • Visual and auditory processing
      • Interoception (awareness of internal body signals)

      These systems support body awareness, postural control, motor planning, and regulation. Occupational therapists often address these foundational areas through movement-based and sensory-rich activities that help organize the nervous system.

      As children build stronger foundational skills, they are better able to develop:

      • Bilateral coordination
      • Fine motor control
      • Visual motor integration
      • Attention and focus
      • Self-regulation

      These middle layers support successful participation in school, play, self-care, and social activities.

      At the top of the Pyramid of Learning are higher-level functional skills such as:

      • Academic learning
      • Executive functioning
      • Emotional regulation
      • Problem-solving
      • Behavioral organization

      Occupational therapists use this framework to help explain why children may struggle with tasks like sitting still, handwriting, or following directions. For example, difficulty with attention may actually be related to sensory processing challenges, weak postural control, or a nervous system that is not fully regulated.

      The Pyramid of Learning also supports a strengths-based and developmental approach to intervention. Rather than focusing only on correcting behavior or academic performance, occupational therapists work to strengthen the underlying systems that support participation and independence.

      This framework helps parents, teachers, and therapists understand that learning and behavior are deeply connected to sensory processing, movement, and nervous system regulation. When foundational skills are supported, children are often better able to engage, learn, and participate successfully across environments.

      Base of the Pyramid of Learning

      At the base of the pyramid are the primary sensory systems: tactile, vestibular, and proprioceptive processing. These systems form the foundation for all higher learning and participation. The tactile system involves touch and helps children understand their body and environment through sensory experiences. The vestibular system processes movement and balance and plays an important role in body awareness, posture, and attention. The proprioceptive system provides information about body position, force, and movement, helping children coordinate their actions and navigate their environment efficiently.

      A child’s nervous system requires sensory input in order to grow, organize, and mature. Sensory experiences provide the brain with critical information that supports neural development and learning. The more opportunities children have to move, explore, touch, climb, swing, and engage with their environment, the more input the brain receives to build strong neural pathways. This is why sensory play, movement activities, and hands-on experiences are so important in early childhood development.

      As the sensory systems develop, they support the middle layers of the pyramid. These layers include skills such as postural control, bilateral coordination, body awareness, motor planning, visual perception, and auditory processing. These foundational motor and perceptual skills allow children to participate more successfully in everyday activities. For example, a child with good postural control and body awareness is better able to sit upright in a classroom chair, manipulate school tools, and focus on learning tasks.

      Higher up on the pyramid are advanced skills such as attention, emotional regulation, academic learning, executive functioning, social participation, reading, and handwriting. These are often the skills adults notice first when a child is struggling. However, the Pyramid of Learning reminds us that challenges with attention, behavior, or academics may actually reflect difficulties in the foundational sensory systems lower in the pyramid.

      Bottom Up Approach to Intervention

      From an occupational therapy perspective, this framework supports a “bottom-up” approach to intervention. This means therapists often address foundational sensory and motor skills before expecting success in more advanced tasks. For example, if a child struggles to focus during handwriting tasks, the underlying issue may not be motivation or behavior alone. The child may need support with sensory processing, postural stability, body awareness, or regulation in order to fully engage in learning.

      higher level thinking

      This image connects very closely to executive functioning skills because it demonstrates a foundational developmental concept:

      Higher-level thinking skills depend on lower-level nervous system and sensory foundations.

      Executive functioning skills do not develop in isolation. Skills like planning, organization, impulse control, emotional regulation, working memory, and attention are built on the brain’s ability to first process and organize sensory, motor, and body-based information.

      Here’s how this pyramid relates to executive functioning:

      Executive Functioning Is Built From the Bottom Up

      The top of the pyramid represents:

      • Academic learning
      • Cognition
      • Intellectual functioning

      This includes executive functioning skills such as:

      • Planning
      • Organization
      • Attention
      • Working memory
      • Task initiation
      • Cognitive flexibility
      • Self-monitoring

      But the brain cannot consistently access these higher-level skills when the lower levels of the pyramid are unstable.

      The Lower Levels Support Executive Function

      Central Nervous System

      This is the brain-body communication foundation.

      If the nervous system is dysregulated, stressed, or overwhelmed:

      • attention decreases
      • emotional regulation becomes harder
      • impulse control weakens

      A dysregulated nervous system directly impacts executive functioning performance.

      Sensory Systems

      Includes:

      • vestibular
      • proprioceptive
      • tactile
      • auditory
      • visual

      The brain must process sensory input efficiently in order to:

      • sustain attention
      • filter distractions
      • regulate arousal levels
      • maintain focus

      When sensory processing is difficult, executive functioning can appear inconsistent.

      Example:
      A child struggling to process background noise may look inattentive or disorganized when the issue is actually sensory overload.

      Sensory Motor Development

      Includes:

      • postural control
      • motor planning
      • bilateral coordination
      • reflex integration

      These skills influence:

      • sitting upright for attention
      • coordinating actions
      • sequencing tasks
      • sustaining effort

      Executive functioning requires physical regulation as well as cognitive regulation.

      Sensory activities play a major role in supporting the Pyramid of Learning. Tactile activities such as sensory bins, messy play, and texture exploration help children process touch input and develop body awareness. Vestibular activities like swinging, spinning, climbing, and obstacle courses provide movement experiences that support balance, coordination, and attention. Proprioceptive activities, often called “heavy work,” include pushing, pulling, carrying, climbing, and resistance-based tasks that help organize the nervous system and improve body awareness.

      Children who need additional foundational sensory support may demonstrate signs such as difficulty sitting still, poor coordination, weak body awareness, emotional dysregulation, handwriting challenges, or sensory seeking and sensory sensitivity behaviors. Understanding these signs through the lens of the Pyramid of Learning helps adults move beyond simply addressing behavior and instead focus on supporting the nervous system and developmental foundation beneath the behavior.

      Perceptual Motor Development

      Includes:

      • visual perception
      • visual-spatial skills
      • eye-hand coordination
      • auditory language processing

      These systems support:

      • following directions
      • organizing information
      • reading and writing
      • remembering steps

      Weaknesses in these areas often impact working memory and organization.

      Executive Functioning Emerges From Integration

      Executive functioning develops when:

      • sensory systems are regulated
      • movement systems are organized
      • attention systems are stable
      • emotional systems feel safe

      This is why:

      • movement breaks improve focus
      • heavy work supports attention
      • co-regulation improves problem solving
      • sensory supports can improve organization and behavior

      The brain develops executive functioning through integrated nervous system experiences.

      Clinical Takeaway

      This pyramid reminds us that executive functioning challenges are not always “behavior problems” or “motivation problems.”

      For parents and educators, the Pyramid of Learning provides a powerful way to understand the connection between sensory experiences and learning. It reinforces the idea that children learn best when their nervous systems are supported through movement, sensory exploration, play, and meaningful experiences. Learning is not just about academics at the top. It’s is deeply connected to the body, brain, and environment working together.

      Supporting the foundational layers of the pyramid through sensory-rich experiences can improve participation, regulation, and functional performance across home, school, and community settings. By recognizing the importance of sensory processing and movement in development, we can better support children as they grow, learn, and engage with the world around them.

      Sometimes the brain is working so hard to:

      • process sensory information
      • regulate emotions
      • maintain posture
      • filter input

      …that fewer resources remain available for higher-level executive functioning skills.

      Supporting executive functioning often means supporting the nervous system first.

      Executive functioning sits at the top of a developmental foundation.
      Attention, organization, planning, and self-regulation depend on the brain first feeling:

      • regulated
      • organized
      • safe
      • connected
      • sensory stable

      When we support the lower levels of the pyramid, we strengthen the foundation for executive functioning growth.

      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.

      Actividades para enseñar los colores

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      Enseñando los colores a niños en edad preescolar

      Hay muchas maneras de incluir el juego multisensorial en la enseñanza de los colores a los niños. Aquí encontrarás formas prácticas y creativas de enseñar los colores del arco iris mediante juegos que ayudan a los niños a desarrollar sus habilidades, a moverse y a crecer. Utiliza estas actividades de colores en preescolar o para enseñar a los niños pequeños los colores. Es una forma divertida de desarrollar la capacidad de discriminación visual en los niños pequeños.

      Enseñando los colores a niños en edad preescolar
      Actividades multisensoriales para enseñar los colores a niños pequeños, preescolares y de jardín de infancia.

      Incluyo actividades de color para niños de jardín de infantes y de edad escolar, también, porque estos temas de color pueden ser utilizados en actividades de terapia o para ayudar a los niños a desarrollar la escritura a mano, o las habilidades motoras visuales en los grados mayores. Aquí hay un montón de actividades divertidas y prácticas que ayudan a los niños a aprender los colores y a explorar a través del juego.

      Actividades para enseñar los colores a los niños pequeños

      Cómo enseñar los colores a los niños pequeños

      El juego y el desarrollo de los niños pequeños consiste en la exploración práctica del mundo. Tenemos un montón de actividades para niños pequeños diseñadas para desarrollar las habilidades motoras y el aprendizaje aquí en el sitio web que usted querrá comprobar.

      Para enseñar los colores a los niños pequeños, se trata de hacer las cosas divertidas. Estas actividades para niños pequeños le permitirán comenzar con actividades prácticas de desarrollo.

      Muchas de las actividades relacionadas con los colores en los primeros años de vida implican la clasificación de colores, la identificación de colores y el señalamiento de colores. Todas estas actividades sientan las bases de la discriminación visual que los niños utilizarán más adelante en la lectura y la escritura.

      Prueba estas actividades para enseñar los colores a los niños pequeños:

      Esta actividad utiliza juguetes y objetos que se encuentran en el hogar, haciendo que la identificación de los colores forme parte de la vida cotidiana. Puedes utilizar elementos que el niño utilice y vea a diario.

      Enseñar a clasificar los colores – Esta sencilla actividad de clasificación de colores es ideal para las familias que tienen un niño de preescolar y otro de corta edad. El niño de preescolar puede cortar láminas de espuma y trabajar la destreza de las tijeras y luego tanto el niño de preescolar como el pequeño pueden clasificar los restos de papel por colores. Esta es una bonita actividad que permite a los hermanos trabajar juntos para aprender conceptos y desarrollar habilidades juntos.

      Bolsa de trabajo para clasificar por colores- A los niños pequeños les encanta dejar caer objetos en contenedores, y poner cosas en cubos, contenedores y bolsas… y luego volver a sacarlos. Todo forma parte del proceso de aprendizaje. Esta bolsa ocupada para clasificar colores les da a los niños pequeños palitos de colores para manualidades o palitos de piruleta teñidos y los hace clasificar por colores. También es una actividad estupenda para desarrollar la motricidad fina y la coordinación.

      Clasificación de vasos para niños pequeños: esta actividad de clasificación por colores utiliza elementos del hogar, como los vasos de plástico para niños pequeños. Hay algo en los niños pequeños que juegan en la cocina con artículos seguros para el bebé… y éste construye habilidades de pre-alfabetización y pre-matemáticas que utilizarán durante mucho tiempo… ¡a través del juego!

      Hablar de los colores – Señalar los colores durante el juego, la conversación, la lectura de libros y los paseos… hay muchas maneras de enseñar los colores a los bebés y a los niños pequeños a través de las conversaciones cotidianas. Es tan sencillo como decir “mira esa flor azul” para añadir términos descriptivos a los niños.

      Colorear con la pintura: incorpore todos los colores del arco iris en actividades multisensoriales desde una edad temprana. Estas actividades de juego artístico incorporan los colores en el juego y el aprendizaje a través del arte con los niños pequeños.

      Enseñar los colores con una piscina debolas- Utiliza las bolas de una piscina para bebés. Puedes llevar una piscina para bebés dentro de casa como una piscina de bolas para enseñar los colores.

      Enseñar los colores a los preescolares con actividades de aprendizaje multisensorial

      Enseñando los colores a niños en edad preescolar

      En la etapa preescolar, los niños comienzan a desarrollar la capacidad de reconocer e identificar colores. En este momento del desarrollo, el enfoque está en la exposición, la repetición y la interacción significativa con los colores en actividades cotidianas.

      Desde el punto de vista del desarrollo, los niños en edad preescolar están fortaleciendo:

      • Habilidades de percepción visual (notar diferencias entre colores)
      • Desarrollo del lenguaje temprano (aprender los nombres de los colores)
      • Atención y memoria (recordar información sobre colores)
      • Formación de conceptos (entender que el color es una característica de los objetos)

      En esta etapa, es común que los niños puedan reconocer un color antes de poder nombrarlo. También pueden confundir colores similares o usar los nombres de los colores de manera inconsistente, lo cual es parte normal del desarrollo.

      Por qué es importante enseñar los colores en preescolar

      Enseñar los colores en preescolar apoya:

      • El desarrollo del lenguaje y la comunicación
      • La capacidad de seguir instrucciones simples
      • La participación en el juego y las rutinas diarias
      • La preparación para habilidades académicas futuras

      El aprendizaje de los colores es más efectivo cuando se integra en el juego y en experiencias diarias, en lugar de enseñarse de forma aislada.

      Cómo enseñar los colores a niños en preescolar

      • Usar repetición en las rutinas diarias (por ejemplo: “Aquí está tu vaso azul”)
      • Enfocarse en uno o dos colores a la vez
      • Relacionar los colores con objetos familiares
      • Utilizar actividades prácticas y sensoriales
      • Mantener el aprendizaje divertido y significativo

      Actividades de colores para preescolar

      • Clasificar objetos por color
      • Emparejar bloques o juguetes de colores
      • Búsquedas de colores en el entorno
      • Pintura con los dedos usando pocos colores
      • Emparejar colores con pegatinas
      • Clasificar pompones por color
      • Emparejar objetos con vasos de colores
      • Cajas sensoriales con actividades de clasificación por color
      • Juegos de saltar al color indicado
      • Emparejar formas de colores
      • Usar marcadores de puntos para identificar colores
      • Clasificar crayones por color
      • Juegos de “Veo, veo” con colores
      • Emparejar piezas de rompecabezas por color
      • Rodar y emparejar pelotas de colores

      Actividades de colores para kindergarten

      En el nivel de kindergarten, los niños avanzan más allá de identificar colores básicos y comienzan a aplicar este conocimiento en actividades académicas. A esta edad, la mayoría de los niños puede nombrar colores con consistencia y utilizarlos en tareas estructuradas.

      Desde el punto de vista del desarrollo, los niños en kindergarten están desarrollando:

      • Discriminación de colores (notar diferencias más sutiles)
      • Comprensión conceptual (entender que los objetos pueden tener diferentes colores)
      • Uso del lenguaje (describir y comparar colores)
      • Aplicación del conocimiento en actividades escolares

      El aprendizaje de los colores en esta etapa apoya la lectura, las matemáticas y la participación en el aula.

      Actividades de colores para kindergarten

      • Clasificación por color y forma
      • Gráficas de objetos por color
      • Creación de patrones con colores
      • Seguir instrucciones de varios pasos con colores
      • Búsquedas de colores con listas
      • Experimentos de mezcla de colores
      • Clasificar materiales del aula por color
      • Actividades de centros con códigos de colores
      • Emparejar tonos y degradados
      • Reconocimiento de palabras de colores
      • Resaltar palabras con colores
      • Dibujos dirigidos con colores específicos
      • Circuitos de movimiento con colores
      • Uso de materiales de colores en matemáticas
      • Clasificación por múltiples características (color y tamaño)

      La enseñanza de los colores en preescolar

      En la etapa preescolar, el aprendizaje se produce a través del juego. Estas actividades de aprendizaje del color están diseñadas para promover el aprendizaje a través de la exploración práctica, porque esas son las formas en que el aprendizaje “se pega”… cuando las manos están ocupadas y desarrollan las habilidades motoras que luego necesitarán para sostener y escribir con un lápiz. Veamos algunas formas de enseñar los colores en los años de preescolar:

      Teaching Shapes and Colors with Rainbow Rocks by Fun-A-Day- Esta actividad es divertida porque utiliza el peso de las rocas para enseñar los colores y las formas. Pero, además, los niños fortalecen sus manos y obtienen información motriz sobre los objetos mientras exploran los colores y otros factores de discriminación como el peso y el tamaño.

      Clasificación de colores y formas – Esta actividad preescolar de clasificación de colores ofrece a los niños experiencias de motricidad fina con wikki stix. Pida a los niños de preescolar que copien las formas, para que adquieran más habilidades motoras finas y la integración de la motricidad visual.

      Ordenación de colores de motricidad fina – Coge un viejo recipiente de especias o de queso y unas pajitas. Esta actividad de clasificación por colores sienta las bases para el desarrollo de la motricidad fina y las habilidades matemáticas. Los niños pueden contar las pajitas a medida que caen en el recipiente y trabajar en la clasificación de colores mientras desarrollan el espacio de la red del pulgar abierto, la separación de los lados de la mano y la fuerza del arco.

      Cubo de agua de colores – Esta actividad de aprendizaje de los colores es una actividad motriz sensorial que también enseña las letras. Es perfecto para el preescolar y el jardín de infancia o incluso para cursos superiores, ya que los niños se sumergen en el aprendizaje multisensorial con las letras y las habilidades de prelectura.

      Combinación de colores con pinzas de la ropa – A los niños les encantará esta actividad de motricidad fina que desarrolla la fuerza de las manos a lo grande.

      Libro y actividad “El oso ve los colores” – Aprovechamos la merienda para explorar los colores con un libro preescolar muy querido. Esto es el aprendizaje multisensorial en su máxima expresión.

      Juegos de colores de motricidad gruesa – Hay muchas maneras de explorar y enseñar los colores usando juegos. Prueba algunas de estas opciones para añadir movimiento y juego al aprendizaje de los colores en el nivel preescolar:

      • Color I Spy- Diga un color y los niños pueden correr a tocar algo que sea de ese color. Añade variaciones de movimiento pidiendo a los niños que salten, salten, se arrastren o caminen como un oso para tocar los colores.
      • Colorea lo que dice Simón – Llama a las direcciones basándote en los colores de la ropa que llevan los niños. Añade tantas variaciones de movimiento como desafíos auditivos. Se trata de una actividad estupenda para desarrollar las habilidades de la memoria de trabajo en los niños de preescolar.
      • Color Tag- Los niños pueden jugar a la etiqueta y cuando marcan a otro jugador, tienen que decir un color para que esa persona vaya. Otra variante es hacer que los jugadores que son marcados corran hacia un color que el etiquetador llama.
      Enseñar los colores a los niños de la guardería con actividades de aprendizaje multisensorial.

      Enseñar los colores en el jardín de infancia y en los cursos superiores

      Una vez que los niños están en edad escolar, la enseñanza de los colores no termina. En los años escolares, los niños exploran la mezcla de colores, el aprendizaje de los colores primarios y mucho más. Mira todas estas experiencias de color que los niños aprenden durante los años escolares:

      • Ortografía de los nombres de los colores
      • Aprender los colores primarios
      • Aprender los colores secundarios
      • Mezcla de colores
      • Teoría del color
      • Rueda de colores
      • Colores complementarios

      Prueba algunas de estas actividades de color para niños mayores:

      Color I Spy Esta búsqueda del tesoro con temática de colores hará que los niños se pongan en movimiento, utilizando los objetos que tienen en su casa mientras trabajan las habilidades de percepción visual, la escritura y mucho más. Los niños pueden escanear visualmente su casa para que coincida con los colores de la pizarra. Además, hay un componente de escritura a mano. Este es un gran paquete de diapositivas para cualquier persona que trabaje en las habilidades de escritura a mano con los niños, virtualmente.

      Ejercicios de color – Utiliza ejercicios de motricidad gruesa y estiramientos, así como ejercicios de motricidad fina, para que los niños se muevan mientras trabajan en tantas áreas de habilidades: coordinación bilateral, planificación motriz, fortalecimiento, fuerza central, precisión, destreza, habilidades motrices visuales…

      Ejercicio de respiración profunda del arco iris – Este PDF imprimible gratuito es muy popular. Hay una razón: a los niños les encanta la actividad de respiración profunda y a nosotros nos encantan los beneficios de la atención plena, las habilidades de afrontamiento, la calma y la regulación. Genial para todas las edades.

      Manualidad de prismáticos arco iris – Los niños pueden utilizar los tubos de papel de cocina en una manualidad que les ayuda a buscar e identificar los colores. Utiliza estos prismáticos arco iris en la exploración visual, la discriminación visual, la figura-fondo visual y otras habilidades perceptivas.

      Actividades con lápices de colores – Todo lo que necesitas es un par de lápices de colores (o sustituirlos por un lápiz normal si es lo único que tienes a mano) para trabajar el control del lápiz, la conciencia del trazo, la presión del lápiz y la formación de las letras.

      Beneficios de colorear con lápices de colores – Basta con coger una caja de lápices de colores para desarrollar muchas habilidades motoras finas y visuales.

      Hacer plastilina con crayones – Explorar los colores con un trabajo intenso a través de las manos y los brazos utilizando todos los colores del arco iris. Esta receta de plastilina con crayones es una receta sensorial muy popular aquí en el sitio web.

      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.