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Victoria Wood OTR/L

What is Polyvagal Theory?

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vagus nerve exercises

Clinical therapists, in their efforts to understand the “why” of certain behaviors, have been asking about Polyvagal Theory.  You probably know more than you think about this, but have not put all the pieces together. This is something we as pediatric occupational therapy providers need to be able to answer questions when our occupational therapy clients ask!

what is polyvagal theory

According to the Polyvagal Institute, “Polyvagal Theory is a way of understanding how our nervous system responds to different situations, like stress, danger, or safety. It was developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, a neuroscientist and psychologist, in 1994. In simple terms, Polyvagal Theory helps us understand how our body and brain work together to respond to stressors that are a part of everyday life as well as experiences that are more significant, such as trauma.”

A lot of the information presented on this topic is hard to decipher from a clinical perspective.  While I find medicine fascinating, it is difficult to understand all the scientific terminology related to Polyvagal theory. 

At first glance, this article popped up: “The Polyvagal theory describes an autonomic nervous system that is influenced by the central nervous system, sensitive to afferent influences, characterized by an adaptive reactivity dependent on the phylogeny of the neural circuits, and interactive with source nuclei in the brainstem regulating the striated muscles of the face and head”.

In this post we will learn the nuts and bolts of this theory, but more importantly, how it correlates to the learners we work with. When I read descriptions like the ones above, I try and imagine talking to a teacher or new parent using this definition.  While I, as an experienced pediatric occupational therapist, might sound smart, I am not likely to have others “buy in” to therapy if they can not understand what we are doing. 

POLYVAGAL THEORY IN LAYPERSON’S TERMS

Now that you have clinical definitions in your toolbox, what does Polyvagal theory actually mean?  Polyvagal theory breaks down the function of the vagus nerve and its’ connection with the rest of the body. 

The vagus nerve is a large nerve that goes from the base of the brain to the gut, connecting the brain to the body. The vagus nerve plays a key role in regulating our heart rate, breathing, and digestion, as well as our emotional state.

The theory suggests that the central nervous system (made up of the brain and spinal cord) has three branches:

  1. Fight or flight is the first branch.  This is activated when we are in a threatening or dangerous situation.  In polyvagal theory this is termed “mobilization,” and is the body’s way of preparing to fight a threat, or run away from it.
  2. The second branch is the “collapse” response. Our body feels powerless to respond and will often shut down, or become unresponsive to stimuli in the surroundings.  In Polyvagal theory this is called “immobilization.”  You might have referred to it as shut down or freeze state.
  3. The third response state is the “social engagement” response (termed ‘ventral vagal’ in the Theory), which is activated when we feel safe and connected to others. This is when we are relaxed and open to social interaction, and is communicated in our eyes, facial expressions, and tone of voice.  This branch is referred to as the “relaxed” state.

All three of these branches are controlled by different parts of our nervous system, but are managed by the vagus nerve.  Polyvagal theory suggests that by being able to understand these different branches or response states, we can better manage our own health and wellness, and understand the behavior of others (including empathy).

NEUROCEPTION AND POLYVAGAL THEORY

Here is where things get tricky.  If our systems worked correctly 100% of the time, we would not be over or under-responding to stimuli. 

The autonomic nervous system has a build in monitoring system that interprets information about risk through sensors in the body (neuroception).  These sensors determine danger, without involving the thinking parts of our brain.  Autonomic can be thought of as “automatic”. Neuroception scans people, our body, and the environment for cues of safety or danger. The nervous system reflexively shifts to manage the situation for a survival response. 

  • A neurotypical system with a great sense of resilience will have greater cues detecting safety, whereas a less resilient person’s system will lean toward detecting threat.
  • When in a calm state, the nervous system is less likely to activate the fight or flight response.
  • If our neuroception or feedback monitoring system is faulty, it sends a signal of danger when we are actually safe, or signals safety when we are in danger.
  • Some people find themselves in a constant state of hypervigilance, just waiting for a threat.
  • Hypervigilant people may seek out risky behaviors to keep their body in this state of arousal.

Polyvagal theory and sensory processing

Polyvagal theory sounds a lot like regulation, arousal level, and sensory processing. When we understand the polyvagal theory, it is easier to see that sensory processing is a function (or dysfunction) of the vagus nerve.

What kind of people come to mind when you think about polyvagal theory and sensory processing?

  • People with anxiety disorders – often in a constant state of high alert, easily triggered, sensitive, and “jumpy.”  I think I gasp 50 times a day.
  • Autism spectrum – classically linked to arousal level difficulties, behavioral responses, and over/under reactions to stimuli.
  • Depression – sometimes people with depression miss signals around them, or may exaggerate their responses.
  • Sensory seekers – the risk takers often do not have the same feedback mechanism to alert them to possible danger.
  • Sensory avoiders – these people are often overly fearful of stimuli or events around them. 

Each of these challenges have some aspect of sensory dysregulation.

HOW CAN I APPLY POLYVAGAL THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE?

  • Recognize your response to stress and anxiety. Even if we do not realize that our brain has detected danger, there is an automatic reaction. A lot of it is self reflection skills. Pay attention to your nervous system activation and what that looks/feels like, or interoception skills (increased heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, sweating, flushing). Learn to recognize these responses in the people you work with. I have many children whose pupils dilate, or ears turn bright red when overstimulated.
  • Practice or teach self-regulation. This is the ability to manage your response to stressors. We often teach this through deep breathing, deep pressure, gentle touch, quiet words, yoga, meditation, or other calming activities.
  • Build social connections – according to Polyvagal theory, building social connections can help us feel safe and secure. This can help reduce stress responses.
  • Identify triggers – learn what makes you (or your clients) feel unsafe or in danger.  Learn to work through or avoid certain triggers.  We do a lot of work on this with sensory therapy.  My book, Seeing your Home and Community with Sensory Eyes is full of chapters that describe typical daily triggers and responses.
  • Seek professional support. If you feel you are struggling with your mental or emotional health, or your responses to stimuli are not typical, an occupational therapist or mental health professional that understands the vagus nerve and self-regulation can help.

Basically, having an understanding of the tools available can be used along with a stop and think strategy to help us interact in the environment and stressors around us.

HOW CAN I USE POLYVAGAL THEORY IN HEALTHCARE OR SCHOOLS?

The most efficient treatment aims at uncovering the cause or “why” our learners do certain things. We do not just put band aids over a gaping wound.  This is a temporary fix, that does not lead to long term results.

  • Understanding that the responses we see are an autonomic or uncontrolled response to stimuli, can help you accept your learner’s responses differently. This can lead to better informed quality of care.  Example: understanding that you were hit or bitten because your kiddo was responding to something we were asking them to do, rather than being naughty, goes a long way.
  • Trauma informed care – learning about Polyvagal theory helps with trauma informed care building trust, safety, and empowerment. A child (or adult) who feels safe around you is more likely to step out of their comfort zone and keep trying.
  • Mind body interventions – teach relaxation techniques as part of your treatment plan.  Words are often not enough to calm an overactive state. Empower your learners to take control of their body and nervous system
  • Pain management- understanding the role of the vagus nerve can help understand the response (or over/under response) to pain to treat your patients more effectively.
  • Caregiver/client relationship – when you show that you understand what a person is going through, it builds trust and a willingness to go through the healing treatment process.

Polyvagal therapy

Polyvagal therapy can be talk-based therapy, or sensory based therapy to help reprogram the central and autonomic nervous systems.  It can involve yoga, meditation, and mindfulness.

Immersion therapy aims to slowly surround the person with the stimuli that is triggering, helping their body have a more appropriate response to it.  Slowly working with sounds, smells, or textures, can help desensitize the ANS response.  The key is to do this slowly, while watching for bodily responses.

Desensitization is similar to immersion – the body is slowly desensitized or accustomed to certain stimuli. This may be through slowly working from something easy to tolerate, to more difficult input.  Example: when working with textures you may start at dry beans, then dry noodles, rice, sand, playdough, putty, all the way to shaving cream. 

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a type of talk therapy. “Dialectical” means combining opposite ideas. DBT focuses on helping people accept the reality of their lives and their behaviors, as well as helping them learn to change their lives, including their unhelpful behaviors.

Journaling can help understand and manage emotions. The OT Toolbox has many resources to get you started journaling and self-monitoring.

vagus nerve exercises

Vagus Nerve Exercises

Vagus nerve exercises are another tool in your therapy toolbox to support self regulation and co-regulation. There are specific exercises you can do that target the vagus nerve to get out of that fight/flight/fright/freeze zone. I like to use these vagus nerve exercises in Simon Says games, brain breaks, and other activities in OT sessions. Check out our relaxation breathing post for why breathing helps.

  • Deep breathing- Breathe in through your nose with short breaths for four counts. Then Hold your breath for 7 seconds. Then slowly breathe out for 8 seconds. Repeat this a few times.
  • Arm hugs- Wrap your arms around your upper arms and place them just below the deltoids. Gently give yourself a hug and breathe in and out.
  • Tap your collar bones with both hands. Place your right hand on your left collarbone and your left hand on your right collar bone. Tap your fingers one at a time.
  • Place one hand on your chest and the other on the back of your neck. Breathe in and out deeply.
  • Arm taps– Place the palm of your hand on the opposite shoulder with both hands. Gently pat up and down both arms at the same time.
  • Neck turn and look– Sit with your shoulders back. Gently look over your right shoulder and look as far to the right as you can with both eyes. Hold that position and gently breathe in and out. You will feel a release of pressure in your chest and a sigh. Then repeat on the opposite side.
  • Eye gaze up– Bend your neck to one side by placing your left ear toward your left shoulder. Look up toward the ceiling with your eyes. Hold that position as you breathe in gently. You will feel a slight release of pressure in your chest and a sigh of breath. Then repeat on the other side. Hold that position until you feel the sigh.
  • Hum! This is a simple way to focus on breath work. I also saw a meme recently that said you can’t think about ruminating thoughts at the same time as you are humming. This is a good way to stop stressing or anxiety thoughts.
  • Gargle– This is another simple way to stimulate the vagus nerve. Bonus is that it’s a life skill that some of our kids need too.
  • Meditation and mindfulness– This is another life skill that kids and adults need throughout life, so now is a good time to work on this with kids and teens.

POLYVAGAL THEORY BEST TREATMENT IDEAS

During my career, I have found the best treatment has been understanding my learners. Once I take a step back and show them that I understand their fears, pain, and objections, I can create a bond of trust that begins the healing process. While I do not like getting hit/bitten/slapped, or chasing a kid down the hallway, I do not get angry about it. I understand their response is often out of their control, and they usually do not have the language to be able to express themselves.

This has taught me much patience in working with people who struggle. As a highly sensitive person myself, polyvagal theory gives me grace to understand that I am a work in progress. Sometimes my body has a mind of its’ own, and I have to practice what I preach.

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.

Types Of Communication

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types of communication

Communication is a vital part of livelihood, so these types of expressive language are a huge part of everything we do. It starts at birth and continues until almost our final breath. Infants cry from the moment they are born, signaling some sort of need or distress. Their needs are met based on the type, volume, and intensity of their cry. This is why we as occupational therapy providers, and other readers of this site (parents, educators, other therapy providers, etc.) can use this information in supporting the kids we live with and work with. It’s the social skills aspect that helps to shape the foundation for other areas of development.

We wanted to include examples of how you can document when these different types of communication are used in therapy sessions, so be sure to look at the documentation examples below each communication type.

Types of communication

Having an understanding of communication types is important for occupational therapy and other therapy professionals for documentation purposes. We can use these types of communication with our clients, and it’s important to document that.

When we think about communication, we think about talking. Speech therapy is highly sought after due to the number of people who can not communicate. Talking is just one form of communication.  Let’s take a look at all the different types of communication and what we can do to foster them.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

How many different types of communication can you think of beyond the spoken word?  Since spoken language is one of the highest levels of communication, it is what we consider when thinking about types of communication. This is so important because when there are sensory needs, behaviors, or any type of challenge with daily functional tasks, we can see a lack of meeting specific needs. That’s where the self awareness piece comes in. You’ve seen the behavior iceberg imagery before, right? When we see behaviors, below the iceberg are underlying needs. Those needs are often not communicated and so what we do see is the behaviors or emotional outbursts. Self-awareness plays a major role in self-regulation skills and knowing when and how to implement self regulation strategies that support the individual’s needs.

However, there are many other ways to get our wants and needs met than just using our voice.

There is verbal and non-verbal communication as two broad categories.

  • Verbal communication is the way we talk to communicate needs.
  • Non-verbal communication is a huge category that needs to be broken down into different subcategories to do it justice. There are eight different types of non-verbal communication.

Related, is receptive language. Together these language types impact auditory processing and attention and play a huge role in overall language in social skills.

NON-VERBAL Communication

Nonverbal communication can be difficult for our therapy kids (and all of us) to understand and recognize. There are several types of nonverbal communication:

  • Body language
  • Gestures
  • Paralinguistics (loudness of voice)
  • Proxemics (personal space)
  • Eye gaze
  • Hepatics
  • Appearance
  • Artifacts

All of these types of nonverbal communication types require insight and awareness. Autistic individuals in particular and other neurodivergent can really struggle with this awareness. You can support this need with self awareness activities and self awareness games.

This information can help our kids that we work with by using the different types, depending on needs, when it comes to visual schedules and other tools.

 These communication types can support social and emotional development skills.

Body Language

Body language is a powerful type of communication. It can help us understand others. It helps us understand how people are feeling.  You can use body language to express intention. Research suggests we make certain judgements about a persons’ intelligence based on facial expressions. Having body awareness is part of this. If you’re not sure where your body is in space, then it’s difficult to use it in communicating wants and needs.

Eye contact (or lack of it), crossing your arms, stepping closer or further away, facial expressions (smiling, frowning, surprise), stiffening your body, melting into the floor, and yawning are just some types of body language.

Some lesser-known types of body language signals are; pupil size, blinking, and biting the lips. The absence of body language or facial expressions can signal communication also.

Documentation Example for Body Language:

“During the session, (the student) was engaged in a group activity to encourage social interaction. She used body language and gestures to communicate with peers, such as nodding to show agreement and waving to greet others. She also used her hands to demonstrate actions like “come here” and “stop.”

Gestures

Gestures are like sign language but less precise or formal.  Think about the kind of gestures you use daily. This may be intentional, or subconscious.  Some gestures are universal, while others might be more cultural or geographic in nature (be careful about using certain gestures when travelling)

  • Waving hello or goodbye
  • Giving a high five
  • Pointing to something
  • Nodding or shaking your head
  • Stomping your feet
  • Clenching your fist to indicate anger
  • Thumbs up or down to indicate approval or disapproval
  • The “ok” sign to signal everything is alright. In some parts of Europe this signal means you are nothing, and in some South American countries it is a vulgar gesture
  • The “V” sign means peace or victory in some countries, but in the United Kingdom and Australia it is takes on an offensive meaning when turned backward (like showing the middle finger in America)
  • Showing the middle finger – in the US this is a powerful gesture. It shows clear meaning of unhappiness and is meant to be quite offensive

Check out this article on Cultural Differences in Non-Verbal Communication.

Documentation Example for Gestures as Communication

“The client was guided through an obstacle course designed to improve his balance and coordination. The therapist used gestures and visual cues to direct the client through the course. The client responded to these non-verbal cues effectively, following the therapist’s hand signals to climb, jump, and crawl. He also used gestures to communicate his needs, such as pointing to a water bottle when he was thirsty.”

Paralinguistics

This is the tone of voice or loudness.  Not necessarily spoken word.  Screaming, grunting, yelling, crying are forms of communication.  With language, tone of voice can convey a message.

How to document paralinguistics in therapy sessions

“(The client) participated in a storytelling activity where he was encouraged to adjust the loudness of his voice based on the context. The therapist provided feedback on using a louder voice when calling for attention and a softer voice during one-on-one interactions.”

Proxemics

Proxemics means personal space. Personal space is another type of non-verbal communication. There are different factors that influence how much space we believe belongs to us. Social norms, cultural expectations, situational factors, personality characteristics, sensory perception, and level of familiarity are just some of the factors. COVID had a big effect on personal space. Some people loved the six-foot barrier between people, while others found this difficult to adjust to. 

Documentation Example for Proxemics:

“(The student) engaged in role-playing scenarios to learn about personal space. The therapist used visual aids and physical demonstrations to show appropriate distances for different social interactions, such as standing closer for friends and farther for strangers.”

Eye Gaze

People’s eyes can indicate a range of emotions.  Steady eye contact can mean someone is being honest. Shifty eyes and avoiding eye contact are of seen as a sign someone is lying or being deceptive.

This can be especially misleading when people who have a social disorder such as autism avoid eye contact. Gaze and eye contact doesn’t need to be a goal, but documenting this can have it’s role.

Documentation example for Eye Gaze:

“(The student) participated in interactive games designed to encourage eye contact, such as peek-a-boo and follow-the-leader. The therapist provided positive reinforcement whenever he made eye contact during interactions.”

Haptics

Haptics are touches. Julia Wood in her book Interpersonal Communication writes that touch is used to communicate status and power. Higher status individuals tend to invade personal space more than that of lower status. Women tend to use touch to convey care, concern, and nurturance. Men tend to use touch for power or control over others.  A caregiver’s touch has a strong influence on behavior and social interaction in babies.

Tactile defensiveness plays a major role in this form of communication.

Documenting Example for Hepatics:

“(The student) was involved in activities that incorporated touch, such as high-fives, handshakes, and patting on the back. The therapist modeled appropriate touch and explained its use in different social situations.”

Appearance

Choice of clothing, hair style and other appearance factors are also a type of communication.  Appearance can alter judgements, interpretations, and physiological reactions. We make first impressions about how someone looks.

Documenting for appearance as a communication form:

“During the session, (the student) was guided through activities related to personal hygiene and appearance, such as brushing hair and selecting weather-appropriate clothing. The therapist used visual schedules and modeling to teach these skills.”

Artifacts

With the rise of online presence objects and images are types of communication that can communicate without language. You might use an avatar, a meme, or emoji to convey a thought or impression. Wearing a particular uniform or badge says something about you.

Documentation example for artifacts:

“(The student) used various artifacts, such as picture cards and a communication board, to express his needs and preferences. The therapist guided the student in selecting and using these tools during activities.”

Forms of NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

There are various forms of communicating through nonverbal communication as well. This is how we relay our needs and wants without speaking. This includes sign language and use of electronic devices, written work, and other means like facial expressions.

SIGN LANGUAGE

Sign language is considered a form of non-verbal communication. It is based on visual cues through the hands, eyes, face, mouth, and body. Sign language combines body language and gestures. Some sign language gestures are universal, however just as there are different types of spoken languages, there are many types of signs.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION THROUGH ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Non-verbal communication in a digital world is becoming more important than ever. Electronic devices combine written communication, pictures, and symbols. There are several types of assistive technology devices that are used for non-verbal communication. These range from low tech output such as a read aloud book or choice board, to a dynamic machine with layers of words and phrases. These can be accessed by tapping on the screen/board, or through eye gaze technology.

If your child could benefit from a speech generating device, there is a process to follow with a specialized therapist and assistive technologist. This includes trials on different types of devices and training. Occupational Therapy and Speech Generating Devices is a helpful article to understand the role of AAC in therapy.

Documentation Example when Using ACC

(“The client) was provided with an AAC device to assist in expressing her needs and choices during therapy. The therapist programmed the device with simple phrases and images relevant to the session activities. The client used the AAC device to indicate her preferences, such as selecting the “play with blocks” icon and saying “more” through the device when she wanted to continue an activity.”

Types of VERBAL COMMUNICATION

There are two types of verbal communication, written and oral.  Both convey messages.

WRITTEN WORDS

The written word can be a powerful tool to convey a message. It can be used to write stories, emails, texts, messages, articles, and more. It can be helpful when communicating between people who cannot communicate with spoken language. Pointing to a written item on a choice board or menu is an effective method to get your wants and needs met.  

Written words can also include pictures, symbols, picture exchange cards, and photos to convey a message.

With the invention of Google Translate and other language apps, it is now possible to communicate in different languages with each other. This has proved especially helpful in cities where there are many cultures in one area.

Written communication, like any other types of communication can cause misunderstanding. There may be a delay in getting an answer, or difficulty getting the message across. Over written communication there are often difficulties interpreting feelings and meanings behind the text. Without facial expression, gestures, and body language, it can be hard to figure out the meaning of a message.

Documentation example for written communication

“(The client) participated in activities aimed at improving his handwriting skills, such as tracing shapes and writing simple words. The therapist observed and documented client’s progress in forming letters and maintaining proper grip on the pencil. The student also used written communication to express his feelings about the activities, writing words like “fun” and “hard” to describe his experiences.”

ORAL COMMUNICATION

When we think of communication, verbal language is what we often think of. This is a high level of communication and takes years to master. It starts with cries, babbling, and putting words together. Once this is mastered; storytelling, vocabulary, semantics, grammar, and pragmatics are developed. Oral communication can be between two people, to a large group, in a speech or television program, discussion, on the telephone, video conferencing, or a meeting.

While the output is similar in different types of oral communication, non-verbal communication plays a big part in the setting.  For example, a phone conversation might not convey much non-verbal language, where a video conference or meeting would. A teacher uses a different volume and tone of voice than a store clerk.

Documentation Example for Verbal Communication

Verbal communication will be used a lot during therapy sessions! Here is an example of how you can document this means of communicating that occurs in therapy sessions:

“During the session, the client was encouraged to verbalize her feelings and choices. She was asked to describe her favorite toys and the activities she wanted to do. The client responded verbally with single words and short phrases, indicating her preferences and emotions. For instance, she said, “I like the red car” and “I feel happy.”

LISTENING IS A FORM OF COMMUNICATION

Is listening a type of communication?  Yes.  It is often overlooked because we are so busy trying to get our message across. Listening is important for two-way conversation. Being able to listen can be a difficult skill. You may find yourself thinking about what you want to say rather than really listening to the sender. This is not active listening. You may hear what is being said, but are not processing it fully. A good conversationalist is not only a great speaker, but also able to listen.  At the same time, the speaker needs to read cues and take breaks to let another person take a turn.

OT TOOLBOX RESOURCES ON TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

A WRAP UP of THE TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

Take some time to look around you and process all the types of communication happening at once. Just because your child is not verbal, does not mean they are not trying to communicate in some way.  Sometimes they are not using the most effective way to communicate like spitting, or hitting, but they are getting some message across.  Take time to acknowledge what they are trying to convey and give them tools to make better choices in terms of communication.  There are so many options out there, with a lot of trial and error you are bound to find some combination that allows your child to get their wants and needs met.

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.

Cut and Paste Ocean Patterns

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Ocean animals cut and paste worksheet

This month we have been featuring summer worksheets to help you get your kids motivated to do “work” during the summer…or to use in a Summer occupational therapy session. Today we are adding another one to the toolbox!  Cut and Paste Ocean Patterns is yours to download for free. 

We also recently added our Ice Cream I Spy activity to our free downloads. We have other ocean and fish themed free OT worksheets as well:

Ocean animals cut and paste worksheet

Cut and Paste Worksheet for Summer

It is no secret that I love summer.  I love it even more, now that I am working in the schools and have nine weeks off!  I spent 25 years working year-round in a clinic. During those years I witnessed the struggles parents had keeping their learners engaged during the summer.  Parents (and their teachers/therapists) also had to contend with summer learning loss.

As a parent of grown children, I spent many summers keeping my girls active and cognitively engaged.  I have mentioned it several times, but I want everyone to understand the impact summer learning loss has on your child.

Hint- our ocean animals pattern activity is a cut and paste worksheet that is perfect for Summer!

Summer Learning Loss Facts

  • Students lose the equivalent of one month of learning during the summer vacation source
  • Students lose up to 2.6 months of math skills over the summer
  • Reading skills decline by about the equivalent of two months
  • Summer learning loss can be recognized as early as Grade One
  • Teachers spent up to six weeks reviewing past material in the fall to make up for summer learning loss

Those numbers are staggering, aren’t they? This was my panic every summer when my girls were young.  One way to minimize the summer slide is by adding daily routines and seated work. This does not mean eight ours at the kitchen table.  It means 20 minutes daily of targeted work.

CUT AND PASTE OCEAN PATTERNS TO THE RESCUE!

One way to get started is by gathering resources to meet the needs of your learners. This Cut and Paste worksheet is a good start! It’s an ocean animals pattern activity so it’s a great therapy theme for the Summer months.

Pair the cut and paste worksheet with the I Spy and Handwriting worksheets offered this month, and you are well on your way to developing a summer home program or treatment plan.  To get your FREE Cut and Paste Ocean Patterns PDF, simply enter your email in the box below. By the magic of the internet, your PDF will travel from our creator at the OT Toolbox, to YOUR inbox.

Want to avoid having to enter your email address below?  Become a member today.  Not only will you get these free cut and paste worksheets at your fingertips, but there is a ton of member only content available to you.  As a bonus, the materials in the member section are gathered into topics and categories for easy browsing.

HOW TO use CUT AND PASTE OCEAN worksheets

The directions are simple and straight forward on this one. 

  1. Color the animals on the worksheet.
  2. Then ask learners to cut the images.
  3. Glue them into the correct spaces to create patterns on the worksheet.

STEAM learning, or science, technology, engineering, arts, and math is at the forefront of learning.  Adding the “A” is new, to expand the reach of the program. Pattern learning is an important math concept. We are adding a dynamic component to it with scissors, crayons, and glue.

Take your project to the next level by asking learners to color the objects they see in matching colors.  Not only does this help build visual motor skills, but sorting items by color will aid your learners to understand the pattern concept.

If you are like me, you may have 100 kids on your caseload, all in different levels.  Even if you only have ten, they are likely to have different abilities. As a busy caregiver or practitioner, it is important to streamline your offerings to meet the needs of as many learners as possible.

HOW TO MODIFY THE CUT AND PASTE OCEANS PDF

There are some great ways to grade or modify this cut and paste ocean patterns worksheet to meet your learners where they are:

  • Precut the shapes for your learners who are not able to cut the squares
  • Shorten the activity by skipping the coloring section
  • Use Bingo markers or stickers to match the pattern instead of coloring. Using different colors will help them solve the pattern easier
  • Take out the motor component by adding to a smart board and moving the pieces with your pointer or finger
  • Higher level learners can write the matching words to the pictures, then create a story or memory.  This turns into a multilevel activity to use during many sessions.  They can also draw about their ideas, or copy the designs.
  • Laminate the page for reusability. This saves on resources, and many learners love to write with markers! Note: while some learners love to use wipe off sheets, others become upset they cannot take their work with them.  For those who want to save their work, consider taking a screenshot of it. 
  • When you laminate the worksheet, you can vary how you do it.  Precolor the shapes to make matching easier, have learners use dry erase markers to color the items, or use grease pencils/crayons to color inside the shapes.
  • Enlarging the font may be necessary to beginning level students who need bigger space to cut and color.
  • Vary the level or types of prompting offered, to grade the activity, to make it easier or harder
  • Drippy wet glue is messy, and not as convenient as glue stick, however it is superior for different reasons.  The added benefit is the sensory input from touching the wet glue, as well as fine motor strengthening from squeezing the bottle is worth the sticky mess.

How to Adapt a Cut and Paste Worksheet

You can use some of our tips (from an experienced OT) to take your ocean worksheet to the next level and meet different levels with the same sheet.

Think ouside the box by turning making this into a new activity all together, or using it as part of a larger plan.

  • Velcro the back of the squares, after laminating and cutting them, to create a matching game.  Velcro adds fine motor resistance for improving pincer skills and hand strength.
  • Make this cut and paste ocean worksheet part of a larger lesson plan, including gross motor, sensory, social, executive function, or other fine motor skills
  • Talk about the pictures, describe their characteristics, and give context clues to help your learner understand why certain pictures match
  • Learners can explore other games they could make using this activity 
  • Gross motor – run across the room collecting pieces to add to the cut and paste ocean activity. This is a great activity for an OT obstacle course.
  • Sensory – put the pieces into a sensory bin with an ocean theme. Use aquarium gravel as the base to your ocean themed sensory box.
  • Executive function – hand the papers out with very limited instruction. Record how well your learners can follow instructions and make the picture look exactly like the example.

The possibilities for grading and modifying activities like this free cut and paste ocean patterns worksheet are endless.

CHANGING YOUR MATERIALS IN ORDER TO GRADE/MODIFY YOUR TASKS

Do you think about the materials you offer to your learners as you hand them out?  Something as simple as changing the writing tool, type of scissors, or paper weight can make a big difference.  I mentioned glue above. Changing from a glue stick to wet glue can have a big impact on how the project goes.

Scissors: 

  • small toddler scissors are just right for tiny hands. 
  • Self-opening or loop scissors are another way to make cutting easier for those learning to cut, or lacking the intrinsic hand muscles to open and close scissors.  
  • Did you know left-handed people cut in a clockwise direction while their right handed friends cut counter-clockwise?  This allows the helper hand to support the paper adequately while cutting.
  • See this article on developing scissor skills.

Paper: 

  • lightweight paper is much more difficult to stabilize than heavy weight construction or cardstock paper.  
  • Colored paper may be easier or more difficult for children to work with because of color contrasts.
  • The page can be laminated first, using wipe off markers to color in the design.  This is a great way to make this page reusable. Cutting the pieces before coloring it may be necessary.  Although this takes away the cutting task, it may be a great adaptation for children who are not able to cut yet.

Types of writing utensils:

  • There are endless possibilities for coloring and writing. Markers, highlighters, crayons, colored pencils, paints, watercolor, chalk, or dry erase pens all provide different input, and require different levels of fine motor skill to manipulate. 
  • Small one inch crayons are excellent for developing those tiny hand muscles.  
  • Chalk, with its grainy texture, provides sensory feedback and can be a positive (or negative) experience
  • Markers glide easily, requiring less precision and grip strength.  Pipsqueak are smaller versions of traditional markers and are easier for smaller hands to grip.  They now come in fat and skinny versions.
  • Dot markers (Bingo pens) are great for making big marks
  • There are several different types of pencils and grips to try. Try the different types of pencil grips and see what works for each learner. 
  • Change writing utensils to appeal to different students, and improve their level of motivation. 

When you first begin to break your treatment plan down into its parts, it can seem like a lot of work. As with anything new, there is a learning curve.  Many of the adaptations and modifications come easily to me at this point in my career.  By doing this work, I am more efficient and effective. 

OTHER PARTS TO YOUR OCEAN LESSON PLAN

Teachers know what they are doing when they create fun lesson plans. It engages their students, and adds meaning to their work.  You can do the same with this cut and paste ocean page, along with some other fun activities:

  • Create an ocean themed sensory bin – there are many variables to this fun idea
  • Use our ocean animals matching game. You can use it virtually with the slide decks, or open the slide deck and print off the pages as a PDF.
  • Use hands on activities from our beach activity ideas.
  • Outdoor sensory paths – take your learning outdoors
  • Beach Therapy Kit -This Beach-themed Therapy Kit has everything you need to work on handwriting, scissor skills, self-regulation, motor planning, gross motor skills, and visual motor development…all with a Beach theme!
  • Pattern Activities for Kids Math Play
  • Learning Pattern Mats
  • Mermaid & Sandcastle Activity– Another free Google slide deck, this one is a fun interactive activity where kiddos can move the mermaid’s accessories. Have them write the words, recall the items they added, all while working on sequencing, motor planning, fine motor work & more. Then, use the interactive sandcastle slides to decorate a sandcastle. There’s also a writing prompt slide to address more handwriting or typing skills.
  • Scissor Skills Printable Pack – need to work on scissor skills?  Here you go!
  • Narwhal craft– great for scissor skills!
  • Beach crafts and activities– sensory & fine motor play ideas with a beach theme
  • Sensory diet activities at the beach– a sensory lifestyle incorporates the environment into sensory needs. When vacations or travel take sensory families on the road, self-regulation can occur anywhere.
  • Executive function at the beach– Use beach experiences to develop executive functioning skills in fun with the family.
  • This Narwhal craft is great for scissor skills and challenges graded scissor skills in cutting simple and complex shapes.
  • Beach ball seating idea– Need a sensory solution that doesn’t break the bank? Use a beach ball as an inexpensive sensory seat!
  • Beach play dough– Create a sensory play experience with a beach theme and challenge fine motor skills.

Hopefully this post inspired you to create an amazing ocean themed or summer lesson plan based on our latest freebie: The Cut and Paste Ocean Patterns worksheet.

Free Ocean Pattern Printable

Get the printable here, by entering your email address into the form. This one is also found inside our Membership club.

FREE Ocean Animals Cut and Paste 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.

    Age-Appropriate Chores

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    Text reads "age appropriate chores for kids". Images include kids doing chores like sweeping, dusting, cleaning up toys, and laundry.

    Whether it is summer break and you are looking to keep your kids involved, or curious about age-appropriate chores, here is a great post and printable for you. It feels like over the past couple of generations, there has been a shift from creating independent, to dependent children. I can not count how many times I advise parents that their child can be dressing themselves, helping around the house, and taking care of their belongings at a young age.  Included in this post is a FREE downloadable chore chart for listing and tracking jobs around the house.

    Text reads "age appropriate chores for kids". Images include kids doing chores like sweeping, dusting, cleaning up toys, and laundry.

    The fact is that chores are a “lead in” to life skills. They aren’t exactly a job for kids to do, but a way to participate in the family. Giving kids chores that they can accomplish teaches them much more than just learning to do laundry or how to load the dishwasher. Our resource, Life Skills Chore Cards is a support tool to help teach these skills.

    AGE-APPROPRIATE CHORES

    “When I was a kid……” How many times have you heard or said that to someone?  Maybe it is because we are too soft on our children in this generation, or maybe people feel parents were too hard on their kids years ago.  Whatever your belief, do not lose sight of what your child is capable of.

    The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry has some guidelines on chores for kids based on age and development.

    Image has a computer screen with a meme for age appropriate chores and lists different ages and chores. There are many social media comments on the inappropriateness of the chore ages listed.

    This Facebook post certainly got commenters worked up on the ages listed for many common household chores.

    Comments on a facebook post on age appropriate chore list

    Many of the comments on a recent social media post were very negative on the ability of young children to accomplish the chores listed on the image. Other comments were positive and encouraged others to consider working alongside little ones in these household tasks. It is a good read to gain perspectives from both sides.

    This post came about after a recent Facebook post on chores that had a lot of conversation. The post had an image that showed chores that kids could do at certain ages. However, some readers thought some of the chores were too difficult for the ages listed. Some readers said things like:

    • “This chore list isn’t appropriate at all.”
    • “This may be the dumbest chore list I’ve ever seen.”
    • “If this is a list created for neurotypical children, I’d take it down a notch for neurodivergent children.”
    • “This is just irresponsible.”
    • “I find these lists are extremely unsupportive as it’s back making comparisons of children and possibly causing shame for families.”
    • “Yeh. Fair. In between age expected tantrums”
    • “This is ridiculous!”
    • “This seems really off. My son helps a lot at 4 and I wouldn’t trust him to do many of these things safely and some of them he couldn’t even reach to do like clean a mirror?”
    • “Yeah, no. Some of these are age appropriate and others are certainly not.”
    • “This chore list is inaccurate and misinformed.”

    The commentors, in most cases, took the graphic very literally and viewed the chores and ages as the child independently attending to the chore items with an end result that would be as perfect as of an adult’s. It seems like most of the comments assumed the child would self sufficiently be able to do tasks like managing toilet cleaning, using knives, and other tasks.

    The thing is that these tasks might not work for every child. And they might not be able to independently and completely do the tasks, especially every time or on their own.

    But, if you ask a pediatric OT or a Montessori teacher, yes, these tasks could be done as a participant. As a learner. As an observer. As a helper. As an area of growth.

    That is, mayyyyybe these tasks can be done with the assistance and teaching of a parent or adult. And, with guidance, gentle lessons, and patience. A child could do most of these tasks, in many cases, alongside an adult or older child/teen. You would not assume they do them 100% perfectly on their own, and the image doesn’t suggest that. It also doesn’t say the child is responsible for these tasks in the home. It’s not meant to be unsupportive or guilt trip parents and families based on what kids can’t or are not doing in the home. It’s not a one-size-fits-all list of rules.

    It’s a guideline.

    When we see age appropriate lists like this, it’s not meant as a “to do list” as one commentor said. It’s designed to support parents and guardians with tasks that they CAN involve their kids in. Maybe you are cleaning toilets and your 4 year old participates alongside you or moves the brush in the toilet bowl. Are they 100% doing the task and is it perfect? No! But, they are learning about caring for the home, participating in IADLs, self-esteem, self-confidence, pride, and a sense of belonging in the family.

    Will a child between the ages of 1-2 years old do the tasks listed under that age on this list as a “chore”? NO, of course not. But can they watch an adult, participate in assisting, mimic, “help”, or even just watch as their adult talks through or just does the task. And that’s appropriate!

    One commentor mentioned the chore list “oozes with middle class Eurocentric normatively of household tasks”. Well, it’s one list out of millions that are out there. Is this list all inclusive? No. Is it going to mimic every family everywhere with typical tasks? No, of course not. Is it an idea? Is it options? Is it a guide for a place to start? Sure.

    This Facebook post was a reminder that not everything you see on social media applies to everyone, everywhere.

    Why not encouraging independence and age-appropriate chores?

    So, what are some reasons why a parent or guardian would not encourage independence with household chores? There are actually a lot that come up…and these reasons could be part of why so many negative comments came up in the Facebook post listed above.

    • I want them to be a child for longer – doing chores does not rob them of their childhood, it empowers them
    • I like things done my way – we all have a set way of doing things.  It is fair to our children to let go of some of that control and teach them. You can always sneak back and fix things if it bothers you that much.
    • It takes too long for them to do the chores – everyone is in a hurry. In the beginning it takes children a long time to do new things.  After a while it will get faster. At first, choose times when you are not in a hurry to include your child.
    • They can not do it alone – help them with the parts they can not do.  They might not be able to empty the whole dishwasher, but unloading the silverware is a great start. I remember learning to iron, and being tasked with ironing just the handkerchiefs for a long time ($.10 each)!
    • My child has special needs – people can learn at different rates, with cuing, or at a different age level. Not all three-year-old children will be able to dress themselves, but they can help with part of the task. A person who has significant needs may be able to direct their care if they can not do it themselves.  Something as simple as an eye gaze or gesture to make selections is a way of showing autonomy and empowerment.
    • Can they really do this? You will never know until you try. Teach with different methods such as chunking and backward chaining. 

    Chores versus Maintenance

    I just read an article that described the difference between chores and daily maintenance.  Chores are defined as larger jobs such as dusting, mopping, vacuuming, etc.  Daily maintenance are the jobs that we do to take care of our belongings.  Daily maintenance might include hanging up your wet towels, putting dirty laundry in the basket, bringing dishes to the sink, or putting items away that have been used.

    Think of daily maintenance as the things your house cleaner does not do daily (unless you have a housekeeper who follows you around cleaning up after you). Add some of these daily maintenance items to your list of obligations. Add items such as bring your dishes to the sink, throw items in the trash, and hang up your wet towels to the activities of daily living list along with brush your hair and teeth.

    Another term for chores is instrumental activities of daily living or IADLs.  Check out this article on IADLs for more information.

    What are some of the other daily maintenance activities that adults do automatically and can be shifted to the responsibility of the mess maker?  Follow a teenager around for a day and make your list from all the things they “forget” to do.  A word of advice?  Start early, making this as much of a habit as brushing teeth or eating breakfast.

    HOW TO TEACH AGE-APPROPRIATE CHORES

    The first and most important step is to have the expectation that your young person can do it.  It takes significant teaching, practice, and lots of reminders, but they can learn.

    • Expectation- start with the mindset that you are going to make the time and effort to teach the tasks and expect they be attempted. The free Age-Appropriate Chore list you can download today has a list of expectations.
    • Follow through – once you have the mindset that your learner is going to do a certain chore, make it part of the daily/weekly expectations. The second and third sections of the free PDF downloadable age-appropriate chore list has a daily checklist to list the items to do each day/week, and a box to check when the chore is complete. Feel free to tweak this in a way that makes sense for you.
    • Reward- daily maintenance items such as hanging your towel and throwing your trash away do not need to have big rewards attached.  Maybe a “thankyou” or “way to go” can be given in appreciation.  Larger chores however, can come with some incentive. Your reward system can be personalized to your beliefs and values. I believe that I would not go to my job and work hard all day without some sort of compensation. This is why we get paid to do hard things.  The reward can be anything that is meaningful.

    REWARDS FOR CHORES

    Rewards are as personalized as the chores themselves.  What are some of the rewards you offer to your learners?

    One tool we love to use is our screentime checklist. It can involve doing chores that support the household as a system in order to get the screentime. Of course, you could include other tasks on the checklist like reading a book, working out, going for a walk, etc. but for many, including tasks like folding your laundry, feeding pets, and taking out the trash is a great list of jobs to do before playing video games.

    • Money – cold hard cash. There is value in teaching about money management.  A job well done can earn a cash reward to be spent on something of value to the learner.  Money management  is another subject entirely in how you teach this, and place expectations on saving versus spending.
    • Fake or pretend money – you can use pretend money as a value reward system to be traded for certain items at home or in the community. Items in your house such as snacks or new toys can have a monetary value on them to be earned.
    • Token Economy – this system is a cashless system.  It is not only used to buy tangible objects, but to trade them for other rewards. These rewards can be whatever is motivating.  TV time, electronics, Legos, a snack, free time, or whatever works.

    QUALITY TIME VERSUS MONETARY REWARDS

    • Quality time – this is one of the five love languages. Some people value quality time over a tangible reward. Once your learner can help with or complete some chores, this should naturally free up some daily time for quality interaction.  What does this mean for you?  Snuggles on the couch, movie night, a date outing, playing catch in the yard?  Quality time does not have to have a monetary value attached.  The time is the value. 
    • Tangible or monetary quality time – perhaps there is something that your learner would love to do that is often out of reach due to time or money constraints. Maybe this can be the reward for a week or month of hard work.  A trip to the ice cream parlor, an outing to the water or amusement park, going to the nail salon or a shopping adventure, or a day trip to a ball game can be a huge motivator for many.

    Some rewards can be bigger than others. There are times when your learner can delay gratification to earn something big.  Younger learners tend to need immediate rewards to tie into their hard work, like a Skittle for completing a step of the chore.

    Reward systems are as personalized as your child/learner themselves. Find out what works for them to help them get through the hard work.

    What chores for different ages?

    So, knowing what we do about child development, including the physical, cognitive, and social and emotional development of kids, asking a pediatric occupational therapy provider is a great way to decide on which chores to do with kids at different ages.

    A lot of these chore activities offer proprioceptive input that is coping tools to support sensory needs. These can be a great sensory diet to make a sensory lifestyle in everyday life.

    Chores for Toddlers

    The toddler years are a time of learning, and following along with mom, dad, guardians, and siblings can mean that they are involved in chores…even though you are not handing your toddler a dustpan and expecting them to clean the floor. At this age, it’s about watching to participate, rather than “doing”.

    • picking up toys with assistance
    • putting dirty clothes in the hamper, with assistance
    • helping set the table (putting cups on a table, with direction and assistance)
    • dusting low surfaces (wiping surfaces, with direction and assistance)
    • watering plants (pouring water, with assistance and direction)
    • putting away groceries (taking items out of grocery bags)
    • putting stuffed animals on their bed
    • throwing away trash- Putting garbage into a trash bin, with direction

    Chores for Preschoolers

    Preschool aged kids will also require direction and assistance. Again, you’re not going to expect your preschooler to assume the responsibility of doing any of these tasks. It’s about doing the chore alongside the child, with guidance and assistance. All of the chores listed below are teaching moments.

    • making the bed
    • putting away toys
    • helping set the table
    • watering plants
    • sorting laundry
    • folding towels
    • feeding pets
    • wiping tables and countertops
    • helping to put groceries away
    • putting dirty clothes in the laundry basket
    • dusting low shelves and furniture
    • helping to clean up spills
    • carrying light items to the trash or recycling bin
    • assisting with meal preparation (washing vegetables, stirring ingredients)
    • brushing their teeth with supervision
    • putting books and magazines back on shelves

    Chores for Elementary Aged Kids

    Older kids can do more challenging chore tasks but will absolutely need reminding, cues, and assistance. While elementary aged kids are gaining confidence, executive functioning, and motor skills, they are still developing in all of these areas. You still won’t be able to expect these chore tasks to be done efficiently or independently, but this is improving.

    • vacuuming floors
    • sweeping and mopping floors
    • taking out the trash loading and unloading the dishwasher
    • cleaning bathroom sinks and counters
    • folding and putting away laundry
    • helping with meal preparation (measuring ingredients, mixing)
    • setting and clearing the table
    • feeding and caring for pets
    • dusting furniture
    • cleaning windows with supervision
    • helping to wash the car
    • putting away groceries
    • watering outdoor plants and garden
    • making their own lunches
    • organizing their own room and personal spaces

    Chore List for Teens

    Teenagers can do more extensive chores and multistep chores. The teenage years still will need reminding and support at times, because we know that executive functioning skills are still developing.

    • cooking complete meals
    • washing and folding laundry
    • cleaning bathrooms (toilets, showers, sinks)
    • mowing the lawn and outdoor yard work
    • grocery shopping with a list
    • managing their own schedule and appointments
    • babysitting younger siblings
    • organizing and deep cleaning their room
    • washing windows
    • vacuuming and mopping floors
    • taking care of pets (feeding, walking, grooming)
    • helping with household budgeting and finances
    • running errands (picking up items, delivering packages)
    • assisting with car maintenance (checking oil, tire pressure)
    • cleaning out the refrigerator and pantry

    RESOURCES ON TEACHING SPECIFIC AGE-APPROPRIATE CHORES

    For some people, teaching tasks is a task in and of itself. Check out some of these great articles to help teaching certain chores. The chore in the article (such as laundry) can be changed to whatever task you are teaching, as the methods are the same.

    Life skills cards – This set of 10 pages of Life Skills Cards help break down functional skills and measure them. Some goals such as “improve self help skills” are broad, and often overwhelming. These life skills cards help break a large goal into functional tasks, giving learners a visual reminder of the tasks being practiced, and a way to track them. Learners use a punch, or other tool, to mark each time they have practiced the task.

    Laundry Skills – Washing and drying clothes is an independent living task that anyone who manages their activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living must learn. Check out this post to understand the “why and how” of teaching laundry skills.

    Cooking Skills – this post highlights how to teach cooking skills to children and why it is important.

    Bright Horizons has a good resource on how to involve children in chores that can be useful, too.

    What does a Pediatric OT think of chores for kids?

    As a pediatric occupational therapist whose worked with many kids, here’s what I think; Raising children is hard work. Taking time out of our busy day to teach them, is also hard work. This is something we signed up for. Make the time and effort to create wonderful, capable little people.  Your child’s future spouse, partner, roommate, landlord, or teacher will thank you.

    Free Printable Chore List for Kids

    One tool inside our Membership Club is a resource for supporting routines and skill-development through chores. We put together a list of age appropriate chores, with simple tasks that kids can do at different ages. You’ll also find a page for the whole family to work together on tasks each day. Then there are weekly chore task sheet for larger chores like laundry that might take several days. You can print off this resource and use it over and over again.

    To get this printable set, enter your email address into the form below, or if you are a member, log into your account to grab the copy.

    Free Printable Chore List for Kids

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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.

      I Spy Ice Cream

      by
      Free ice cream I spy worksheet

      Summer is here!  My two favorite things are summer and ice cream.  What better way to honor these two things than a FREE I Spy Ice Cream printout!  Just because the kids are out of school, there is no reason to stop working on essential skills.  If you’re looking for a summer occupational therapy activity, then you are in the right place! Pair this I spy activity with our other ice cream activities for themed fun:

      Free Ice Cream I spy page

      Get the free Ice Cream I spy page by entering your email address into the form at the bottom of this page.

      In fact, this is the best time, since they are not getting daily reinforcement at school. I have written before about the staggering percentage of information lost during summer holiday. Here is the latest research on the “summer slide.”  Using some tools in a Summer OT program like the I spy activity below is perfect because it’s seasonal, yet fun for kids. Summer work and review is especially important for students with special needs, or those who are more prone to setbacks.

      I SPY ICE CREAM

      The mere mention of the phrase “school work” during the summer, can elicit groans and refusals that can be heard down the street. Head your reluctant learners off at the pass by providing fun engaging summer activities. Create a binder or notebook with lots of the free downloadable worksheets we offer on the OT Toolbox.  Start by adding your email below get your hands on this I Spy Ice Cream PDF.

      This great I Spy Ice Cream worksheet primarily targets visual perceptual skills, while also throwing some visual motor input in there.  As always, it can be adapted and modified to meet the needs and levels of many types of learners.

      Visual Perception Overview

      As a review, visual perception refers to the brain’s ability to make sense of what the eyes see. This is not the same as visual acuity which refers to how clearly a person sees (for example “20/20 vision”). A person can have 20/20 vision and still have problems with visual perceptual processing.

      Good visual perceptual skills are important for many every day skills such as reading, writing, completing puzzles, cutting, drawing, completing math problems, dressing, finding your sock on the bedroom floor as well as many other skills. Without the ability to complete these every day tasks, a child’s self esteem can suffer and their academic and play performance is compromised.

      Visual perception can be broken down into seven different sub-categories:

      • Sensory Processing: Accurate registration, interpretation, and response to sensory stimulation in the environment and the child’s own body.
      • Visual Attention: The ability to focus on important visual information and filter out unimportant background information.
      • Visual Discrimination: The ability to determine differences or similarities in objects based on size, color, shape, etc.
      • Visual Memory: The ability to recall visual traits of a form or object.
      • Visual Spatial Relationships: Understanding the relationships of objects within the environment.
      • Visual Sequential-Memory: The ability to recall a sequence of objects in the correct order.
      • Visual Figure Ground: The ability to locate something in a busy background.
      • Visual Form Constancy: The ability to know that a form or shape is the same, even if it has been made smaller/larger or has been turned around.
      • Visual Closure: The ability to recognize a form or object when part of the picture is missing

      VISUAL PERCEPTION AND THE I SPY ICE CREAM WORKSHEET

      After reviewing the visual perception overview, what skills do you think the I Spy Ice Cream addresses?  If you said sensory processing, visual attention, discrimination, visual memory, spatial relationships, and figure ground; you would be right! 

      If the ice creams were different sizes, shapes, and directions, form constancy would also be addressed.  There are a lot of worksheets out there that do just that (see below for links!).

      The directions for the I Spy Ice Cream worksheet instruct students to color each of the ice cream treats a different color, then find and color the matching items.  Lastly, they need to count how many of each item they found, and write it in the boxes.

      OTHER SKILLS ADDRESSED USING THIS FREE DOWNLOAD

      As mentioned above, visual perception is the key skill addressed with this free PDF of I Spy Ice Cream. There are many other skills being worked on simultaneously:

      • Kinesthetic awareness – This means learning by doing
      • Hand strength and dexterity – staying in the lines while coloring builds hand muscles and develops muscle control. 
      • Visual motor skills are combining what is seen visually and what is written motorically.  It requires coordination to be able to translate information from visual input to motor output. Coloring, drawing, counting, cutting, and tracing are some visual motor skills.
      • Sequencing – will your learner do the ice cream items in order?  Will they look for the easy and/or obvious answers first?  
      • Scanning – does your learner look in methodical order, or search in a haphazard pattern all over the page?  
      • Proprioception – pressure on paper, grip on writing tool
      • Counting/Learning Numbers – Count the items to understand number concepts in addition to writing them correctly.
      • Fine motor strengthening, hand development, and grasping pattern
      • Bilateral coordination – remembering to use their “helper hand” to hold the paper while writing is important for development.  Using one hand as 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, following directions, attention, attention to detail, focus, sequencing, planning, task completion, neatness, impulse control, compliance, behavior, and work tolerance are all important skills to learn
      • Social function – whether working alone, or together in a group, you can address problem solving, sharing materials and space, turn taking, and talking about the activity

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

      HOW TO ADAPT AND MODIFY THIS ACTIVITY

      The beauty of children is they are not all created equal.  This can pose a challenge as you try and provide activities for learners of all levels. Fortunately, most of our downloadable worksheets can be graded or modified in some way to meet the needs of different levels of learners.

      • Lowest level learners can point to the matching pictures without having to use motor skills
      • Middle level learners can use dot markers or stickers to match the ice cream, instead of coloring. They can also circle the matching pictures if coloring is too difficult
      • Higher level learners can elevate this task by writing an idea about ice cream treats, then create a story or memory out of this idea.  This turns into a multilevel activity to use during many sessions.  They can also draw about their ideas, or copy the designs.
      • Use other items to mark the matches like Bingo chips, pom poms, pennies, pieces of play dough, cereal, Legos, or whatever you have handy.
      • Laminate the page for reusability. This saves on resources, and many learners love to write with markers! Note: while some learners love to use wipe off sheets, others become upset they cannot take their work with them.  For those who want to save their work, consider taking a screenshot of it.
      • Make this part of a larger lesson plan including gross motor, sensory, social, executive function, or other fine motor skills
      • Talk about the animals, describe their characteristics, and give context clues to help your learner understand why certain pictures match
      • Enlarging the page may be necessary to beginning writing students who need bigger space to write, or larger items to color.
      • Project this page onto a smart board for students to come to the board and write in big numbers.
      • Different levels or types of prompting may be needed to grade the activity to make it easier or harder
      • Learners can explore other games they could make using this activity 
      • Work in pairs or in a small group to address problem solving, turn taking, and negotiation skills.

      can you believe there are still more ways to adapt and modify the i spy worksheet?

      • Sensory – add real ice cream treats to explore. Describe it in detail. Talk about how it feels, smells, and tastes, or what emotions it might evoke.
      • Executive function – hand the papers out with very limited instruction. Record how well your learners can follow instructions without prompting.
      • Social skills – sharing resources promotes social function. Talking about a themed lesson plan builds social skills.
      • 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

      OTHER RESOURCES TO ADD TO THE I SPY ICE CREAM WORKSHEET

      Creating a folder or binder is a great way to pre-plan your summer activities or save them for next year. The OT Toolbox is full of great resources for you to explore:

      • Free Summer I Spy worksheet
      • Free Beach I Spy worksheet
      • Weekly Fine Motor Plan
      • Beach Therapy Kit -This Beach-themed Therapy Kit has everything you need to work on handwriting, scissor skills, self-regulation, motor planning, gross motor skills, and visual motor development…all with a Beach theme!
      • Color and Write I Spy – add more I Spy activities to your packet
      • Summer Memory game – Use the memory cards in writing prompts, sensory play, and fine motor work, too: Kids can color and cut the memory cards, copying the colors from one sheet to the other to really build visual memory and visual scanning skills. 
      • Fairytale Fine motor kit This Fairy Tale Fine Motor Kit, with almost 100 pages of fun fairy tale themed activities is sure to please princes and princesses everywhere! 
      • ABCs of Summer Learning
      • Become a member of the OT Toolbox and get unlimited access to new and exciting content!

      Free Ice Cream I Spy Worksheet

      To get this printable, just enter your email address into the form below. We’ll send it to your inbox so you can print it off from any device and from any location (school or home). This printable is also found inside The OT Toolbox membership club.

      FREE Ice Cream I Spy

        We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.
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        All this talk about ice cream makes me think about summer treats. I think I hear the ice cream truck coming!

        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.

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

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

        The Summer Activity Bundle includes:

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

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

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

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

        Summer OT Bundle

        School Occupational Therapy Scope of Practice

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        school occupational therapy scope of practice- school desks in front of a chalkboard

        If you are new to school based occupational therapy treatment, you may be confused about how this differs from the private medical model.  Once you have a few IEP/504s under your belt, you will become a master in defending what therapist in the school do (and do not do). Knowing the points of a school occupational therapy scope of practice is essential. This is a harsh reality, and takes a while to get used to this treatment model compared to outpatient OT. In this article, we will explore how school-based therapy differs from private therapy, and determine What School Based OT’s Should Address.

        school occupational therapy scope of practice with school desks in front of a chalkboard

        Another resource you’ll want to check out is how to request a school evaluation.

        WHAT SCHOOL BASED OT’S SHOULD ADDRESS

        Ideally in the helping profession, occupational therapists should “fix what is broken.”  This is the model I followed for 25 years before moving to the school district. School based therapy is a different ball game all together.  We are “related services,” meaning we provide a service to help students meet their educational goals.

        This is where is gets tricky.  While it may be true that Johnny can not tie his shoes, will not eat cafeteria food, or wear button-down shirts, he is getting his education without the need to do these things.  Here is why: Johnny can wear Crocs or Velcro shoes, he can pack a lunch or survive on water during the school day, and can wear other clothes instead of a button-down shirt.

        I had a high school student I inherited who had a buttoning goal. He only wore button-down shirts to church on Sundays, never to school. Number one, this was not affecting his education, and number two, if he had not learned buttoning by age 19 with years of training, my few minutes a month was not going to make much of a difference. For the record, I tried. I added the caveat that he had to wear button shirts to school to make it educationally relevant (this was a stretch), and made sure he was working on this every day.  After months of what I knew was going to be wasted time, we settled on Velcro shirts that have buttons attached to looked like a real button-down dress shirt. 

        DOCUMENTATION ON SCHOOL OT VERSUS MEDICAL BASED THERAPY

        There are differences in documentation in the medical model of occupational therapy and the school occupational therapy model. This is because of differences in intervention based on medical needs vs. educational needs. Here is what the American Association of Occupational Therapists has to say on school-based therapy versus a medical model. This is a great brochure to have on hand for parents and staff at your schools.

        Does School Occupational therapy address self help skills?

        What kind of self-help skills do you think OTs should look for in developing a treatment plan? Cooking, dressing, grooming, laundry, money management, and age appropriate chores? You’ll also find our life skills chore cards a great resource for these areas!

        What self help skills should a school occupational therapy practitioner address?

        This depends on the educational setting. As a general rule, school-based therapist should not be expected to teach cooking, grooming, and laundry unless it is educationally relevant. One of our schools has a program that makes and sells cookies as part of their life skills class.  One student was having fine motor difficulty measuring, rolling, and cutting the cookies.  For him, this specific cooking and life skills goal was relevant to his education.

        The student who just wanted to make pancakes, but this task served no educational purpose, was not in need of skilled therapy for this task.  If making pancakes were part of his educational program, then yes it might be relevant to address from a fine motor, or executive function skills angle.

        self-help skill that may be addressed in School OT

        Sometimes a school occupational therapy referral will target self help skills. And sometimes this is appropriate when it impacts education. Here are some things to consider:

        • Using utensils – maybe. While it is true that your student can get by using their hands to eat, is it safe?  Beyond safety there is social appropriateness, and improving fine motor skills to consider. Check out our resource on using a spoon and fork to assist with this area.
        • Grooming – maybe. If there is a reason your student must brush their hair or teeth at school as part of their educational program, then you may have a case to address this. Deodorant? Maybe not. This might come into play with the middle school student or high school student who is using the pool in the school physical education class.
        • Toileting – the physical aspects of toileting such as clothing management, hand washing, motor coordination, and adaptations, yes.  Maybe even as far as advising on a time schedule or visual supports. Sitting with a kid for 20 minutes waiting for them to go; maybe not. The Toilet Training Book is a good resource for supporting a variety of levels and needs.
        • Laundry – if this is part of their educational program. Some programs have life skills built in like laundry tasks.  If this is the case, this might be an educationally relevant goal.  If so, goals like these are often addressed at a problem-solving indirect level.
        • Chores – again educationally relevant ones.  These are all great life skills but what educational impact do they have to get specific therapeutic services?  Emptying trash cans, recycling, cleaning dishes, washing tables, etc. may be part of a classroom management routine, or may be just a life skill being taught at school.  Consider the relevance before committing to long term direct intervention on waste management.

        WHAT HandwRiting Needs Should SCHOOL BASED OT ADDRESS?

        Handwriting is a big one…it seems like every school based occupational therapy student has a handwriting goal. Check out my post on “How Long Should OT Address Handwriting Skills?” (Coming soon) in order to gain an understanding of when and how much intervention to provide in handwriting. Handwriting services at some point need to be dismissed if the student is not motivated, progressing, over a certain age, or producing functional work. 

        Instead look for underlying causes of handwriting difficulties such as weakness, coordination disorder, sensory processing difficulties, or visual perception deficits. Address the underlying causes to improve overall fine motor skills and handwriting.

        Some things to ask yourself are:

        • Does cursive handwriting need to be addressed or could this be done at home through a home program (likely much more effective with daily practice)
        • Should near point copying skills be addressed to support the ability to copy homework from a chalkboard?
        • What about pencil pressure? When the pencil markings tear paper and result in illegible written work, should this be addressed?
        • When should we target writing speed? When the written work is illegible because it’s too fast or when it’s so slow that the student can’t keep up with written material. What is the fine line between these areas.

        The list could go on and on!

        WHAT Sensory Processing Needs SHould SCHOOL BASED OT ADDRESS?

        We all have sensory issues. Everyone has idiosyncrasies that make us unique. I am sensitive to smells, textures, and auditory input.  However, I function just fine in my work setting.  I wear clothes that I like, use gloves if I need them, and have ear plugs if something is too loud.  My sensitivities are bothersome at times, but not impacting my work to the point that I can not do it. 

        Sensory processing difficulties can have some educational impact.  There are many students who are so sensitive to smells, sounds, or textures, that it impacts their learning, or the learning of those around them. Attention and behavioral challenges interfere with learning and acquiring new information.

        Sensory based strategies can help set the foundation for improved learning. These techniques and adaptations are put in place with the sole purpose of helping students reach their academic milestones and participate in their education.

        Social skills and social function in the school system

        What school-based OTs should address in terms of social skill functioning depends on the expectations in the classroom.  There is a place for therapists to address social skills in class either in a direct or consultative model.  These might include:

        How to Decide if a need is in the scope of practice for school occupational therapy

        Because we are a helper profession, it is going to take some practice and reinforcement to truly understand the role of therapists in the school system. This advice is not just for occupational therapists.  Physical therapists and speech language pathologists go by the same standards.

        When deciding what to address in therapy, ask yourself some questions:

        • Is this skill relevant to their education?
        • Can a teacher provide the same information/practice?  If so, you can provide recommendations and advice rather than direct treatment
        • Can this student perform all functions of their school day without this skill?  This is especially relevant when being asked to address shoe tying, eating, hair brushing, or buttoning.  *You can work on buttons and tying shoes as an activity to improve your fine motor coordination goal
        • Is this something that matters to the teacher and/or parent? If not, you will not get the carryover you need for success
        • Does the child have the necessary skills to function in their environment? Their handwriting might not be perfect, but at some point, it is functional, and works for their educational setting
        • Will adding OT have a positive or negative impact? Some students do not need to miss any instructional time being pulled out for therapy or having a therapist push into a classroom.  A consultative model or recommendations may suffice
        • Is it time for dismissal?  At some point the teachers know what to do to follow your OT plan of care, or your therapy interventions are not having any impact on the student’s education. Therapy can become a crutch for parents/teachers/students.  It is nice to feel wanted and needed, but opening your schedule to help new students is even nicer.

        Thoughts from An experienced OT on the scope of school based occupational therapy

        This is the end of my third year as a school-based OT. I am finally getting my head wrapped around my role in the school system.  After 25 years in outpatient private practice, it has taken me this long to reprogram myself. There are still times when I want to address something because the child needs it as a life skill.  I must go back to my list of questions above and ask myself if this is truly an educational need.

        As my caseload grows, unfortunately some of these decisions are becoming easier based on time constraints.  I find myself prioritizing the students who truly need skilled therapy to survive the day at school, or have some sort of educational impact. Students who in theory should have more therapy due to their function level, get less because their needs are stable, they are not progressing, and their teachers are doing a great job helping them access their education.

        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.

        Outdoor Sensory Path Ideas

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        Now that the weather has started to get warmer, you might be looking for some outside activities. I know a lot of people have 101 reasons not to go outside (too hot, too cold, pollen, etc.) but being outdoors provides such great sensory input. Without adding any activities, the outdoors provides natural input; there is sunshine, wind, birds, flowers, dirt, water, and more. For those looking for more than environmental sensory input, in this post you will find some great sensory path ideas.

        This is a Summer occupational therapy activity you can use for many goal areas.

        outdoor sensory path ideas

        There are so many ways to gain the benefits of sensory motor skill work using an outdoor sensory pathway!

        What is a Sensory Path?

        Before diving right into outdoor sensory path ideas, we need to take a step back to define a sensory path.  A sensory path is a defined path, or walkway that directs users to complete a variety of sensory-motor tasks. The activities that make up a sensory path are typically gross motor tasks that incorporate proprioceptive input, vestibular input, and visual input, in order to meet sensory needs. These sensory systems are powerful regulating tools to organize and this is why motor movements in a sensory path engage these systems. It’s a great tool for supporting gross motor coordination.

        Using an outdoor sensory path is a motor skills task. Read more about kinesthetic learning as a tool for skill development.

        A sensory path is typically a literal pathway on the ground; it may be painted onto a sidewalk or schoolyard. It may be stickers or images stuck to a floor or hallway in a school. Or, it might even be a chalk path on a sidewalk or driveway.

        Many of you are familiar with the  the (Amazon affiliate link) sensory pathways displayed on walls and floors of the school building. These are available commercially, or sensory paths can be made with paint and stickers.  The fun does not have to end there!  This Sensory Obstacle Path book is a great resource for getting started.

        Other ideas include using our printable version of sensory stations. These PDFs, when hung on a hallway or as part of an obstacle course, become an interactive sensory pathway. The ones you’ll find on The OT Toolbox include:

        Outdoor Sensory Path Ideas

        Many children (and their caregivers) do not know where to begin when playing outside.  Unfortunately, people have become so accustomed to technology, they have forgotten how to play.  Creating a sensory path gives defined boundaries to an activity.  Children really do thrive on structure and repetition. 

        With these outdoor sensory path ideas, you can create great occupational therapy obstacle courses with defined limits.  Set up the path, then determine how many times it needs to be completed in succession.  I love the idea of having students use counters or objects to define how many rotations they have done. I use puzzle pieces, coins, clothespins, or any other small item that can be slipped into a pocket.

        A lot of the following games use sidewalk chalk, but feel free to use rope/tape/paint/string or cones and buckets to define your space. We have other ideas in our indoor obstacle course post.

        Hopscotch

        This is a classic game. I hope it continues to be passed along from generation to generation. All you need is a piece of chalk, a couple of counters, and a little space. It’s easy to set up as a sensory path:

        1. Draw out your grid. 
        2. Learners can hop on one foot, jump with feet together, jump left and right or feet apart, squat to retrieve objects and turn around.

        Hopping and jumping are great proprioceptive activities that help to organize the sensory system.  Feel free to make your hop scotch permanent with paint, although changing the obstacle courses frequently adds to their appeal.

        Outdoor sensory path ideas – The Sensory road

        How about using that same chalk and creating a road to travel? Dust off the Big wheels or scooter boards, draw a path/road with chalk, and add some obstacles. If you use a scooter board, you can incorporate some prone extension activities.

        Have kids pick up objects along the way and deposit them in another container. Put cones or buckets in the road to navigate. Attach a wagon filled with weights to increase the workout.  You can use chalk, tape, rope, chain, or whatever you have handy. 

        You can even create a temporary space or paint the road on your space for long lasting fun. When my kids were young, we used a roll of masking tape to create a road in our unfinished basement. They would move their ride on toys around the basement along the masking tape road.

        Activity obstacle course

        • Another outdoor sensory path idea is an obstacle course. Think; relay races from field day or P.E class.  Use a large spoon to carry rocks or pinecones from one end to another.  This can be the entirety of the game, or spice it up with more obstacles.  Carry the pinecone, jump over the sticks, go around the bushes, crawl under another obstacle. Add calisthenics such as sit ups, pushups, jumping jacks, or side hops to the sensory path.
        • Amazon (affiliate link) has a nice Obstacle Course in a Box if you are looking for a prepackaged idea.  Here is a kit of simple staple supplies such as rings, bean bags, and cones.
        • Animal Walk Sensory Path- Another idea I love is using an animal walk theme, where the child can move through a sensory path with different animal walks. It prompts you to think about adding items for jumping, hopping, throwing, kicking, crab walks, crawling and more.
        • What do you have around the house you could turn into an obstacle course?  Once, we made a string maze with rope/string for learners to climb their way through. This is a great activity for supporting motor planning skills.
        • Use these pool noodle ideas to create a course of rings and hoops. They show ideas for the pool, snow, and more.

        Outdoor sensory walk

        • Check out these garden sensory paths that tie nature and sensory input into a delightful garden feature. These sensory paths feature the tactile sense. Take those shoes off and get your feet in the earth.  Create a path with different textures: grass, pebbles, stepping stones, concrete, pea gravel, sand, mud, wood planks, shells, sticks and more. There are some nature sensory paths that people have built into their landscape, as well as temporary ones build into carboard boxes or trays.
        • Temporary outdoor sensory walk – You can create an outdoor sensory path that can be removed when the play is done. Get different plastic tubs, fill them with different textures, and create a fun tactile path.  Ideas might include: rocks, water, pebbles, grass clippings, sand, birdseed, leaves, sticks, and more.
        • Benefits of Nature Play – This post highlights outdoor sensory path ideas using nature play.  Use what is already available to enlighten the senses and create some great outdoor play.
        DIY ninja warrior course ideas- wooden pallets, slack line, climbing structures, playground equipment, stepping stones

        Another idea for a sensory walk is a ninja warrior course.

        Ninja Warrior courses

        With the rise in popularity of American Ninja Warrior, kids and adults are really getting into fitness through obstacle course training. Have you ever thought about making your own DIY ninja warrior course?

        Build your own course or purchase ready-made pieces you might have around the house. Some ideas include:

        • wooden pallets
        • Wooden boards like a 2×4 in different lengths
        • Slanted wood balanced on rocks or bricks
        • Climbing walls

        You can also purchase Ninja Warrior materials and create a backyard ninja course:

        Chalk walk ideas

        I love using a chalk walk as a sensory path because it requires just chalk and an outdoor space. You can target so many skills with a single chalk walk!

        Chalk Walk

        We mentioned a few ideas to create a chalk walk (hopscotch, making a road, or an outdoor chalk line path), but what are some specific ways to incorporate different movements using just chalk? Here our our ideas to support proprioceptive, vestibular, and visual input?

        Where to make a Chalk Walk?

        Another nice thing about a chalk walk as a therapy tool is that all you need is a box of sidewalk chalk. We’ve made chalk walks at different places:

        • Sidewalk
        • Driveway (Read about our driveway sensory diet for more inspiration!)
        • Park or playground
        • Empty parking lot
        • Cul-da-sac in a neighborhood
        • Playground basketball court

        You can incorporate different sensory motor tasks that are inspired by sensory integration therapy, using just the chalk and a large writing space. Some ideas include:

        Hopscotch: Create a hopscotch grid with different shapes or numbers to promote balance and coordination.

        Balance Beam: Draw a straight or wavy line for kids to walk on, encouraging balance and body awareness. Here are more balance beam ideas to add to your list.

        Obstacle Course: Design a chalk obstacle course with different challenges like hopping, spinning, and tiptoeing.

        Alphabet Path: Write the alphabet in a path for children to follow, promoting letter recognition and movement.
        Number Line Jump: Draw a number line and have kids jump to specific numbers, integrating math skills with physical activity.

        Shape Jumping: Draw various shapes and have kids jump from shape to shape, enhancing spatial awareness and motor planning.

        Simon Says Path: Create a path with different actions written in each section, like “spin,” “hop,” or “crawl.”

        Color Hunt: Draw different colored circles or shapes and ask children to run to specific colors, integrating color recognition and Animal Walks: Draw animal footprints and have kids imitate the movements of different animals as they follow the path.

        Emotional Faces: Draw faces with different emotions and ask children to move to the face that represents how they feel, integrating Sensory Tracing: Draw large letters or shapes for children to trace with their fingers, enhancing tactile feedback and fine motor skills.

        Breathing Circle: Draw a large circle and practice deep breathing exercises while walking around the circle.

        Dynamic Paths: Create paths with different textures by adding elements like sand or water to the chalk, stimulating tactile senses.

        Chalk Mazes: Draw mazes for children to navigate, enhancing problem-solving skills and spatial awareness.

        Jumping Dots: Place dots in varying distances for kids to jump between, promoting proprioception and muscle strength.

        Shadow Tracing: Use chalk to trace shadows at different times of the day, combining sensory input with outdoor exploration.

        Body Part Path: Draw a path with labels for different body parts (e.g., “touch with left hand,” “step with right foot”), promoting body awareness.

        Spiral Walk: Draw a large spiral for kids to walk or run around, providing vestibular input and promoting balance.

        Toss at a Target: Draw circles with letters inside. Throw a pebble into a circle and then write that letter with chalk. Here is a letter writing activity with chalk.

        Inclusive Chalk Walk

        The nice thing about creating a chalk walk for kids is that you can individualize it to meet the needs of the kids you are working with. So, for some kiddos that require more inclusive ideas, you can definitely create a chalk walk that supports their needs. You could also incorporate self regulation strategies like deep breathing breaks in the task, or make it smaller or bigger. It really depends on the kids you are supporting!

        Grade the Chalk Walk Down– Grading down a chalk walk to make it more inclusive for lower-level kids involves simplifying tasks. This is something we do naturally as occupational therapy providers, right? We can offer the support level needed AND ensure that the activities are achievable and engaging, because that’s what helps the child achieve their goals! This is what we call the “just right challenge“.

        Here are some strategies that support occupational therapy goals of gross motor coordination, fine motor skills, sensory motor skills, and executive functioning skills:

        • Wider paths: Draw wider lines or paths to make it easier for children to walk on without losing balance.
        • Simpler shapes: Use basic shapes like circles and squares instead of more complex patterns.
        • Shorter distances: Reduce the length of the path or the distance between tasks to avoid overwhelming the child.
        • Fewer steps: Limit the number of steps in a sequence to keep tasks manageable and less confusing.
        • Visual aids: Add visual cues or markers, such as arrows or footprints, to guide children along the path.
        • Lower jumps: Create lower hopscotch squares or stepping pads to reduce the height children need to jump.
        • Verbal prompts: Use clear, simple verbal instructions to guide children through each activity.
        • Physical support: Provide hand-holding or use a handrail for balance and support as children navigate the path.
        • Use of props: Incorporate props like balance beams or stepping stones with tactile feedback to aid movement.
        • Repetitive patterns: Use repetitive patterns that children can easily recognize and follow.
        • Reduced speed: Encourage children to move at their own pace, focusing on slow and deliberate movements.
        • Inclusive themes: Integrate themes or characters that the children are familiar with to make the activities more engaging.
        • Stationary tasks: Include more stationary tasks like tracing shapes or drawing within a specified area.
        • Sensory breaks: Incorporate sensory breaks with simple tasks like sitting and deep breathing or stretching.
        • Pairing up: Pair children with a buddy for guidance and encouragement.
        • Positive reinforcement: Provide immediate positive feedback and encouragement to build confidence.
        • Adapted challenges: Offer different levels of challenges for each task so children can choose according to their abilities.
        • Consistent routines: Use a consistent order for tasks to help children anticipate and feel more comfortable with the activities.
        • Use of color: Utilize bright, contrasting colors to make the paths and shapes more visually distinct and easier to follow.
        • Minimize distractions: Ensure the environment is calm and free of excessive distractions to help children focus on the activities.

        Then, to grade the activity up, or add more challenging tasks to the chalk walk, use one or more of the items above and make it more challenging for the chalk walk user. This is how we can support individual needs and work on developing those goals!

        Sensory Chalk Walk

        In addition to the motor skills that a chalk walk supports, you can also add in sensory integration strategies that offer specific tasks for vestibular input, proprioceptive input, visual input, and even tactile input. For more information on this, check out our resource on Ayres Sensory Integration Therapy.

        For example, we used a wet chalk activity to add a messy sensory play experience. This was a fun way to work on visual motor skills while addressing sensory defensiveness. You could also make liquid driveway chalk paint to add sensory writing tasks to the fun.

        • Spirals for spinning around a central point
        • Maze for finding the way out
        • Wavy lines for tiptoeing
        • Hopping pads for both feet
        • Single line for walking or crawling on either side of the line
        • Zigzag paths for jumping side to side
        • Alphabet stepping stones
        • Numbered hopscotch squares
        • Dotted lines for skipping
        • Animal footprints to follow
        • Balance beam lines
        • Twisty lines for galloping
        • Shapes to jump into (circles, squares, triangles)
        • Arrows for direction changes
        • Line with stopping points (large circles) to take deep breathing breaks or a prompt to do a motor task like hopping 5 times)
        • Concentric circles for jumping in and out
        • Ladder rungs for stepping up and down
        • Patterns for matching (left foot, right foot)
        • Start and finish lines for timing races
        • Swirly lines for crawling
        • Parallel lines for jumping over
        • Star shapes for jumping to different points

        More outdoor sensory path ideas:

        The weather does not have to be perfect to use your outdoor sensory path ideas. Kids do not mind rain, wind, mud, temperature changes, or snow. “Back in my day” we used to get sent out no matter what the weather had in store for us.  It was great for our sensory system, along with building valuable skills. 

        Sidewalk chalk obstacle course

        Free printable set of resources!

        Free Chalk Walk Sensory Kit

        We created a free printable resource just for sensory motor skill development…a Chalk Walk Kit! This activity guide has chalk drawing figures designed to support proprioceptive, vestibular, and visual input for calming and organizing sensory input.

        Pick and choose the chalk walk options to create an individualized sensory path to meet specific needs.

        Work on motor planning, coordination, balance, midline crossing, and much more…all with just a piece of sidewalk chalk.

        To get this resource, enter your email address below. Member Club Members will find this resource inside The OT Toolbox Membership Club!

        Free Sidewalk Chalk Sensory Path

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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.

          Summer OT Programs

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          Summer therapy program

          Is it summer break yet?  This is what all the school based occupational therapy providers and teachers are asking. Whether you are working in a school system or with children who go to school, you are going to want some great summer programs to offer.  Summer activities can range from seated table worksheets, chores, arts and crafts, self-help skills to outings, camps, and classes. 

          All the above are great to work on retaining and learning new skills.  The only bad activity is no activity.  I know teenagers want to sleep all summer, but this is not going to help build critical skills, especially for those students who need a leg up.  In this post we will explore some great summer program and activity ideas. We also have occupational therapy at home ideas that you could do this Summer.

          SUMMER SLIDE

          David Quinn and Morgan Polikoff researched Summer regression and concluded on average, students’ achievement scores declined over summer vacation by one month’s worth of school-year learning, (2) declines were sharper for math than for reading, and (3) the extent of loss was larger at higher grade levels.

          According to Scholastic, students lose about a month’s worth of learning on average over the summer. Some studies show that children lose up to 40% of their learning over summer break. For example, children in grades 3 to 5 lose about 20% of their school year gains in reading and 27% of their gains in math. In the summer between 5th and 6th grades, 84% of students experience summer slide in math. 

          This is especially important for students who are struggling to keep up with their peers in school.  When I am doing end of year meetings, I make sure to stress carryover of goals with parents.  I want their students to have an advantage of practicing OT interventions all summer, not sliding backward. While everyone can benefit from a summer program, students with special needs are on the top of my priority list.

          Summer therapy program

          Summer Program Schedules and Routines

          One of the key components of summer vacation that differs from the school year, is schedules (or lack of them). Kids thrive on predictability, consistency, and expectations. Parents mistakenly feel that students have been on a strict schedule all year and need a summer free for all. 

          Just like adults, children feel more confident and secure when their daily activities are predictable and familiar. A consistent daily schedule and step-by-step routines give children a predictable day.

          Schedules and routines in the group care setting and at home help children: feel in control, feel safe and secure, know what is happening next, and engage in learning. Engaging, predictable environments and ongoing positive adult-child interactions are necessary for promoting children’s social and emotional development and preventing challenging behaviors. You can help by following clear and simple schedules and routines. (Hemmeter, Ostrosky, and Fox 2006).

          Using a visual schedule at home is a great idea to keep this routine!

          KEY FACTORS IN ESTABLISHING A SCHEDULE and summer program

          There are several key factors in establishing a summer program (or any other time) schedule and routine:

          • Keep it simple. A routine does not have to include outings, pricey trips, or a packed schedule.
          • Help family members break down one of their scheduled tasks into steps to create the routine. For example, the morning routine might be: go to the toilet, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush your teeth.
          • Encourage families to let their children be as independent as possible. You might have to break a task down into chunks to have children help.
          • Let parents know that reviewing the schedule every morning and throughout the day with their child helps them know what is going to happen next.  They can use visual schedules, pictures, lists, timers, or whatever works for them.
          • Remind families to keep the routine and schedule as similar as possible each day but offer some choices when possible (do you want the red or blue shirt?)
          • Let parents know they should also be flexible. You can say something like, “Plans change, things happen, but give your child a warning ahead of time if things are going to be different. Let them know what is going to happen.”
          • Refer to the schedule before and after activities throughout the day. 

          Here is a fun June Summer Activity Calendar to get your summer program started!

          SENSORY DIET

          Some learners need a sensory diet or program built into their summer to keep their systems regulated.  This article on Sensory Diets is informative in building and using this tool. 

          You can of course incorporate your sensory diet into your daily schedule.  For example, after the morning routine, add animal walks.

          SUMMER break WORKSHEETS AND PAPER ACTIVITIES

          Personally, I love a good workbook or paper activity. Arts and crafts are my jam. The possibilities for workbooks are endless and often overwhelming. My standard advice is to pick a couple of websites and resources you trust, and go from there.  For example, the OT Toolbox (and The OT Toolbox Membership gets you everything done for you!) has multiple programs and printables to choose from that follow the same type of theme or pattern to add to your summer program.

          • Summer Activity Bundle Included in this bundle of printable resources are tools to address fine motor skills, visual perception, visual motor skills, sensory processing, self-regulation, pencil control, handwriting, and more. 
          • Occupational Therapy Activities – great OT activities to get you moving this summer.
          • Summer Fine Motor Kit Printable no-prep Summer fine motor activities and fine motor worksheets designed to build strong hands.
          • Handwriting Practice for Summer
          • Summer Bridge Workbooks – These workbooks are my go-to suggestion for parents. I used these with my own girls 20 years ago and they are still very popular.  Must be a good sign. I like that there are specific pages for each day on different subject matter to touch all the academic areas without being overwhelming  Prevent summer learning loss! Summer Bridge Activities is an AWARD-WINNING summer learning series that is an easy and proven way to help children retain their classroom skills. Research shows that on average, children can lose 2.8 months of grade-level equivalency skills over their summer vacation. By using Summer Bridge Activities books students enter their new grades prepared and confident.  These are available at other retailers, but I like all the information presented on their website.  Check out the contents of each book before deciding on a level. Some learners are going to be too advanced for their grade group. Whereas struggling students may need to drop down a level or two.
          • Teachers Pay Teachers is another one of my favorite websites for resources.  This search for Summer Packets brought up multiple different suggestions.
          • Check out this June Morning Work activity packet aimed at kindergarten level students. Carry over the important daily routine with a daily work page.

          SUMMER ACTIVITIES TO GET YOU MOVING

          A good mix of summer occupational therapy activities including indoor AND outdoor activities is great to add to your schedule. These activities use things you have around the house or can easily find at the Dollar Store.

          Summer CHOICE BOARD

          An increasingly popular option for home and summer programs is the Choice Board. A choice board is a visual tool that teachers can use in their classrooms to allow students to… make choices! Choice boards consist of two or more options of activities for students to complete.

          The teacher specifies what choices are available, and the student selects what activity (or activities) they’ll do. Choice boards give students a chance to make decisions about what they are going to do.  Eventually they will get all the activities done, so it does not really matter which order they get them done.

          Some choice boards are made to give students choices without having to do all the activities.  For instance, pick 3 from the board for homework.

          Summer Outings that build skills

          Summer programs would not be the same without outings!  Not everything has to cost a ton of money.  There are lots of summer programs for kids out there. Here are a few ideas that are free or low cost:

          • Summer bowling program
          • Movie series – older movies during the summer that only cost a few dollars
          • Library – the library usually has a book challenge or other activities like Lego club, book club, arts and crafts, and more
          • Recreation Center – check out your local recreation center for activities.  They usually offer lower cost summer camps as well as great activities.
          • Staycation – have you seen all there is to do in your home town?  How about being a tourist for a few days and check out the local sights.
          • Membership – a summer membership can help create a summer schedule. If you go enough times, the cost is minimal. We loved the aquarium, zoo, water park, amusement park, children’s museum, and more
          • Classes – several places offer fun classes during the summer. The craft painting and pottery places offer classes. Usually the dance studios have something going on, as well as the gymnastic centers.
          • Bible Camp – if this is your preference, Bible camps are usually free and you can check out more than one church.

          MY SUMMER PLANS

          This is only the third year in my 30 years as an OT to have summers off. You can bet I am super excited!  We have travel plans galore.  I am thinking of adding the Summer bucket challenge for adults to my summer plans.

          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.

          Visual Noise and Learning

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          Visual noise in the classroom

          In this post you will be discovering how to create a calm classroom, specifically tips to avoid the visual noise that distracts learning in the school environment. Classroom décor and organization can directly effect the engagement level of children in any classroom or learning space. When the environment is too visually stimulating, a student’s ability to focus becomes difficult. Keeping children’s attention can become frustrating. When a classroom environment that is soothing and organized is created, children are better able to stay engaged. In this blog, you will learn about the three different ways to make your classroom visually calm. 

          Visual noise in the classroom

          What is Visual Noise?

          When working with children, teachers think about all of the colors of the rainbow, and want to make classrooms bright and cheery. So many classroom theme sets have fun colors, bright designs, and patterns, contrasting bulletin board boarders, etc. Many believe that having a colorful classroom will keep children interested and engaged. 

          Visual Noise is just that: a visually distracting, or “noisy” visual scene in the classroom. A lot of teachers set up bulletin boards throughout the room with cut-outs in various themes: animal/monster/any theme , alphabet stickers, and painted murals on the walls. Maybe your classroom has a circle time rug that includes the ten different color squares. Perhaps you want to make sure all the children have something they like to do, so you have 20 fine motor choices in the manipulative area. 

          There is just one problem with using these types of visuals in the classroom, they are distracting! 

          • The bulletin boards all around the room are adorable, and fun to look at. So during circle time, you might find a child gazing at the wall, figuring out what new item is there. 
          • When there are rugs filled with colors, you may notice children looking down at the rug, maybe at the bright colors, while singing the color song in their head.
          • If teachers provide too many choices in one area of the classroom, children work with one toy for three minutes, then they are onto the next, without honing in, or practicing the skills that were intended.
          • For young children, and lots of adults, less is more! 

          visual processing

          Humans use vision from birth, to engage with the world around them. The way your brain process what you see, impacts how you interpret your interactions with the environment, and the people around you. To learn more about vision, this amazing PDF discusses visual hypersensitivity and under-sensitivity (or sensory seeking). 

          There are some visual processing red flags that may indicate difficulties with visual processing or ocular motor control:

          • Increased sensitivity to light
          • Easily distracted by visual stimuli, or difficulty sustaining visual attention to an activity
          • Frequently squints, rubs eyes, or gets a headache after visually demanding tasks such as reading, using a phone/tablet/computer, or watching television
          • Loses place in reading or writing
          • Trouble finding things they are looking for, even when they seem to be “right in front of them”
          • Distractions with reading
          • Difficulty tracking visual information
          • Difficulty initiating or holding eye contact
          • Difficulty focusing on one piece of visual information
          • Increased fear of, or desire for, being in the dark
          • Difficulty discriminating between similar shapes, letters, or pictures
          • Letter reversals or number reversals
          • Difficulties with handwriting such as letter reversals, sizing, spacing, or alignment of letters
          • Frequently loses their place while reading or copying
          • Often bumps into things
          • May be slow or hesitant with stairs
          • Difficulty with visually stimulating activities, i.e., puzzles, locating objects in pictures, completing mazes, word searches or dot-to-dots
          • Trouble knowing left from right or writing with both hands

          How to reduce visual noise when planning your classroom

          When planning out your classroom, visual stimulation is important, however there are many ways to make sure there is reduced visual noise, so the environment is not overwhelming.

          Think about how you feel when you go to the spa. Those deep earthy wall colors calm your bodies and nerves instantly! The Montessori and Reggio Emilia educational philosophies advise visual components as a way to keep their classroom calm and focused.

          The Reggio Emilia philosophy recognizes the environment as the child’s third teacher. What is in a child’s environment, how it’s organized, and what it looks like, directly impacts what a child will learn that day. 

          two ways to make sure your environment is visually calming 

          Colors – When picking out colors for your classroom, whether it be for the furniture, rugs, or wall decor, the best way to support a calm visual classroom, is to choose more natural colors. These include blues, greens and browns.

          • Choose toy baskets, or white bins, as opposed to brightly colored ones.
          • Consider turning toy shelves around or covering with neutral fabric to further reduce visual noise.
          • Choose predictable carpet rugs (Amazon affiliate link) like this one, instead of random colorful squares. Carpet samples of neutral colors are an excellent idea to create boundaries while limiting visual distraction.
          • When decorating your walls, allow for empty blank space, and use more of children’s artwork. Consider the use of cloth and fabric.

          Classroom Organization – When choosing how many activities and materials to place in each are of your classroom, keep in mind that less is more! When children have too many options to choose from, this can create a short attention span, and overwhelm from choice overload.

          Organization in the classroom can mean stacks of papers, tons of sticky notes, messy desks, and disorganized files, too.

          In a typical preschool classroom, there are 8 areas of learning: art, fine motor, science, reading, dramatic play, block, large motor and snack! When you use furniture to visually create specific spaces for each center, the classroom is organized, and children know what is expected of them in each area.

          Older classrooms may not have the toys, block areas, and motor components, but there are designated areas: group areas, centers, desks, cubbies, or lockers, teacher areas, information centers, etc. All of these areas can be considered when it comes to visual input.

          This blog from Lovely Connection, on preschool classroom set up, includes important aspects to think about as you plan your classroom layout. She includes information about including noise, popularity, supervision, boundaries, space, and the race track (when kids run around the room in a circular pattern!)

          What happens when children are still overwhelmed, even when the environments are visually calming?

          When a child feels overwhelmed for any reason, having a calm down corner, that is easily accessible and they can stay in as long as they need, is a must have.  My “Soothing Sammy Emotions Program.” is an effective calm down area because students are excited to spend time with the adorable golden retriever Sammy. Not only does “The Sammy Program” teach children how to calm down, it guides them through communication and problem solving situations in a visual way that isn’t overwhelming.

          Check out this great blog about visual processing and visual efficiency from the OT Toolbox archives. When a child has visual processing difficulties, they have a harder time taking in visual information, and processing it in order to make sense of it.

          This visual processing bundle, also available in the Toolbox, can support children who are demonstrating visual processing challenges. 

          The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook (also available on Amazon) written by Colleen Beck of the OT Toolbox, is a great resource to start understanding sensory processing disorders.

          A final note about visual noise

          Visual noise doesn’t only occur indoors, it can happen outdoors, especially if there is a lot of activity and sunlight. Being mindful of the visual stimuli outdoors, is just as important as setting up an indoor classroom.

          If you have a child who is having a hard time visually processing their environment outside, these visual sensory activities can be completed outdoors to support their sensory system.

          While considering visual sensory overload in the classroom, also be sure to check out our resource on auditory sensitivities in the classroom. Both are very useful in setting up an inclusive classroom environment for success.

          Classroom themes are adorable and cute! When planning your classroom, keep in mind how “busy” and overstimulating different colors and amount of objects can be. This will help keep your students calm and engaged. Although everyone processes their environment differently, anyone can all benefit from a more calming environment, especially when learning new skills! 

          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.

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