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:

Snowball Alphabet Worksheet pdf

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snowball alphabet letter formation worksheet

Today, we have a fun handwriting resource for you. Grab your mittens because this snowball alphabet worksheet PDF is a free download that builds many skill areas. It may look like a snowball themed tracing worksheet, but this snowball letters PDF builds many skill areas. Let’s take a look at various ways to incorporate Winter Snowball letters into therapy and the classroom or home!

And, grab our mitten printable too in order to support fine motor skills, pencil control, and eye-hand coordination.

This snowball alphabet worksheet PDF is a free download that can be used to work on letter formation, handwriting skills, and more.

Snowball Letters

The OT Toolbox is continuing with its winter theme this month by offering another wonderful free printable.  If you have to live/vacation/endure somewhere with snow, you might as well make the best of it.  Everyone loves making snowballs.  That is why they have snow making machines pumping out fake snow here in the south, so we don’t miss out on all of the fun.  I have to say it is kind of strange sledding and throwing snowballs while wearing a short sleeved shirt.  

Before we get to the snowball letters activities, check out these snowball sensory ideas. Use real snow brought indoors (or use the items outside!). Kids will LOVE to use these snowball tools with our fake snow recipe. Plus, when kids are involved in making the fake snow, there are more therapy goals to address like executive functioning, bilateral control, and even tactile defensiveness.

Snowball Maker- The beauty of making snowballs?  It has evolved!  No longer do you need to have cold wet mittens while scooping up layers and layers of snow.  They have a tool for that! This (amazon affiliate link) snowball scooper is perfect for creating the perfect snowball.

Before you scoff and say you would rather do it the old fashioned way, you need to check this thing out!  I made the most perfect fake balls of snow with this contraption.  Now all I need is a launcher like they make for tennis balls, and some better aim.  Are you intrigued by this wonderful tool? 

Snowball Mold Set– Wait, there is more!  Kind of makes me want to have a snow day to try all of this cool stuff out.  You no longer have to roll snowmen, create handmade blocks for igloos, or scoop the snow with your hands.  Tired of circle snowballs?  They have a solution for that!  This snow mold set comes with penguin and heart shapes.  Need to be more efficient when creating these fluffy white bundles of fun?  They have a tool that will make FIVE snowballs at once!  They have just ramped being out in the snow to a whole new level.

Now that we have filled your shopping cart with such wonderful things to do in the snow, what about the days when your learners have to be in school, or it is too awful to stay outside all day?  A winter skills treatment or lesson plan is just what you need.

Snowball Alphabet PDF

The OT toolbox is showcasing winter activities and PDF sheets all month long. Today’s cute design is an alphabet letter worksheet full of winter snowballs to practice letter formation.

As always I love the versatility of each of these pdf activities and printables.  This design comes with two different ways to change the activity for different skill levels.  Tracing inside snowballs or working on letter formation with blank winter snowballs.

Use this snowball alphabet worksheet PDF along with our recent Winter Clothes Number Tracing worksheet for tons of skill areas.

When working with any learners, it is important to be able to adapt or grade your activity for multiple learning levels.  What does it mean to grade an activity?  To make it easier or harder for your whole caseload of learners or adapt the task for a specific learner.  Suppose you get started with the blank snowballs and realize your learner has no clue what the letters look like.  You would grade this down to either tracing, or copying letters from a model.  You could grade it further down to matching letters or identifying them.  You can grade up to writing lowercase and uppercase letters in the winter snowballs.

Snowball Letter Tracing Sheet

Since the first page is a tracing task, let’s talk about tracing. I am not a fan of tracing unless it is used correctly, or the objective is understood. 

  • Tracing is not going to teach number/letter formation if the learner does not know what those figures are.  To a learner who does not know these symbols, they will be tracing lines, not numbers or letters
  • Know your audience. If your learner does not know the letters or numbers, use the activity as a fine motor task to develop dexterity
  • Kinesthetic awareness.  This long word means to learn by doing.  Theoretically if a person writes the number 5 enough times, the body will start to recognize this pattern and commit it to memory.  This only works if the learner understands what is being traced
  • Tracing for dexterity. This is the type of tracing I like best.  Tracing for dexterity works on staying on the lines, fine motor control, building hand muscles, scanning and so much more.

What else does tracing and writing alphabet letters work on?

  • Handwriting – this is obvious as you are building letter formation
  • Fine motor control – holding a pencil, developing intrinsic muscle control to improve written expression, dexterity to stay on the lines on the tracing section
  • Letter formation – correctly forming the letters top to bottom
  • Letter sizing – correctly fitting the letters into the size boxes
  • Copying – copying letters from a model if you have graded it to include one
  • Working memory – remembering what letters have already been written, and what comes next. See if your learner can recall the next letter without going back to letter A each time
  • Sequencing – will your learner do the letters in order?  Will they go in a haphazard pattern all over the page?  
  • 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.
  • Executive function skills – attention, frustration tolerance, task completion and initiation, self regulation, working independently

To learn more about executive function, type this into the search bar on the OT Toolbox to see dozens of posts on this topic.  Here is a general post on executive function by Colleen Beck, owner of the OT Toolbox:

What are Executive Functioning Skills?

snowball letters, Winter Letter SNowballs- snowball letters, alphabet worksheets pdf, snowball alphabet worksheet

More ways to use the SNOWBALL ALPHABET WRITING PRACTICE SHEETS PDF

There are many other ways to adapt or grade the snowball alphabet sheet:

  • Laminate the page for using markers and wipes. This can be useful for reusability, as well as the enjoyment markers bring.
  • Place craft pom poms or mini erasers on the letters.
  • Cut out the snowballs and use them to match letters.
  • Use the snowballs for letter BINGO. Call out letters and ask kids to find the letter in the alphabet.
  • Call out a letter and have a student place a mini eraser or marker on the letter. Then they can form the letter onto paper or onto the blank snowballs.
  • Different colored paper may make it more or less challenging for your learner
  • Enlarging the font may be necessary to beginning handwriting students who need bigger space to write.
  • Create another page with all of the alphabet letters for copying or reference
  • Have students cut out letters from another page and glue to the snowballs – this adds a cutting and gluing element
  • Velcro the back of the snowballs, after laminating and cutting it, to create a matching game
  • Make changes to the type of writing utensil, paper used, or level of difficulty
  • Have students write on a slant board, lying prone on the floor with the page in front to build shoulder stability, or supine with the page taped under the table
  • Project this page onto a smart board for students to come to the board and write in big letters.
  • More or less prompting may be needed to grade e 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

How to document this activity:

  • First determine what goals and skills you are addressing. Are you looking strictly at letter formation, tracing, and alphabet recall?  Or something else entirely such as executive function and behavior?
  • Focus your observations on the skills you are addressing.  It is alright to address one or ten skills at once, just be sure to watch for those skills during the activity.  This can take practice to watch everything all at once. Newer clinicians often videotape sessions to go back and review clinical observations they may have missed.
  • Use data to back up your documentation. Avoid or limit phrases such as min assist, fair, good, some, many, etc.  They are vague and do not contain the numbers and data critical to proficient documentation.  Instead use percentages, number of trials, number of errors, exact sizing, how many letters were written incorrectly, number of reversals, number of prompts, minutes of attention.  You get the idea.
  • This type of documentation may feel foreign at first if this is not what you are used to, however insurance and governing agencies are becoming more strict on accurate documentation.

In addition to this great winter snowballs alphabet PDF worksheet, the OT Toolbox has entire winter themed lesson plans available as well as a Snowman Lesson Plan Kit that covers all aspects of therapy sessions.

Winter Fine Motor Kit Deal

These winter printables, including this Snowball Alphabet Worksheet will be highlighted all month long to help create amazing therapy sessions.  I have to say I am kind of excited about the snowball making contraption for those of you who live in the frozen north.  

Free SNOWBALL ALPHABET WRITING PRACTICE SHEETS PDF

Want to grab a copy of this Snowball Alphabet Worksheet PDF for your therapy toolbox? Enter your email address into the form below and the PDF will be delivered to your inbox. OT Toolbox Member’s Club members can access this writing practice sheet along with many others with one click to download, inside the dashboard.

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    I’d rather throw sand than snowballs any day!

    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

    Click here to read more about the Snowman Therapy Kit and to grab your copy while it’s on sale.

    Free Apps for Occupational Therapy

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    apps for occupational therapy

    Questions about the best apps for occupational therapy come up often. It is possible to address developmental skills through app play. Let’s cover various occupational therapy apps for the iPad or tablet.

    Children of today have technology very much integrated into all aspects of their daily lives. Technology is an occupation in and of itself. As occupational therapists, we strive to support functioning and full lives in our clients. Using apps in occupational therapy services serves two purposes: a meaningful and motivating tool to support functional skills by addressing underlying skills, AND as an extrinsic factor impacting function: using a device, filling form fields on apps, scheduling appointments, making calls, and other performance areas. Apps are a part of function because technology is so integrated into daily life.

    Let’s look at various areas of development where app use can help support kids, teens, and adults:

    Use these apps for occupational therapy to work on specific skills, development, and even functional skill work that is motivating and meaningful to today's kids.

    Apps for Occupational Therapy

    Normally at this time of year in therapy, it can be hard to keep the kids attention spans on track. Having a free app that builds skills can be one way to stay on track with addressing specific skills.

    Here, you will find free apps for occupational therapy that can be used as a supplemental activity or as a quick activity in between other occupational therapy activities. The OT apps for the ipad or tablet can be used in many different ways:

    1. Add them to your line-up of occupational therapy teletherapy activities.
    2. Use the OT apps as a supplemental activity for home recommendations or classroom down-time.
    3. Use the occupational therapy app as a transition activity that continues to develop skills addressed in therapy sessions.
    4. Others may want to use these apps for therapy breaks or as a reward at the end of the session.
    5. Use the apps for occupational therapy homework so that kids are motivated to participate and incentivize OT home programs, fostering the carryover we don’t sometimes see.
    6. Still others may find the occupational therapy apps perfect for home occupational therapy programs or ways to keep kids busy while parents are working from home.

    Whatever your need, these educational games and special education supports can be a powerful tool in distance learning and learning at home.

    These free apps for occupational therapy build handwriting, executive functioning, visual memory, fine motor skills, and more.

    Free Apps for Occupational Therapy

    The free apps below are broken down into targeted skill area. I’m adding apps for handwriting and letter formation, visual motor skills, executive functioning skills, and other areas. Some of these apps are IOS apps and others are Android apps.

    The apps that are available for Android on Google Play may be accessed through a Google account on a desktop and then accessed through the Google play app or via a Google account on an Apple device. Here is more information on how to access Google Play apps on an Apple device.

    I tried to locate only free apps in this resource. There are many great apps for occupational therapy out there, but I wanted to cover all the bases when it comes to OT interventions with free apps that can meet the needs for free!

    Another great idea for using free technology in occupational therapy includes using these Alexa skills in occupational therapy.

    Free Apps for Visual Motor Skills

    The apps listed below are some of the best apps for occupational therapists to use in therapy sessions, and to recommend to parents and teachers, when appropriate. Remember that all kids are different and all have specific needs, so these recommendations may not work for every child or individual.

    All About Shapes- This free app is available on IOS and is a shape drawing app. Users can draw and identify shapes.

    Vision Tap- This free IOS app is a great one for addressing visual processing and visual efficiency skills. Visual tracking, visual scanning, and oculo-motor skills are challenged with this one!


    Broom, Broom- This free IOS app allows children to draw paths for the vehicles in the game to drive on, building eye-hand coordination, motor planning, visual memory, and precision of fine motor skills.

    Visual Memory- is a free app available on Google Play. The game is designed to develop visual memory and improve attention. Users can find the image that appears at each level.

    Piko’s Blocks- this free IOS app really challenges the visual spatial skills for older kids.

    Memory Game- is another free app on Google Play. The game is just like the classic concentration game, helping users to build visual memory skills.

    Learning with Wally is an Android app available on Google Play. The visual discrimination app challenges users to discriminate between differences, recognize, and attend to details in visual forms, including pictures, letters, words and sentences.

    Sorting and Learning Game 4 Kids- This app is available on Google Play and challenges users to categorize and match themed objects while helping to build visual attention, visual memory, and focus with a concentration on visual perception.

    Visual Attention Therapy Life is an app available on Google Play. The free app allows users to address and build visual scanning, visual memory, and visual attention. It also helps rehab professionals to assess for neglect and provide more efficient and effective therapy for attention deficits.


    Sensory Baby Toddler Learning- This Google Play app is great for younger kids as they work on cause and effect and develop hand eye coordination skills.


    Connecting Dots is Fun- This free IOS app allows users to work on visual perceptual skills such as visual discrimination, form constancy, figure-ground and visual processing skills of tracking and scanning. Users create dot-to-dot activities in the app.

    Alphabet Puzzles For Toddlers- This Google Play app helps younger children work on letter identification and letter recognition. The letter learning app is a great app for preschoolers or toddlers. The visual perceptual app allows children to address form constancy, visual discrimination, figure ground, and other visual perceptual skills.

    iMazing- In this free IOS app, users can complete maze activities while challenging visual perception and visual motor skills.
    Skill Game- This free app is available on Android. The game allows users to draw lines to connect numbers while building eye-hand cordination, precision, motor planning, visual memory, and more.

    On the Line- This IOS app is great for working on visual motor skills using a stylus.


    Squiggles- This free app is a great one to work on pre-writing skills. Users can draw lines and figures and watch as they become animated.

    Use these free handwriting apps to work on letter formation, number formation, letter recognition, and more.

    Handwriting Apps

    These handwriting apps are occupational therapy tools that support the underlying skills needed for handwriting. Some apps allow kids to “write” letters using a resistance-free surface on the tablet or iPad. This input can be the “just right” level for some kids. Other Handwriting apps listed address other skills. Let’s take a look at how to use these apps in occupational therapy services.

    ITrace is a handwriting app that does have a price for the main version, however, there is a free version available with some activities. Users can trace letters, numbers, words, and shapes while working on visual motor skills and letter formation.


    Writing Wizard- This app is available on Google Play and allows users to trace letters along a visual guide. There are various fonts available and size can be adjusted for different ages.

    Writing Wizard-Cursive- This handwriting app is created by the makers of the regular, print version of Writing Wizard. Users can practice letter formation in cursive.

    Start Dot- This app addresses letter formation using visual, auditory, and movement cues. These prompts fade to address accuracy and independence.

    Ollie’s Handwriting and Phonics- This free app allows users to trace and copy individual letters and words on the app’s chalkboard wall.

    Write ABC – Learn Alphabets Games for Kids- This handwriting app is available on Google Play. The app helps younger children work on letter formation using visual cues for starting points and ending points.

    Sand Draw- This free Google Play app provides a sandy beach for kids to practice writing letters, words, or phrases in. Use it to practice spelling words for a fun twist.

    Snap Type- While this app has a paid version, the free version also allows users to create digital versions of worksheets. Students can take a picture of their worksheets, or import worksheets from anywhere on their device. They can then use their Android device keyboard to add text to these documents. When complete, students can print, email.

    Apps for Fine Motor Skills

    These apps for fine motor skill development might not be your go-to fine motor task when it comes to strengthening hands and promoting dexterity. But for the child that struggles with fine motor skills, a tablet or iPad app can be a motivating and meaningful way to address developmental skills.

    With an app, it is possible to address functional, fine motor skills:

    The fact is that devices are not going away. In fact, our youth are likely to see all aspects of their future lives managed by screen technology. For kids that struggle with dexterity, hand strength, motor planning, and other motor skills, we can help them to be the most functional and independent individuals.

    These fine motor apps are just one more strategy in our OT toolbelt.

    Dot to dot Game – Connect the dots ABC Kids Games- This free app is great for toddlers, preschoolers, or young children working on precision, dexterity, and fine motor work. the app addresses letter and number formation.

    Tiny Roads- This free app allows children to connect objects while working on precision and finger isolation.

    Montessori Fine Motor Skills Game School Numbers- This fine motor app helps users work on eye-hand coordination, precision, and finger isolation while working on numbers, letters, and shapes.

    Use these free executive functioning apps in occupational therapy sessions to build skills like working memory, attention, and focus.

    executive function apps

    When addressing attention, distraction, planning, prioritization, time management, and other executive functioning skills, using apps in occupational therapy is a no-brainer. Kids are exposed to the technology of devices every day and the ability to complete daily tasks using devices is just part of advances in our time.

    Use these executive function apps in occupational therapy as a support tool: devices to help with challenges like attention, organization, scheduling, and planning. Or, use these executive functioning apps in OT to work on cognitive skills that enable function; Apps are a great way to practice filling out forms, recalling and typing passwords, addressing online distraction, and other functional tasks that kids and adults are faced with every day. App use is an occupation, or task that occupies our daily lives, in a very real way. There are many typing programs that target these skills.

    CogniFit Brain Fitness- This Google Play app uses memory games, puzzles, reasoning games, educational games, and learning games to train memory, attention, concentration, executive functions, reasoning, planning, mental agility, coordination and many other essential mental skills.

    Lumosity: Brain Training- This free executive functioning skills app uses games to exercise memory, attention, speed, flexibility and problem-solving.

    Memory Games: Brain Training– This executive functioning skills app uses memory and logic games  to improve memory, attention and concentration. 

    Alarmy- This free alarm app allows users to set alarms for attention building, and scheduling.

    The Google Tasks app– This free app creates checklists and sub-lists and allows users to add details about the areas that users need need to focus on in order to accomplish tasks. The app helps users to stay on track with due dates and notifications.

    The 30/30 app- This free app helps with executive functioning skills such as starting tasks, staying organized, and prioritization in tasks. This app is useful to address procrastination and motivation on bigger tasks or projects.

    Forest- This app helps with procrastination, productivity, and motivation.

    Study Bunny- This free productivity app helps students pay attention and focus on studying and larger school projects or tasks.

    Habitica- This task completion app allows users to track habits, and add gamification to tasks to build motivation and help with productivity.

    HabitNow- This free habit tracker app helps users to track habits and build habits to improve productivity and time management. This is a great app for scheduled activities or daily tasks such as chores or morning/evening routines.

    Brain N-Back- This working memory app helps to train working memory.

    Clockwork Brain Training- This memory training app helps with working memory and concentration through games and puzzles.

    Use these free self-regulation apps to help kids identify emotions, and feelings and help with coping tools.

    Apps for Emotional regulation

    There are apps that can be used as self-regulation tools. There are apps to practice social interactions. There are even apps to check-in on emotional regulation and self-regulation needs. These apps for emotional regulation are a great way to support kids and teens emotional regulation and overall wellbeing needs through the use of a hand-held self-regulation tool.

    Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame- This self-regulation app uses a fun Sesame Street monster to help little ones calm down and solve everyday challenges. Available in English and Spanish, the coping tools app helps your child learn Sesame’s “Breathe, Think, Do” strategy for problem-solving.

    Trigger Stop: Sensory and Emotional Check-In- This free self-regulation app is available on Google Play so they can identify and communicate sensations and emotions or feelings in the body so they can express them in a healthy way.

    Social Navigator –This emotional regulation app is a great social skills app designed to assist children with social and behavioral challenges. Kids can develop essential social interaction skills by taking a look at their behavior in social situations, and this app is a nice way to build confidence in that area.

    EmoPaint – Paint your emotions! is a free self-regulation app available for IOS in the Apple Store or Google Play. The paint app allows users to represent emotions or bodily sensations through art, by painting them interactively on the screen.

    Moodflow: Self-care made easy!- keeps track of your emotions, moods, thoughts and general well-being with a self-rating system, emotional language, and a system that allows for identification of how coping strategies help with emotional regulation.

    Deep Breathing apps- there are many mindfulness and deep breathing apps out there. I even have one right on my watch. With calming visuals, mindfulness apps allow the user to calm down and regulate their emotions so they can function in any situation. Bubble: Breathing Companion is one self-regulation app that encourages emotion regulation through breathing exercises.

    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.

    How to Support Self-Regulation in Preschoolers

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    Here we are discussing the topic of how to support Self-Regulation in Preschoolers. Self-regulation is a skill that needs to be developed. For our youngest students, identifying emotions, and using self-regulation strategies for preschoolers is just hard. The preschool and Pre-K years are a time to work on emotional regulation through play and experience. Occupational therapy professionals can be a support and a service for parents, teachers, AND preschoolers in OT in the preschool years. Let’s break this down a bit…

    Self-regulation in preschoolers

    This blog includes 5 simple ways to support a preschool child’s ability to regulate their emotions using age appropriate strategies.  

    Self Regulation in Preschool

    Young children feel their emotions before they know what they mean. The first step to responding to a preschooler’s behavior is to understand what they are feeling when they are having trouble with regulation. Sometimes children need others to co-regulate while other times they need time on their own to self-regulate.

    When four year old, Anglea, screams at the top of her lungs, we hear the scream, but we don’t feel what she is feeling. The first step to responding to a child’s behavior is to understand how they are feeling.

    In order to do this, we need to take a step back and remember what it feels like when we become upset. Do you remember the last time that you were frustrated and wanted to scream? 

    Like the time that you were running late and you had to stop at every single stop light on the way to the grocery store. You are feeling annoyed right now, but you can deal with it. Then, the only open parking spot was at the every end of the parking lot (and it was next to a HUGE SUV that parked over their side of the line.) Ugh. You feel your fists clenching a bit as you try to squeeze out of your door. 

    When you walk up to the store, there are no grocery baskets. You walk back to the return basket spot in the parking lot to get a soaking wet basket. You roll your eyes as your patience is tempted. As soon as you walk into the store, you realize the shopping cart you picked is one that “squeals” across the floor. That’s it. You have had enough but you made it into the store and you are going to grab the milk that your two year old wants so she will sleep through the night tonight.

    As you rush to the milk aisle, you gasp as the only 2% milk left is the one she won’t drink. Your heart starts to race and you feel like crying. The last thing you want to do is go to another grocery store after the ordeal you already have had. So you grab the off brand milk and say a little prayer that she will drink it tonight. 

    You’ve had a rough day, but you are almost done. After standing in the 20 minute checkout line (because for some reason the grocery store decided to only have TWO checkout lines open at 5pm on a Friday) you are now able to load your groceries onto the conveyor belt. 

    You’re next in line. You text your husband that you are hurrying as fast as you can and then the worst thing happens. Over the loud speaker, a voice says “Sorry customers. Due to a technical difficulty, we are only able to accept cash or check. No credit cards are able to be processed.” 

    How do you feel now? You take three deep breaths as you are trying your best not to scream. You want to fall on the floor and maybe cry? Or you want to toss the milk to the side and run out the door screaming.

    You are so upset that you are having a hard time regulating.

    But you don’t. You leave the cart, walk to your car (saying some words under your breath) and head to the other grocery store for milk.

    Now picture your preschooler feeling that same way. What do they do? 

    Development of self regulation in preschoolers

    Development of Self-Regulation Skills

    Preschoolers need to practice self-regulating skills before they can control their responses. This foundational skill will help them manage their thoughts, emotions and behaviors. Self-regulation skills develop over time. According to this article, even babies are able to self-regulate.

    The article states that in infancy, babies are able to self-regulate through strategies:

    • Shifting attention or averting gaze when overwhelmed
    • Self-soothing by sucking fingers or a pacifier to reduce distress

    As children gain new skills, they are able to self- regulate in different ways. This same article discussed the next steps in self-regulation development in the toddler years:

    The article describes toddler’s abilities to self-regulate through strategies such as: 

    • Focusing attention for short periods  
    • Adjusting behavior to achieve goals  
    • Beginning to label feelings  
    • Briefly delaying gratification  
    • Turning to adults for help with strong feelings 

    Self-regulation development continues in the preschool years. For kids ages 3-5, self-regulation is experienced in preschool-aged children through strategies such as:  

    • Recognizing feelings in self and others  
    • Identifying solutions to simple problems  
    • With support, using strategies like deep breaths and self-talk to calm down
    • Using calm down toys  
    • Focusing attention and persisting on difficult tasks for increased lengths of time
    • Perspective-taking and early empathy
    • Coping strategies
    Self regulation strategies for preschool students

    Preschool Self-Regulation

    Preschoolers love to engage in hands-on activities that teach a variety of concepts. One of the most important concepts is self-regulation. This skill can be taught and practiced at home, at school and out in the community. As children experience the world, there are so many different external circumstances that can trigger a child’s emotions. Each of these experiences gives preschoolers the opportunity to practice self-regulation techniques that they have learned. 

    Here are 5 ways to teach self regulation strategies to preschoolers:

    1. Soothing Sammy:

    Soothing Sammy is a preschool self-regulation strategy that uses an adorable golden retriever teaches children how to use their sensory system to calm down. The book, plush and playful activities all work together to help children create their own sensory basket they can visit whenever they need some extra calm down tools.

    With two simple words, “Sammy Time,” your preschoolers will be redirected to visit Sammy, the plush, at his house, use a cup of water, spot to jump or other sensory materials, to calm down. Once calm, children are able to talk about their feelings and problem solve. Soothing Sammy is perfect for classrooms and homes!

    2. Proprioceptive and Movement Based Input:

    Taking a heavy work movement break is a great way to redirect ourselves (like when we go for a run or go to the gym to cool down). This works for preschoolers also. Our other article includes over 50 ideas on how to help children calm down, including movement based input such as taking a walk and rocking back and forth in a chair.

    When we include proprioceptive input while moving, joint compression increases the ability for us to calm down fast! Some ideas include stomping, squeezing playdough, and stretching! 

    These emotions playdough mats offer heavy work through the hands while users can identify emotion names associated with facial expressions and feelings.

    3. Calming Nature Sensory Bottle:

    Looking at calming visuals, like this calming nature sensory bottle, helps redirect our attention to something interesting and beautiful. These easy sensory bottle creation not only supports visual aesthetics, but it also reminds children of being outdoors in nature. This sensory bottle would be a great addition to the Soothing Sammy program.

    4. Emotional Vocabulary:

    Understanding how to describe our feelings, not only keeps us calm, but also helps us communicate our feelings to others. When children learn the words that match their feelings, they are able to come up with solutions with peers and adults. Playing emotion games, like the ones included in this article, will help even the smallest of children remember emotion words during times of stress. 

    5. Pretend Play: 

    Children learn so much while they play. Playing with peers and also participating in pretend play, allows children to act out scenes from different situations. These situations can be happy ones, stressful ones, adventurous ones and so much more! The use of puppets, baby dolls and dramatic play materials helps children formulate situations, discover different responses and make plans for if certain experiences happen in real life. This article goes into more detail about the importance of pretend play in social development.

    This article on friendship activities for preschoolers offers more ideas to support social emotional development at this age.

    Pretend play is just one of our favorite fine motor activities for preschoolers that supports self-regulation in preschoolers.

    As children grow and develop, they experience the world in a variety of different ways. Sometimes everything goes as they planned, and other times, there are unexpected situations where they will need to manage their emotions. By teaching children self-regulation strategies, they will be able to respond to their emotions in a positive way, calmly plan their response and move forward with their day. 

    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.

    Snow globe Alphabet Puzzle Cards

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    snow globe printable for letter matching

    Here, you can access a set of free snow globe alphabet puzzle cards. These upper and lower case puzzle cards use printable snow globe puzzles for matching upper and lowercase letters. It’s a fun winter therapy activity that develops many skill areas. Let’s take a look!

    This free snow globe printable is a hands-on, multisensory strategy to teach upper and lowercase letter matching. Use the snow globe letter match task in many ways in occupational therapy.

    Snow Globe Letter Match

    Get ready to have some Snow Globe Letter Fun with these snow globe printables.

    Winter is upon us.  For many, this is a wonderful time full of sledding, ice skating, hot cocoa, bonfires, icicles, and snow.  If you live in the cold areas of the globe, winter can be magical.  I am a summer type myself, so winter and cold are not my favorite words.  If I could live in the Bahamas year-round, I would.   Unfortunately, being a popsicle saleswoman does not pay enough.

    However, for those who love winter, the cold, and outdoor sports, this is your time! I grew up skating on frozen ponds listening for the crack sound before darting off the ice. We survived the blizzard of 1977 with snow piles as high as the roof.

    For me I can get my winter fix on just one blustery day, or by staring into a snow globe! 

    Snow globe Activity

    Creating a fun winter treatment plan is a good way to pass those long blustery days stuck inside. This week center a lesson around snow globes.  You can research snow globes, talk about collectors, go broad and discuss winter, then start your activity session on snow globes.

    Add this free snow globe breath awareness strategy as a deep breathing or self-regulation tool. Kids will love this whole snow globe theme!

    Then, print off the snow globe printable at the bottom of this blog post and use it to work on letter identification, visual discrimination, and handwriting skills, and letter formation.

    Snow Globe Facts

    Writing this blog post led to finding a few fun facts about snow globes. Use these in your therapy sessions, classroom, or home to work on handwriting skills.

    1. Snow globes are a glimpse of winter one can view from the comfort of the beach.  Collectors have shelves lined with snow globes they have gathered from around the world.

    2. If you want to bring back a globe from vacation, you will have to pack it in a checked bag.  No liquids over a couple of ounces in a carry-on bag.  I wonder how many awesome snow globes are sitting at security every day after being confiscated from lovely travelers.

    3. The Queen of Snow Globes has an entire website dedicated to snow globes.

    4. Andy Zito holds the world record collection of globes and domes, a whopping 11,500!

    5. You can read about the history of snow globes. The first known snow globe was reportedly created from an idea to make a brighter surgical instrument.

    Snow Globe Letter match

    If you are looking for printables and snow globe ideas, The OT Toolbox has you covered!  A good place to get started is the Snow Globe Printable Upper- and Lower-Case PDF Printable Puzzle Cards.

    This is a cute set of snowglobe worksheets that include the entire alphabet. It uses a winter theme to address goals related to matching upper- and lower-case letters.  Use this as a jumping off point to work on letter recognition, matching letters, and scanning goals. 

    There are many ways to use this activity, but the most efficient would be to color in these cards, then laminate them. 

    •  Make this activity easier for learners by coordinating colors on sides that go together, or more challenging by leaving them blank. 
    •  If leaving them uncolored, how about printing them on fun colored paper to help with the less motivated learners?
    • During the entire first week, have all of your learners color a page, then laminate the whole bunch.  Now each student will have had a hand in this reusable activity, that can be repurposed each year.
    • Enlarge these pages to make a great floor puzzle!
    • Project these pages onto a smart board for an interactive game dragging the pieces around the board. I am not a huge fan of technology; however, I like to provide these options for people who are.

    The term “jumping off” was used above in reference to this worksheet.  This does not need to be the complete lesson on snow globes OR handwriting. There is a continuum to learning anything.  For handwriting it might start with recognizing letters, move to matching letters or matching upper- and lower-case letters, progress to copying letters, then finally to writing them from memory.

    Start where your learner is currently functioning, then move forward. Often it is wise to start at one stage earlier than the current level, so the learner can have a sense of mastery, before moving onto a more difficult challenge.

    Have you ever noticed how many of your older learners gravitate toward “baby toys” or easy puzzles? This is because they have mastered them, and that sense of accomplishment, no matter how small, bolsters their spirit. Avoid getting stuck at this stage, but allow it at times, especially for your more reluctant learners.

    The OT Toolbox can fill your treatment plan with great ideas, not just worksheets. Look at this post on winter fun activities. Adding our snow globe puzzle cards to a winter theme would be a great way to incorporate various skill areas.

    Indoor Winter Activities for Kids

    In previous posts such as the Winter Fun Clothes Number Trace Worksheet, several goals were outlined beyond the most obvious.  Check out that post to get an idea of the goals that can be addressed using just one work page such as this Snow Globe Upper- and Lower-Case Letter Matching PDF.

    Free Snow globe Printable

    Want to add this snow globe letter match to your therapy toolbox? Enter your email address below to access a PDF for matching upper and lowercase letters. This alphabet puzzle card set is also available in The OT Toolbox Member’s Club so members can access it there without entering your email address.

    Snow Globe Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Match

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      Enjoy your winter season full of sledding, ice skating, snowball fights, and building snowmen, while I just stare into my snow globe, lounging by the beach.  Just kidding, I do not actually live in the Bahamas yet, but I will be spending one glorious week in the Caribbean getting away from old man winter!

      Stay warm folks!

      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.

      *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.

      Relaxation Breathing: a Powerful Tool

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      3 powerful relaxation breathing strategies

      If you’ve been a reader of The OT Toolbox website for long, you’ve probably seen our many deep breathing exercises. But have you ever wondered about HOW relaxation breathing works physically? How does the body calm as a result of mindful breathing strategies? Let’s explore the science of what’s going on with this breathing tool…and try out a few powerful relaxation breathing strategies, including our breathing star.

      Relaxation breathing as a calming strategy for kids

      What is RELAXATION BREATHING?

      Relaxation breathing is a mindful approach at deep breathing as a strategy for resetting the body. Relaxation breathing includes a deep breath followed by holding that breath for a short period (6-7 seconds), and then slowly releasing the breath over a period of about 8 seconds. This slow approach to deep breaths resets the nervous system so that we can calm the body.

      This style of breath focus allows one to calm the body, manage anxiety, and self-regulate in different ways.

      With relaxation breaths, you’ll notice a few changes to the body:

      • Relaxation breathing slows the heart rate
      • Relaxing breath control allows the body to gains a sense of awareness
      • Relaxation breathing adds calming proprioceptive input through the movement of the ribs when deep breaths are taken in, held, and slowly released. This movement of the ribcage release tension and move blood through the kidneys or renal system through internal proprioceptive input.
      • When the renal system calms the adrenal glands, the production of the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol are impacted, resulting in a lower state of stress.
      • Relaxation breathing engages the parasympathetic fibers in the membranes around the lungs, and has a calming effect.
      Try these 3 powerful relaxation breathing strategies with kids.

      3 Powerful Relaxation Breathing Strategies

      What’s more, studies have found that parasympathetic activity and CNS activities are related to emotional control and psychological well-being in healthy subjects during slow, relaxing breathing techniques.

      Here, we’ll cover 3 different ways to elicit the relaxation response:

      1. 4, 7, 8 breathing
      2. Breathing with the tongue on the roof of the mouth
      3. Nose Breathing

      4, 7, 8 Breathing

      Have you heard the term 4, 7, 8 breathing?

      4, 7, 8 breathing is a deep breathing strategy where a deep breath is breathed in for a count of four. The breath is then held for a count of 7, and then breathed out for a count of 8.

      During the time when the breath is held for a count of 7, you will notice that you can feel your lungs and ribs continue to expand. Try it!

      When that expansion occurs, the fibers in the lungs stretch. This “extra breath” is a powerful calming period. The ribcage expands more during this period, offering greater proprioceptive input, and activating the vagus nerve, which has a relaxing effect.

      Breathing out for a count of 8 has the same impact, where the longer breath period again moves the ribcage in a downward motion. Emptying the lungs pushes more air out and continues to offer that calming effect.

      In this way, 4, 7, 8 breathing is a relaxation strategy because the counts and time of breaths in, held breath, and breathing out trigger a relaxation response.

      Try 4 7 8 breathing for yourself!

      breathing with tongue on roof of mouth

      Another calming breathing strategy is the tongue posture with breathing with tongue on roof of mouth.

      In this relaxation strategy, the tongue rests on the roof of the mouth for a simple reason: this tongue posture ensures that the individual is breathing in and out through the nose.

      Also, when one is breathing with the tongue on the roof of the mouth, the tongue adds proprioceptive input through the palate in a calming manner.

      Try breathing with your tongue on the roof of your mouth for yourself!

      Breathing through the nose

      As explained above, when the tongue is resting on the roof of the mouth, nose breathing is ensured. Here’s why that is important:

      When breathing in and out with the tongue on the roof of the mouth, nose breathing is enabled, and the parasympathetic response results in relaxation.

      When breathing though the nose, the structures of the nose actually regulate airflow and slows the flow of air because of the those physiologic structures.

      This PDF titled The Healing Power of the Breath explains more.

      Try breathing through your nose for yourself!

      Relaxation Breath Strategies

      Hopefully, these relaxation breath strategies have offered some explanation on how deep breathing in both the 4, 7, 8 method, nose breathing, and breathing with the tongue on the roof of the mouth are powerful relaxation breath tools to use in self-regulation and coping.

      Try these additional relaxing breathing activities paired with the breath strategies listed above.

      Deep breathing exercise cards in playing card size for games and sensory needs
      Deep Breathing Exercise Cards

      Help kids with coping strategies using themed, practical belly breathing strategies that work.

      • Includes A-Z alphabet exercises for whole body exercises
      • 9 different themes to use in learning or therapy themes
      • Oral motor exercises for heavy proprioceptive input through the mouth, tongue, and lips
      • Exercises that can be used any time or anywhere!

      Need help getting kids to focus, pay attention, or calm worries? Need help with self-regulation in a calm-alert, ready-to-go state, so they can learn, play, and function?

      Achieving a self-regulated state of focus, attention, and being ready to go doesn’t need fancy therapy equipment or sensory tools. Deep breathing exercises are tools that we can all use, any time, and any place!

      These deep breathing exercise cards includes 113 different deep breathing exercises that can be printed and used in therapy, home programs, the classroom or at home.

      Grab your copy of Deep Breathing Exercise Cards 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.

      Snow Globe Breath Awareness

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      snow globe breath awareness exercise

      Here, you’ll find a printable snow globe activity designed for breath awareness. This breath awareness practice uses a snow globe theme. Paired with other deep breathing exercises, this resource is a concreate way to help kids develop breath awareness as a coping tool for self-care and mindful breathing.

      Add this snow globe breathing exercise to a snow globe theme, including our recent snow globe letter matching puzzles.

      Snow globe breath awareness exercise for kids to use in mindful breathing with a snow globe theme.

      Breath Awareness

      Mental health struggles are so overlooked and underdiagnosed.  Recently a push for mental health awareness has gained some traction.  If you are or know someone who is struggling, you know how difficult it is to get the right help.  Waiting lists to see a doctor can seem like a mile long. Getting in to see the right specialist takes time and persistence.  

      In the meantime, or to prevent further damage, a little self care can go a long way. Before taking on all of the challenges of the the classroom, learning, or functioning in general, take time for a little self care. 

      When we use breath awareness strategies as a tool for self-care, we are becoming more mindful of how our breath impacts regulation. Breath awareness results in a calmer state. This in turn allows for mindful participation, or being present in the moment, rather than a focus on internal or external stressors.

      This strategy can help with breath control as well. Try to settle the snow globe with slow and steady breaths from the bottom of the lungs. A long and slowed breath can help to calm the whole body, so when imagining a snow globe, use that long and slow breath to settle the snow, not stir it up.

      Don’t let it add to your stress as one more thing to do, but take five minutes to remind yourself of the possibilities each day.

      In addition to finding help and working on self care, becoming more aware of breath and it’s impact on the body and mind is an excellent step to reducing stress and improving mental health.

      Snow Globe Meditation

      The OT Toolbox has several excellent printables and tools to help develop strategies for reducing stress, decreasing arousal level, or improving focus. The newest printable in the Deep Breathing Series is our Snow Globe Deep Breathing Printable. 

      The snow globe meditation tool you’ll find below is a printable PDF breathing exercise. Beyond the easy usability with this printable deep breathing exercise, is the way that it can be used in conjunction with a real snow globe.

      A snow globe is a powerful tool for meditation. If you’ve ever shaken up a snow globe, then you probably can picture the sense of calmness that comes over you as you watch the snow inside the globe first swirl furiously and then slowly settle to the bottom of the glass globe.

      This imagery can be paralleled to internal stressors.

      When we feel stressed by thoughts, emotions, or external stimulants, you might feel like a swirling storm is inside of you. It’s hard to focus on a thought just like it’s difficult to focus on one swirling snowflake in a winter storm. But, with time, the snow slows and settles to the bottom of the snowglobe.

      You can use a snow globe imagery to help kids feel calm and focus on breath awareness as a self-regulation tool.

      Snow Globe Breath Awareness Tool

      To use this page, begin by having kid identify their emotions and feelings. Help them to become more aware of breath by describing their breathing, focus, stress levels as swirling like a shaken up snow globe.

      Then put your finger on the first white dot. Trace the arrow and take a deep breath in. Pause at the end of the arrow and breathe out.  Continue around the image several times while breathing.

      Then ask kids to describe their emotions, heartbeat, feelings, and breathing. Ask the user to identify how their breathing and other identifiers have changed. Are they feeling more like a settled snow globe? Or do they still feel “shaken up” and swirling? If so, repeat the breath awareness exercise.

      What else can I use the Breath Awareness Printable for?

      In sensory speak this activity can be used for modulation and improving arousal level.  This basically means practicing self regulation and calming, by focusing the energy on a single activity rather than the offending or overwhelming sensory input.

      This Breath Awareness PDF can also be used to improve focus.  Learners can practice channeling their energy onto the page to begin to learn to attend to one item at a time.  This will help practice self control.

      Mindfulness is not new.  It has been around for centuries. In western medicine, mindfulness is commonly taught in dialectical behavioral therapy, or DBT treatment. According to the writers at Mindful, “mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.  Mindfulness is a quality that every human being already possesses, it’s not something you have to conjure up, you just have to learn how to access it.”

      The OT Toolbox has an informative page of resources for mindfulness.  Check it out!

      While learning DBT, I tried to learn mindfulness.  I learned I am not good at it.  I can not slow my mind enough to sit without doing or thinking.  As a DBT activity, I clocked how many thoughts went through my head in 60 seconds.  I had over 20 different thoughts one of the days I tried this task.  I one minute!  Imagine people who meditate and are proficient at mindfulness can sit for HOURS thinking of nothing, just listening to nature or attending to their breathing. 

      That’s where this snow globe breath awareness task comes in as a mindfulness tool to help identify breathing and overall awareness.

      How can I modify this activity?

      • Laminate this PDF to make it reusable
      • Print in full color to make it more motivating
      • Instead of deep breathing, use the activity to place coins on each of the dots, then use the pointer finger to slide to the next arrow.  This develops in hand manipulation.
      • Create a modulation kit of printables, and other sensory items to work on self regulation, stress reduction, and attention/focus. The OT Toolbox has several printable deep breathing exercises and a pack of cards to specifically address this goal year-round.

      What other strategies can I use for calming and organizing?

      • Winter Mindfulness Activities
      • Sensory fidgets such a putty, koosh balls, coil bracelets
      • Chewing gum
      • Journaling and creative writing
      • Aromatherapy
      • Heavy work
      • Exercise/yoga/Pilates/walking
      • Pet therapy 
      • Music
      • The list is endless, work with each of your learners to find out what helps them with their self care

      Free Snow Globe Breath Awareness Printable

      Want to download a copy of this snow globe breathing exercise? Enter your email address into the form below to access this printable tool. Note that this resource is also available for immediate download inside the OT Toolbox Member’s Club. Members can grab the PDF immediately simply by clicking a button.

      Snow Globe Breath Awareness Exercise

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        With all of the holiday fun and excitement, do take time out for self care and deep breathing.  It will be worth it!

        Just keep breathing!

        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.

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

        Check out the seasonal Fine Motor Kits that kids love:

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

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

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

        Winter Brain Breaks

        by
        winter brain breaks

        Need Winter Brain Breaks for the kids? Here, you will find energizing brain breaks are gross motor activities that can break up the school day or be added to the classroom schedule. Mix some of these movement breaks into the classroom to help kids focus and stay on task while getting a chance to get a short mental break from the class schedule. With more online time and increased screen time than ever before, and the added piece of wintery weather, brain breaks are needed more now than ever.

        winter brain breaks

        Winter Brain Breaks

        I love that these movement breaks can give kids a chance to weave activity right into learning. Whether you are looking for stretches or specifics like activities that fit your curriculum, most of these brain break ideas can be modified to meet your classroom needs!

        For more winter activities, try using these ideas to help kids develop specific skill areas:


        Winter Fine Motor Activities – Use winter crafts, activities, snowflake crafts, and even paper icicles to work on fine motor skill work.

        Indoor Recess Activities– These indoor recess activities get kids moving when it’s too cold to go outside.

        Winter Bilateral Coordination Activities get kids moving with both sides of the body.

        Winter Mindfulness Activities help to focus and attend to the task at hand, as well as help with coping needs.

        This mitten printable is a great fine motor brain break that kids love. These are perfect for a fine motor and visual motor version of brain breaks.

        And, you’ll want to check out our new Winter Fine Motor Kit. It’s an amazing resource of 100 pages designed to help kids move and build the skills they need. While focused on the fine motor aspect, this kit includes play dough mats, toothpick art, lacing cards, crumble art, I Spy pages, and more, all which can be used in indoor brain break types of activities.

        Now, on to the winter brain breaks! Check out these Winter Brain Breaks for movement-based activity in the clinic, classroom, virtual therapy session, or home!


        1. Build a snowman- This winter brain break requires imagination and some large motor skills! Students may need verbal cues and maybe a visual model when first doing this snowman brain break. Here’s what  Pretend to roll a ball of snow. Then another big snowball. Ask students to place their pretend snowballs on the first one to build the snowman. Next, pick up a carrot and some “rocks” from the ground. Press them into the snowman’s head. Next, look on the “ground” to find some sticks for arms. Press them into the sides of the sides of the snowman. Add any additional details like a scarf, hat, or boots. 

        2. Winter Toothpick Art– Use the Winter Fine Motor Kit materials to get kids moving with the toothpick art activities. These can be used on cardboard or a carpeted area to help kids build fine motor strength and tripod grasp.

        3. Penguin Freeze Dance- This winter brain break activity is a great addition to an arctic theme in the classroom! Take 5 minutes to move and groove, penguin-style! Turn on some music and the students can waddle like penguins! Then suddenly stop the music and all of the classroom penguins need to FREEZE! Play for about 5 minutes and then get back to learning.


        4. Dice Roll- Write numbers 1-6 on the chalkboard. Assign each number to an action movement like hop up and down, touch the ground, stand on one leg, do a funny dance, jumping jacks, etc. Then roll the dice and everyone needs to do the action. Keep rolling and moving for 3-5 minutes. Some more action ideas include: turn in two circles, do a burpee, do a push-up, and sit on the floor then stand up very quickly.

        5. Winter Crumble Art- This is another fun fine motor activity for indoor recess. Use bits of tissue paper or crumbled up construction paper to create a winter picture. These sheets are in the Winter Fine Motor Kit, too.


        6. Winter Yoga- Add movement breaks to the classroom with some calming yoga moves. Winter themed yoga stretches can be a nice break in the classroom schedule when it’s too cold to go outdoors.

        7. Winter Play Dough Mats– While not a traditional brain break, the winter play dough mats in our new Winter Fine Motor Kit allow kids a chance to move and gain essential proprioceptive input through their hands.

        8. Snowman Says- Play a quick game of Simon Says with a snowman theme! Imagine you are part of a classroom full of snowmen who are moving their snowman parts. Use your imagination and stretch, move, and move that snow body! Use these printable Simon Says commands for specific skill-building.


        9. Polar Bear Brain Breaks- This polar bear gross motor slide deck is wintery fun! We’ve shared a bear brain breaks free printable sheet here on The OT Toolbox. Use it with a polar bear theme! Hint: Do the same brain break activities and call it a polar bear move 🙂


        10. Winter Brain Break YouTube Videos- There are some great break break ideas that are movement and activity videos on YouTube to get the kids up and moving so they are ready to learn. The YouTube brain break videos add movement and gross motor work. The ones listed below are winter themed. 

        11. Winter crossword puzzle– Brain breaks don’t need to be gross motor tasks. Use this printable to target fine motor skills and visual motor skills while taking a break from other activities as a self-regulation strategy.

        Winter Brain Breaks on YouTube


        Baby Shark, Winter Edition:

        Penguin Dance Brain Break: 

         

          The Sid Shuffle- Ice Age Continental Drift:

          Small Foot- Do the Yeti:  

        I’m a Penguin- Brain Break for Kindergarten:  

        Add winter brain break ideas to the classroom to add movement breaks so kids can learn and focus with better attention, all with a winter theme!

        Need more Brain Break Resources? 

        Follow our Brain Break Pinterest board.


        Here are more brain break videos (not winter-themed), but great for any time of year.


        Check out our past brain break activities here on The OT Toolbox and add them to your toolbox:



        I hope these ideas are helpful in creating opportunities for movement and activity during these indoor recess months at school! 

        winter fine motor kit

        WINTER FINE MOTOR WORKSHEETS

        To end out the Winter Week here on The OT Toolbox, I wanted to create a fine motor worksheets that are a true resource during the winter months. The Winter Fine Motor Kit contains fine motor worksheets that cover a variety of different fine motor abilities:  

        These 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.

        Play Dough Roll Mats- We’ve shared some free play dough mats before. They are perfect for developing fine motor skills and hand strength needed for tasks like coloring with endurance, manipulating small items, and holding a pencil. Kids can roll small balls of play dough with just their fingertips to strengthen the intrinsic muscles. The Winter Fine Motor Kit contains 6 winter play dough mats that can be used all winter long!  

        Pinch and Grip Strength Activities- Includes: glue skills page, tong/tweezer activities, lacing cards, finger puppets, 1-10 counting clip cards, 10 toothpick art pages, find & color page, 5 crumble art pages. TARGET SKILLS: Precision, pinch and grip hand strength, tripod grasp, arch development, bilateral coordination, open thumb web-space.

        Pencil Control Worksheets- Connect the arctic animals or winter items and stay on the pencil path lines while mastering pencil control. Some of the lines are small and are a great way to strengthen the hands, too.  

        Arctic Animal Cutting Strips and Scissor Skills Sheets- Work on scissor skills to cut along lines to reach the arctic animal friends or snowflakes, snowmen, and mittens. This is a great way to strengthen the motor and visual skills needed for cutting with scissors.   Also included are 7 scissor skills strips with graded precision designed for data collection and accuracy development, 2 color & cut memory cards, 4 pages simple cutting shapes in small/med/large sizes, 3 pages complex cutting shapes in small/med/large sizes, 2 small and 2 large cutting skills puzzles. These worksheets help kids develop graded scissor skill accuracy and precision, visual perceptual skills, eye-hand coordination, crossing midline, bilateral coordination.

        Handwriting Sensory Bin Materials- You and the kiddos will love these A-Z uppercase and lowercase tracing cards with directional arrows, 1-10 tracing cards with directional arrows, 1-10 counting cards. Using the sensory bin materials can develop tactile handwriting, letter and number formation, finger isolation, crossing midline, sensory challenges. These materials in the Winter Fine Motor Kit are a great brain break idea for kids.

        “I Spy” Modified Paper- Includes: Color and find objects in two themes: winter items and arctic animals; 3 styles of modified paper for each theme: single rule bold lines, double rule bold lines, highlighted double rule. Use these pages to develop handwriting, pencil control, line and spatial awareness, legibility, visual perceptual skills, visual memory.

        Fine Motor Handwriting Sheets- Try the 4 Find/Color/Copy pages in different styles of modified paper, rainbow writing pages in 3 styles of modified paper. These handwriting worksheets use the winter theme to help with handwriting, visual perception, pencil control, visual memory, visual attention, precision, pencil control, functional handwriting.

        Write the Room Activities- Using a winter theme, these Write the Room cards includes: 5 lowercase copy cards, 5 uppercase copy cards, 5 lowercase tracing cards, 5 uppercase copy cards, 6 cursive writing copy cards, 2 styles of writing pages. TARGET SKILLS: Letter formation, pencil control, visual motor skills, visual attention, visual memory, line placement, functional handwriting at all levels and stages.

        All of this is available in the Winter Fine Motor Kit.

        For more ideas for older students, try these middle school brain breaks.

        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!

        Colleen Beck, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist since 2000, working in school-based, hand therapy, outpatient peds, EI, and SNF. Colleen created The OT Toolbox to inspire therapists, teachers, and parents with easy and fun tools to help children thrive. Read her story about going from an OT making $3/hour (after paying for kids’ childcare) to a full-time OT resource creator for millions of readers. Want to collaborate? Send an email to contact@theottoolbox.com.

        Looking for 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!

        How to set a table

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        Here, we’re covering the life skill of setting a table. When we teach a child how to set the table, the chore itself is one that kids can do on a daily basis. So, if you are looking for an executive functioning skill task that breaks down into steps, AND is helpful, setting the table is a great one!

        Table setting as a life skill

        Before discussing the “how” to set a table, we need to learn the “why.”  Why do we need to teach kids to set a table?  Life skills are important.  If a child does not have intellectual intelligence but has life skills, they can succeed. Of course there are manners, etiquette, and grace involved in setting a correct table placement, however, learning the basics of what needs to be on the table is most important.

        In order to be ready to serve the Queen, one needs to know in which order the spoons and forks are placed (there might be seven or eight pieces), where all of the plates go, which side each type of glass goes on, and where the condiments are placed.  When visiting a five star restaurant, cruising, or eating an elegant dinner, you will encounter this type of place setting.  Serving and eating this way is a great lesson in etiquette to be familiar with.  You never know when you might be invited to dine with the Queen or eat at the Ritz!

        In a typical family’s home, setting the table likely involves a child’s chore to set the utensils, plates, bowls, and drinking glasses. Setting a table as a chore is a great way to get kids involved in the family unit to help with dinner preparations.

        How to set a table

        As an adult you probably do this daily without thinking about it.  You know the basic pieces you need in order to have a meal; glasses, plates, silverware, condiments, and napkins.  Often extra pieces are added such as placemats, bread plates, dessert silverware, and serving dishes.

        For a child, the command “set the table” may be daunting and confusing, before a regular schedule is established.  Adults often forget how challenging a new task can be, and become easily frustrated at having to give eighteen reminders during this one task. 

        As a result, children become overwhelmed and shut down.  Shut down looks like standing and staring, not doing anything, or refusing to perform the task.  Of course it is easier for the adult to just do the task for the child, however, eventually you will want this child to leave the home or be able to survive outside of its’ walls.

        Setting a Table: An Executive Function Task

        Setting a table involves organization, working memory, visualization, sequencing, and task chunking.

        • Organization: knowing which pieces need to come first, second, third.
        • Working memory: remembering what parts are needed as the task is happening
        • Visualization: being able to make a mental picture of the meal being prepared in order to get all of the correct pieces
        • Sequencing: being able to bring out pieces in the correct order (placemat before plates)
        • Task chunking: breaking the task down into chunks such as collecting all the silverware at once

        The above skills are part of executive function, built in the prefrontal cortex, necessary for success.  Without using executive function; disorganization, inability to complete a task, procrastination, inattention to details, and increased time to finish the task can happen.  

        Check out this article and FREE executive functioning skills course: Strategies to Help Combat Executive Function Disorder 

        Executive Functioning Skills Course

        Because the prefrontal cortex does not fully develop until the 20’s or 30’s, most children are going to need some assistance and modifications to complete basic tasks.

        How to teach kids to set a table

        There are different learning styles: visual, auditory, kinesthetic (learning by doing), and repetition.  Everyone learns differently. Visual picture cards are an excellent way to teach children any skill. 

        Table Setting Worksheet

        In the resource below, you can download a step-by-step executive function worksheet designed to teach kids to set a table as a chore and life skill task.

        The printbale resource also includes table setting visual cards. These Check out the picture cards on OT Tool Box for helping kids set a table.

        These picture cards serve as a visual reminder and framework for a task such as setting a table. They can be laminated, colored, and/or Velcro can be added to the cards so they can be moved and placed as needed.

        The table setting worksheet resource includes three parts:

        1. A task breakdown worksheet to break down the steps of setting a table
        2. Visual cue cards to help kids with the schedule and parts of setting a table.
        3. A visual schedule where the table setting task cards can be attached, to support with transition and routine building

        Have your child look at the picture cards provided and decide what items are needed for their table setting.  Once this is decided, have them put the cards in order of what needs to be done first. 

        There is some variability in setting a table correctly, however some items will need to come before others.  Here is an example of an order of operations for picture cards:

        1. Placemat
        2. Large plate, small plate
        3. Silverware – spoon, fork, knife,
        4. Glassware
        5. Napkin
        6. Condiments
        7. Food
        8. Eat

        Think about what variables work for your family or each particular student. Not everyone uses a placemat, has a bread plate, serves the food family style in dishes on the table, uses dessert silverware, or puts condiments on the table. 

        Some children just need a visual reminder of what to include on the table.  Other children will need a visual picture of what the table should look like when completed.  They need to be able to copy a diagram.

        This also can be colored, laminated, or customized to make an exact replica of the type of silverware and place settings a family uses.

        The third type of lesson involves breaking down the task into chunks on a goal ladder.

        A “setting the table” chore/goal ladder may look like this:

        • Top of Ladder: Dinner time
        • Rungs: set the table, fill water glasses, put food on table, eat

        Table setting chore for kids

        Once this task has been mastered in all of the broken down pieces, it can be added to the overall chore list.  

        Chores are an excellent way to teach:

        • responsibility
        • task sequencing
        • organization
        • life skills
        • time management
        • independence
        • overall executive function

        In addition to teaching the above skills, chores are excellent for heavy work in order to organize the sensory system and arousal level.  Heavy work activates the proprioceptive system, which provides calming and organizing for the body. There is a reason the military has their staff do chores, exercise, and heavy work as a daily regimen.  It not only builds necessary life skills, but provides organization and focus of the sensory system.

        To learn more about heavy work, check this out:

        Heavy Work Activities

        Daily visual schedule for setting a table and other chores

        Check out this article by Colleen Beck of the OT Toolbox for more information on visual schedules:

        Visual Schedules

        Life skills: setting a table

        Life skills build independence, responsibility, manners, and self-reliance. Teaching or learning a skill, such as setting a table, is not as easy as it might seem.  It involves breaking the task down into chunks or rungs on a ladder, adding visual picture cards as reminders for all the working pieces, sequencing the activity into the correct order, and finally adding it to the daily chore schedule. Activities will need to be graded (made easier or more difficult) depending on the needs of your learner, their skill level, and task mastery.

        Use this system to teach any and all life skills tasks!  Dressing, bathing, laundry, cleaning, putting toys away, organizing, or any other task can be taught using picture cards, goal ladder, and visual schedules. 

        *The terms, kids/children are used throughout this post for readability, however this information is relevant for students, patients, teens, etc.  The term “they” is used instead of he/she to be inclusive.

        Free Table Setting Visual Cards and Worksheet

        Set a Table Worksheet and Visual Cards

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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.

          Free Goal Ladder Worksheet

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          In this post, you can get a goal ladder worksheet. But what is a goal ladder? And how can you use a goal ladder in goal setting for kids? Today, you’ll learn about how to use a goal ladder to support goal setting for students, and anyone wanting step-by-step support to achieve goals.

          Free goal ladder worksheet to help with goal setting for children.

          What is a goal ladder? 

          A goal ladder is a tool used to set and achieve goals.  Each rung of the ladder represents a smaller goal that leads to the bigger goal.  By making smaller sub-goals, this is more motivating, less intimidating, and more manageable than one huge overwhelming task.

          This post shares more about using a goal ladder to support kids in achieving personal goals.

          The goal ladder is a visual representation of the task and goal I would like to achieve.  People with good executive function love lists and spreadsheets. This is how they naturally stay organized.   People struggling with their executive functioning skills could benefit from lists in order to stay on top of goals.  

          At the bottom of this post, you’ll find a free goal ladder worksheet. This can be used with kids, teens, and adults to help with goal setting and breaking down a goal task into manageable chunks. Use the goal ladder along with SMART goals to support goal accomplishment.

          What is a goal?

          A goal is something to achieve or be accomplished.  It is important to set goals in order to find direction.  People with good executive function skills often set and achieve goals as part of their daily routines and habits. 

          Many times people who have difficulty with executive function do not know how to set goals or how to achieve them.  The entire task seems overwhelming, therefore nothing gets done.

          Supporting executive functioning skills, specifically planning, prioritization, task completion is all part of the goal setting process. Try these activities to challenge and support executive functioning skills:

          SMART GOALS FOR KIDS

          The best goals are called SMART goals.  Not only are they really smart in terms of being successful, the acronym SMART is helpful to remember all the necessary parts to a goal.  Each goal should have the following characteristics in order to be successful: 

          • S: specific – did you detail what it is you want to achieve?
          • M: measurable – how are you going to measure success?
          • A: is this goal attainable or too lofty?
          • R: is this goal realistic?  Can you actually swim across the Atlantic in six weeks?
          • T: timebound – Do you have a set timeframe for this goal to be measured?

          How to start brainstorming and writing a goal

          Determine the overall goal: for example, I would like to eat more vegetables.  

          If I leave the goal this simple and vague, how will I know I am eating more vegetables or when I have met this goal?

          Let’s make this a SMART goal to make it more attainable

          • S: specific – I would like to eat 5 more types of vegetables
          • M: measurable –  I will eat ¼ cup of each vegetable one time per week
          • A: attainable – I will not try and eat a whole cup of vegetables
          • R: my doctor says I need vegetables for my overall health
          • T: timebound – I will do this over the course of 4 weeks

          Therefore my large goal might sound like this, “In four weeks I will eat ¼ cup of 5 different vegetables each week to improve my overall health and well being.  

          Because this is a large goal and I really dislike most vegetables, I am going to have to break down this goal into smaller chunks in order to make it manageable and attainable.  This is especially important for children, as they are more receptive to short term objectives with rewards at the end of each objective.

          How to break down tasks to achieve a goal

          Because I do not like vegetables, I am going to need to break this down into smaller pieces to get it going.  If the end goal is to eat five vegetables, maybe I need to start with a list of vegetables I already eat, as well as a list of all of the other options available in my area. 

          Then research ways to cook or serve these vegetables to make them more appealing.  What about a reward system that will motivate me to try these new veggies? 

          I could start with a variety of vegetables each week or just try a couple at a time.  There are many variables in breaking down a goal.

          • Break the larger goal into steps (good for a multi-step task)
          • Break the larger goal into time-based accomplishments (Select a date to accomplish the large goal and work backwards, selecting dates to accomplish each step)
          • Break down the goal into learning processes (first learn about this, then practice. Then learn about another aspect. Then practice.)

          Goal setting for kids

          Why is goal setting so important for children? Kids are easily overwhelmed by tasks in front of them, which often leads to shut down or refusal. By kids setting goals, it gives them direction.

          Adults/teachers/therapists set goals for children as a way to measure progress.  Without goals it is easy to get lost in all that a child can not do.  With a SMART goal in place, it is much easier to track data, discover obstacles, and make necessary changes.

          It is important for people to choose their own goals.  This makes it more meaningful and relevant (The R in SMART). Choosing one’s own goal also helps it to be more motivating.  When children feel in control of some aspect of their lives, they are more likely to succeed.

          Helping kids choose their own goals

          To anyone trying to learn twenty new tasks at once, choosing a goal can be overwhelming. Start by asking the child what they want to accomplish.  This may be too broad of a question, therefore choices may need to be offered. Also ask the parents/caregivers what they would like their child to master. 

          Too often therapists choose and start working on goals that are not meaningful or relevant to the child or their family. As a treating therapist I have spent time spinning my wheels trying to teach students to fold laundry, load the dishwasher, sleep in their own bed, or eat certain foods, goals that were not important to their family. Once I asked the family what goals they wanted their child to achieve, my treatment became much more relevant and focused.

          Make a list of goals and tasks that need to be learned. With the help of the caregivers and children, prioritize which goals are more important than others. Once the goals are selected, use the goal ladder to break it down into measurable chunks, focusing on no more than one to three goals at a time.

          Check out these quotes about goals for more inspiration on goal setting.

          How to use a goal ladder

          A goal ladder can be a powerful visual representation of each step of accomplishing a goal. Kids can use a goal ladder to work on multi-step goals or larger tasks that otherwise seem daunting.

          There are several steps of using a goal ladder to accomplish tasks:

          1. Get Specific on the Goal- One important first step in using a goal ladder is getting specific on the goal. Another important piece to the puzzle is the “buy in” from the child or student. Are they involved in setting up the goal? When kids are involved in the goal setting process, they are more motivated because the goal is meaningful to them.
            • Write down the goal at the top of the goal ladder.
          1. Determine the “why” behind the goal- Help the student or child to determine “why” the goal is meaningful to them. Is it a personal interest? Is the goal for their health or education? Is the goal important because they are learning about something interesting? When personal interests, passions, and talents are incorporated into a goal, it has that “why factor”. When we determine why something is meaningful to us, it has more staying power. That “why” is something that we can return to when the goal process slows. For kids, we can help them see why their goal is important in the bigger picture.
            • Help kids identify their “why”
            • Write this down so you can refer to it in the future. This letter to future self is a great activity to predict and identify future goals.
            • Consider all aspects: wellbeing, social-emotional, development, personal interests, etc.
          2. Break the goal down into smaller steps- The ladder imagery is perfect for a larger goal because it really points out that each step leads toward a bigger goal. There is no way to get to the end result without putting in the work of moving up each step.
            • Start out with the long term goal at the top of the ladder, using the rungs below for the short term objectives and rewards.
            • Write down the steps to achieve the big goal on the goal ladder. Each rung of the ladder is a smaller goal that has it’s own objective.
            • Remember SMART goals along the way!
            • Incorporate rewards for each goal rung.
          3. Brainstorm potential obstacles and be ready for them. Kids can help with this process. What are some reasons that they may not accomplish a step on the goal ladder? What can they do to prevent that obstacle? Or, how can they deal with obstacles as they come. Being prepared for the falls from the ladder will help to set the user up for success.
            • Consider obstacles for each rung on the goal ladder.
            • Be prepared with solutions.

          One of the biggest issues for goal setting with kids is that the goal sometimes fails. You might ask yourself: “I set goals but they fail, why?” Let’s take a look at potential obstacles to goal setting.

          Example of a Goal Ladder

          In our example goal ladder, we’ll continue with the theme of eating more vegetables.

          The top of my ladder might say, In four weeks I will improve my diet to eat ¼ cup of 5 different vegetables to improve my overall health and well being.  

          The subsequent rungs might look like this:

          1. Make a list of the vegetables you currently eat
          2. Make a list of all of the vegetables available in your area
          3. Select 5 vegetables to try during the next 4 weeks
          4. Find 2-3 recipes or ways to serve each vegetable
          5. Try one vegetable the first week, reward yourself with cheesecake if ¼ cup is eaten
          6. Try a second vegetable the next day.  Continue to eat the first vegetable if able.  Reward yourself with a chocolate bar

          Continue the rungs in this fashion until 5 vegetables have been added in 4 weeks.  

          *This goal can be modified to be even more specific.  Maybe I need it to say I will eat 5 different vegetables EACH week, or continue to eat them in my regular diet after trying them during this 4 week trial.

          Goal setting is important and a SMART way to teach skills!

          In the goal ladder worksheet below, you’ll notice some details that impact successful goal accomplishment:

          • A larger goal is identified.
          • There is an end reward identified.
          • The user identifies steps to accomplish the overall larger goal.
          • Each step of the process has it’s own end date and reward.
          • Users can check off each step as they achieve it.
          • They can then re-group and see what the next step on their ladder is so that they climb toward the bigger goal.

          Free goal ladder worksheet!

          Pair this printable goal ladder worksheet with SMART goals for kids, teens, or adults to accomplish those big tasks!

          Free Goal Ladder 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.