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:

How to Take a Multisensory Approach to Academics

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Using a multisensory approach to learning is easy and motivating for kids plus there is a huge benefit to adding sensory academic activities into the classroom.

Here we are covering easy ways to take a multisensory approach to academics. Occupational therapy and multisensory learning go hand in hand. And, when using the fundamental benefits of a several sensory areas in academics, the learner benefits. Let’s go a bit deeper, and then share 10 Fun Sensory Academic Activities.

Using a multisensory approach to learning is easy and motivating for kids plus there is a huge benefit to adding sensory academic activities into the classroom.

A multisensory Approach to academics

Sensory rich activities can teach children academic skills, even if they don’t like to sit down and do worksheets. This blog includes 10 exciting ways to teach preschoolers new skills using sensory rich components such as tactile, visual, auditory and movement based components. 

As a preschool teacher, I am always looking for new ways to teach academic skills to the children who aren’t interested in sitting and attending to small group activities. Tracing letters, taking turns with manipulatives and completing teacher directed tasks aren’t easy for some children. But I want to make sure they are learning the skills they need for Kindergarten readiness. 

Read our resource on tracing sheets for a multisensory approach to learning letters.

When teachers use a multisensory teaching approach, there are many benefits that can be covered.

This blog explains the benefits of sensory play. “Sensory play offers many benefits. It expands children’s vocabulary as they learn about descriptors or attributes, like warm, rough, smooth, and slimy. It’s a great way to teach your children how to describe the world around them.

This type of exploration also supports development of fine and gross motor skills. When children are squeezing dough or holding a paint brush, they’re engaging the small muscles in their fingers and hands. During puddle jumping, they’re using their larger muscle groups.

Because sensory play is open-ended, it naturally fosters independence. They can explore the world and get creative with objects they are playing with. There’s no right or wrong way to play.”

As we work with these children becoming interested in group and social foundations (such as turn taking and participating in adult led activities)  there are some other ways to teach foundational academic skills to these children using sensory rich components.

When children use multiple senses to learn new skills, they are not only able to remember the new skill more easily, they are able to attend to the activity longer. This article explains how sensory and attention are connected. 

Try adding these multisensory approaches to learning.

10 ways to take a multisensory approach to learning

Now that we’ve covered why a varied sensory offerings impact learning, let’s cover various ways to integrate the senses into a learning environment. Here are ten ways to impact learning through a multi-sensory approach.

1. Offer multisensory instruction with a sensory bin

Sensory bins are a novel environment for students to explore a new concepts. With a sneosy bin includes textures, movement, changes in body positioning, there are manu senses that are used at once while discovering a theme, concept, or idea. Learners can challenge the tactile sense, visual sense, proprioceptive sense, vestibular sense, and even olfactory sense in a sensory bin.

For preschoolers and older kids, try these ideas for multisensory learning using sensory bins:

Visual cues are such an important sensory component that we often forget about. When we see items, we learn how to differentiate them from others. A quick way to incorporate multisensory approach to learning colors, for example, can involve using colored sand or colored rice, to enhance the visual sense, tactile sense, and proprioceptive sense. Not only will children enjoy sorting the objects by color, they will be able to explore the items using their hands. They can scoop, stir, and pour the heavy medium while incorporating colored letters, different colored scoops, colored sensory bin cards, and other materials. Add some scoops to the bins to encourage fine motor development. 

2. Add Nature for a multisensory approach to math

A favorite nature game, this activity uses the tactile sense to encourage movement, motor planning and number sense. Have the child use a bucket gather items they see while outside on a nature walk. They can gather rocks, pinecones, leaves, sticks, flower petals, etc. When you make it to the end of the walk, sort the items out into piles. Now, count how many of each item you have. Which one do they have the most of? The least of? 

A nature-based sensory approach to adding, subtracting, sorting, patterning, shapes, etc. involves several sensory systems: auditory, tactile, visual, proprioceptive, vestibular, and olfactory.

A nature sensory walk can be applied to other learning concepts too, like in this nature rainbow hunt idea.

3. Use a movement-based approach in learning

One way to incorpoate the proprieoceptive and vestibular senses into learning (or kinesthetic learning, as some may consider this approach), is with a game-based learning experience. This can be accomplished with tossing bean bags, throwing a beach ball, balancing, or kicking a ball.

For example, Kick and Count is a game that teaches one to one correspondence to those kids that love to move! All you need are 5 balls and an outdoor area. Line of the 5 balls in a row and ask the child to count each ball before they kick it as hard as they can! You can even add in description words: 

“Kick the ball hard, soft, slow, fast, up, straight, to the left, to the right, backwards… etc)

With any movement approach, add spelling words, facts, sight words, colors, names, etc. to the movement task.

4. Gross Motor Learning

Similar to the specific movement-based approaches listed above, a gross motor obstacle course type of learning activity can be used with learning concepts. The difference? This multisensory approach gets those heart rates up, integrating the interoceptive sense into learning.

For example, students can move around the room to find information cards, letters, spelling word cards, or other visual. More specifically, for kids that are learning to identify letters, match upper and lowercase letters, or write letters, you could use this alphabet bundle. In Alphabet Chase: Sammy Chases the Alphabet, kids can run, donkey kick, crab walk, or hop around the room to locate letter visuals.

After reading the story “Sammy Chases the Alphabet” place letter stickers onto ball pit balls and through them around the room. Have children find them, naming the letters that they find. This game is so much fun every child will enjoy learning their letters. Once children have identified the uppercase letters, switch out the alphabet on the ball pit balls to lowercase letters. Chasing after the alphabet is so much fun!

5. Take a multisensory approach to learning using games

There are so many great games that can be used in learning. Whether you are addressing math, phonetics, handwriting, reading fluency, science, or other area, games can be integrated into learning in some way. Take a look at these various ways to use games in learning. Coming from an OT’s perspective, we’ve been sure to include how these games complement functional skill areas and the senses.

Try to think of ways to use games like Simon Says, Head Bandz, Twister, Seven Up, Checkers, Connect 4 in learning. There are SO many ways to adapt a single game to meet the curriculum needs. Use these printable Simon Says commands.

6. Use cooking as a multisensory learning experience

Using cooking tasks for learning is a motivating and meaningful strategy for learning through the senses. Getting kids involved with cooking tasks is a must. Cooking offers not only a multisensory approach…there are SO many senses involved with cooking! But, cooking is a powerful learning tool, too.

When kids are active in the kitchen, they can look at math, reading, fractions, executive functioning skills, problem solving, eye-hand coordination, visual motor skills, fine motor skills and more. All of these cognitive skills and motor skills impact overall functioning.

7. Use Play Dough mats as a multisensory learning approach

For kids working on handwriting, fluency, comprehension, a quick way to add heavy work input is with a play dough warm-up. In therapy sessions, a handwriting play dough mat can be used for writing prompts. Work on letter formation, line use, spacing and other handwriting needs after heavy work input through the hands.

  • This play dough mat deal is a steal with printable handouts for working out the hands and then working on handwriting.
  • Address letter formation with these letter play dough mats that include a “sky line” and “dirt line” for line and size awareness in teaching letter formation.

8.Incorporate visual and auditory cues into learning

With the Soothing Sammy curriculum, you can address emotional regulation within learning experiences to help kids calm down using visual and auditory cues.

A learning experience that adds visual cues using a flashlight or pointer light plus auditory prompts adds to a typical classroom experience. Consider these tactics:

  • Use a highlighter and black light for a fun visual twist
  • Incorporate music
  • Add low lights to learning for a change in the classroom environment
  • Use the game “telephone” to pass on information
  • Use whisper phones for reading

9. Utilize heavy work input using LEGO in multisensory learning strategies

Novel experiences like bringing in a bin of LEGO offers a fun and engaging learning experience. But when you stop to consider different ways to use one material, you get the wheels turning. Better yet, building with LEGO offers sensory input in many ways: proprioceptive input through the hands to click LEGO together and take them apart, visual processing, tactile input, and auditory processing as the bricks click together.

Use these learning with LEGO ideas for math, literacy, letter formation, pre-writing lines, and more.

How many ways can you think of to incorporate LEGO blocks into a multisensory approach to learning?

10. Use recycled containers in a multisensory approach to learning

One of the easiest ways to incorporate a variety of textures (tactile sense), weights (proprioceptive sense), colors (visual sense), and movement (vestibular sense) is by using a variety of materials. And, one trip to the recycle bin can fill your toolbox with the materials you need for learning at a no-brainer cost (FREE!).

These sensory-rich activities will engage any child and teach new skills through play. We all know how important it is for children to attend to tasks in circle time, group time and other important instances throughout the day.

A final note on using a multisensory approach

As teachers, our goal is for all of our students to succeed. This list of 10 sensory rich academic activities can be used at home, at school or in therapy settings. With these ideas as a starting point, how can you adjust the multisensory themes to meet the needs of your classroom, educational curriculum, and students? Plus, don’t forget the power of brain breaks in learning. With many ideas out there, you can usually find a themed brain break that fits in with educational topics.

As children start to love learning, they will become more interested in participating in more adult directed tasks, preparing them for Kindergarten and Beyond. What is your favorite sensory-rich academic game?

Jeana Kinne is a veteran preschool teacher and director. She has over 20 years of experience in the Early Childhood Education field. Her Bachelors Degree is in Child Development and her Masters Degree is in Early Childhood Education. She has spent over 10 years as a coach, working with Parents and Preschool Teachers, and another 10 years working with infants and toddlers with special needs. She is also the author of the “Sammy the Golden Dog” series, teaching children important skills through play.

Fine Motor Penguin Worksheet

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Free penguin worksheet for fine motor skills

This time of year is perfect for a penguin theme and the fine motor penguin worksheet below is a perfect addition to a penguin lesson plan. This penguin worksheet works on a variety of fine motor skills and can be adjusted to meet educational needs as well, making it a functional worksheet for kids. Use it along with a Tacky The Penguin book and theme, and fun facts about penguins (great for writing prompts while working on handwriting!)

Free fine motor penguin activity with this penguin worksheet

When planning a penguin theme, be sure to add activities from our new Penguin Therapy Kit. It’s got fine motor, gross motor, self-regulation, sensory materials, scissor skill activities, handwriting tasks, and more.

Let’s get on with this free penguin worksheet!

Penguin Worksheet for Fine Motor Skills

As occupational therapists, we love all things function, so functional handwriting beats out on rote copying any day. We can help kids with handwriting skills using a motivating topic like penguins, or we can use discussion of facts that go with an educational theme when working on handwriting skills. The fine motor worksheet here is a perfect addition to that functional and educational topic because it can be used as a hand-warm-up while staying on a theme that is being discussed in the classroom. For OTs pushing into the classroom, this will be a fine motor warm-up that the whole class might want to join in on!

First start with the fine motor work out using the penguin worksheet and then move onto penguin writing prompts.

Then, add other penguin activities like this penguin yoga, penguin deep breathing, and penguin brain breaks, sensory bin play.

Penguin writing Prompts

When thinking about penguins, the movie, March of the Penguins comes to mind.

March of the Penguins Writing Prompts- Use the movie, March of the Penguins as a writing prompt idea to work on handwriting skills after you do a fine motor warm up with our free penguin fine motor worksheet.

I imagine everyone has a different take away from the film March of the Penguins. For me, it was seeing how cold it was in Antarctica in the winter, and watching that poor Dad penguin who has to sit on that egg all winter, while the Mom goes out and gets a few snacks. There was that one scene where the penguin BECOMES the snack, but let’s gloss over that part. 

Other people watching the film might take away the fact that the Dad was really stepping up to do his part in the family. These types of Emperor penguins  mate for life, and start this ritual every march.

Depending on your audience, this movie leads to opportunities for some deep discussion. Use those discussions as writing prompts.

  • Penguin facts
  • Facts about Antarctica
  • Facts about Emperor penguins

Tacky the Penguin Writing Prompts- If your learners are preschoolers or young children, reading Tacky the Penguin, by Helen Lester might be more their speed. 

  • Write out the story in a comic strip type of writing prompt
  • List out penguin names from Tacky the Penguin
  • List out features of Tacky that describe: loud, distracting, funny, is himself
  • Incorporate interoception concepts from the Tacky the Penguin that kids can relate to.
  • Use materials from these Tacky the Penguin
  • Incorporate activities and ideas from this Tacky the Penguin lesson plan.

Penguin Facts Writing Prompts- Use other penguin facts as writing prompts no matter the age of the learner.

  • Facts about penguin species
  • Penguin features
  • Penguin eggs
  • Penguin habitats

Create an entire treatment plan around this penguin winter theme. Whatever direction you decide to take your penguin writing theme, the OT Toolbox has you covered with penguin worksheets and printables.

Before rushing out to watch March of the Penguins (I may be scarred for life), perhaps take in a viewing of Happy Feat for a lighter film.  Also consider purchasing this winter fine motor set as an add on to your treatment theme:

In the Penguin Therapy Kit, you’ll find penguin writing pages to use with these handwriting tasks. There are also penguin-themed sensory bin materials, letter formation cards with a penguin theme.

Penguin Worksheet

Along with the writing prompt ideas, use the free penguin printable below to address fine motor skill work. It’s appropriate for many ages and skill needs. From tracing, to cutting the penguin paths, to working on in-hand manipulation, pencil control, and more.

Beyond a cute tracing activity, this penguin worksheet targets many different skills:

  1. Tracing for dexterity works on staying on the lines, fine motor control, building hand muscles, scanning and a whole host of other important skills as defined below.
  2. Visual motor skills –Combining what is seen visually and what is written motorically.  This takes coordination to be able to translate information from visual input to motor output. Coloring, drawing, counting, cutting, and tracing are some visual motor skills.
  3. Kinesthetic awareness – This means learning by doing.
  4. Hand strength and dexterity – staying on the lines builds hand muscles and develops muscle control. 
  5. Visual Perception – Developing figure ground to see where the lines start and end, being able to follow the path with the eye and hand, seeing the dotted lines creating a path rather than just dots.
  6. Strength – Core strength needed for sitting, shoulder/elbow/wrist stability, finger strength, and head control all play their role in writing.
  7. Bilateral Coordination – Be sure your learner uses their helper hand for stabilizing the paper while using their dominant hand for writing.
  8. Social/Executive Function – Following directions, task completion, orienting to details, neatness, multi-tasking, attending to task, and impulse control can be addressed using this Penguin worksheet.

There are many different variables that can be modified while using this activity:

  1. Paper: 
  • lightweight paper is much more difficult to stabilize than heavy weight construction or cardstock paper.  
  • Colored paper may be easier or more difficult for children to work with because of color contrasts.
  • The page can be laminated first, using wipe off markers to trace the penguin paths.  This is a great way to make this page reusable. 
  1. Writing utensils: 
  • There are endless possibilities for written expression.  Markers, crayons, colored pencils, paints, watercolor, chalk, or dry erase pens all provide different input, and require different levels of fine motor skill to manipulate. 
  • Small one inch crayons are excellent for developing those tiny hand muscles.  
  • Chalk, with its grainy texture, provides sensory feedback and can be a positive (or negative) experience
  • Markers glide easily, requiring less precision and grip strength
  • Change writing utensils to appeal to different students and improve their level of motivation. 
  1. Other ways to change this task:
  • Have learners write on a slant board to build wrist control and shoulder stability
  • Try having learners lying prone on the floor with the page in front to build shoulder stability
  • Lying supine with the page taped above the child, under the table builds shoulder and wrist stability
  • Project this page onto a smart board for students to come to the board and write in big letters.
  • Enlarge or shrink this page to make it easier/harder
  • Place mini erasers or beads along the path
  • Different levels of prompting may be needed to grade the activity to make it easier or harder
  • Make this part of a larger lesson plan including gross motor, sensory, social, executive function, or other fine motor skills
  • Press a fingertip into paint and dot along the lines to work on finger isolation and separation of the sides of the hand

Use the penguin worksheet for sensory play

  • Use sugar cubes to move along the worksheet path and to make igloos
  • Make fake snow to get hands into for more fine motor play. Slide the worksheet into a page protector. Use the fake snow to mold a snowy path along the penguin’s path.
  • Shredded paper in a pool would make a great snow activity. Spread it along the penguin path, adding glue to create a textured, snowy path.
  • Trace the lines with squeeze glue and add craft materials.
  • Use glue and feathers to make a feathery walk to the penguin.
  • Use the penguin path in a preschool penguin theme in a sensory bin using penguin figures, dry beans, scoops, and tongs.

Free Fine Motor Penguin Worksheet

Want to get your hands on this free printable so the kids you serve can develop stronger hands? Enter your email address into the form below for access through your email inbox. This resource is also available in our Member’s Club…you’ve asked for it: A one-stop space to access all of our free downloads in one place. Members can log into their dashboard and download every freebie we have on the website in one place. You’ll also find exclusive Member’s Only materials. Level 2 members get immediate access to the Penguin Therapy Kit mentioned in this post.

Free Fine Motor Penguin Worksheet

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

    Victoria Wood, OTR/L

    *The term, “learner” is used throughout this post for readability, however this information is relevant for students, patients, clients, children of all ages, etc. The term “they” is used instead of he/she to be inclusive.

    Indoor Ice Skating Activity for Gross Motor Skills

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    indoor ice skating activity

    This indoor ice skating activity is an older blog post on The OT Toolbox, but the gross motor benefits are perfect for today! Did you know you can use an indoor balance and coordination activity like paper plate ice skating (and the inside skating task below) to challenge and integrate proprioceptive input, vestibular sensory input, and work on various gross motor skills. This is a fun indoor gross motor activity kids love.

    Use this indoor ice skating activity to challenge gross motor skills, balance, endurance, and add sensory input.

    Indoor Ice Skating Activity

    Sometimes, you come across a play activity that provides many skill areas and is just plain old fun.  These indoor ice skates proprioception and vestibular activity is one of those.  

    A few years ago, we shared a bunch of winter sensory integration activities.  This is on of those movement sensory ideas (that we’re just getting around to sharing this year!)

    With this indoor ice skating activity, you can play indoors AND incorporate proprioceptive input, vestibular input, crossing midline, visual scanning, motor planning, among other therapy areas…all with play.  


    Add these resources to the ones you can find here under sensory diet vestibular activities to meet the sensory needs of all kids. 

    This is a great indoor therapy activity for challenging balance and endurance.

    • Ask kids to follow a specific path to work on memory, sequencing, and motor planning.
    • Ask the child to move the indoor skates along a straight line and then bend and stoop to retrieve objects.
    • Incorporate the indoor skating activity into an Olympics therapy theme.
    • Use the indoor skates to move in circles, curved lines, and move as a real ice skater.
    • Ask the skater to carry objects from one point to another.

    In this skating activity, kids are really challenging strength and balance. The carpeted surface is a slick and slippery surface when sliding with a non-resistant surface when sliding on a paper plate, wax paper, or cardboard. TO slide, you need to move the legs along without lifting along the carpet, using core strength to maintain balance.  

    To move the feet, kids need to engage muscles of the core help maintain balance without falling or sliding.  

    Indoor Ice Skates proprioception and vestibular sensory play activity

    Tissue Box Ice Skates

    This is an activity that I remember doing as a kid.  When the weather is too cold or icy to get outdoors, adding any vestibular or proprioception input can be just what the child with sensory needs craves.

    To make your own indoor ice skating activity, all you need is a couple of cardboard tissue boxes and a carpeted floor.

    If you don’t have tissue boxes, you can use other materials to make indoor ice skates. Or, try some of these ideas. The options are limitless:

    • Tissue boxes
    • Cereal box cut in half
    • Paper plates
    • Styrofoam plates
    • Two pieces of wax paper
    • Pieces of cardboard delivery box
    • 2 plastic frisbees
    • Padded delivery envelopes (think Amazon delivery pouches)
    • Any cardboard box!

    Depending on the material and the user’s motor skills, you may need to strap the cardboard pieces onto shoes with pieces of tape. Other users can slide their feet to move the materials along carpeted surface by sliding their feet.

    There are many skills that are developed with this indoor ice skating activity. Let’s cover those therapy skill areas:

    Indoor ice skates with cardboard boxes add proprioception and vestibular sensory play.
    Use cardboard boxes to make a pair of indoor “ice skates” that work on a carpet.

    Indoor Ice Skating and proprioception

    Use empty tissue boxes to create ice skate “boots”.  Moving the feet along the carpet requires heavy work, coordination, balance, and awareness of position in space.

    Incorporate proprioceptive input by using a blanket and pull your child around a carpeted area.  Ask them to squat down to a skater’s ready position as you pull them, too.


    Try skating with the tissue boxes as an adult pulls the child along with a blanket or towel.  Play tug of war with the blanket, too.

    Read more about proprioception activities and how they impact functional skills.

    Indoor Ice skating and Vestibular Sensory

    A child can work on vestibular input by skating fast from one target to another. Encourage them to position themselves in different ways as they skate around a carpeted room.  

    This activity works on crossing midline as the child “skis”.  Sometimes you might see children with vestibular difficulties who have difficulty determining proper motor planning in activities.  They might have trouble crossing midline in functional tasks as well as difficulties with reading and writing.  


    A movement activity that challenges the body’s position in space like this one can help with these problem areas.

    Read more about vestibular sensory activities and how these therapy tasks impact functional skills.

    More Winter activities to use in occupational therapy

    Add this indoor ice skating activity to these other winter ideas for occupational therapy sessions or home programming:

    Snowman Therapy Activity Kit
    Snowman Therapy Kit

    This print-and-go snowman-themed therapy kit includes no-prep fine motor, gross motor, sensory, visual processing, handwriting, self-regulation, and scissor skill activities to help kids develop essential skills. Includes everything you need for therapy tasks, home therapy sessions, and movement-based learning.

    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.

    Icicle Winter Scissor Skills Activity

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    Paper icicle craft

    This paper icicle craft is a fun one for wintertime occupational therapy activities. If you are working on Scissor skills, cutting icicles into paper is a great fine motor task that builds eye-hand coordination, crossing midline, and visual motor skills to cut basic shapes. Be sure to add this paper icicle template for more tools for your winter occupational therapy toolbox.

    Take fine motor work a step further by grabbing our new winter crossword puzzle to incorporate a whole winter theme.

    Paper icicle craft that helps kids develop scissor skills, a great preschool craft for winter.

    Paper Icicle Craft

    Do you have a little one who is just learning to master scissors?  Scissor Skills for children who have never picked up a pair of scissors before can be very daunting.  Frustrations can build and the next thing you know, your little sweetheart is spiking the scissors across the table!  

    Kids learn all things at different paces.  Every developmental milestone and functional activity are achieved at different paces. 

    Scissor use is no different.  Kids as young as two can start to snip paper (and probably with an awkward-two handed grasp on the scissors!)  And as their fine motor skills develop, will achieve more and more accuracy with scissor use.   

    This winter themed Icicle cutting activity is a great beginner project for new scissor users.  The strait cuts, bold lines, and even paper type are good modifications for a new little scissor-hands!  

    Icicle Craft Beginner Scissor Skills Activity

    Winter Icicle Craft

    Preschoolers are just beginning to gain more control over scissors.  Preschool activities like this icicle craft at the way to go when it comes to building motor skills.

    Strait lines are the perfect way to gain confidence when they are learning to cut…and ensure that they’ll want to pick up the scissors and try another craft again soon!  We started out with nice strait lines on these icicles.  Little Guy could cut the whole way across the page without needing to rotate the page to cut a curve or angle.

    Draw icicles on paper to work on cutting with scissors. Great for winter occupational therapy activities.


    Note: This post contains affiliate links.

    How to Modify this Icicle Craft

    The smallest icicle could have been a harder task for him to cut, if he turned the whole page around like he started out doing. 

    We used a few different strategies to scaffold this paper icicle craft:

    • Cut through the page instead of turning around corners
    • Adjust the paper weight to a thicker resistance
    • Thicker cutting lines
    • Trials with thinner lines to carryover the task with practice
    • Verbal and visual cues

    I prompted him to start one line from the edge of the paper and then instead of rotating the whole page (which would have probably given him a big chopped off icicle point), I showed him how to start the other side from the edge as well.  He was much more accurate with the lines and wanted to keep going!

    We had two different types of paper for our icicles.  The first set was drawn on a sheet of white cardstock. 

    Cutting from this thicker paper is a great beginning step for new scissor users and a modification often used for kids with fine motor difficulties. 

    The thicker paper requires slower snips and allows for more accuracy.  I also drew the icicles on the cardstock with nice thick lines.  This gave Little Guy more room to cut within the lines and allowed for less line deviation. 

    The second set of icicles were drawn with thinner lines on printer paper.  After practicing on the first set, he was game to cut more  icicles.  The thinner paper and lines requires more control of the scissors and better line awareness, and bilateral hand coordination.

    Work on preschool scissor skills using aa paper icicle craft.

      This looked like so much fun, that even Big Sister wanted to get in on the icicle-making action!

     
     
    Paper icicle craft for the window
     
    We hung our icicles in the window to match the icy conditions outside.
     
    Looking for more ways to practice beginning cutting? Check out this guide to scissor skills.

    More paper crafts for winter

    You’ll love these other cut and paste crafts for winter. Use them in winter fine motor ideas for occupational therapy activities

    • Winter crafts using paper and a variety of textures for sensory play, motor planning, and motor skills.
    • Paper Icicle Craft is an actual printable template that you can print off and use to work on the scissor skills we covered in this post. It’s a great way to make an icicle craft.
    • Build a Snowman Craft– Work on scissor skills and fine motor strength to build a paper snowman
    • Use these paper snowflake ideas from our list of snow and ice ideas.
    • Use activities in our Winter Fine Motor Kit.
    • Use the printable ideas in the Penguin Fine Motor Kit for building scissor skills and hand strength.
    • Incorporate snowman crafts and scissor activities using our latest Snowman Therapy Kit.
    winter fine motor kit
    Winter Fine Motor Kit

    Done-for-you motor tasks to help kids form stronger bodies that are ready to learn.

    Use fun, themed, fine motor activities so you can help children develop fine and gross motor skills in a digital world.

    Themed NO-PREP printable pages include tasks to address fine motor skills such as:

    • Endurance Activities
    • Dexterity Activities
    • Graded Precision Activities
    • Pinch and Grip Strength Activities
    • Arch Development Activities
    • Finger Isolation Activities
    • Separation of the Sides of the Hand Activities
    • Open Thumb Web-Space Activities
    • Wrist Extension
    • Bilateral Coordination Activities
    • Eye-Hand Coordination Activities
    • Crossing Midline Activities

    Click here to read more about the Winter Fine Motor Kit.

    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.

    Paper Icicle Template for Scissor Skills

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    paper Icicle craft template

    Looking for quick winter craft that builds skills? This paper icicle template is an icicle craft that kids will love! Use it to hang and decorate a window alongside some paper snowflakes for a wintery scene. Inspired by our icicle activity, this template is easy to use for visual motor skill development. Whether you are working on scissor skills or just want an activity to keep the kids busy, this icicle craft is the way to go!

    Paper icicle craft template

    Looking for a consistent way to support fine motor skills all year?
    This yearlong fine motor system includes seasonal activity kits and monthly data collection tools to support planning and progress monitoring.

    If fine motor planning and data collection feel overwhelming, you’re not alone.
    This done-for-you yearlong bundle organizes seasonal activities and monthly screening tools in one system.

    Get the Yearlong Fine Motor and Data Collection Bundle today!

    Free Paper Icicle Craft Template

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      Paper icicle template

      Ice Ice Baby!

      If you live where it is cold, winter seems here to stay. If you live in one of these frozen territories by choice, fate, obligation, finances, or bad luck, you might as well make the most of it.  Use this cold and blustery weather to create another winter themed lesson plan. Let’s talk icicles!

      When working with kids, it can be fun to pull out some interesting facts. These make great talking points, but for the students working on handwriting, they can spark a writing prompt idea too.

      Icicles can grow at the rate of .39 inches (1 cm)  per minute.  Once the base is formed, each water droplet drips to the bottom of the cone where it freezes. Icicles can be lovely to look at, or be dangerous.  From a homeowner perspective, the icicle can form because of a blockage in the gutter preventing water runoff. Did you see that scene in National Lampoon’s Christmas where the icicle rockets off the roof into the neighbor’s house?  Funny/not funny. 

      The icicle gurus have created and entire Atlas cataloging icicles, saving images, and gathering all of the fun facts surrounding them:

      Lucky for you, the OT Toolbox has designed a safe alternative to live icicles falling off of a building impaling someone or something. How about this icicle craft activity printable template for creating a multitude of fantastic activities for learners of all ages?

      Add this paper icicle activity to your line up of winter occupational therapy crafts.

      While there are endless possibilities for using this icicle template, the best one of course is GLITTER!!  This project screams for glitter.  Who doesn’t love glitter? (custodians, that’s who).  

      Beyond just using fabulous glitter, there are many skills that can be engaged using this icicle template:

      • Scissor skills: this can be graded up or down depending on the level of your learners.
      • Small toddler scissors are just right for tiny hands. 
      • Thicker lines are easier to cut on than thinner ones
      • Larger shapes are easier than their smaller counterparts
      • Stiff paper is easier for cutting and holding than regular copy paper
      • Self opening or loop scissors are another way to make cutting easier for those learning to cut, or lacking the intrinsic hand muscles to open and close scissors.  
      • Did you know left handed people cut in a clockwise direction while their right handed friends cut counter-clockwise?  This allows the helper hand to support the paper adequately while cutting.
      • See this article on developing scissor skills.
      •  Kinesthetic awareness – This means learning by doing.
      •  Hand strength and dexterity – staying on the lines builds hand muscles and develops muscle control. 
      • Coloring and decorating: can incorporate copying from a model, creating an original design, following a pattern, creating a sensory experience, accuracy, neatness, and following directions
      • Visual motor skills –Combining what is seen visually and what is written motorically.  This takes coordination to be able to translate information from visual input to motor output. Coloring, drawing, counting, cutting, and tracing are some visual motor skills.
      •  Visual Perception – Developing figure ground to see where the lines are for drawing and/or cutting.  Many young learners do not notice the black line as a border for cutting and coloring. Try highlighting this in different colors to help it stand out from the background.
      • Strength – Core strength needed for sitting, shoulder/elbow/wrist stability, finger strength, and head control all play their role in visual motor tasks.
      • Bilateral Coordination – Be sure your learner uses their helper hand for stabilizing the paper while using their dominant hand for writing/coloring/cutting.
      • Social/Executive Function – Following directions, turn taking, task completion, orienting to details, neatness, multi-tasking, attending to task, and impulse control can be addressed using this paper icicle template

      The beauty of being able to modify and adapt this and all activities, is they can be made appropriate for many levels of learners from basic to more advanced. You do not have to reinvent the wheel for every learner on your caseload.  With its adaptability, you can quickly make changes if your learner is functioning at a different level than you expected. This is critical as many treatment plans do not go as expected.

      Other ideas for modifying this icicle template craft printable:

      • Cut the items out ahead of time for younger learners who are focusing on coloring and gluing
      • Laminate a few triangles to use as tracing patterns. Tracing around an object builds bilateral coordination.
      • Create patterns for your learners to follow
      • String together to make an icicle garland, working on lacing/hole punching/sequencing, and following directions
      • Make into a matching activity once several icicles are made.  They can be matched by size, color, or design
      • Pin onto a bulletin board or wall to work on coloring on a vertical surface. 
      • Work on the floor while learners are lying in prone
      • Add a gross motor element of having to find all of the triangles and bring them to the table
      • Make this a social activity by having learners share materials
      • Add large pom poms or scrunched up paper on the top of the icicles for a 3d effect
      • Add glitter and sparkles to the icicles for added sparkle and sensory experience
      • Paint the icicles with brushes, water colors, or finger paints
      • Drippy wet glue is preferred as it will stick better.  The added benefit is the sensory input from white glue, as well as the fine motor strengthening from squeezing the bottle
      • The possibilities are virtually endless

      When documenting any of these activities, the activity does not matter as much as the skills being addressed.  Therefore the focus of documenting this icicle template craft will be on the skills such as cutting, coloring, executive function, behavior, strength, etc. rather than giving a lot of specifics about the craft itself.

      Clinical observations during the icicle printable craft:

      • How well does your learner sit at the table?  Are they stable, wiggly, do they fall or get out of the chair?
      • Does your learner use both hands for creating this icicle craft? Do they have a dominant and a helper hand, or switch back and forth?
      • How close to the line does your learner cut?
      • How much physical and verbal assistance does your learner need?
      • What is their grasping pattern on the scissors, crayons, markers?
      • What is their sensory response to glue, glitter, noise in the room, visual distractions?
      • What social and executive skills is your learner using and lacking? Cooperation, turn taking, following directions, attention to detail?
      • What behavior reactions are you noticing? Crying, poor frustration tolerance, seeking, avoiding behaviors?

      In order to be well rounded in any treatment plans, it will be important to use more than one task to measure objectives and goals.  Here is a great article on fine motor skills written by Colleen Beck, that includes background information on fine motor skills, activities, and resources.

      Free Paper Icicle Template

      Free Paper Icicle Craft Template

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        It is no secret, I am not a fan of winter, however I do remember the wonder of looking up at the icicles formed on buildings, street signs, and monuments. I remember munching on an icicle or two as if it was a candy cane.  We did not worry about acid rain, runoff, and other germs back in the 70s. Try and take a moment, slow down, and breathe in the wonder of nature.

        I ate dirty icicles!

        Victoria Wood, OTR/L

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

        Build a Snowman Printable

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        Build a snowman printable is a paper snowman craft to develop fine motor skills, bilateral coordination skills, and more.

        Today we have a fun fine motor paper snowman craft. It’s a “build a snowman printable” that you can print out and use to work on so many therapy skills. There is just something about making a snowman during the winter months, right? Today’s free fine motor snowman activity that kids will LOVE. So, do you want to build a snowman?

        Build a snowman printable is a paper snowman craft to develop fine motor skills, bilateral coordination skills, and more.

        Build a Snowman Printable

        Heck yes!  Wait, not if I have to go outside.  With this great fine motor snowman printable activity, you can build a paper snowman from the comfort of your own house, in your pajamas, with a cup of cocoa if you like…and work on fine motor skills, scissor skills, sequencing, bilateral coordination, and more!

        It’s no secret I love crafts.  You could pretend for half a second to like the cold and wet winter outside your door, or make this adorable snowman inside where it is warm.  Build this into a lesson plan about winter by talking about what winter is like in different parts of the world, For learners who have never experienced snow, provide pictures or videos for reference. Talk about what they think snow feels like.  

        Snow comes in many different varieties. While it is all cold (except the plastic snow variety), some snow is wet and soggy, while other is dry and fluffy.  There is also icy snow that creates this lovely sheen across it,  and is very fun to smash and crash through!  Each type of snow has its uses and benefits.  Wet snow is better for building and packing. Dry and fluffy is better to keep you from getting soaked. Icy snow is just pretty to admire.  For those with tactile defensiveness that impact touching wet, mushy snow this can be a good discussion.

        Use this snowman printable as a jumping off point to the rest of your treatment sessions.

        As always I love the versatility of this printable paper snowman craft. With one snowman printable, you can address skills like fine motor, visual motor, turn taking, finger strengthening, and following instructions all wrapped up into one cute snowman.

        It would be a great interactive snowman activity for kindergarten, preschool, and all ages, depending on how you adjust the activity.

        How to Use this Build a Snowman Printable

        What you will need for this task:

        1. Snowman printable
        2. Ruler or laminated strip of cardstock
        3. Clothespins
        4. Glue (drippy glue is best)
        5. Dice 

        Instructions: Color the snowman or print out the pre-colored sheet.  Have students cut out snowballs and glue to the clothespins. Roll the dice and clip the corresponding number of clothespins to your ruler or strip of cardstock.

        Explore all of the ways to use adapt and modify this free snowman printable:

        • Laminate the snowballs to make them more durable
        • Laminate the snowman head to make it reusable and durable
        • Change the ruler for a stiff piece of cardstock or cardboard
        • Print the snowman in color, or black and white so your learners can personalize theirs
        • Add large pom poms or scrunched up paper on the top of the snowballs for a 3d effect
        • Add glitter and sparkles to the snowballs for added sparkle and sensory experience
        • Paint the clothespins or dip in glitter to make them fancier
        • Drippy wet glue is preferred as it will stick better.  The added benefit is the sensory input from white glue, as well as the fine motor strengthening from squeezing the bottle
        • Pre-cut and glue all of the pieces ahead of time if the emphasis is on playing the game
        • Split this into two sessions, the first being the craft, the second working on the game
        • Incorporate gross motor work: Scatter the snowball clips around the room and ask the user to gather the snowballs to build their snowman. Add hops, kicks, jumps, and animal walks to gather the snowballs.

        What is your focus? What goals do you want to focus on while using this activity?  You can use on or all of them:

        • Fine motor strengthening, hand development, and grasping pattern
        • Following directions, attention to detail, turn taking, waiting, social skills, compliance, behavior, and work tolerance
        • Cutting on the line ( if you choose to add this step), within half inch of lines, in the direction of lines
        • Pasting using glue stick or drippy glue with accuracy
        • Bilateral coordination – remembering to use their “helper hand” to hold the paper while cutting.  Using one hand for a dominant hand instead of switching back and forth is encouraged once a child is in grade school or demonstrates a significant strength in one or the other.
        • Strength – core strength, shoulder and wrist stability, head control, balance, and hand strength are all needed for upright sitting posture and fine motor tasks.

        If you have not totally burned out on the movie Frozen and all of the theme work that goes with it…like this Frozen sensory dough, this will be a great addition.  This build a snowman activity can be creating Olaf from the movie. If you are super creative, you could switch out the head of the snowman for an Olaf printable. 

        What else can I add to this paper snowman craft?

        • Have learners write the stages to building a snowman
        • Higher level learners can write down the directions to the game
        • More advanced learners can work on social skills by teaching beginners to play
        • Learners can explore other games they could make using this snowman (perhaps hiding the snowballs around the room and having learners run around collecting them)
        • Write a report about snowmen, types of snow, the history of snowmen, different snow celebrations or activities
        • Turn it into a gross motor task, sensory activity, following directions, or combination of all of these
        • Add glitter!  Glitter makes everything wonderful

        More snowman activities

        Incorporate more snowman themed activities along with this build a snowman printable for a full snowman theme.

        What creative ways have you made snowmen?  I believe there was a little spray paint used instead of coal last winter, and I think the dog snatched the carrot before we had time to use it.  We have had snowmen families, lady snowmen, and grass covered snowmen when there really wasn’t enough snow to make one. 

        If there is a dusting of snow in Charleston this winter, you better believe we will be out there rolling whatever snow falls down, creating our snowman.  Until then, I will just have to enjoy the sand instead.

        Free Build a Snowman Printable

        Want to add this paper snowman printable to your therapy toolbox? Enter your email address into the form below. This resource is also available in The OT Toolbox Member’s Club. Members can head to the dashboard and download the resources right there.

        Free Build a Snowman Printable

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          Keep those snowballs rolling!

          Victoria Wood, OTR/L

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

          Snowman Therapy Activity Kit

          The Snowman Therapy Kit is a winter-themed therapy kit designed to develop motor skills, self-regulation, handwriting, and scissor skills. Over 75 pages of therapy activities to develop fine motor strength, dexterity, core strength, regulation, functional grasp, and endurance.

          Grab the Snowman Therapy Kit for snowman-themed materials

          Themed NO-PREP printable pages include tasks to address motor skill areas such as:

          • Self-Regulation
          • Core Strength
          • Visual Motor Skills
          • Sensory Processing Skills
          • Fine Motor Precision and Dexterity
          • Pinch and Grip Strength 
          • Arch Development
          • Finger Isolation
          • Bilateral Coordination
          • Eye-Hand Coordination
          • Crossing Midline
          • Balance & Endurance

          100 Snowballs Winter Math Worksheet

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          winter math worksheet 100th day of school

          Today, you’ll find a fun winter math worksheet with 100 snowballs. This is a great activity for the 100th day of school…and working on writing numbers with kids. Number formation skill can be a challenge, so making practice fun and engaging is key. Use this 1 to 100 writing practice sheet with other winter occupational therapy activities all winter long! This hands-on, fine motor math worksheet supports many skills!

          Don’t forget to also grab our new winter crossword puzzle and our new winter clothes worksheet to target visual discrimination and other visual perceptual skills.

          winter math worksheet 100th day of school

          100 Snowballs Winter Math Worksheet

          This 100 snowballs activity is a winter math worksheet that is perfect for the 100th day of school. Incorporate it into other number formation goals along with these number formation resources:

          When it comes to working on numbers and handwriting skills, meaningful and motivating activities is key. So when winter brings snow and ice, you can incorporate this functional practice activity into goal areas.

          Winter and 100 snowballs

          If you have read my other winter blog posts, you already know I am not a fan of winter. The temperature hit 61F last night and I was FREEZING!  I do not know how I am going to survive the southern winter at this rate.  Speaking of survival, I know I survived my childhood in the Northern US and lived to tell about it, but right now I don’t know how you do it.

          Snowball fights were a staple of my winter childhood. We spent hours creating our stockpile of balls, to be ready to ambush an unsuspecting neighbor or sibling. Have you seen the new snowball maker contraption?  That is one cool tool.  Perfectly round balls of snow in five seconds flat. I am not sure why I remember liking snowball fights at all. I am not good at throwing anything, especially a flimsy ball of snow (we didn’t have that ball maker when I was young).  I can dodge ok I suppose, but who wants to just dodge all the time?  

          We went to a man-made snow place in Georgia last winter.  I temporarily forgot how bad my aim is. I loved making the snowballs with the new snow packer tool, but still got pummeled.  Based on the popularity, I am going to venture a guess that snowball fights are still a “thing.” 

          What better way to reminisce about winter than creating a lesson plan about it?  For adults it will be a great story telling opportunity (unless you have never ventured to the snow covered mountains), and for learners an excellent tie in to what is going on around them.  If your learners live where it is warm, use this opportunity to teach about snow with video clips, worksheets, activities, fine motor games, making an all inclusive lesson plan.

          Winter Math Worksheet

          To start off your Winter Lesson Plan, the OT Toolbox has you covered!  Check out the new 100 Snowball Math Worksheet.

          The winter math worksheet that you can grab below is a great way to work on number formation and filling in numbers. Add it to a 100th day of school lesson plan, or therapists can use this as a complementary winter math lesson while still working on goal areas to support educational needs.

          In its simplest form, this is a great PDF printable to address counting, number formation, and writing to 100. Add this to the other winter worksheets from The OT Toolbox and your Winter Lesson Plan will be well on its way.

          Let’s take a look at the plethora of other ways to use this worksheet and incorporate it into treatment. 

          1. Make tiny snowballs of tissue or playdough to work on in hand manipulation.  Place the tiny balls on each of the numbers.
          2. Use a dot marker to dab the snowballs as they are being counted. This adds color and flair as well as building critical grasping skills.
          3. Cut all of the numbers, putting all of the snowballs back in order like a puzzle.
          4. Make large snowballs out of crumpled paper, then work on upper body coordination throwing the snowballs at a target.
          5. Build this into a gross motor task by running back and forth with snowballs. 

          Ways to modify this task for different levels of learners:

          • Count aloud as a group to find the next number
          • Encourage students to remember the numbers, instead of starting back at one each time
          • Enlarge this worksheet onto a board, for a group activity or to make more readable
          • Laminate this task and use markers to fill in the numbers
          • Print it onto colorful paper for visual contrast and readability
          • Color the winter math worksheet before laminating it, or have learners color after filling in the numbers
          • Provide a model for copying for learners who do not know the numbers yet
          • Make a dotted version of the answers for tracing into the open spaces
          • Use different writing tools for different effects (read our resource on tracing sheets for a better understanding of the skills that are impacted by tracing too soon).
          • Cut the page into smaller chunks if your learners can not yet write to 100

          How to document about this 100 snowball printable worksheet?

          The most straightforward way to document your lesson plan with this math worksheet is to note the number of correct responses.  Then take it further and note number formation, the number of reversals, correct formation, sizing, legibility, placement inside the provided spaces, grasping pattern, and pressure on the paper.  To continue, make note of your learners’ attention to detail, frustration tolerance, number of cues needed, number of physical assists, overall attention, behavior, self regulation, working in a group, sitting posture, and 100 other observations.

          The great thing about worksheets like the 100 Snowball Printable from the OT Toolbox is the versatility of it.  My documentation might not have anything to do with number formation, grasping pattern, sizing, or spacing at all.  I can solely focus on social function and sensory strategies if that is the nature of my learner’s goals.

          For this reason, these winter worksheets can be used for a good variety of learners, not just the ones working on number formation.

          What else does the OT Toolbox have to offer?

          100 Snowballs- 100 snowballs, 1 to 100 writing practice sheet, winter math worksheets

          I love this all in one Winter Fine Motor Kit.

          Winter Fine Motor Kit Deal

          For more snowball and snow themed activities, be sure to check out the Snowman Therapy Kit. It’s loaded with fine motor activities, crafts, gross motor tasks, coordination, motor planning, scissor skill tasks, and handwriting activities all with a snow and snowman theme.

          Free 100 Snowballs Worksheet

          Want to add this 100 snowballs worksheet to your therapy toolbox for winter occupational therapy activities this time of year? Enter your email address into the form below to access this printable. OT Toolbox Member’s Club members will also find this worksheet inside the membership, along with hundreds of other resources and tools.

          My treatment plans are all about efficiency, effectiveness, and getting the most out of each session…and this winter math worksheet fits the bill!

          Winter Math Worksheet for 100th Day of School

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            I will keep practicing my aim, just in case!

            Victoria Wood, OTR/L

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

            Things to do on a Snow Day

            by
            Use this snow writing prompt as a way to come up with things to do in the snow on a snow day.

            When school is cancelled for a snow day, it can be fun to think of things to do in the snow. For parents or therapists, sometimes kids need things to do on a day at home so they stay off the video games and screens. Here, you will find therapist-approved winter family activities, things to do in the snow, and a special printable handwriting worksheet with snow writing prompts…perfect for a home therapy task that helps kids build skills through motor skills, PLAY, and even motivating and functional handwriting.

            Use this snow writing prompt as a way to come up with things to do in the snow on a snow day.

            Things to do on a snow day

            Whether you live in the snow, are dreaming about wintery conditions, or are happy to never have to see it again, there is a lot to be said about a winter day. Check out these snow and ice activities, for snowy fun that doesn’t involve all of the cold, ice, and snowflakes!

            Snow days represent different things to different people. Does it represent winter family activities? As a child in Connecticut, winter and snowy days were great!  There were endless things to do outside in the cold. These winter days meant bundling up layers and layers of clothing to head outside, building forts, rolling a snowman, shoveling sidewalks, climbing snow drifts, making snow angels, creating paths of footprints across the fresh, untouched snow, walking across a frozen pond, sledding down a huge hill, or skiing.

            Some of my fondest childhood memories were made on winter days. During the blizzard of 1978, the snow was piled up over our heads.  We walked on top of huge piles over ten feet tall. We had a sheepdog for many winters, it was funny to see his fur covered in snowballs from jumping in the wet snow.  Not so funny having to take them all off after coming inside.  

            Snow days can also mean NO SCHOOL!  We watched and waited for the announcement that there would be no school.  While parents dread this news, kids everywhere cheer for a day off.  

            A day or two of fresh snowfall can mean some indoor cozy fun also. If the power went off, we had a rare chance for pizza from the little town.  I think the neighbor had a snowmobile to trek down and collect it. It also meant hot cocoa and home baked cookies.  In the 70’s and early 80’s TV was not really for kids, except Saturday mornings.  School cancellations did not mean lazy days by the TV or playing electronics.  Out came the board games, the Easy Bake Oven, puzzles, Legos, coloring books, and all of the other things we never seemed to find enough time for. 

            What does a winter snow day mean to you?  Did you grow up with cold winters, or just read about it?  Did you long for just one flurry during a southern winter? Winter days feel different to me now, than as a child.  Today I would treat a winter day as a cuddle up under a blanket with hot cocoa, cookies, a good book, and a dog.

            Snow days are now virtual school days?

            What does a snow day mean to your learners?  It could mean 100 different things. This is a great snow writing prompt for digging up memories, stories, shared ideas, and working on critical handwriting skills. 

            But, in many cases, a school cancellation means parents who still need to work while the kids are at home. There can be more screen time, video games, and YouTube watching than normal. Sometimes parents need a quick list of things to keep the kids busy and OFF screens.

            Even more recently, in many areas, a school cancellation day is no longer a day off from school. Snowy conditions and ice or other weather conditions that may have previously meant a day off from school now may mean a virtual learning day. This change for many kids, is a change that may not go away now that many schools have virtual learning opportunities in place. In these cases, kids attend virtual school, but then they are finished early or have breaks during the school day. The last thing parents want their kids doing during a break from virtual learning is hopping onto another device!

            That’s where a quick list of things to do on a snow day comes in handy.

            In these cases, therapists who may be seeing students virtually can offer therapeutic activities that actually develop the very skills that the students on their caseload are working on.

            Therapists may need a quick activity or task list that specifically addresses the skills their kids are working on, so the child can have an action list of activities to do outside in the winter.

            These snow day activities can even be followed-up on and used as writing prompts in a later session to address executive functioning skills, handwriting, memory, and other skill areas.

            That’s where the snow day activities worksheet available below comes into play. Print off the worksheet and use it to identify winter ideas. Then, when students do have a day off from school, they can use it as a winter bucket list. It’s also a great family activity list for winter days. Or, just use the worksheet in virtual or face to face learning to work on handwriting skills and executive functioning skills.

            Things to do in snow Worksheet

            This winter printable helps learners create a list of Things to do on a Snow Day.

            Each person will have a different experience to write about. Encourage your learners to explore all different aspects of winter days, whether they have experienced them, or just read about it.  Learners will write something to do in the snow in each snowball.

            Add this activity with our My Snow Globe worksheet.

            This activity can be modified for all levels of learners:

            • Lowest level learners can dictate what they would like written in the snow balls
            • This printable can be projected onto the board to work as a group task
            • Pictures of activities can be printed separately, cut and glued onto the snow balls. Use this Snow Day bingo game board to cut out ideas or play snowy bingo
            • The snowballs can be cut and glued onto a separate sheet of paper to add cutting and gluing to the task
            • Middle level learners can write one or two words in each ball.
            • Higher level learners can write an idea in each ball, then create a story or memory out of each idea.  This turns into a multilevel activity to use during many sessions.

            Skills addressed? As always, therapy or teaching is more than just fun and games. There are goals and objectives to be addressed.  This Things to do in the Snow printable, while being fun and relevant, also works on key skills

            • Handwriting – Work on letter formation, letter size, spacing, word and letter placement
            • Letter formation – correctly forming the letters top to bottom
            • Letter sizing – correctly fitting the letters into the size boxes
            • Copying – copying words from a model, transferring the letters from one place to another
            • Fine motor strengthening, hand development, and grasping pattern
            • Sequencing – will your learner do the words in order?   Will they go in a haphazard pattern all over the page?  
            • Following directions, attention to detail, turn taking, waiting, social skills, compliance, behavior, and work tolerance
            • Cutting on the line ( if you choose to add this step), within half inch of lines, in the direction of lines
            • Pasting using glue stick or drippy glue with accuracy
            • Bilateral coordination – remembering to use their “helper hand” to hold the paper while writing.  Using one hand for a dominant hand instead of switching back and forth is encouraged once a child is in grade school or demonstrates a significant strength in one or the other.
            • Strength – core strength, shoulder and wrist stability, head control, balance, and hand strength are all needed for upright sitting posture and writing tasks.

            Remember, you can address all of these skills at once, or focus on one or two.  Some skills above will be addressed without your conscious knowledge, while other skills will be directly worked on. 

            Documentation in Therapy with this Worksheet

            Use this snow day worksheet to document and track skills for data collection. Take note of these areas to collect data for documentation:

            • the percentage of correct letters, 
            • how many letters are formed correctly/directionality/legibility
            • size of letters in relation to the boxes
            • grasping pattern, hand dominance
            • attention to detail, following directions, prompts and reminders needed, level of assistance given

            If kids are filling out the worksheet and need some ideas to fill in the spaces, try these ideas. You can even fill out a worksheet to have as a copying activity for some student’s skill needs.

            These things to do in snow are perfect for a day off of school or winter family activities:

            What would you add to this list? Do any of these look like winter family activities that you would like to do on your next snow day?

            Free Snow Day Worksheet

            Make this snow writing prompt just part of your winter lesson plan. Print off this worksheet and get started with winter activities for the whole family! This winter worksheet is also available in the OT Toolbox Member’s Club. Members can log in and download this resource along with hundreds of other resources and tools to help kids thrive.

            Get free SNOWBALL ALPHABET WRITING PRACTICE SHEETS

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              Gotta go get my cocoa and marshmallows!

              Victoria Wood, OTR/L

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

              Snowman Therapy Activity Kit

              Grab the Snowman Therapy Kit for more things to do on a snow day, or just in winter, whether you are on a snow day, or don’t even live in an area with snow!

              Snow and Ice Activities

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              snow and ice activities

              These snow and ice activities are more winter occupational therapy activities that kids will love! Use these snow activities and ice themed ideas to help kids develop skills during the cold winter months. They are great additions to real ice play and build a variety of developmental skills.  

              We’re trying to stay warm these days by playing indoors or bundling up and heading outside.  Some days it’s just too cold to play outside with small kids and these indoor winter activities are fun ways to keep the kids learning when the temps dip! 

              snow and ice activities

              Snow and Ice Activities

              For specifically fine motor skill-building, be sure to check out the Winter Fine Motor Kit, the Snowman Therapy Kit, and the Penguin Therapy Kit. Each one includes different activities and they all develop fine motor, gross motor, visual motor, sensory, handwriting, scissor skills, and self-regulation skills through winter play.

               

              Winter snow and ice activities for kids
               
               

              These winter crafts are fun ways to explore the senses during the cold winter months. Kids will love the winter fine motor play ideas, too.

              Looking for more fun winter activities?  

              Fine motor snow number puzzles

              These ice number puzzles are a great fine motor activity. Kids can cut out the puzzles. Then, laminate them (or not!) and use them to work on fine motor skills. I love using tweezers or tongs to have kids move craft pom poms or mini erasers to match the ice number. This is such a great activity for building so many skills:

              • Scissor skills
              • Bilateral coordination
              • Visual scanning
              • Crossing midline
              • Fine motor strength
              • Endurance

              You can find this ice number activity inside our OT Toolbox Member’s Club.

              Other snow and ice printables that you can grab inside the Member’s Club (or as a free resource by entering your email into the forms on each blog post) are these snow, ice, and snowball activities:

              Snow and Ice Activities indoor winter play

              These fine motor play ideas are great for days when it’s too cold to play outside in the snow and ice.

              • Cut paper icicles and work on scissor skills, bilateral coordination, and eye-hand coordination. Label the icicles with sight words, math facts, vocabulary, etc. Get the kids involved in taping the icicles to the wall for shoulder strengthening, proprioceptive input, and other benefits of working on a vertical surface.
              • Make paper snowflakes for proprioceptive benefits, scissor skills, fine motor work, and bilateral coordination. Write math facts, sight words, vocab, etc. on the snowflakes.
              • Make Magic Milk Snowflakes for a fun STEAM activity that builds fine motor skills.
              • Have an indoor paper snowball fight to address motor planning, eye-hand coordination, balance, bilateral coordination, crossing midline, and more. Snowballs can be used as counters. Or, throw the paper snowballs at targets marked with facts or true/false containers.
              • Focus on fine motor skills by tearing paper. Add learning components by asking kids to first write answers on the paper, and then they can tear the page into strips or small squares. There are so many benefits to this activity!

              Have fun this winter while building skills through play!

              What if you had themed, NO-PREP activities designed to collect data and can help kids build essential fine motor skills?

              Take back your time and start the year off with a bang with these done-for-you fine motor plans to help kids form stronger hands with our Winter Fine Motor Kit. This print-and-go winter fine motor kit includes no-prep fine motor activities to help kids develop functional grasp, dexterity, strength, and endurance. Use fun, winter-themed, fine motor activities so you can help children develop strong fine motor skills in a digital world. 

              winter fine motor kit
              Winter Fine Motor Kit

              The Winter Fine Motor Kit includes reproducible activity pages include: pencil control strips, scissor skills strips, simple and complex cutting shapes, lacing cards, toothpick precision art, crumble hand strengthening crafts, memory cards, coloring activities, and so much more.

              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.