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:

Fine Motor Skills Needed at School

by
fine motor development and school tasks

Occupational Therapists are often times consulted to assess a child for their fine motor skills that are needed in school and for resources to build fine motor skills in the classroom.  When a child’s fine motor skills are lacking, classroom tasks can be difficult and result in delays in many aspects that are necessary for learning and functioning in the school environment.  


Today, I’m sharing a breakdown of fine motor skills in the school environment and how to build these skills during the school day through simple strategies. One of these strategies is Finger Aerobics.  Read on to learn more about finger aerobics exercises for a fine motor writing warm-up exercise.

Fine Motor skills needed at school and classroom activities to help

 

Fine Motor Skills Needed at School

A recent article in the American Journal of Occupational Therapist called Fine Motor Activities in Elementary School Children: A Replication Study examined the motor and technology requirements of kindergarten, second-, and fourth-grade general education classrooms.

The study found that students spend between 37.1% to 60.2% of the school day performing fine motor activities, with handwriting accounting for 3.4%–18.0% of the day. Does that surprise you? We are talking about all of the fine motor tasks students complete during the school day in this post, but it certainly makes sense that a large portion of the school day includes fine motor work.

The study provides an updated information on the amount of handwriting, technology requirements, and fine motor work that children are taking part in during the school day.

The study also found that fine motor skills were integrated into tasks throughout the day, including transitions to and from the classroom and between activities. tasks like unzipping a backpack to get out paperwork for the teacher,  gathering materials, managing writing utensils such as pencils and markers, activities of daily living (e.g., zipping and buttoning jackets for recess), and technology use (e.g., using a finger to complete a maze on the Smartboard) all are included in the school day. These tasks require development and integration of fine motor skills. It should be noted that students who struggle with fine motor skills will likely struggle throughout the day.

When you stop and think about all of the contributing factors that impact fine motor development and strength, it is no wonder that kids are struggling more than they seemed to in the past (this is coming from personal experience, but I think most of you might agree that kids seem to struggle more with fine motor, pencil grasp, and visual motor skills than they did years ago.) There are so many considerations that play a part in fine motor woes. Check out the fine motor development considerations listed below.

Fine Motor Development Considerations

These are areas of childhood that impact the development of fine motor skills.

  • Skip crawling and move straight to walking
  • More time being rushed around in baby carriers
  • Time spent in “baby positioners”
  • Less “free play” and more scheduled activities
  • Less exposure to small parts and creative play (More structured and planned play)
  • Less movement-based and developmentally appropriate learning in preschool, kindergarten, and the younger grades
  • More time on screens
  • Early screen-time exposure
  • Less outdoor time and strengthening through heavy work/outdoor play

What would you add to this list?

Knowing all of this, we can empower our kiddos with support and fine motor activities integrated right into their classrooms and play. Here are some tools and resources to help with those fine motor struggles:

Spring Fine Motor Activities

Improve Pencil Grasp with Fine Motor

Fine Motor Skills, Defined

DIY Fine Motor Activity Kits

Fine motor examples at school for understanding how motor development impacts learning in kids.

Fine Motor Examples at School

Fine motor skills are essential for independence and functioning within the classroom environment. Consider all of the areas where fine motor skills are needed for ease during the school day:


Handwriting and pencil grasp
Scissor grasp and cutting paper
Paper management including placing papers into folders
Paper clip management
Paper connectors (brads) management
Erasing with a pencil
Rotating a pencil within the hand
Coloring
Squeezing glue bottles
Removing glue caps from squeeze bottles or glue sticks
managing zippers on backpacks
Tying shoes
Managing clothing and clothing fasteners during bathroom breaks
Donning and doffing jackets and coats
Managing buttons, snaps, and zippers on coats and jackets
Tying shoes
Opening containers in the lunch room
Holding utensils and scooping food to eat
Picking up small pieces of food
Manipulating coins in the lunchroom
Typing on a computer keyboard
Toileting (tearing toilet paper and wiping)
Toileting (pulling up pants)
Using a stapler
Opening and closing a three ring binder
Managing glue sticks
Art projects
Packing a backpack
Endurance in writing
Removing and putting on caps on markers
Sharpening pencils
Placing manipulatives and counters accurately in hands-on math activities
Opening jars of paint

Fine Motor Skills Examples

Fine motor skills play a huge part of a student’s day! So what are fine motor skills? I explained in detail the various aspects of and examples of fine motor skills. For more examples of fine motor skills, check out the list below. These are the aspects of motor work that play a part in fine motor tasks during a child’s school day. All of these skill areas are types of fine motor skills that impact function, in big ways.

These daily functions within the school environment require many fine motor skills.  Each daily task requires many fine motor skills: 

  • Open thumb web space
  • Bilateral coordination
  • Thumb IP joint flexion
  • Finger isolation
  • Hand and wrist Development
  • Upper extremity stabilization
  • UE joint mobility
  • Trunk stability
  • Core strength and Posture
  • ROM
  • Dexterity
  • Arch development
  • Intrinsic muscle strength
  • Bilateral coordination and integration
  • Visual-motor control
  • Precision skills and graded fine motor skills in handling objects
  • Motoric separation of the two sides of the hands
  • Motor control
  • Pincer grasp
  • Grip strength
  • Pinch strength
  • Gross Grasp strength

Fine motor skills definitions for use in understanding fine motor development in kids

Definition of Fine Motor Skills

Occupational therapists know the definition of fine motor skills. It’s an integral part of every therapy evaluation.

For a layman’s definition of fine motor, the Medical Dictionary defines fine motor skills as: “Any of the motor skills that require greater control of the small muscles than large ones, especially for hand eye coordination or for precise hand and finger movement. Fine motor skills include handwriting, sewing, and fastening buttons. Most movements require both large and small muscle groups, and there is considerable overlap between fine and gross motor skills, but distinguishing between the two is useful in rehabilitation settings, special education, adapted physical education tests, motor development tests, and aptitude tests in industry and in the military.”

When fine motor skills are delayed, a student’s success in the classroom can be greatly impaired.


There are many reasons that fine motor skills might be lacking, resulting in delays in functional skills:
Muscle weakness
Dysgraphia
Low tone
Delayed wrist and hand development
Poor posture and core strength
Insufficient somatosensory input with failure to develop kinesthesia
Insufficient visual control
Incomplete bilateral integration
Incomplete utilization of proximal joints of the upper extremity including poor support
Inadequate spatial analysis and or synthesis skills
Insufficient visual-motor control 
Delayed or inadequate arch development
Underdeveloped precision handling
Difficulty with Motoric separation of the two sides of the hands.

These school day tasks are impacted by fine motor skill development.
Development of fine motor skills in kids

Fine Motor Development

Fine motor development and successful use of refined motor skills in functional tasks relies on a sensorimotor foundation of trunk and arm stability, strength, manipulation, ability to motor plan, and effective coordination of visual motor information.  

When kids are required to perform classroom and school activities without these foundations in place, difficulties arise, resulting in frustration, feelings of failure, and behaviors. So many times, there is a question of whether a student should be referred to the school-based OT for evaluation and assessment of fine motor skills for improved success in the classroom.

Teachers, parents, and school support staff should consider a referral to the school-based Occupational Therapist if the following fine motor conditions are observed and are effecting school occupations and learning.


Signs a Student Needs Occupational Therapy in the School for Fine Motor Skill Development:
Difficulty holding scissors and cutting shapes when age-appropriate
Trouble with letter/number formation or reverses letters
Avoids fine motor activities
Trouble using an effective pencil grasp
Fatigue when coloring
Difficulty erasing without tearing paper
Writes too lightly or too dark and written work is illegible
Difficulty putting on coat, managing buttons/zippers/snaps, or tying shoes (from what is age appropriate)
Switches hands during activities

There are some easy ways to build fine motor skills right in the classroom.  Try some of these strategies to accommodating for poor fine motor skills that might impact a student’s success in the classroom:

fine motor development and school tasks

Classroom strategies for addressing fine motor skills at school

Try various writing utensils.
Work on various writing surfaces (chalkboard, slant board, easel).
Use a kneaded eraser for less required effort when erasing.
Evaluate pencil grasp and try various pencil grips to modify for efficiency.
Utilize techniques for organizing papers when motor planning is an issue.
Manage papers and bilateral coordination by taping paper to the desk.

Finger Aerobics for Building Fine Motor Skills

One strategy that is helpful in building fine motor skills in the classroom is finger aerobics.  These finger motor movement exercises are activities that can be used by the whole classroom as part of a handwriting warm-up exercise.  Kids with poor fine motor skills can oftentimes struggle with hand functions and tool use in the classroom.  Finger dexterity activities like finger aerobics promote sensorimotor awareness and manipulation of the hands.  Finger aerobics are ideal as a transitional movement activity for the whole classroom or a brain break type of activity.

Check out the finger aerobics in the images and descriptions below:

Fine Motor skills needed for school and classroom and activities to help build those skills, including finger aerobics exercises.

Spider Push-Ups:  Show the students how to place both hands together with palms and fingers touching.  Then, show them how to push the hands away from each other at the palm.  The fingertips should remain in contact.


Fine Motor skills needed for school and classroom and activities to help build those skills, including finger aerobics exercises.

Finger Pick-Ups:  The students should stand at their desk and place their hands flat on the desk surface.  They can then pick up each finger in isolation.  Ask them to raise each finger from the desk surface 3 times and then pick up and hold each finger individually for several seconds.


Fine Motor skills needed for school and classroom and activities to help build those skills, including finger aerobics exercises.

Fingertip Touch:  Ask the students to touch their thumbs to the tips of each of the fingers.  They can do both hands at the same time or one hand at a time. Then, ask them to touch the tip of their thumb to the base of each finger.  They can touch the tip or base of each finger at different speeds, as they spell words, or count in various increments.  Next, ask them to touch the tips or bases of each finger with their hands held behind their back or out of their field of vision. 


Finger Sounds:  Ask the students to close their eyes.  Then, the teacher or group leader can ask the students to listen carefully as she makes sounds with her hands.  The teacher can make one sound and then ask the students to repeat the sound using their hands.  Ideas include: rubbing the hands together to make a soft swishing sound, snapping, clapping, thigh slapping, finger tapping, or patting the desk. The students should keep their eyes closed as they repeat each individual sound.


Fist Squeeze: Ask the students to make a fist with both hands.  Then, they should try placing their thumb in different positions and squeezing as hard as they can.  Try the thumb at the side of the fingers, wrapped over the knuckles, and tucked under the fingertips.  Show them how to stretch out the fingers and then repeat.


Spider Crawl:  Ask the students to stand up behind their desks.  They can then place both hands with the palm and fingers flat on the desk surface.  Show the students how to make their hands “crawl” across the desk like spiders.  They can move both hands together symmetrically and individually in different directions.  Keep the palm lightly positioned on the desk surface.


Fine Motor skills needed for school and classroom and activities to help build those skills, including finger aerobics exercises.

Finger Muscles:  Show the students how to use their other hand to provide resistance for squeezing.  They can place their pointer finger or their pointer and middle finger of one hand on the outstretched fingers of the other hand.  Ask them to squeeze their fingers and then to try to push against the fingers.


Writing Gloves:  Ask the students to pretend to put a glove on their hands, slowly moving the glove over each finger.  They should push each finger down individually.  Then, they can remove that pretend glove, one finger at a time.  This is an especially calming activity that provides proprioceptive input through joint compressions.


Finger Ducks:  Ask the students to straiten the fingers and thumbs to create a “duck” puppet with just their fingers.  They can make the duck open and close it’s mouth to spell words, count, or read.  Then, ask them to pretend that the duck ate a lemon as they pull the finger tips into the palm.  This is a great activity that strengthens the lumbrical muscles of the hands. 

You can view all of the exercises here: 

 

Finger aerobics for fine motor strengthening and handwriting warm up.



Be sure to visit the other Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists who are writing about School Day Functions this month in the Functional Skills for Kids series.

Fine motor skills needed in the classroom and finger aerobics ideas

More Fine Motor Activities that will build skills needed for Function and Learning in School:

fine motor writing activity Pencil Grasp Activity Pencil Grasp Exercise Thumb opposition activity
Pencil Grasp Trick Thumb IP Flexion
Thumb Opposition
References:
Sierra Caramia, Amanpreet Gill, Alisha Ohl, David Schelly; Fine Motor Activities in Elementary School Children: A Replication Study. Am J Occup Ther 2020;74(2):7402345010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.035014

Floor Play for Babies

by

Baby floor play is one of those essential play activities that maybe kids are missing out on more than ever. Here we are talking about why babies need to get down on the floor to baby play, and how to set up floor play activities for babies and toddlers. Baby development depends on movement and play. These ideas will guide you in creating play activities that maximize child development through those early years.

Another great resource to check out is a new blog post on DIR Floortime.

What is Floor Play

Floor play and movement play is one of those things that not only help babies develop essential skills, it is a powerful way to help them excel with higher level tasks. There is so much more than just placing a baby down on the floor to play. Let me explain…

When little ones are on the floor in tummy time or in play activities, they are developing essential core strength and visual perceptual skills that will help them down the road in areas like reading, endurance in play, and even handwriting. Here is more information on how floor play and tummy time helps with the development of spatial awareness and other visual perception skills.

Time spent on the floor helps with kinesthetic intelligence as well. With tummy time play comes skills like body awareness and reasoning, eye-hand coordination, motor skills, and spatial ability for function.

Play For Babies

Baby floor play is such a powerful way to help with child development! Use these floor play activities for babies to support skills like crawling.

For babies, tummy time helps to build strength in the core, arms, neck, and shoulder girdle needed for sitting up, changing of positions, and coordination. Here are baby play ideas that can be incorporated into floor time activities. Movement like participating in play, changing positions, reaching, crawling, moving objects, and functional tasks require endurance and stability. Tummy time is an important task for infant babies as well as older babies for different reasons. In each stage, floor play encourages use of the body and eyes in coordinated motor plans.

More Floor Activities for Babies and toddlers

Floor play for babies can look like toys placed in front of the infant. Using noise toys, rattles, and eye-catching toys encourages reach, visual tracking, neck and head movement, and development of visual processing and auditory processing.

Floor play for infants can look like a scattering of toys placed in a circle around the child. This positioning encourages turning, rolling, and creeping or crawling, especially when the little one is pushing up onf their elbows and hands.

For very small babies, floor play can look like getting very close to the child to encourage them to pick up their head and make eye contact.

Baby play ideas can be easy but pack a powerful punch when it comes to child development and helping with skills like crawling and learning.

Older babies that are sitting up can benefit from a scattering of toys placed around them on the floor. Place pillows behind and around the baby and encourage them to pick up toys like large blocks as they bring the toy to their mouth to explore. Picking up and bringing items to the midline promotes endurance of core strength, stability in the core, and coordination as they reach and turn.

Playing on the floor can include baby mats or baby-safe mirrors. Check out this baby sensory play idea using mirrors for an easy way to encourage movement and endurance in floor play using everyday items such as cups, balls, and baby toys.

Babies that are beginning to crawl love play tunnels…and for good reason. Baby play tunnels are exciting and fun! But not only that, they develop skills like visual motor skills, cause and effect, visual scanning, visual convergence, and so much more. Here are more play tunnel activities for babies.

Try this indoor play idea that boosts development of skills such as fine motor skills, visual motor skills, and visual perceptual skills using toddler-friendly blocks!

Floor play for babies builds skills and helps them develop and learn to crawl while building endurance and strength for motor movement tasks.
Use large blocks or other baby toys in floor play for babies. Super easy!

Occupational therapists know the value of movement and playing on the floor has on babies. We know that babies need tummy time and a chance to move on the floor without use of the Bumbo seat, swing, and other baby positioners. We KNOW that play is the child’s primary occupation and that through play, they develop motor skills, cognition, language, and so much more.

That’s why I’m SO excited to share a valuable new resource for new and expecting moms.

Remarkable Infants is a HUGE resource for new parents. This online course, taught by 5 child development experts, is a 5 hour crash course on development of the whole child from birth through 12 months of age. It is literally everything that we WISH new parents knew about tummy time, positioners, developmental milestones, baby play, communication, sleep, and nutrition.

Awesome! Your Slide Deck is in your inbox!

by

Want to make therapy planning easier? Want to help kids develop fine motor skills so they can hold a pencil, color, cut, tie shoes, and other motor tasks?

The Summer Fine Motor Kit is on sale now for a limited time.

Summer fine motor kit
Summer Fine Motor Kit: activities for the whole Summer!

Your slide deck file should be delivered to your email inbox shortly. Don’t see it? Scroll below for answers to FAQ.

Need More Virtual Learning Slide Decks?

If you arrived here by accident and would LOVE to get a free slide deck, save this page and then grab any one of the free slide decks below. Or, if you’ve already accessed one of the slide decks, be sure to grab the others to add to your therapy toolbox!

Our Penguin Theme Emotions Game is a fun way to work on identifying emotions and visual perceptual skills.

This Penguin Yoga Slide Deck is gross motor fun to challenge balance and coordination.

Try this Polar Bear Gross Motor Activities slide deck for a gross motor brain break activity.

This Holiday Cookies Slide Deck addresses working memory, visual perception, and direction-following skills.

Don’t miss this Gingerbread Man Slide Deck.

This Decorate a Gingerbread House Slide Deck is at big hit, too.

Kids love these Reindeer Games Gross Motor Activities.

Here is a Community Helpers Theme Slide Deck.

Here is a Football Theme Slide Deck.

Here is a slide deck for a Social Story for Wearing a Mask.

Here is a Space Theme Therapy Slide Deck.

Here is a Therapy Planning Interactive Slide Deck.

Here is a Back to School Writing Activity Slide Deck.

Here is an Alphabet Exercises Slide Deck.

Here is a Self-Awareness Activities Slide Deck.

Here is a Strait Line Letters Slide Deck.

Here is a “Scribble theme” Handwriting Slide Deck.

Teach Letters with an interactive Letter Formation Slide Deck.

  • Teach kids to write straight line letters with this free virtual therapy slide deck
  • This occupational therapy virtual therapy slide deck helps OTs lead teletherpay sessions covering skills like letter formation, visual motor skills, fine motor skills, with a calm down, motor planning, activity and more.
  • handwriting in teletherapy with an interactice slide deck

>>>>Here is the finger stretches video if you need to show this activity in action. (Scroll to the bottom for the video.)

Here are more teletherapy activities to use in virtual OT sessions

Teletherapy activities for kids

Work on fine motor skills in teletherapy

Teletherapy games and worksheets

How to Use Google Slide Decks in virtual therapy

Frequently Asked Questions…answered!

How do I use these slides?

When you open the PDF file in your email, you will see a document explaining how to open these slides.

First, make sure you are signed into your Google account.

Then, click on the button that says “CLICK HERE” on the PDF that was delivered to your email.

A page will come up prompting you to “make a copy” of the slide deck. Click Yes to confirm. Your copy of the slide deck will now be on your Google drive.

When you share the slides with students, make a copy for each student so they do not change your master copy. You could also make a single copy of your own master copy and use that with each student if you prefer. You will need to replace the movable slides back to their starting point if you do that option.

Please don’t change the url. It may edit all copies that others are using.

I can’t find the email with my slides. Help??

Once you enter your email on the slide deck form, you should receive an email containing a link to access a file in your email inbox. If you don’t see it right away, give it about 15 minutes. If you still don’t see it, be sure to check your SPAM folder or “other” folders. Still don’t see it? Run a search in your email to check for an email from The OT Toolbox. Some email networks, like those using an email ending with .org, .edu, .net, etc. may have this email blocked.

How do I use the interactive slide decks?

Some of the slide decks that you can access for free on The OT Toolbox have interactive components. Others are not interactive.

Interactive slide decks contain images that students can click on and move around on the slide. Students will be able to participate in interactive games in their therapy sessions/distance learning sessions by moving pieces on the slides to work on specific skills. They will need to be in “edit” mode for the interactive slide decks. The interactive portion will not work if you present the slide to students like it is a typical slide presentation.

How do I get the slide decks into “Edit” mode?

When you make a copy of the slide deck onto your Google drive, it will automatically create a copy that is in edit mode. If you are having trouble accessing these movable parts, you will want to make sure you have the slide in “edit” mode. In “present” mode, they will not be interactive. You may need to change the mode to edit and then the interactive pieces will be able to move on the background.  

You should see a button to If you don’t see “edit” under the right hand drop down box beside the share button on the top right, and if you don’t see “edit” under the drop down menu under “view” at the top, you can still change to edit mode. Here is a YouTube video that explains how to do so in a round-about way. 

Can I use Google Slide decks on a Zoom session?

You can! While the slides will not be interactive in “present” mode, you can still access Google slides in Zoom. If they have access to a Google account (like a parent using that same computer, that opens up automatically when they click), you could change the settings so anyone with that specific link can edit, and then share that link with them. Here’s an explanation on how to share a document in Zoom to interact with Google Slides.

Arrive on this page by accident? Want your copy of the free “scribble day” occupational therapy screen deck to use in therapy sessions? Go here to access your copy of this letter formation/fine motor/gross motor letter formation teletherapy session.

Looking for more Teletherapy Help?

Teletherapy Activities for Occupational Therapy

Teletherapy Games and Worksheets

Work on Fine Motor Skills in Teletherapy

Virtual Therapy Tips for Parents

winter fine motor kit

Winter Fine Motor Kit…on sale now!

Teach Direction Following with Cooking

by

Did you know you can teach direction following with cooking tasks? It’s true! Teaching direction following can be tough!  Kids and following directions is sometimes like pulling teeth, especially when it comes to completing tasks around the home. The bedtime routine or morning routine is just one example of where direction following is a struggle.

Helping kids with strategies to address multi step activities in occupational therapy sessions is one tool to work on direction following with kids. In fact, occupational therapy cooking activities is a great way to teach direction following with cooking by reading recipes with kids, and asking them to follow instructions at various levels.

Call it cooking therapy! Using cooking activities to higher level cognitive skills can be fun with delicious results! Below are a few ways to use cooking as a following direction activity that teaches skills.

Direction following activity with cooking tasks are a great way to work on following multi-step directions in occupational therapy.

Multi Step Direction following

You may see difficulties with direction following in every part of daily life with kids. You tell them to go upstairs to get dressed and they pull out their clothes, start playing and forget the getting dressed part.

Mom asks them to put their homework into their backpack and put the backpack away and she finds the homework on the coffee table and the backpack on the steps.  

Following directions and childhood can be a real struggle! They get distracted, resist, or forget instructions and the tasks they were supposed to complete are half-way done. 

So what is going on when kids have trouble following directions? Part of it may be executive functioning issues. Or, it could be that it’s just typical development of these skills. Kids can work on improving their direction-following abilities with multi-step direction activities.

Multi step direction following activities are great in occupational therapy sessions to work on executive functioning skills for kids.

Direction Following activities in the kitchen

Today, I’m sharing ways to teach direction following while cooking with your kids.  Time, practice, modeling, structure, growth, and play can help with direction following. Today, I have tips, tools, and ideas to help cook with your child and work on direction following in the kitchen.  

If you have been following this blog for long, you know that I love to get my kiddos busy in the kitchen. They are my little helpers; my ingredient-grabbing, dish-washing, egg-cracking, apron-clad cuties.  

My favorite part of cooking alongside my kids, though?  I love the one-on-one time (or usually, the group dynamic of more than one helpful child) while we cook a dish that we enjoy as a family.  It’s productive and real-world creativity and meaningful time spent together.  

Cooking with my kids provides time of memory building (and ALL four kids never forget to ask to lick the beaters when we bake…or that time the flour flew up out of the mixer and all over the fridge…).  

But, not only are we cooking up memories together, we’re making fun dishes that my kids recall long after the dishes have been washed and the many (Oh, so many!) smudgy fingerprints have been scrubbed.  

Besides all of these mommy -based benefits to cooking with my kids, there are the developmental and educational benefits of cooking with children.

The Occupational Therapist in me loves the sensory, fine motor, bilateral coordination, visual perceptual, and motor planning skill areas that are developed through cooking.  

There are SO many skills that can be worked on through cooking.  Every Occupational Therapist recalls their time in OT school where they assessed each step of cooking a grilled cheese sandwich with their pretend client…all of the fine motor, strengthening, endurance, cognitive, and physical aspects of a simple occupation of making lunch.

Today, I’ve got ways to work on direction following by cooking with your kiddos!  

These ideas are perfect for working on specific skills. Add them to a cooking group for kids or to therapeutic cooking classes for kids.

Use the specific direction-following strategies listed here to work on skills like planning, prioritization, and task completion by reading recipes and other kitchen tasks.

Cooking activities for kids can be used to teach kids about following directions. Use them in kids cooking classes or occupational therapy cooking groups.

Teaching Direction Following with Cooking Activities

Cooking activities in the kitchen provides unique opportunities.  Kids can practice skills that are needed to imagine, prepare, create, and serve food.

 Each step of cooking requires attention to detail to prevent skipping steps or dangerous situations with sharp knives or hot stoves.  

Adults can help with direction following in recipes and food prep/cleaning up in many ways.

Tips to help kids with direction following:

  • Model appropriate behaviors.
  • Rehearse parts of the cooking process.  This is especially ideal for safety concerns, like handling sharp tools or managing the stove.
  • Verbal, visual, or physical prompts for appropriate behavior during cooking tasks.
  • Practice turn-taking with tasks like stirring and mixing ingredients.
  • Organize a child’s participation with written directions.  Some kids might need picture sequencing cards or social stories before beginning a cooking task.
  • Break down tasks into smaller parts. Children can sequence parts of the task before starting. Use different techniques (written directions, picture cards, strips of paper with directions written out.  The child must sequence the steps of a task before starting on the cooking process.
  • Verbally tell your child one direction at a time to work on verbal direction following. Allow them to complete the tasks successfully, then add more complex or multi-step directions.  Add more details slowly and don’t add more until they are successfully following the next level of directions.
  • Provide a written checklist for kids.  They can mark off completed tasks.
  • Together with your child, draw out the parts of a recipe.  A visually organized list is better for some kids.
  • Practice direction following with a simple task that the child knows how to do.  If they can pour their own cereal and milk, instruct them to tell you or another child each step of the task.  Act out or perform the activity as your child tells each step.  They will be able to see any mistakes and self-correct, or correct their directions with a little prompting.  Telling the step-by-step directions to another person is a great way to practice direction following. 
  • Discuss transitional words like first, second, third, last.  Write out directions for a task like washing hands.  Have your child sort the directions into order using the directional words.

More benefits to cooking with kids:

  • Problem solving in cooking can carry over to other areas like self-care and management of personal items.
  • Improved self-confidence.
  • Communication and language development while talking about ingredients.
  • Functional practice of life-skills.
  • Strengthened family support system through team working on a collaborative task.
  • Personal and family well-being development.
  • Sensory exploration of new or different tastes, scents, and textures.
  • Proprioceptive input while cutting vegetables, kneading bread, stirring ingredients.
  • Conversation turn-taking
  • Self-management.
  • Improved self-confidence.
  • Exploration of self-identity.
  • Individualized modifications can be made to meet the child’s needs and abilities.
  • Meaningful tasks encourage carry-over of practiced skills.
  • The kitchen is a natural environment and functional work here will lead to carryover of practiced skills.
  • Cooking with various textures, colors and scents will encourage kids to try new foods.
  • Tool use and practice.

Now, Take the Direction Following out of the kitchen!

So, you’ve worked with your mini chef on all of the tasks involved with cooking a recipe (or washing dishes, chopping fruits, getting out needed ingredients…whatever is appropriate for your child!) and now what?  

How do you help your little one to brush their teeth when they are told without accidentally getting distracted and messing in the toilet water as their toothbrush sits untouched? (Only real-life examples here, folks!)  

Carryover the skills you’ve worked on with your kiddo in the kitchen into other areas.  Use what’s worked and use those same tips that I shared above in all areas.  

Sequencing cards, one step directions, activity breakdown…they can all be used in other jobs, too.  

Use the ones that work and modify the ones that don’t. The best thing about cooking and working on direction following is the tasty reward to getting the job done, the together time, and the meaningful time.  

Use that to work on the tricky direction following skills and then try them in other areas.   

One way to support development of direction following skills is to start simple! Use this lemon lime popsicle recipe to get started. There are only a few ingredients and kids can pour, scoop, and place items into the popsicle molds.

Cooking and food preparation is a task that is done daily in households.  

Cooking in the kitchen is an opportunity or learning and development that can be done every day.  Practice some of these tips and hopefully, you will see some direction following development!  

This post is part of my 31 Days of Occupational Therapy series where I’m sharing 31 days of activities that use free or practically free treatment materials.  

While cooking and ingredients are certainly not free, food prep and meals are something that must be done every day.  Use the opportunity to learn and explore with your child!  The memories (and hopefully not flying flour!) will follow.

 

 
Cooking with kids to practice direction following and problem solving, sequencing and other cognitive aspects of childhood. These tips and ideas are fun and creative ways to practice skills needed for cooking and preparing meals for families. From an Occupational Therapist.
 
 
 
 

Slime Pencil Grasp Activity

by

Working on pencil grasp? Or are you looking for a fresh fine motor activity that builds pencil grasp in kids? This slime fine motor activity is just that. It’s a fun and messy way to strengthen fine motor skills needed for a functional pencil grasp…using slime! You may have read the title of this blog post and thought “What does slime have to do with a pencil grasp activity?” Well, this slime activity sure does meet the requirements for fine motor activities that double as pencil grip activities. Read on!

Slime Activity

Use slime to work on pencil grasp and fine motor skills kids need for stronger hands.

Do you have kids that are still loving slime? We’ve made a lot of slime activities in our days, including a slime exercises, a great way to build hand strength in a fun way. We’ve even practiced handwriting using cursive letter beads for our cursive letter slime activity. One of our favorite slime activities was cutting it with scissors as a scissor skills activity.

When it comes to working on writing and pencil grasp, however, some of these activities play a part in building a better pencil grasp. Slime is a great way to work on intrinsic hand strength and fine motor skill development. If you’ve ever played with slime, then you might know why.

Slime has a consistency that is a pretty sticky. It sort of molds to itself and spreads at the same time (weird, right?) so that when it’s near the edge of a table, it spreads and then strings down to the floor in a long strand. (Which if your table is over a rug or carpet, grab that carpet cleaner!)

Slime Activity to Build Fine Motor Skills

This slime idea uses any slime recipe. You can find tons of homemade slime recipes online. We made homemade slime when we made a slime writing tray, but this activity focuses on strengthening the fine motor skills needed for skills like pencil grasp, manipulating items like buttons and snaps, or other functional tasks.

Hand strength with slime and work on pencil grasp with slime to make handwriting fun.

This activity uses regular slime just two materials. Here are Amazon affiliate links so you can set this activity up:

Slime- Make your own or use a slime kit

Clear Marbles

Small Container– Use one with a lid. A smaller-sized container requires a smaller space to manipulate with the hand, providing a strengthening opportunity.

To set up this slime hand strengthening activity

Use slime to work on fine motor hand strength

  1. Place slime into a container.

    Use a reusable food storage container such as a Rubbermaid food storage container. This allows the activity to be used over and over again.

  2. Add clear marbles to the slime.

    Students can press the marbles down into the slime using one finger. This is a great finger isolation activity. Read more on what finger isolation is and why this important fine motor skill matters so much.

  3. Move those marbles!
    Use the fingertips to find and locate a marble in the slime.

    Once you find a marble, use the fingertips to pull it out of the slime. Pulling a marble from the slime requires strength, but also works to improve that hand strength. Because the slime is in a smaller container, the arches of the hand/intrinsic hand muscles have to work to maintain grasp against the pull of the slime.

  4. Remove slime from the marbles.

    This is the messy part…in a good way! Use the fingertips to pull and remove slime from the surface of the marble. This is another way to strengthen and improve endurance as well as dexterity in manipulating with the fingertips.

  5. Do it again!

    Once you’ve located all of the marbles, press them back into the slime. This is a great hide and seek activity that can be passed on to another client or to use in the next therapy session.

Work on finger isolation and other fine motor skills kids need for pencil grasp, using slime!
Use slime to work on finger isolation and other fine motor skills.
Kids can work on hand strength and fine motor skills needed for pencil grasp using slime and some marbles.
Slime is a great way to work on arch development and intrinsic hand strength.
Slime makes a great tools for working on pencil grasp with kids!

Grade this Fine Motor Strengthening Activity

You can adjust this activity to make it harder or more resistive for those building their hand strength. It can be downgraded as well to make it easier for those needing an easier fine motor activity.

Adjust the resistance of the slime- add more liquid to make the slime easier to manipulate. You could experiment with adding other materials to hold the slime, making it easier to remove from the marble. Some ideas include foam balls, glitter, flour, or other materials. This collection of slime add-ins is a good way to experiment.

Add resistance by leaving the slime exposed to air for several hours. This will make the slime more rubbery and harder to manipulate.

More Slime Pencil Grasp Activities

Working on the fine motor skills needed for a functional pencil grasp doesn’t need to be boring and predictable. Using slime to work on these essential fine motor skills can make pencil grasp tasks fun. We’ve used beads with cursive letters as a slime add in to help with fine motor skills. Kids can use beads like these ones to find and then remove the slime to work on those pencil grasp strengthening skills. Then, practice copying the letter. Extend the activity by asking them to write a word that starts with that letter. The options are endless with an open-ended slime activity like this one.

Use slime to help kids work on pencil grasp in a fun and out of the box activity.

Want to Take pencil grasp to the next level?

Join our free, 5 day pencil grasp challenge! We’re talking all things pencil grasp with fun and easy activities designed to build a better pencil grasp. Join in on the fun!

Executive Functioning in School

by
executive functioning in schools

There are so many ways that executive functioning in school environments impact learning, peer interactions, and participation in the classroom. The back to school season, or any transition in school can be chaotic for kids, but it can also be a great time to work on executive functioning skills in a practical way! From shopping for supplies or creating a countdown, to getting on the bus that first day, the options for working on executive functioning in school situations are endless. Continue reading for more information on executive functioning in the classroom.

Let’s talk executive function in the classroom!


executive functioning in schools
Executive functioning skills during the school day and cognitive skills kids need for transitions in school.

Executive Functioning in School

Every year at the end of summer, there tends to be two “camps”—those who cannot wait to get back into the classroom and those who cannot wait for next summer! Regardless of the type of child you may have, executive functioning skills are critical at every age as this season approaches!

The thing is that as occupational therapy providers, we can see all the ways that executive functioning skills impact learning. I’ve worked with students at all grade levels on impulse control, organization, attention, and working memory. These executive function skills impact participation in the classroom and things like gathering materials, staying on task, walking in a line through the hallways, cafeteria skills, and so much more!

While OT is not the only profession in the school system that addresses these skills, we can support students. Some of the ways that executive functioning development is used in everyday tasks at school are listed below.

  1. Organization: Students need to organize their materials, such as books, notebooks, and assignments, to keep track of what they need for each class. We as occupational therapy professionals can make suggestions for desk and locker organization, support students with technology for organization, and suggest systems like using folders or binders for papers, and keeping a planner or digital calendar to track assignments and deadlines.
  2. Time Management: How many times have you seen a student struggle over and over again with prioritizing the school assignments on a short list of tasks? I have! The thing is that time management impacts learning, especially when students struggle to prioritize tasks, estimate how much time each task will take, and allocate time effectively is crucial. One way to support students is to provide tools to help them balance homework, studying, extracurricular activities, and leisure time while meeting deadlines for assignments and projects.
  3. Planning and Prioritization: Planning and prioritization in the schools is a big area! Students must plan out their academic tasks, break larger assignments into smaller, manageable steps, and prioritize tasks based on deadlines and importance. This involves setting goals, creating action plans, and adjusting plans as needed.
  4. Working Memory: You’ve probably seen working memory struggles in the school environment. Students need to hold information in mind while completing tasks, such as following multi-step directions, solving math problems, or writing essays. This area of executive function in school environments means students might struggle to retain information temporarily and manipulate it to perform cognitive tasks.
  5. Self-Regulation: We’ve covered this area of executive functioning because it’s a huge area of development for kids. Self regulation and executive functioning is a major area of development. Self regulation naturally includes managing emotions, impulses, and behavior in various situations. We can help students to stay focused on tasks, resist distractions, regulate their frustration when facing challenges so they can use appropriate behavior in the classroom.
  6. Flexibility and Adaptability: There’s one thing about the classroom and school environment; it’s constantly changing! Because of this, we might need to support students to be flexible and adapt to new schedules, routines, and academic expectations. There are many ways we as occupational therapy providers can help students to be flexible in their thinking and problem-solving approaches so they can roll with the unexpected!
  7. Initiation and Goal Setting: The school setting requires students to initiate tasks independently without constant prompting from teachers or parents…and this is part of development that is a challenge for some! This involves setting academic and personal goals, breaking them down into actionable steps, and following through to achieve them.
  8. Metacognition: Executive functioning development occurs over decades, and metacognition is an area of constant development. For our students, it can be a real struggle to reflect on their own thinking processes, monitor their progress, and make adjustments as needed. Metacognitive skills help students become more aware of their strengths and weaknesses, leading to improved learning strategies and academic performance.

Developing these executive functioning skills supports academic success and overall well-being, so it makes sense that we as the OT professionals help.

Remember that executive functioning skills are essential for success in school in many ways, including with regulating emotions and social and emotional skills. This is one area that OTs can cover with their students, too.

Executive Function IEP Goals

When we talk about executive functioning in schools, I definitely need to mention IEP and 504 plan goals. Executive functioning goals for the IEP will depend on the age and level of the student that an occupational therapist is evaluating. IEP goals will also be written for the functional needs that impact learning. So, each child will definitely be different when it comes to their IEP goals.

As an occupational therapist, I’ve seen executive function IEP goals that are written around many areas:

  1. Messy Desk
  2. Disorganized Locker
  3. Lost Homework
  4. Difficulty Following Directions
  5. Procrastination
  6. Impulsivity
  7. Inconsistent Performance
  8. Difficulty with Test-Taking
  9. Trouble with Long-Term Projects
  10. Limited Problem-Solving Skills
  11. Cafeteria Issues (e.g., difficulty choosing healthy options, managing time to eat)
  12. Hallway Challenges (e.g., getting lost, navigating crowded spaces)
  13. Self-Regulation Issues (e.g., difficulty controlling emotions, managing frustration)

You might want to check out our resource on self regulation IEP goals because regulation and EF are so closely related.

Also check out our resource on the differences between an IEP and 504 plan.

Executive Functioning in Preschool

Think preschoolers do not need or have executive functioning skills? Think again! Studies show that critical development in this area starts far earlier, but especially strong growth occurs during the preschool years. 

As your preschooler starts to prepare for the start of the year, consider the following ways to work on executive functioning development in a positive, age-appropriate approach. By doing so, you give them the chance to start the year out strong!

  • Provide opportunities for play dates, perhaps with classmates, to work on emotional control and problem-solving skills.
  • Begin adjusting wake and bedtimes about 1-2 weeks prior to school starting so that your child can be acclimated before that first day, avoiding any difficulties with initiation or shifting attention.
  • Encourage your child to select their own school supplies, giving them 2-3 items at a time to retrieve in an aisle for their working memory!
  • Model coping strategies, especially if this will be your child’s first exposure to the school setting, addressing emotional control and self-monitoring.
  • Allow your child to help pack their snack or lunch for the day.
  • teach kids about age-appropriate self control. This skill is needed for every stage of the student’s educational career!
  • Calm down toys are a good way to teach kids about impulse control at this age.
  • Work on problem solving with preschoolers. This is an age-appropriate way to target executive functioning skills.

Executive Functioning SKills in Elementary School

A child’s independence increases exponentially during the elementary school years. Start off the year on the right foot with these activities!

Executive functioning in elementary years impact a log of different areas of the day to day.

One area of consideration is executive functioning skills and handwriting. Because students are learning to write more and are required to write…often without a true handwriting curriculum, we might see real issues in this area.

  • Help your child develop self-reflection skills by discussing what they thought was the best part of summer, their least favorite part, what they are most excited for with school coming back in session, and what they are nervous about with the new school year.
  • Provide opportunities for impulse control, planning, and working memory by giving your child their supply list and allowing them to check items off as they place them in the cart. You may need to model components, such as having a notebook/folder set of particular colors. 
  • Encourage your child’s organization skills by having them label their school supplies with their name and pack their backpack
  • Give your child the opportunity for more independence and accountability to pack their own lunchbox. You can still have some control in this by organizing your refrigerator and pantry with designated labels, such as taking one item out of each container on the bottom shelf. 
  • Engaging executive function activities can be a great way to work on specific areas, depending on the needs of each child.

Executive Functioning Skills in Middle School

The middle school years are filled with so many changes! Occupational therapy in middle school work on many areas of executive functioning that impact function in the classroom and middle school environment.

Middle school students have a lot of changes going on, and we might see impulsivity at work. Teaching foresight is important because we can help kids make good choices for their own safety as well as education.

Help your child prepare for these changes by integrating some of these activities:

  • Use a calendar to set up regular family meetings, including all members of the household. This allows for communication lines to be kept open, preventing any major hiccups, while promoting your child’s ability to manage their impulses (interruptions, especially!) and control their emotions, along with reflecting on things that might need to be changed. 
  • Begin allowing for more and more independence with tasks, such as packing up their backpack each night, fading back prompts with homework, and encouraging their use of a planner. 
  • Provide opportunities for developing self-advocacy, having your middle school direct communication with teachers versus jumping in yourself when conflicts arise. While you are still there to support your student, this is a life-long skill that they will thank you for later!
  • Teaching middle schoolers about self reflection is important because we can help them see that they have choices in their school day, especially when it comes to completing assignments and not falling to peer pressure.

Executive Functioning Skills in High School

Your child is now off to high school! This is a pivotal time in a teenager’s life—an opportunity for them to prepare for adulthood while still having the active support of their family. Our resource on high school occupational therapy covers more on this area.

Check out these ideas to encourage continued growth in executive functioning skills as your high schooler heads back to school. 

  • Have a teen driver in your house? Let them drive to the store with their school supply list and get their needed supplies! If you will be paying for the supplies, send them with an allowance to promote money management. For an additional challenge, give them a set time that they need to complete their shopping in to promote time management! 
  • Continue to encourage your teenager to manage conflicts or difficulties with teachers themselves prior to jumping in, because soon, they will not be living in your house and will need to do this themselves!
  • Allow your child to have more of a say in which electives they take. This is a great opportunity for exploration—you never know what class might pique their interest for a future career. 
  • Provide opportunities for your child to learn multiple note-taking methods to organize information in classes. 

More help with executive functioning in kids

Executive functioning skills develop throughout a child’s school years. If you’ve ever wondered how to improve executive functioning skills, hopefully this resource has helped.

Impulse Control Journal the OT Toolbox

Kids of all ages (including adults) can use The Impulse Control Journal to work on self-regulation, self-control, planning, prioritization, and executive functioning skills in everyday tasks. These hands-on journaling sheets are perfect for all ages. Grab the Impulse Control Journal here.

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.

One Zillion Valentines Day Craft

by
Valentines Day crafts

Have you read the book, One Zillion Valentines?  It i such a cute Valentine’s Day book for kids.  We read the book and made a Miniature Candy Heart Valentine based on the book a few weeks back.  That same day, we made this airplane valentine craft too, because we loved this part of the book! Valentines Day crafts are a fun way to work on certain skills in a way that is motivating for kids. This window cling Valentine’s Day craft we made years ago is a fine motor powerhouse, a lot like this airplane craft.   

This is just one of the Valentine’s Day occupational therapy activities here on the website. Use this heart craft to work on skills like fine motor strength, dexterity, direction following, and more.


Valentines Day craft for kids

Have you read the book, One Zillion Valentines? Such a cute book for kids and this craft is based on the book.

Valentines Children’s Book Activity

Pairing a book with therapy or when working on skills with kids is a fun way to open up conversation, problem solving, and strategizing to create a project or activity based on the book. This Valentine’s Day book for kids is just that. One Zillion Valentines is one children’s book that pairs nicely with a fine motor craft for kids.   This post contains affiliate links.

One Zillion Valentines craft

Valentines Day Book Activity

One Zillion Valentines is one fun book for kids around Valentine’s Day.  We love this part of the book…the message and the images!  We decided to make our own airplane craft for Valentine’s Day.

First we drew a big glue heart on large blue paper. Be sure to use squeeze glue for strengthening the hands.

Grab a handful of cotton balls.  Some brands of cotton balls are rolled and you can pinch and unroll the layers of cotton.  This is a great fine motor activity for kids!  Other brands of cotton balls can be pinched apart into strands.  

This is ALSO a great fine motor activity for kids!  Pinching and pulling the cotton balls apart works on the intrinsic hand strength of the small muscles of the hands.  These are the muscles that are located within the hand and are essential for endurance during writing and coloring tasks while holding a writing utensil with an open web space.

Make a paper airplane from red cardstock.  My Little Guy (age 5) was totally into following a step by step example to make his own airplane.  

Glue the paper airplane onto the trail of Valentine smoke and you’ve got a super cute airplane craft! Keeping the cotton strands on the glue is an exercise in eye-hand coordination.

This is a great craft that doubles as a book extension activity AND a means for working on specific skills.

How to make this Valentine’s Day Craft:

Time needed: 15 minutes

Make a Valentine’s Craft based on One Zillion Valentines.

  1. Create the background of this Valentine’s day craft.

    Use squeeze glue to draw a big swoop on blue construction paper. This will be the clouds following the airplane.

  2. Use cotton balls to make clouds.

    Stretch out the cotton balls using both hands. This is a great fine motor workout.

  3. Make a paper airplane.

    Use red paper (if you have it) to match the book. Fold a paper airplane by bending the paper in half and folding the top of the page into a point. Fold in half again. Bend the wings down in the opposite direction. It can help to make a paper airplane along side your child so they can copy each step.

  4. Glue the paper airplane onto the page.

    Add the paper airplane at the end of the cotton clouds.

More Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids

There are many Valentines’ Day activities here on The OT Toolbox that double as fine motor and visual motor powerhouses. Check out some of these Valentine’s Day themed activities for therapy:

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.

Healthy Habits for Kids

by

Occupational therapists can play a powerful role in establishing healthy habits in kids. The Occupational Therapy Framework indicates a connection between healthy routines and occupations, making healthy habit monitoring and implementation of strategies a meaningful role for therapists to address. Therapists work on a variety of skills when they take the “whole person” lens on helping kids achieve functional goals. Providing healthy habits as part of that wholistic approach can be a supplement to traditional occupational therapy interventions.

Healthy habits in kids allow for occupational performance.

Healthy Habits in Kids and Occupational therapy

According to the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, Domain and Process, therapists can play a powerful role in addressing healthy habits in kids. A habit such as drinking enough water, getting enough sleep revolves around routines. Using practical suggestions, adaptive materials, or modifications such as equipment that supports the individual’s specific needs, OTs can address those needs to make healthy choices a part of a child’s every day.

Healthy habits that can impact a child’s occupational roles (school work and learning, play, roles as a sibling or family member, etc.) can include these:

  • Education on getting enough sleep
  • Limiting personal device screen time or television
  • Getting enough physical activity
  • Making good food choices
  • Spending enough time studying
  • COmpleting household roles such as chores
  • Using a positive mindset during various occupational roles
Help kids with healthy routines like sleep, reducing screen time, healthy foods, and getting enough physical activity.

Occupatioanl Therapy’s role in establishing healthy habits in kids

All of these areas impact function. When a child doesn’t get enough sleep, they can struggle with task completion, learning, and general occupational performance.

AOTA Fact Sheet on sleep describes interventions and the role of OT in addressing sleep issues in children and adults. SOme of those interventions can be included in educating family members, and others are performed by directly intervening with the child through awareness and strategies, etc.

This might look like the following ways to make sleep a healthy habit in kids:

  • Educating on routines and patterns
  • Sensory strategies to calm or to address sensory seeking/sensory avoiding behaviors
  • Visual schedules and step-by-step task lists
  • Sharing options for sleepwear and bedding to address sensory needs
  • Making suggestions for the evening routines
  • Family calming routines and activities
  • Suggestions on lighting, white noise options, relaxation time before bed
  • Daytime activities that can increase activity and exercise resulting in better sleep
  • Interoception education and interventions
  • Bedtime snack suggestions
  • Bedtime relaxation stretches to calm and organize the sensory system right before bed
  • Use of modifications such as blackout curtains, white noise machines, compression pajamas, weighted blankets, bedding, etc.

Similar to addressing sleep needs in children, OT can play a role in intervening in other healthy patterns by educating, providing strategies to address sensory needs, intervening in alertness and modulation, providing modifications to current environments, informing parents on interoception and the role that sensory system plays in areas like thirst, eating, rest, etc.

Likewise, providing visual and verbal cues through checklists and bringing self-awareness to the child is an important strategy.

Using a checklist, short journaling prompts, habit trackers, etc. are great strategies.

The thing is that making these choices are not so much difficult, as they are…not easy. It’s easier for them to grab an unhealthy snack. It’s easier to sit and watch videos on their tablet. It’s easier to stay sedentary than it is to get up and go outside. It’s easier to toss their shoes, coats, food wrappers, whatever everywhere than it is to pitch in and declutter.

But, providing education, awareness, and intervention can help to move unhealthy choices toward the right direction.

Use journaling, lists, and trackers to help kids form healthy habits.

Healthy Habits and Executive Functioning

Take a look at some of the healthy habits kids are impacted by in everyday tasks. It’s interesting to note the role that executive functioning skills play in making these decisions. A decision to eat a bunch of junk food over a healthy snack can be impacted by impulse control and self-regulation. Similarly, making a point to put down a screen device or making an active choice to participate in physical play takes incentive on the part of a child. There is so that goes into a child making healthy choices beyond simply knowing it’s good for them.

But there’s more to it than simply comfort levels. Executive functioning and higher-level cognitive skills play a huge impact in breaking bad habits, and making healthy choices that ultimately lead to healthy routines.

One study found that the disruption of unhealthy habits can be made possible by improvements in executive function. It indicated that cognitive flexibility, is a means to making these changes by behavioral changes.

Strategies to improve healthy habits in kids

In all unhealthy habits that impact occupation, therapists can work through making parents more aware of the issues limiting occupational performance. They can educate the family members about what’s going on behind the scenes to impact that performance level, and they can provide specific interventions to address those needs.

Teach healthy habits in kids by modeling good habits

Affiliate links included below.

One of the best ways to encourage healthy habits in children is to model healthy habits as an adult. When kids see mom, dad, or other key adults in their lives doing the very healthy tasks of making smart food choices, exercising, sleeping, putting down the screens, that visual is a way to help kids develop and grow as they make their own healthy choices. It’s a win-win!

One way that adults can model healthy choices is through exercising in the home. When kids see adults exercising, they have that positive interaction with physical activity.

Having a treadmill in the home is one sure-fire way to encourage movement, exercise, and healthy habits that are integrated into the day-to-day. Use the motivating aspects of music, podcasts, and even Netflix when running on the treadmill. What motivates you?

With the Horizon Fitness treadmills and fitness equipment, there are a number of entertainment apps and streaming options, including Bluetooth speakers,  live or on-demand fitness apps, and other streaming fitness opportunities. All of these extras are designed to promote improved physical exercise and meaningful motivation.

What a fun way to encourage healthy family habits!

Teach healthy habits in kids with routines

For routines such as physical activity, therapists can help individuals identify goals, provide potential physical activity ideas and methods, and establish tracking methods to help them monitor, measure progress, and revise goal areas.

Kids can establish healthy habits with these strategies.

Habit tracking and progress monitoring

The Impulse Control Journal is one method of tracking habits and monitoring personal goals with kids. The journaling sheets, habit trackers, goal planning sheets, and jun pages make a creative and realistic means of working toward healthy habits that improve occupational performance.

Impulse Control Journal the OT Toolbox

References:

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2014b). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (3rd ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(Suppl. 1), S1–S48. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2014.682006

MePicard, M. American Occupational Therapy Association. (2017). Occupational Therapy’s Role in Sleep. Retrieved from https://www.aota.org/.

Reifenberg, G., & Persch, A. (2018, January 22). Practical Tools for Addressing Healthy Habits in Children. Retrieved January 28, 2020, from https://www.aota.org/publications-news/otp/archive/2018/practical-tools-for-addressing-healthy-habits-in-children.aspx

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.

Books About Executive Functioning

by
books to teach executive functioning skills

Reading is a great life-long occupation! Did you know that there are books on executive functioning for all ages? Check out this list for your next read, while teaching kids about executive functioning skills…and maybe learning a thing or two yourself! These books are great tools to support mental dexterity in daily tasks at all ages and stages.

Books on Executive Functioning for All Ages

Books are an accessible and approachable learning opportunity for many skills, including executive functioning! From children’s books, to workbooks geared to teens, to evidence-filled books for adults, there is a plethora of option to meet your needs. 

Amazon affiliate links are included in this post.

books to teach executive functioning skills

Books on Executive Functioning for Ages 4-10

Experts support the use of books to support child development in social and emotional health, which is highly interconnected to executive functioning. Children in the early school-age range benefit from intentional introduction to these concepts. Many books geared toward this age lend themselves to activities to further solidify their concepts. 

Executive function books for kids

Here are a few favorites for this age range! 

  • The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
  • Books by Julia Cook, including It’s Hard to be a VERB!, -Difficulty with impulse control can look like wiggles, getting out of one’s seat, fidgeting, or constantly moving. This is a great book on managing impulses.
  • My Mouth is a Volcano! – A great book on impulse control, managing thoughts and words, and teaching the skill of listening and waiting for one’s turn to speak.
  • Planning Isn’t My Priority…and Making Priorities Isn’t in My Plans!– Planning, prioritizing, and thinking ahead can be hard. This book teaches kids about making choices, prioritizing, and using one’s strengths and weaknesses creatively to build these essential executive functioning skills.
  • I Can’t Find My Watchamacallit!– Some kids are more organized than others. This books highlights unique skills and helps kids understand, develop, and apply organization skills.

These books can make reading fun for even the most hesitant reader!

Books on Executive Functioning for Ages 11-18

This is a fun (and critical) age range for executive functioning development! Self-awareness is beginning to develop further. These books emphasize skill development in this area to promote participation in everyday activities!

Executive function books for teens

Check out these books for preteens and teens:

Books on Executive Functioning for Ages 18+

Whether an individual struggling with the demands of executive functioning in everyday life, a parent, or a professional, there are plenty of books for adults to learn more about executive functioning! Some are even available as audiobooks, if you are looking to develop the skill of shifting and divided attention by multitasking! 

In this list, you are bound to find some new favorites! Enjoy learning more about the brain. After all, that in itself is an executive function!

Impulse Control Journal the OT Toolbox

Kids of all ages (including adults) can use The Impulse Control Journal to work on self-regulation, self-control, planning, prioritization, and executive functioning skills in every day tasks. These hands-on journaling sheets are perfect for all ages. Grab the Impulse Control Journal here.