Letter Formation Rhymes

When working on handwriting skills, letter rhymes are a tool to have in your toolbox! Whether you are looking for summer enrichment, or planning for the upcoming school year, the OT Toolbox is highlighting letters with posts on games, activities, worksheets, and this one on Letter Formation Rhymes. Pair these multi-sensory activities with hands-on letter formation activities and letter formation worksheets for engaging and motivating skill-building.

letter rhymes packet on green and white background with text that says "Free Letter Rhymes"

letter formation Rhymes

Before getting into letter formation rhymes, it’s important to understand the underlying skills necessary for writing letters with accuracy and automaticity when it comes to handwriting.

When it comes to auditory processing skills, auditory memory is a factor that improves carryover skills. The auditory memory tool of a rhyme to support letter creation is a spark for legible formation and the functional pencil stroke sequences in letter formation, however if the underlying components are not in place, a rhyme or letter song will not help.

As always, it is important to understand the basics before expanding your activities. Understanding development and the “why” before starting activities and games will improve your effectiveness and efficiency as a therapist. Knowing the reason a student is struggling on a particular task will point you in the right direction when it comes to treatment activities.

Difficulties with letter formation may come from a variety of different sources including:

Our lengthy resource on letter formation covers the reasons why the letter formation aspect of handwriting can be so difficult. Be sure to check out all of the letter formation activities including ways to teach letters that use a hands-on and sensory approach to learning letters. You’ll also find resources on letter order, and information on teaching letters based on child development.

Alphabet formation rhymes

Now that you are familiar with the basics, and have some great resources to get you started, how about adding letter formation rhymes to your toolbox!

Some tips and ideas to get you started with incorporating letter rhymes into teaching handwriting:

  • Use consistent verbal prompts. If you use a particular letter formation rhyme, stay consistent with using that same verbiage each time.
  • Use a visual prompt. You can use our letter formation rhyme printable.
  • Use age-appropriate directions. Younger students may appreciate rhymes and cute visuals to go along with the letter formation directions. Older students may appreciate simple instructions for each letter, such as: “m – start at the top. Down up, over, down again, and over once more to finish your m”.
  • Add whole-body learning. Incorporate movement using our alphabet exercises along with letter formation rhymes that uses body movements to describe the letters.
  • Teach letters in groups based on the pencil strokes that make up the letters. These are called letter families. For example, letters L, E, F, I, H, T are in a letter family. And c, a, g, o, and q are in a letter family. All letters of the alphabet can be grouped with other similar letters based on the pencil lines that make up the letter. This goes for uppercase letters as well as lowercase letters. Teaching letters in a similar group promotes the motor plan needed, as well as improves pencil control skills.
  • Simple verbal cues- Handwriting without Tears (now called Learning without Tears) has great rhymes and songs to go with their learning program. Mat Man is a big theme in their program, and simple yet effective directions for forming letters include: big line, little line, big curve, little curve.
  • Interactive Activities: Plan interactive and multi-sensory letter formation activities that involve students actively participating in the letter formation process. For instance, use large motor movements to draw letters on a whiteboard or on the floor.
  • Try different strategies. Here are 10 ways to teach letter formation that incorporate different sensory tools. Use these activities along with the letter rhymes to really establish a motor plan for each letter.
  • Use consistent letter formation activities along with verbal rhymes for each letter. We have our series of sensory letter worksheets that incorporate the same types of activities on each letter mat. Grab your copy of:

letter formation Rhyme videos

Some therapists and teachers prefer to teach using videos. This is definitely a viable option, however you can also use the videos to learn the songs, then teach them to your students without video aids. Plus, you can send a list of the letter rhyme videos to parents to support handwriting carryover at home as part of OT handwriting homework or a home program.

If you are looking for songs rather than letter formation rhymes, Jack Hartman has many videos on YouTube.

Pairing lowercase letter workout with uppercase letter gross motor coordination tasks can be a great lesson plan for teaching letter formation. This video has a workout for forming upper case letters:

This video encourages air writing for letters:

This video allows users to learn the sign language for each letter as well for fine motor coordination and finger dexterity. This can be a great home program recommendation for targeting manual dexterity goals.

This Alphabet Song is a fun way to add music and movement to letter formation activities:

We also have a series of videos that you can pull specific letter formation tips from. Each letter of the alphabet has it’s own video:

Letter A:

The video can be paired with letter rhymes to teach the motor skills needed for uppercase A.

Letter B:

The video covers how to teach letter B and then carry the pencil strokes over to similar letters.

Letter C:

The video addresses how to create a motor plan for letter C.

and so on…Check out the full letter formation playlist here.

why teach letter formation rhymes?

Incorporating a rhythmic song or rhyme to letter formation is helpful for establishing a motor plan for letter forms. This is especially helpful for those who learn with auditory input. We know that every student has their own learning style. The acronym VARK is used to cover these various styles of learning.

V is for Visual Learners- Some learners are visual. These individuals learn through visual input: reading, watching others complete tasks, visual examples, viewing videos, worksheets, etc.

A is for Auditory Learners- Other learners are auditory learners and need to hear the information for it to sink in.

R is for Learning Through Reading- You may find students who need to read and write the information in order to learn. This may include a combination of visual input and or auditory input by reading back information.

K is for Kinesthetic Learners- There are students who are kinesthetic learners. These learners better retain information by doing the task. A multisensory approach is great for this type of student. One tool to support this learning style when teaching letter forms is our A-Z multisensory learning mats.

Letter formation rhymes can fit all of the VARK learning categories. Videos and visuals help the visual learner. Songs and rhymes satisfy the auditory learner. Reading and writing along with the rhymes or songs can help the “R” learner, while the kinesthetic learner needs to get up and move around with the songs and rhymes.

You can modify the lesson for each individual learner, or provide a plan that has all four styles of learning embedded to meet the needs of your students. Meeting the needs of your students will be far more effective than having them bend to your particular teaching style. The most effective managers and teachers have figured out how to morph to meet the needs of each of their individual students or staff.

Alphabet Formation Rhymes

We’ve created our own letter formation rhymes for uppercase letters and lowercase letters. We’ve also put these letter rhymes into a packet, which includes uppercase letters and lowercase letters.

This takes a developmental approach to writing letters, which is to focus on the uppercase letters first and focusing on the simplest pencil strokes first, which is straight lines down and then vertical lines.

Then, the pencil strokes which can carryover to other letters are covered. We tried to come up with letter rhymes that focus in on these key developmental concepts.

Below, you’ll find the uppercase letter rhymes and the lowercase letter rhymes that we love to use.

We included a visual image (like an apple, butterfly, and cookie) for each letter. This is so the play mat has a small image that the user can color to work on fine motor skills and hand strength.

If you are a member of The OT Toolbox membership, you can log in and get these letter rhymes in a printable activity set.

Uppercase Letter Rhymes

Below are uppercase letter rhymes.

Please don’t copy these and post them in other places. Content on this site is copyrighted and trademarked.

A- A is for Apple, so round and red, To make an uppercase A, here’s what’s said: Slant to the left, a diagonal flight. Then slant to the right, with all your might. Across the middle, a line so true. Completing the A, just for you!

B- B is for Butterfly, vibrant and bright, Let’s learn to write it, with all our might. Line down, from top to base. Then a little curve, adds some grace. Another little curve, we’re almost through. Uppercase B, look at what we can do!

C- C is for Cookie, sweet and round, Let’s learn to make it, hear the sound. Start at the top, curve around in glee. A big, round shape, like a smiling C.

D- D is for Dinosaur, tall and strong, Let’s learn to make it, join along! Start at the top, make a straight line down, a sturdy backbone, with no frown. Curve to the right, like a big smile, Uppercase D, it’s been worth the while!

E- E is for Elephant, strong and grand, Let’s learn to write it, hand in hand. A big line down, from top to base, Uppercase E finds its rightful place. Then three short lines, straight across, E’s horizontal friends, no time to pause.

F- F is for Firefly, glowing so bright, Let’s learn to write it, with pure delight. A big line down, from top to base, Uppercase F takes its rightful place. Two short lines, right across it goes, One on top, the other below.

G- G is for Giraffe, tall and so grand, Let’s learn to write it, holding our hand. A big curve, starting from the top, Round and smooth, it won’t stop. Then a short line, right in the middle, Uppercase G, let’s solve the riddle!

H- H is for House, standing so tall, Let’s learn to write it, one and all. A big line down, from top to base, Uppercase H finds its rightful place. Another big line, parallel and strong, Side by side, where it belongs. Then a short line in the middle, you see, Uppercase H, formed brilliantly.

I- I is for Igloo, tall and grand, Let’s learn to write it, hand in hand. Start with a long line, from top to below, Uppercase I, a letter we’ll know! Add a short line up top, not too far, Like a little hat, it’s just the right star. Then a short line at the bottom, oh so neat, Uppercase I, it’s now complete!

J- J is for Jellyfish, swimming with glee, Let’s learn to write it, come and see! Start with a line that goes down, curving with grace, Uppercase J, taking its place. Then add a short line, standing high, Completing Uppercase J, reaching for the sky!

K- K is for Kite, soaring up high, Let’s learn to write it, reach for the sky! Start with a straight line, from top to base, Uppercase K takes its rightful place. Then make a slant, from top-right to left, Another slant down, with a gentle heft.

L- L is for Lion, strong and bold, Let’s learn to write it, as we’re told! Start with a big line, straight and tall, Uppercase L, stands proud overall. Then draw a short line, just like a mane, Completing the L with a majestic reign.

M- M is for Monkey, swinging with glee, Let’s learn to make it, just you and me! Start at the top, make a mountain peak, Uppercase M, strong and sleek. Downward we go, like a slippery slide, Then up again, right by its side. End with a big line down, no time to frown!

N- N is for Night, starry and bright, Let’s learn to write it, with delight! Start with a big line, straight and tall, Uppercase N, stands proud and all. Then a diagonal line, slanting right, Creating N’s shape, oh what a sight! Finally, a straight line, reaching up high, Uppercase N, reaching for the sky!

O- O is for Octopus, in the deep sea, Let’s learn to make it, you and me! Start at the top, a curve round and true, Uppercase O, a perfect circle for you. Go all the way around, never break the line, Uppercase O, a shape so fine!

P- P is for Penguin, waddling on ice, Let’s learn to write it, it’s simple and nice! Start at the top, a straight line down, Uppercase P, wear your writing crown. Then curve it around, like a little loop, Creating P’s shape, a playful swoop.

Q- Q is for Queen, majestic and true, Let’s learn to write it, just me and you! Start at the top, like a crown so grand, Uppercase Q, take your royal stand. Curve around, like a swooping bow. At the bottom, add a tail, Uppercase Q, you never fail!

R- R is for Rabbit, hopping with glee, Let’s learn to write it, you and me! Start at the top, a line straight down, Hop to the top for a writing crown. Then make a curve, like a little bow, Creating R’s shape, let it proudly show. Add a slanted line, with a tail so neat, Uppercase R, now complete!

S- S is for Snake, slithering with grace, Let’s learn to write it, at our own pace! Start at the top, with a curve so round, Uppercase S, a shape we have found. Then curve again, just like before, Creating S’s form, we explore.

T- T is for Tree, standing tall and true, Let’s learn to write it, me and you! Start at the top, a straight line down, Then add a line across the top, wearing its writing crown.

U- U is for Umbrella, keeping us dry, To write it, let’s give it a try! Start at the top, go down straight, Then curve around, like a smiley gate. Go back up, just like you came, Uppercase U, that’s its name!

V- V is for Violin, playing a tune, To write it, let’s try very soon! Start at the top, with a slanting line down, Then go back up, like a hill’s crown.

W- W is for Whale, swimming in the sea, Let’s learn to write it, you and me! Start with a slant down, then another the same, Climbing back up, like a mountain’s frame. Go down again, a slant it will be, Then climb back up, just like the sea.

X- X is for Xylophone, making a sound, To write it, let’s trace lines we’ve found! Start with a diagonal line, left to right, Then cross it over, it’s quite a sight.

Y- Y is for Yo-Yo, up and down, Let’s learn to write it, top to ground Start with a slant down, left to right, Then slant up, it’s a playful sight. From the center, a line straight and long, Uppercase Y, standing strong!

Z- Z is for Zebra, stripes so bold, Let’s learn to write it, we’ll be untold! Start at the top, a line going right, Then slant down left, it’s quite a sight. Another line straight, from left to right, Uppercase Z, you’re not a fright!

Lowercase Letter Rhymes

Below are alphabet rhymes for making the lowercase letters.

Please don’t copy these and post them in other places. Content on this site is copyrighted and trademarked.

a- a is for apple, juicy and red, To write it, follow these steps, it’s said: A curve on top, like a smile so sweet, Then a line down, to complete. Remember the shape, round and neat!

b- b is for butterfly, colorful and bright. To write it, here’s a simple guide: Line down, then a curved belly. A smaller hump, so lovely!

c- c is for cat, soft and sly, To write it, let’s give it a try: Start at the top, make a curve round, Then a line down, don’t make a sound! A simple shape, like a moon in the sky!

d- d is for dog, loyal and true, To write it, here’s what you can do: Start with a circle, nice and round, Then add a line, curving down. Writing d is easy, you’ll soon see!

e- e is for elephant, big and strong, To write it, it won’t take long: A line across, take a look! Then curve around. Writing e is fun, you’ll agree!

f- f is for frog, leaping so high, To write it, let’s give it a try: Start with a curve and then a line, straight and tall. Remember the line, like a lily pad, Writing f is easy, it’s not too bad!

g- g is for grapes, sweet and divine, To write it, let’s follow the line: A curve on top, just like a smile, Then a line down, it’s worth your while. Add a hook at the end, like a little swing, Writing g is fun, let your pencil sing!

h- h is for hat, worn with pride, To write it, here’s a guide: Start at the top, a line straight down, Then add a line, curved like a crown. Remember the shape, tall and true, Writing h is easy for me and you!

i- i is for igloo, icy and round, To write it, here’s what we’ve found: A line straight down, simple and neat, Dot on top, a tiny treat. Remember the dot, like a snowy flake, Writing i is easy, no mistakes to make!

j- j is for jellyfish, floating in the sea, To write it, let’s follow with glee: A line down, then a little hook, Like a curly tentacle, take a look! Remember the shape, curvy and bright, Writing j is fun, it feels just right!

k- k is for kite, flying so high. To write it, let’s give it a try: A straight line down, then a slant in and out, A shape like half a triangle or a spout.

l- l is for lion, fierce and grand, To write it, here’s what we command: A line straight down, standing tall, A line across, like a grassy stand.

m- m is for monkey, swinging with delight, To write it, follow this path just right: A little line down, like a playful dance, A hump in the middle, a joyful chance. Remember the shape, curvy and round, Writing m is fun, let’s make a joyful sound!

n- n is for nest, cozy and snug, To write it, here’s what we’ll plug: A little line down, Then one bump. Writing n is easy, up and down!

o- o is for octopus, in the deep blue sea, To write it, let’s follow this tip: A simple circle, round and true, Remember the shape, like a watery ring, Writing o is easy, let your imagination sing!

p- p is for panda, black and white, To write it, here’s what feels right: A line straight down, standing tall, Then a curve, like a bouncing ball. Remember the shape, curvy and clear, Writing p is easy, let go of any fear!

q- q is for quilt, cozy and warm, To write it, let’s follow this form: A curve round, just like c, but it’s neat, A tail curling out, like a cozy treat. Remember the shape, round and swirled, Writing q is fun, you’ll rock the world!

r- r is for rabbit, hopping the race, To write it, here’s what we’ll embrace: A line down, like a fast sprint, Then up with a curve. Remember the shape, bouncy and bright, Writing r is easy, let your imagination take flight!

s- s is for sun, shining up high, To write it, let’s give it a try: A curve on top, like a cheerful smile, Then a curve below, it’s worth your while. Remember the shape, like a wave in the sea, Writing s is easy, let your creativity roam free!

t- t is for tree, standing tall and strong, To write it, here’s where we belong: A line down, straight and true, A line across, like branches do. Remember the shape, simple and clear, Writing t is easy, have no fear!

u- u is for umbrella, keeping us dry, To write it, let’s reach for the sky: A line down, with a little hook, Then another line down, just like a book. Remember the shape, open and wide, Writing u is easy, enjoy the ride!

v- v is for Violin, playing a tune, To write it, let’s try very soon! Start at the top, with a slanting line down, Then go back up, like a hill’s crown.

w- w is for wagon, rolling with fun, To write it, here’s how it’s done: Start with a slant down, then another the same, Climbing back up, like a mountain’s frame. Go down again, a slant it will be, Then climb back up, just like the sea.

x- x is for xylophone, making a sound, To write it, let’s trace lines all around: A slant down left, then a slant right, They meet in the middle, just right. Remember the lines, crossing and strong, Writing x is easy, like a joyful song!

y- y is for yo-yo, going up and down, To write it, let’s spin lines all around: A slant down left, then a slant down right, The tail hangs down, just right.

z- z is for Zebra, stripes so bold, Let’s learn to write it, we’ll be untold! Start at the top, a line going right, Then slant down left, it’s quite a sight. Another line straight, from left to right, letter Z, you’re not a fright!

Free Letter Rhyme Play Dough Mats

Want to get your copy of letter rhyme play dough mats? We have put together a set for uppercase and lowercase rhymes.

Each alphabet rhyme play dough mat includes:

  • A large letter with directional arrows
  • A rhyme for the letter’s formation
  • A small picture to color or fill with play dough
  • A space to write the letter

You can laminate the play dough mats, or slide them into page protector sleeves. Add them to a binder and use it as a multisensory workbook for letter writing.

You can also practice the alphabet formation with other multisensory strategies, too:

  • Use wikki stix to form the letters
  • Use a dry erase marker to write the letter and color the letter picture
  • Finger trace the letter

These packets are both free downloads here on our site. You can get them by entering your email address into the form below. The printable packets will be delivered to your email address. This way, you can print them from any device and any location.

These uppercase and lowercase alphabet rhyme printables are also available inside the Membership Club, along with hundreds of letter formation and multisensory handwriting tools. Members do not need to enter their email address for each item, they are all in one place, sorted by topic! Not a member yet? Join us in The OT Toolbox Membership Club!

FREE Letter Rhymes Packet

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    final thoughts on Alphabet rhymes

    If after scrolling through this post and clicking on some of the rhymes and songs, you find yourself humming along to one particular tune, you may have found the perfect one for you! Generations ago, Sesame Street or Barney was the way to learn. Now it seems Jack Hartman and Heidi have taken over. Whatever works for your particular students is the best way to teach!

    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.

    Want printable handwriting and sensory motor activities to target the visual motor skills needed for letter writing? Grab a copy of our Letters! Fine Motor Kit. The printable PDF contains 100 pages of hands-on letter writing practice for multisensory handwriting!

    Letters Fine Motor Kit

    Inside the Letters Fine Motor Kit, you’ll find:

    • A-Z Multisensory Writing Pages: Roll a ball of dough letters, ASL sign language letters, gross motor movement, small-scale letter box writing task, finger isolation letter trace, and writing practice area
    • Alphabet Fine Motor Clip Cards– Clip clothespins or paper clips to match letters with various fonts to strengthen the hands and focusing on eye-hand coordination, bilateral coordination, visual processing skills, and more.
    • Cut and place Fine Motor Mazes– Cut out the letter pieces and trace the maze with a finger to work on eye-hand coordination and finger isolation. Place a small letter on the letter spots to address in-hand manipulation and dexterity skills.
    • A-Z Cotton Swab Cards– Includes upper case and lower case letters. Dot the cards using a cotton swab or laminate the cards and use them over and over again.
    • A-Z Pattern Block Cards– These cards include a section for tracing with a finger tip for separation of the sides of the hand, eye-hand coordination, and finger isolation during letter formation. There is also a space to “finger write” the letter using the fingertip. This multisensory letter formation activity can be a great brain break during handwriting or literacy tasks. Learners can then form the letter using parquetry blocks.
    • Fine Motor Letter Geo-Cards– These geo board cards include A-Z in upper case forms. Users can copy the letter forms in a variety of multi-sensory strategies.
    • A-Z Color and Cut Letter Memory Cards– These upper case and lower case letter cards can be used to color for letter formation. Then use them in fine motor matching tasks or in sensory bins.
    • Color By Size Sheets– Help learners discriminate between tall letters, small letters, and tail letters. This visual perception activity invites learners to color small areas, using hand muscles for strengthening and handwriting endurance.
    • A-Z Building Block Cards– These LEGO block cards invite users to copy the cards to form letters using small building blocks. Users can place the blocks on the cards or copy the letter to address visual shift and visual memory. This activity set comes in upper case and lowercase letter forms.
    • A-Z Play Dough Letter Formation Cards– Print off these cards and laminate them to create play dough mats. Learners can form the letters using the arrows to correctly form letters with play dough while strengthening their hands and visual motor skills. Each card includes a space for practicing the letter formation, using a dry erase marker if the cards are laminated.
    • Graded Lines Box Writing Sheets– Users can trace and form letters in boxes to work on formation of letters, line awareness, starting points, and letter size.
    • Alphabet Roll and Write Sheets– Roll a dice and form the letter associated with the number of dots on the dice. This is a great way to work on letter formation skills using motivation. Which letter will reach the top first? This activity is easily integrated with a rainbow writing task to increase number or repetitions for letter practice.
    • Pencil Control Letter Scan– Use the letter bubble tracks to scan for letters. Users can fill in the letters of the alphabet to work on pencil control skills.
    • Color and Cut Puzzles– Color the pictures to work on hand strength and letter formation skills. Then cut out the puzzles and build visual perceptual skills.

    Get your copy of the Letters Fine Motor Kit today!

    Wikki Stix Activities

    wikki stix

    Are you doing any Wikki Stix activities to support fine motor skills, visual motor skills, letter formation, and other underlying skill areas? If you are an occupational therapist, you have most likely heard of, or used Wikki Stix® (Amazon affiliate link). After being prompted to write about these neat little sticks, I started to do some research. Boy, was I missing out on the potential these things have!  Follow along to learn the ins and outs of Wikki Stix, the myriad uses for them, and some great Wikki Stix activities.

    WHAT ARE WIKKI STIX?

    Have you used (or played with) Wikki Stix® before? (Amazon affiliate link) If not, you might be wondering what are Wikki Stix? 

    Wikki Stix are bendable strings covered in colorful wax. These strand-like thingies are sticky sticks of string that you can bend, mold, and form into shapes. In reality, they are made of hand-knitting yarn enhanced with a microcrystalline, food-grade non-toxic wax… the kind used in bubble gum and lipstick. And that is it. (Psst…it is that touch of wax that allows them to stick). 

    Wikki Stix (Amazon affiliate link) were invented in 1989 and called “Sticky Wikki” at that time. While I could not find a specific reference to the origin of this name, the sticky part is obvious. Wikki, I believe comes from the word “wick” as in candle wick.  They were renamed Wikki Stix and Wikki Stix activities were born!

    FUN FACTS ABOUT WIKKI STIX:

    • They stick! No glue, no paste, no mess. Just press them down with light fingertip pressure on virtually any smooth surface and they will stick to itself and to other surfaces. This includes mirrors, dry erase boards, paper, walls, etc.
    • They stick to each other for 3-D creativity and fun. Twist, bend, stick, create. No preparation… no clean-up… no mess.
    • Wikki Stix do not break or tear apart, but cut easily with scissors.
    • Wikki Stix are great for all users, including kids with allergies, because they do not contain dairy or dairy byproducts, latex, gluten, nor peanut or other nut oils or byproducts.
    • Wikki Stix support hands-on, kinesthetic learning
    • They are reusable.
    • Purchase on the Wikki Stix website or (affiliate link) Amazon.
    • They come in endless types of fun packs!
    • Proudly made in the USA.

    NON-TRADITIONAL WIKKI STIX ACTIVITIES

    Before jumping into the more traditional use for Wikki Stix, I want to share some of the cool ideas for using these cool little sticky sticks.

    Some of these ideas are shown in this video:

    In the video, we show how you can use Wiki Stix for several skills: handwriting, spatial awareness, scissor use, pencil grasp, and more.

    Here are tips to use Wikki Stix to support functional areas:

    Wikki Stix for Coloring Skills

    • Use Wikki stix to create a border for coloring in the lines. The Wikki Stix offer a phsyical border for coloring in a given space, which is great for kids who overshoot the lines or need a specific area to color inside of. Outline areas to be colored in with Wikki Stix. This gives a visual and tactile cue where your student is expected to color. You will eventually fade this trick, but it is a great starting tool.
    • Wrap a small piece of Wikki Stix around the tip of a crayon to create a pencil grip. This is nice because traditional pencil grippers don’t always fit crayons and you can make grippers for a whole box of crayons inexpensively.

    Wikki Stix for Handwriting Skills

    • Improve hand grasp and stability by wrapping 1/2 of a Wikki Stix around the base of a pencil as a good reminder to hold it “down low”. We show an example of this activity in the video above.
    • Practice pre-writing lines with Wikki Stix. The bendable sticks can be used as a model or as a writing space.
    • Use Wikki Stix to make borders when handwriting, to keep letters on the line, as well as to indicate where to start and stop on the paper. Can also be used to create boxes to keep letters in.
    • Use Wikki Stix under workbooks or paper for stabilization or a desk positioner. You can support the student that needs assistance to use their non-dominant hand while writing. For the student that has the book or workbook slide from the writing area, this is a nice support.
    • You can even create a spiral with the Wikki Stix to hold the paper in the center onto the desk. Or, cut the Wikki Stix into smaller pieces and use them like reusable tape at the corners of the paper. Put them at the top of a piece of paper to keep in from moving while working.
    • Keep a slant board steady by putting these under the board.

    Wikki Stix for Self-Help Skills

    Gross Motor Activities with Wikki Stix

    FINE MOTOR FUN WITH WIKKI STIX

    • Play tic-tac-toe with Wikki Stix. Use the sticks to create the grid and/or to make the X and O’s.
    • Make a Wikki Stix maze. Learners can zoom cars, marbles, their pencil, pompoms, or other manipulatives through the maze.
    • Create a Wikki Stix racetrack.
    • On paper, use markers to draw a picture with dots. Then ask students to connect the lines using Wikki Stix. You can also use Wikki Stix to connect dots on a regular dot to dot sheet.
    • Use the Wikki Stix to work on visual tracking skills and form constancy to fill in a matching worksheet to connect matching items across the page. Here are free visual perception worksheets to try.
    • Use Wikki Stix to teach kids to tell time. Make a clock on paper or laminated sheet.  Use the sticks as the hands of the clock to practice telling time.
    • Practice cutting the Wikki Stix to make smaller pieces and develop hand strength/snipping skills needed for scissor skills in cutting.
    • Use as a string for lacing beads. Use them for many lacing activities. Use the Wikki Stix to create homemade lacing cards task. This creates more stability and an increased fine motor challenge
    • Use to hold pony beads for counting, like an abacus
    • Decorate rocks – use this sticks to make fun features on plain rocks, like faces, car parts, flowers, and more

    WIKKI STIX ACTIVITIES for Visual Motor Skills

    Some of the more traditional Wikki Stix activities support visual motor skills, include letter formation, creating art projects, making shapes, and other craft projects.

    • Trace letters, number, and shapes with the sticks. Create a page with shapes and letters and laminate the page, or slide it into a page protector sleeve. The students can use Wikki Stix to form the letters or numbers on the page protector.
    • Copying letters, shapes, etc. Cut the Wikki stix into smaller pieces. Show students a picture of a letter/number/shape and then ask them to recreate it with their Wikki Stix.
    • Use Wikki Stix to practice patterns. Create shapes with the bendable sticks and then create a pattern. Ask your student to recreate it.

    Wikki Stix Art

    These Wikki Stix Art activities double as fine motor and visual motor tools.

    • String them together to make longer ropes.
    • Make Wikki Stix glasses.
    • Use drawing prompts to create different shapes and pictures using the Wikki Stix.

    WIKKI STIX Activity Sets

    There are many Wikki Stix activity sets on the market that support various skills. You can use the bendable strings from these larger sets in all of the ways described above. Plus, you can use them in the ways that the Wikki Stix sets intend.

    Here are some of our favorites. These are all Amazon affiliate links.

    The website has endless ideas and products for Wikki Stix activities and creations.

    • Wikki Stix Holiday packs These sets include dot to dot pictures with a seasonal theme. Use the bendable strings to create a holiday image. Use the pack to create holiday masterpieces!  The Wikki Stix people have created endless templates and packs for further enjoyment. They have Halloween, Valentines, Easter and Christmas Wikki packs. We love:
    • Travel packs -If you are a therapist on the go, or searching for a take along task, the Wikki group have created several travel packs
    • How about Party Favors, or little treats for your students?  Wikki Stix activity sets have you covered!
    • Senior Activity set– The Wikki Stix Senior kit involves more of an art set that uses the bendable wax sticks. Adults and teens will love this set because it doesn’t seem like a kids’ activity but still offers the creative outlet and fine motor work.
    • Bilingual and multilingual packs are available too for French to English speakers.
    • Extra Long Wikki Stix– These are nice because the wax strands come in 3 foot long sections. This is a great activity kit for gross motor skills.
    • There are some imitators such as Monkey String, Fidget Sticks, Wax Sticks, Stringamajigs, and Doodle Stigs.  I have not used any alternative Stix, so I can not attest to their usefulness, pliability, or stickiness

    Benefits of Wikki Stix

    As with anything we tend to recommend for therapeutic intervention, Wikki Stix come with a list of added benefits. These are the reasons we use Wikki Stixs in occupational therapy.

    • Wikki Sticks helps fine motor development. As children bend and mold Wikki Stix into shapes, the muscles in their hands and fingers can develop
    • Kinesthetic learners benefit from learning by doing. Physically creating items helps build their understanding and learning
    • Touching Wikki Stix wax coated yarn stimulates the tactile system. Seekers tend to enjoy this sticky texture, while those who are sensory sensitive might find them harder to adjust to.
    • Wikki Stix help build pincer grasp, bilateral coordination, in-hand manipulation, and prehension
    • Visual perception -Students learn borders for coloring, can keep place in a book, recognize shapes and letters, and copy designs

    I feel like I may have been missing out on the (Amazon affiliate link) Wikki Stix potential.  I have them in my OT Toolbox but rarely use them anymore.  To be honest, I do not like the sticky feeling.  After researching and writing this, I am going to revisit my Wikki stash and revitalize it with my kiddos this week.

    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.

    Handwriting Without Tears Letter Order

    Handwriting Without Tears letter order

    In this blog post, we’re covering Handwriting Without Tears letter order, or the specific order to teach letter formation based on the handwriting curriculum, Handwriting Without Tears (Learning Without Tears). We’ve previously covered the cursive HWT order so this is a nice resource to have on hand.

    Have you noticed most teachers teach letters in alphabetical order? The first thing they teach is name writing, then writing the alphabet. This seems like a logical progression, but is not the most effective or efficient method. There are several different handwriting programs out there to address this important skill. Many of them do not teach letters in order.

    One program specifically is; Handwriting without Tears (now called Learning without Tears). The Handwriting without Tears letter order is vastly different than writing letters in sequential order.

    handwriting without tears letter order

    The Handwriting without Tears program is popular among therapists for good reasons:

    • It’s a research-backed curriculum
    • The program is designed to be easy to teach and easy to learn
    • Developmentally appropriate sequence
    • It uses explicit instruction combined with guided practice
    • Promotes handwriting automaticity
    • Multisensory learning to support a variety of learning styles, including kinesthetic learners, visual learners, and auditory learners
    • Uses hands-on tools and activities in handwriting lessons
    • Uses intuitive lesson booklets to promote learning

    According to the folks at Learning without Tears, “Pre-K–5 students move through a developmentally appropriate teaching order from capital, to lowercase, and cursive letters. This design helps children master handwriting skills in the easiest, most efficient way. Instead of teaching 52 letter symbols with a mishmash of different sizes, positions, and confusing starting places, we divide and conquer.”

    what is handwriting without tears letter order?

    If you have used the HWT program, you may have noticed the letters are not in sequential order. In other words, the Handwriting Without Tears program does not teach letter formation in order from A-Z.

    This sounds counter intuitive, as students are generally taught letters in order. Child development skills, as found in the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, demonstrates the visual motor progression of fine motor skills. We cover some of this in our post on drawing milestones.

    When developing writing skills, pre-writing lines emerge. This begins when the stages start at scribbling, vertical and horizontal lines, then circular forms. After these are mastered, more difficult designs such as a cross, square, and triangle are developed.

    Learners who are still mastering the basics of writing lines, do not have the necessary skills to form more complex designs such as the letter A which relies on diagonal lines, or B which requires semicircles. Students often get stuck at this stage if they are unable to form these letters.

    The Handwriting without Tears letter order promotes success, focusing on letters that use the preliminary pre-writing strokes. This is why letters with straight lines are taught first and in a group, known as letter families.

    HWT Letter Order Groups

    The Handwriting Without Tears letter order progresses like this:

    1. L, F, E, H, T, I
    2. U, C, O, Q, G, S, J, D, P, B, R
    3. K, A, N, M, V, W, X, Y, Z

    Handwriting Without Tears Straight Line Letters

    The first letters are L, F, E, H, T, I. Notice all of these letters require only vertical and horizontal lines.

    This is the first developmental skill mastered. Imagine the success of learning six letters right away, rather than struggling on A and B!

    handwriting without tears Circular Letters

    The second set of letters are circular: U, C, O, Q, G, S, J, D, P, B, R. The letters within each section progress in level of difficulty from U to R.

    Notice that letter B is 16th on the list! This is vastly different than the traditional method of teaching it as letter number two.

    While R, is a circular letter, it also contains a diagonal, which segues into the third uppercase letter formation group.

    Grab our Letter B Worksheet for sensory motor practice to form the semicircles that make up this circular letter.

    We also have a Letter C Worksheet for improving the circular motion of the pencil which carries over to other letters (Also known as magic c and is helpful for forming the lowercase letter counterparts).

    Further down the list is letter D, and you can use our Letter D Worksheet to work on the straight line followed by a rotated semicircular motion that then carries over to the remaining letters with the same motor pattern: P, B, and R.

    handwriting without tears Diagonal Letters

    The third and final set of letters are the diagonals. Copying a triangle is one of the last basic shapes to learn as a developmental progression.

    Forming diagonals is tricky. Not only are students crossing midline, they are doing so in a top to bottom fashion.

    The letters in this series are: K, A, N, M, V, W, X, Y, Z. A is number 18 on the list. Now you can see why students struggle to learn the very first letters of the alphabet. They are not developmentally ready for this skill at the time we are insisting on teaching it.

    Try using our Letter A Worksheet for sensory motor practice to form the diagonals and starting the letter in the middle.

    Starting Position for handwriting without tears letters

    An additional method HWT uses to group uppercase letters is their starting position. This is not my personal method of teaching, as I prefer the developmental sequence.

    When focusing on the starting point for letters, Handwriting Without Tears groups the upper case letters into three catagories, depending on where the pencil starts:

    • Frog Jump Capital Letters – F, E, D, P, B, R, N, M
    • Corner Starting Capital Letters – H, K, L, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
    • Center Starting Capital Letters – C, O, Q, G, S, A, I, T, J

    Take a look at the Frog Jump Capitals that start at the left corner (F, E, D, P, B, R, N, M). Notice several of these letters are more complex with diagonal lines. This can be a challenge for some students that struggle with the pre-writing lines, specifically diagonals. Additionally, this grouping of letters includes several different pencil stroke patterns, which can also be a challenge for some students.

    Their second grouping is the starting corner capitals (H, K, L, U, V, W, X, Y, Z). This grouping of letters also includes a mix of straight line letters, diagonals, and curves.

    Lastly, the center starters (C, O, Q, G, S, A, I, T, J) are addressed. Again, this group of letters includes more curved lines, but again, a mix of straight lines, curved lines, and diagonals. Notice how many of the last letters are commonly used letters. This is another reason why this particular HWT letter order might be a challenge for some.

    uppercase or lowercase letter order first?

    There has been some discussion on whether it is better to teach upper or lowercase letter formation first. We cover the developmental reasons in our linked blog post.

    The research has been inconclusive, as there are benefits to both.

    • While lowercase letters are everywhere, capital letters are the first introduced in toddler books and puzzles.
    • Lowercase letters will be used much more than capital, but uppercase letters are much easier to form due to the simple straight lines.
    • There is no retracing or letters that sit below the line in uppercase letters
    • B/D are not as confusing as lowercase b and d when writing capital letters
    • When reading, many agree that teaching letter sounds is more important than their names, therefore teaching lowercase letter sounds first, may be more beneficial than teaching the letter names
    • Consider the age of your learners – preschooler should write uppercase first, as that is their developmental progression stage. Kindergarten and later students may be able to start in alphabetical order, however for delayed students, this can cause frustration

    handwriting without tears lowercase letter order

    For the same reason we teach uppercase letters in a progressive order, Handwriting without Tears lowercase letter order is important also. These letters are formed in developmental progression as with the uppercase.

    • Just like their capital letters – c, o, s, v, w, t (just like uppercase only lower cross)
    • Magic C – these high frequency letters (a, g, d) start with a magic “c”. This helps differentiate between b and d. While “q” is a “magic c” letter, it is taught later to avoid confusion with g
    • The rest of the vowels – u, i, e
    • Familiar from capitals – l, k, y, j
    • Diving letters – these letters dive down (p, r, n, m, h, b)
    • Tricky leftovers – f has a tricky start, letter q is taught here to avoid confusion with g, x and z are familiar but infrequently used
    • Once these are learned, I add another group: the drop down letters. These are the most difficult to write correctly as all of the other letters sit on the line. When I am teaching correct letter formation, j, g, p, q, y are stressed as their own group, after the others have been learned

    cursive handwriting letter order

    As with upper and lowercase letter formation, cursive letters are formed in groups. While HWT has their way of presenting the cursive letters, I prefer (Amazon affiliate link) “Loops and other Groups“.

    This system groups the letters into the way they are formed. There are the clock climbers, kite strings, loop groups, then hills and valleys. Capital letters are taught last, as they are tricky and not used as frequently.

    Here is an interesting post from the OT Toolbox about teaching cursive writing.

    How to Teach Cursive Writing is another great resource.

    resources to support handwriting without tears letter order

    Everyone is different, as are their learning styles. Ultimately the goal is success. Whether that means using the Handwriting Without Tears Letter Order, or another teaching method, whatever helps and motivates your student is the correct choice. Nothing we teach is one size fits all. That is what makes our job so exciting and dynamic!

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

    The Letters Fine Motor Kit is a supplement to any handwriting curriculum and uses hands-on, multisensory strategies to support letter formation.

    Want printable handwriting and sensory motor activities to target the visual motor skills needed for letter writing? Grab a copy of our Letters! Fine Motor Kit. The printable PDF contains 100 pages of hands-on letter writing practice for multisensory handwriting!

    Letters Fine Motor Kit

    Inside the Letters Fine Motor Kit, you’ll find:

    • A-Z Multisensory Writing Pages: Roll a ball of dough letters, ASL sign language letters, gross motor movement, small-scale letter box writing task, finger isolation letter trace, and writing practice area
    • Alphabet Fine Motor Clip Cards– Clip clothespins or paper clips to match letters with various fonts to strengthen the hands and focusing on eye-hand coordination, bilateral coordination, visual processing skills, and more.
    • Cut and place Fine Motor Mazes– Cut out the letter pieces and trace the maze with a finger to work on eye-hand coordination and finger isolation. Place a small letter on the letter spots to address in-hand manipulation and dexterity skills.
    • A-Z Cotton Swab Cards– Includes upper case and lower case letters. Dot the cards using a cotton swab or laminate the cards and use them over and over again.
    • A-Z Pattern Block Cards– These cards include a section for tracing with a finger tip for separation of the sides of the hand, eye-hand coordination, and finger isolation during letter formation. There is also a space to “finger write” the letter using the fingertip. This multisensory letter formation activity can be a great brain break during handwriting or literacy tasks. Learners can then form the letter using parquetry blocks.
    • Fine Motor Letter Geo-Cards– These geo board cards include A-Z in upper case forms. Users can copy the letter forms in a variety of multi-sensory strategies.
    • A-Z Color and Cut Letter Memory Cards– These upper case and lower case letter cards can be used to color for letter formation. Then use them in fine motor matching tasks or in sensory bins.
    • Color By Size Sheets– Help learners discriminate between tall letters, small letters, and tail letters. This visual perception activity invites learners to color small areas, using hand muscles for strengthening and handwriting endurance.
    • A-Z Building Block Cards– These LEGO block cards invite users to copy the cards to form letters using small building blocks. Users can place the blocks on the cards or copy the letter to address visual shift and visual memory. This activity set comes in upper case and lowercase letter forms.
    • A-Z Play Dough Letter Formation Cards– Print off these cards and laminate them to create play dough mats. Learners can form the letters using the arrows to correctly form letters with play dough while strengthening their hands and visual motor skills. Each card includes a space for practicing the letter formation, using a dry erase marker if the cards are laminated.
    • Graded Lines Box Writing Sheets– Users can trace and form letters in boxes to work on formation of letters, line awareness, starting points, and letter size.
    • Alphabet Roll and Write Sheets– Roll a dice and form the letter associated with the number of dots on the dice. This is a great way to work on letter formation skills using motivation. Which letter will reach the top first? This activity is easily integrated with a rainbow writing task to increase number or repetitions for letter practice.
    • Pencil Control Letter Scan– Use the letter bubble tracks to scan for letters. Users can fill in the letters of the alphabet to work on pencil control skills.
    • Color and Cut Puzzles– Color the pictures to work on hand strength and letter formation skills. Then cut out the puzzles and build visual perceptual skills.

    Get your copy of the Letters Fine Motor Kit today!

    Endurance Activities

    endurance activities

    One of the ways that occupational therapy supports clients, patients, and students is by targeting the areas impacting functional performance in daily tasks, and endurance activities are one of those underlying skills. When our patients lack the endurance to participate in daily activities, full participation is impacted. Today, we’re discussing endurance activities to support daily occupations.

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    endurance activities

    In this post we will look at some classic endurance activities, as well as learn about aerobic exercises that kids can do without realizing they are “working out”.

    endurance activities

    According to the American Heart Association, “endurance exercise is one of the four types of exercise along with strengthbalance and flexibility. Ideally, all four types of exercise would be included in a healthy workout routine”.

    Additional contributions include:

    Also called aerobic exercise, endurance activities include exercises that increase your breathing and heart rate such as walking, jogging, swimming, biking and jumping rope.

    Children, along with adults, need to engage in a certain amount of aerobic or endurance activities to keep their mind and body healthy. These skills enable physical health and overall wellbeing.

    Endurance activity keeps your heart, lungs and circulatory system healthy and improves your overall fitness. As a result, people who get the recommended regular physical activity can reduce the risk of many diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

    Endurance activities build muscles and increase the ability to sustain exercise for longer periods of time.

    Not only are endurance activities great for the mind and body, they are excellent for aiding in regulating the sensory system. Endurance activities can help to organize the vestibular, proprioceptive, visual, and tactile systems.

    Endurance also is a tool in improving arousal level. Check out this post on Zones of Regulation and Self Regulation Activities. When you think about how sensory dysregulation appears, it can be a visual picture of low endurance and sensory organization of the nervous system. Having self regulation strategies on hand supports these needs.

    classic endurance activities

    There are numerous endurance activities appropriate for people of all ages. Children should get 60 minutes of aerobic exercise three times per week. Hint: don’t call it exercise, or no one will want to play!

    Classic endurance activities like the ones listed below, are a great way to get moving

    Running – this can include jogging, speed walking, sprinting, galloping, and skipping. Running can also be part of other activities like organized sports or fun outdoor games such as tag games.

    Walking – included is hiking, or taking a brisk walk around the park. Another option is HIIT treadmill workouts.

    Swimming – this does not have to be done competitively in order to be beneficial. Children can spend hours diving for pennies, racing their friends, diving into the pool, or jumping up and down in the water.

    Biking – two wheeled bikes, tricycles, scooters, skateboards, skating, balance bikes, big wheels, or anything else with wheels. Stay clear of motorized vehicles when looking for endurance activities. Here are tips to teach bike riding and ideas to support balance and endurance needs with bike riding.

    Sports – organized sports provide great exercise opportunities. These can be team sports like football or baseball, or individual activities such as martial arts, gymnastics, skiing, or fencing. Not everyone is suited for an organized group sport.

    Jumping rope – this classic endurance activity works on a plethora of skills. In addition to coordination, jumping rope improves balance, endurance, motor planning, and more. Other skills while jumping rope include hopping, one foot at a time, both feet together, and double Dutch. While practicing hopping and jumping, grab some chalk and make a hopscotch game.

    Dancing – jamming to favorite tunes, organized dance class, aerobic fitness class, or following along with videos

    Calisthenics – this is the “old fashioned” word for muscular endurance activities. These include; sit ups, push ups, burpees, jumping jacks, planks, squats, and lunges. Muscular endurance, is all about sustained efforts over a longer period of time.

    Yard work or chores – while these are not generally preferred activities, they are a great way to get the heart rate and breathing going.

    Skipping– This is a great endurance activity. Use some of our tips to teach skipping if motor planning and coordination is a challenge.

    non-traditional endurance activities

    There are definitely a large group of people who resist exercise of any kind. This group might need a little hidden exercise disguised as a fun game. While I am not a fan of electronics, games like the Wii, or Peloton combine exercise and technology. There are tons of other endurance activities that are just plain fun:

    • Tag games– who doesn’t love a great game of tag? Freeze tag, blob, Red Rover, Red Light Green Light, Musical Chairs, Flashlight tag, Duck Duck Goose, Mother May I, relay races, Zombie Tag, are just a few.
    • Ball games like Dodge Ball, Four Square, and Spike Ball are fan favorites
    • Classic outdoor lawn games such as Capture the Flag, Kick the Can, Hide and Seek, Simon Says, and Cops and Robbers will bring back fond memories
    • Obstacle courses – turn your house or backyard into an obstacle course. Become the next American Ninja Warrior!
    • Organized Play – if you prefer, there are great places to take the kids to get some exercise. The playground, trampoline park, mini golf, amusement parks, water parks, rock climbing, are just a few choices. These playground balance activities are more ideas.
    • Brain Breaks– many brain break activities are actually endurance work disguised as themed movements. Try our list of Brain Break videos on YouTube for more ideas.
    • Yoga activities like unicorn yoga improve core strength and stability.

    Endurance Activiies resources

    These activities are designed to develop strength and endurance through play:

    • Jungle Animal Heavy Work Exercises – Need to add heavy work to help kids regulate emotions, or to use as a coping tool for sensory needs? Help kids re-group or add movement into learning with these Jungle animal themed brain break cards. 
    • June Heavy Work Exercises – These adorable movement and heavy work activity cards will not only bring joy to students but also help them unleash their full learning potential, while caregivers can effortlessly provide easy and enjoyable activities. 
    • Fit Deck (Amazon affiliate link) has some great workout flash cards for children and adults.
    • Little Tykes Stationary bike – this includes a video screen for the reluctant learner

    final thoughts on endurance activities

    According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Less than one-quarter (24%) of children 6 to 17 years of age participate in 60 minutes of physical activity every day.” They also state that:

    • Students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance, cognitive performance (executive function and memory), and classroom behaviors (compliance, attention, and on-task behavior).
    • Higher physical activity and physical fitness levels are associated with improved cognitive performance (concentration, memory) among students.

    “When I was a kid…..” we played outside all of the time. We came inside for dinner and went back out again. There also were not as many people with health issues, obesity, attention, or behavioral issues. While people have made many advances in technology and medicine, screen time and technology use has changed things. Let us not forget the basics of play and endurance activities in order to be healthy and well rounded.

    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.

    Manual Dexterity Goals

    manual dexterity

    In today’s blog post, we’re talking all things manual dexterity goals. Fine motor IEP goals, or goals designed to target manual dexterity needs can be identified based on dexterity weaknesses that impact participation in the educational environment. You’ll also find many manual dexterity activities in this blog post, including this dexterity activity.

    Be sure to read about IEP and 504 plans for information on where to begin with these processes. Another resource you’ll want to check out is our self regulation IEP goals and identifying student strengths for IEP writing.

    Goals, goals, and more goals! It seems all therapists do is create, work on, and document about goals. Occupational therapy is about play. Where is the fun in that? Unfortunately, therapists are driven by measurable data and reimbursement.

    That being noted, the focus on progress and goals will continue. Writing goals and measuring them can feel overwhelming at times. Today we will focus just on manual dexterity goals.

    manual dexterity goals

    Manual dexterity or precision in fine motor skills, has many underlying factors that impacts graded coordination in functional tasks.

    manual dexterity goals

    Before churning out a dozen goals, it is important to review the basic framework and structure of excellent goals. A

    s much as I dislike all of the documentation involved in providing therapy, having great measurable goals makes it a little easier. When goals are SMART, they are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timebound.

    The key to successful goal writing is to incorporate all five of these elements into each goal. Check out this post on Breaking Down Goals for more information.

    what are manual dexterity skills?

    Manual dexterity refers to the ability to use your hands in a skillful, coordinated way to grasp and manipulate objects and demonstrate small, precise movements. Manual dexterity is one of the components of fine motor skills.

    Other fine motor skills include: speed and precision, visual motor skills, and strength. These skills allow for manual dexterity, or coordinated precision, to happen. Those skills listed out are:

    There are tons of articles and ideas in the OT Toolbox Archives under “manual dexterity” to help gather ideas of what to be watching for when evaluating a student for fine motor skills.

    manual dexterity examples

    Manual Dexterity Examples

    Manual dexterity goals are going to be related to manipulating objects with the hands, rather than the visual motor goals of copying shapes, writing letters, coloring, and cutting.

    Examples of these from the  Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Second Edition (BOT-2) include the following five items measured in fifteen second intervals:

    • transferring pennies (total pennies into box after fifteen seconds)
    • sorting cards
    • making dots in circles
    • placing pegs into a pegboard
    • and stringing blocks

    Other manual dexterity measurements might include; the Purdue Peg Board, 9 Hole Peg Test, Jebson Hand Function Test, Functional Dexterity Test, and the Box and Block Test.

    It’s important to know about fine motor milestones when assessing these results in order to create fine motor goals.

    Specific examples of fine motor, manual dexterity activities include many components of every day activities. There are many fine motor skills required in the school environment. At home there are just as many!

    It would be hard to list out every single manual dexterity example, but here are some listed below. Some of these are related to the school environment and may be incorporated into IEP goals based on manual dexterity needs in the school-based OT environment. Others are more ADL or IADL based and do not impact education. These dexterity goals may be covered in outpatient or medical model of occupational therapy.

    1. Typing on a keyboard
    2. Handwriting, holding a pencil
    3. Coloring in lines
    4. Writing in a given space
    5. Buttoning clothes
    6. Zipping a zipper
    7. Snapping a clothing snap
    8. Tying shoelaces
    9. Threading a needle
    10. Cutting with scissors
    11. Using chopsticks
    12. Turning a key in a lock
    13. Playing a musical instrument
    14. Operating small tools (e.g., screwdrivers)
    15. Applying makeup
    16. Drawing and coloring
    17. Pressing buttons on a device
    18. Sculpting with clay or manipulating play dough
    19. Braiding hair
    20. Flipping a coin
    21. Manage money
    22. Stringing beads
    23. Assembling puzzles
    24. Crafts
    25. Tearing paper
    26. Playing board games
    27. Painting miniatures or models
    28. Using a combination lock
    29. Applying nail polish
    30. Playing jigsaw puzzles
    31. Building with LEGO bricks
    32. Weaving paper crafts
    33. Operating a computer mouse
    34. Folding origami
    35. Stacking small items like Jenga game pieces
    36. Cutting food with a knife
    37. Putting on jewelry
    38. Playing cards
    39. Folding paper
    40. Flipping a light switch
    41. Opening a door handle
    42. Turning a faucet
    43. Opening containers like a toothpaste lid
    44. Sealing plastic sandwich bags
    45. Using a spoof and Fork
    46. Pouring liquid from a container
    47. Applying lotion or cream
    48. Turning the pages of a book
    49. Using a stapler
    50. Playing with building blocks
    51. Playing with small toys
    52. Using tweezers
    53. Using fingernail clippers
    54. Flossing teeth
    55. Turn a pencil sharpener
    56. Turn a watch dial
    57. Put on a watch

    not so great manual dexterity goals

    How do you translate the data you gathered in a standardized assessment into SMART goals? One strategy is not to be to vague. This is one of the first goals I pulled up when searching for “manual dexterity goals”:

    The student will improve fine motor dexterity skills to manipulate small objects, use tools, or engage in activities that require precise hand movements.

    This goal is missing several components. It is not specific, measurable, attainable (how will you know when the student has improved?), or timebound. While it IS relevant to therapy, it is missing all of the other components that make it a usable goal.

    How about this one?

    In six months, the student will improve manual dexterity skills by improving score on the BOT2 test from 11 to 18 points in 3 of 4 trials.

    There is a big part of me that likes this goal. It has all of the components of a SMART goal. The drawback is you will be constantly teaching and reviewing the specific items on the test, which will nullify the results the next time you retest. Also, school based therapists can not use standardized assessments each time they measure and report on goals.

    Another thing to consider about writing fine motor goals based on the results of standardized testing; This goal is a “no no” in the school system (I found out the hard way this year). Maybe there is a way to tweak it in a long term goal, while having several different short term goals. After all, your ultimate measurement for progress and discharge may be those results from updated standardized testing!

    manual dexterity goals – framework

    The goals I tend to write have several similar components (as dictated by the school district or governing body):

    • In TIME FRAME (one, three, six, 12 months)
    • student will improve manual dexterity skills
    • by…
    • as measured by clinical observation and data collection by occupational therapist
    • 3 of 4 trials, 8 of 10 opportunities, 4 of 5 sessions. I prefer this to percentages because it feels more specific than “75% of opportunities”.

    measurable manual dexterity goals

    The following is a list of goal ideas to get you started. It is by no means an all inclusive list, because students are as different as snowflakes.

    To use an activity in goals, you can add time frames, percentages, number of seconds, assistance, or whatever modifications you need.

    For example, to write a fine motor goal based on a specific fine motor task, follow this format:

    In 12 months (specify date), the student will demonstrate improved manual dexterity skills by:

    • stringing 3 half inch beads on a lace within 15 seconds, stringing one at a time
    • place 9, 1/4 inch pegs into a 5 inch pegboard using dominant hand within 30 seconds
    • pick up and hold 10 pennies without dropping any, using dominant hand only, and a pincer grasp to pick up
    • find 10 quarter inch beads in medium green theraputty using a pincer grasp (this can include picking off the extra strings of dough)
    • independently button/unbutton 4/4 one inch buttons on a standard button strip
    • rotate a pencil in hand from the lead side to use the eraser using one hand only
    • rip one inch pieces of construction paper using finger tips
    • crumple pieces of tissue paper using one hand to reduce to 1/4 the original size
    • independently open screw top containers and replace
    • roll 10 one inch balls of playdough and place them in one inch circles
    • pick up 10 pennies and place into a vertical slotted container in 30 seconds
    • place 15 clothespins accurately on the edge of a plastic container, using dominant hand to squeeze clothespins
    • flip 10 quarters on a horizontal surface using in hand manipulation, without sliding quarters off of table
    • lace a shoe lace through holes x6 holes (does not have to be in correct order)

    Manual Dexterity Activities

    Remember when writing and using goals, these are just the items you are measuring for documentation. This does not mean these are the only manual dexterity activities you do during your treatment sessions. It would be next to impossible to list all of the possible activities you will be measuring in your goals.

    You may end up with 27 goals this way! I often add 3-4 challenges within the goal, as I feel that one item might not be enough to accurately represent my student.

    Manual dexterity intervention strategies can (and will!) include the list of 50 examples of dexterity that we shared above. After all, occupational therapy is all about functional tasks as a tool and a goal. However, some more manual dexterity examples can be rooted in play and the interests of the individual.

    Some dexterity activities to try include:

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

    Check out the seasonal Fine Motor Kits that kids love:

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

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

    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.

    Handwriting Games

    handwriting games

    Looking for fun ways to teach handwriting, then these handwriting games are your go-to activities to make letter formation fun and engaging! If you have ever worked with a student, you already understand how challenging working on handwriting can be. You also know how important handwriting is to academic and life success. Legible handwriting can mean the difference between a passing and failing grade. Learners of all ages do not respond well to tasks that seem like work. Even the mention of work, sends a wail of protests.

    handwriting games

    Lets get to the games to work on letter writing!

    Handwriting Games

    Activities like the Handwriting Games highlighted below, seem less like work than handwriting worksheets.

    Before getting started, a word or two about letter formation…

    Before jumping into handwriting games, it is important to understand the basics of handwriting and letter formation. The OT Toolbox has several resources to help you better understand letter formation and written expression.

    Included in this post is a list over over 40 handwriting games and other activities. Here is a master page containing several resources for handwriting.

    One of the benefits of using handwriting games to teach the components of handwriting is that the gamification is a play-based tool for teaching an important, and functional skill. Some of the ways to target overall legibility in a game is to focus on the components that make up writing skills:

    • letter formation
    • line awareness
    • letter size
    • letter spacing
    • number formation
    • cursive letter formation

    You can target one or more of these areas using games!

    Why are young learners so reluctant to do visual motor tasks such as writing, coloring, and cutting?

    • Learners respond better to activities that mean something.  Rote math problems, writing sentences, or coloring endless shapes are often meaningless.  A task that involves a game often holds more meaning than standard worksheets.
    • These tasks are difficult.  It is difficult to keep finding motivation to do something hard.
    • Most of the learners we work with are not good at these tasks, that is why they are getting therapy or other help.  Again it is difficult to stay motivated doing activities you are not good at. 
    • Visual motor tasks such as writing, coloring, and cutting, are not predictable.  Puzzles are more straightforward.  There is only one way a puzzle can go together.  It is difficult for a new learner to make exactly the correct strokes on paper, cut on the lines, or glue items in the correct position.  Despite the correct amount of effort, sometimes the eyes/hands/body have different plans.  
    • It is hard to want to keep trying when failure happens more than success.

    what is a Handwriting game?

    As occupational therapy providers, we love to provide meaningful and motivating activities to foster function…and games are one way to do that!

    When I think of the word “game” I picture a competition between several people. There is a winner and loser. This in itself may pose a challenge to your stressed out learner.

    The dictionary defines games as: a form of play or sport, especially a competitive one played according to rules and decided by skill, strength, or luck.

    Games, however, can be “a structured form of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool.

    Games are sometimes played purely for enjoyment, sometimes for achievement or reward as well. They can be played alone, in teams, or online; by amateurs or by professionals. 

    Key components of games are:

    • Goals
    • Rules
    • Challenges
    • Interaction

    These components are great tools for social interaction, functional performance, and achieving goals like learning letter formation, right??

    Games generally involve mental or physical stimulation, and often both. Many games help develop practical skills, serve as a form of exercise, or otherwise perform an educational, simulational, or psychological role.” Wikipedia.

    choosing handwriting games

    When choosing handwriting games, look at your audience before deciding if you are going to make a competition, educational tool, fun activity, or reward challenge.

    Some handwriting games are great activities to work on the components of writing skills, but are more of an educational tool than a competition or purely fun game.

    These letter formation games might be something like:

    • roll a dice and write a word that has that number of letters
    • roll a dice and count the dots. Write that letter of the alphabet

    On the other hand, there are other board games that can be adapted to include a letter formation component. These include Zingo, Boggle, Jenga, Candyland, Scattergories, Connect 4, Guess Who, or Battleship. These games can be done competitively, or as a single participant, depending on your students.

    Pencil and Paper Handwriting Games

    Other handwriting games simply use paper and pencil but have a fun gaming component. Some ideas include:

    • Play tic tac toe and use letters instead of the Xs and Os.
    • Play the dot game and place letters inside of the completed squares.
    • Word search races- Use a word search to race to find all of the letters of the alphabet. Then write the alphabet when you’ve found them all.
    • Play guessing games using ghost writing.
    • Play Letter Bingo. Create Bingo cards with letters instead of numbers. Call out letters, and players mark the corresponding letters on their cards. The first to complete a row or column shouts “Bingo!” Then, write all of the letters on the card to practice letter formation skills.
    • Play Letter Dominoes. Make your own set of letter dominoes by writing letters on index cards. Players take turns matching letters on the dominoes, forming a chain. When you’ve matched a letter, the child can practice writing the letters. Make this more complex by using words, like color words, seasonal words, etc.
    • Play Alphabet Memory. Create a set of letter pairs (e.g., uppercase and lowercase) on index cards. Place them face down, and players take turns flipping two cards to find matching pairs. When you’ve found a match, write the word onto paper.
    • Go on a Letter Scavenger Hunt. Write uppercase and lowercase letters on sticky notes and hide them around the house. Children search for the letters and then write them down when found.
    • Play Letter Charades. Write different letters on small pieces of paper and put them in a hat. One player picks a letter and acts out words that start with that letter while others guess. When a word is guessed, everyone has to write the word.
    • Play Alphabet Hopscotch. Draw a hopscotch grid with letters instead of numbers. Players toss a marker onto a letter and hop through the grid while naming the letters they land on. Then, they can write the letter and think of a word that starts with that letter. They can write it on paper, focusing on letter accuracy and line use.

    letter recognition games

    This post on Letter Recognition Games is a great way to introduce letters in a fun setting.

    Letter recognition is often a precursor to letter formation. Knowing what you are writing is just as important as how to do it.

    The author suggests games such as:

    • Beanbag Toss – Affix upper and lowercase letter stickers to one side of each bean bag. Put a basket or bucket across from your child. As your child throws the bean bags into the bucket, ask them to name the letters and their sounds of the letters. Students can run around looking for matching letters scattered around the room.
    • I Spy Letter Walk –Take a walk with your child and look for letters in their environment such as on license plates, street signs and building. Play, I Spy, searching for different letters, or letters in sequential order. The printable tools in the Letter Fine Motor Kit are a great resource for this activity.
    • Gross motor activities- Use a letter floor mat to jump on a specific letter. Ask the child to find a letter magnet and place it on the letter mat.
    • Letter recognition scavenger hunts- Use ideas like these letter clothes pins scavenger hunt for ideas.
    • Letter Sensory Bins – sensory bins are a staple activity for sensory play. Hide plastic letters in your sensory bin and ask students to find certain letters. They can find and name the letters, search for matching letters, find letters in alphabetical order, or look for a specific letter to spell a word.

    letter formation games

    Sometimes a store bought game is the easiest and most motivating way to work with students. Amazon for example, has some great ideas. (Amazon affiliate link- As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Believe it or not, some school districts frown upon home made items, citing they are not regulated, and not consistent for data collection.

    You can of course purchase these anywhere, the following are just examples and ideas.

    If your students need to develop fine motor dexterity along with writing letters, this post has some great games you can buy. Adjust these games to include writing or copying letters to make them more of Letter Formation Games. Bedbugs, Fruit Avalanche, Wok and Roll, Operation, and the Sneaky Squirrel Game are just a few of the examples cited.

    • Alphabet Bingo (Amazon affiliate link-commissions earned) – Recognize and identify the letters of the alphabet. A fun way to help your child practice and gain fluency with alphabet letters while making it engaging and keep them excited to learn. Multiple ways to play; Uppercase Bingo, Lowercase Bingo or Upper & Lowercase Bingo.
    • OSMO Letter Formation Sticks (Amazon affiliate link-commissions earned)- for those of you who use the iPad as a therapeutic tool, OSMO is a great add on to work on skills. Children interact with actual hand held pieces & an iPad or Fire Tablet, bringing a child’s game pieces & actions to life. Build & create letters & designs with squishy, colorful sticks & rings, then watch them come alive! Playful practice for preschoolers/pre-readers. Learn letter formation, phonics, & more than 300 words
    • PlayShifu (Amazon affiliate link-commissions earned) is another iPad based company with handheld manipulatives. PLUGO LETTERS is an AR-powered word building game kit that combines the goodness of hands-on learning and healthy screen-time. Spell with alphabet tiles, grow your vocabulary, and improve grammar with story-based games.
    • Kizh Wooden Letter and Number Construction Activity Set (Amazon affiliate link-commissions earned)- This set of different shaped wooden pieces can be placed on the special pegboard to form letters. Similar to the wooden pieces in Handwriting without Tears, but with colorful letters and a puzzle feel to it.
    • Learning Resources Alphabet Island (Amazon affiliate link-commissions earned) has some great educational games. This is often my “go to” when purchasing items to use in therapy.
    • Alphabet Go Fish (Amazon affiliate link-commissions earned)- a fun twist on the classic card game Go Fish
    • Scrabble Junior (Amazon affiliate link-commissions earned)- a great letter matching game
    • Check out these Ten Ways to Teach Letter Formation – this post includes ideas for sensory play, gross motor activities, hands on letter formation and more
    • What about multisensory letter formation using items found around the house? Kids can write in sand, shaving cream, pudding, with playdough, wikki stix, slime or slime. They can use manipulatives such as; chenille stems, buttons, pegboards, toothpicks, cotton swabs, play dough, and more to create letters
    • iPad writing apps – here is a list of several great iPad apps OTs often use to enhance learning.

    Other games for handwriting

    Whether your “go to” is iPad based games, home made activities, or store bought board games, there is an overwhelming amount of resources out there to help you motivate your learners to get excited about letters. While worksheets and printables definitely have their place in therapeutic learning, adding fun games can really spice up your therapy sessions!

    You can also modify the games you’ve already got and use the game pieces to work on handwriting skills. Try these ideas:

    • Use a game spinner to spin and write a letter.
    • Write letters on playing cards and use them to spell words or play card games. When you pull a card, practice that letter.
    • Use a game board and add letter stickers to the spaces. When a player lands on a letter, they can write the letter or write a word that starts with that letter.
    • Roll dice and write letters based on the number rolled.

    Other ideas include using LEGO blocks to make letters, forming letters with Geoboards, making Yoga Letters, and more. All of these activity cards are found inside the Letters Fine Motor Kit.

    You can also access the Letters Fine Motor Kit inside The OT Toolbox Membership Club.

    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.

    Crossing midline Activities for Preschoolers

    crossing midline activities for preschoolers

    Today’s article on Crossing the Midline Activities for Preschoolers will be full of ideas to practice and strengthen crossing the midline. Hopefully you caught the earlier post on the midline. It highlighted what crossing the midline is, how to identify deficits, and strengthen this important skill.   

    crossing midline activities for preschoolers

    Why are we highlighting crossing the midline for preschoolers?

    Why this subgroup specifically, since crossing the midline is an important skill for all learners?  Preschool age of three to five is a critical area for development. 

    The baby years are spent exploring and learning basic developmental skills.  Preschool age is important for practicing, learning, and refining skills. 

    Skills learned from ages three to five will become the building blocks for higher level cognitive and functional skills including fine motor, self-help, handwriting, gross motor, and adaptive skills. 

    A child who is missing the building blocks will have difficulty moving to the next level.

    Imagine a student who does not know their numbers or addition, being asked to learn multiplication.  They do not have the basic skills to learn and incorporate this higher-level skill.  Writing begins with preschool prewriting strokes, then moves to letter formation.  Many skills we learn are progressive. You would not try building a big house without a solid foundation.

    Crossing the midline is no exception. A child who can not cross the midline will struggle with handwriting, reading, sports, self help skills, and more. There is a reason for the push toward early intervention for children. Build these skills early, then students can move forward with a solid foundation.

    crossing the midline and the Brain

    Let us do a quick recap of crossing the midline in case you missed the earlier post.

    Crossing the midline is like drawing a line down the middle of your body.  Many websites refer to this as reaching across the body with your arms and legs.  Do not forget your eyes!  Your eyes cross the midline as well, making reading, scanning, and writing possible.

    From a scientific point of view, crossing the midline strengthens the neural connection between the left and right hemispheres of your brain (aka bilateral integration).

    Crossing midline strengthens the neural connection between the left and right hemispheres of your brain (aka bilateral integration).  The left brain has different functions than the right, but they need to be in constant communication to make things happen smoothly.

    difficulty crossing the midline

    There are some early warning signs we might see in the preschooler who struggles with crossing their midline. This should be a natural and efficient motor plan by the preschool years. When we see a difficulty with the integrated motor patterns, this can be an indicator for various challenges.

    Some of the ways that difficulties with preschool crossing midline will present as:

    • Not developing a dominant hand. Students use the left hand for left sided tasks and the right side for right sided tasks. 
    • Showing delays in crawling, or an atypical crawling pattern. Here is a great article on Cross Crawling Activities.
    • Rotating or turning their entire body to retrieve objects on the other side of their body instead of reaching across the body to the other side
    • Having difficulty with age-appropriate self-care tasks like dressing or grooming activities
    • Skipping or doing jumping jacks in an uncoordinated manner. Check out this post on Gross Motor Midline Crossing Exercises
    • Difficulty making a horizontal line across a piece of paper (may stop in the middle and switch hands, or pause visually) or forming letters
    • Visual perceptual difficulties
    • Delayed or below average reading skills due to difficulty reading smoothly across the paper

    Crossing Midline Activities for Preschoolers

    Play is the occupation of a child. Caregivers will have better success by making lessons fun. Adults barely tolerate physical exercises like lunges and squats, what makes us think preschoolers will? 

    Turning skill acquisition into a fun game is a surefire way to engage your preschoolers. 

    Here is a great post on Occupational Therapy Activities for Preschoolers, and another one on Preschool Activities

    Start by checking out the list of activities and make a note what skills they are targeting.  I bet there are some on there addressing crossing the midline.

    Below are specific activities to target crossing midline for preschool aged children.

    Midline Activities for Preschoolers

    Let us look specifically at crossing midline activities for preschoolers. These activities will work for older children but for the purpose of this article we are highlighting ones for the three- to five-year-old crowd.

    1. Cross midline by reaching for stickers– Place stickers on your child’s clothing in different locations. Encourage them to reach across midline to pull them off and stick them onto a paper or board. Here are more benefits of playing with stickers.

    2. Encourage midline crossing with clothes pins- Similar to the stickers grab, clip clothespins to your child’s clothing, having them retrieve them.  Purposefully pick places they can not reach with the hand on the same side such as the top of the shoulder or elbow. Here are various clothes pin activities that can be used to target midline crossing skills.

    3. Sorting activities- have students sort items into different containers using one hand only.  You can switch sides half way through, but encourage use of just one side at a time. Start with sorting colors activities and move to other areas such as sorting letters by size or sorting shapes.

    4. Midline Crossing with Preschool Chores– While chores are work for adults, they are often novel for young children.  Sweeping, using a duster, pushing a vacuum, wiping down tables, and washing the car, all involve reaching across the body. You can use a visual reward schedule along with chores for preschoolers…and add those stickers from point number 1 listed above.

    5. Yoga for kids- There are some great yoga poses that involve crossing the midline. Use our unicorn yoga activities, penguin yoga activities, or even partner yoga poses to target midline crossing.

    6. Playing with trains, cars, or other vehicles- One way to work on midline crossing with preschoolers is by zooming cars down a track or trains around their track. Especially when playing on a floor with cars, this helps encourage crossing midline but also developing core strength and stability which is necessary for mobility needed for midline crossing skills.

    7. Simon says- While younger children might not understand the exact rules of this game, they can work on imitating and following directions.  Add Simon Says directions like: touch your opposite shoulder, do jumping jacks, side strides, clapping movements, etc. Our list of Simon Says commands has many gross motor tasks that encourage midline crossing for preschoolers.

    8. Rubbing lotion on the arms or legs- You can target midline crossing with preschoolers using a functional task: applying lotion! Ask children to rub in lotion by strategically add lotion to parts of the body only reachable by crossing over the midline. This can be extended to rubbing in sunscreen too.

    9. Rainbow draw- We shared our crossing the midline rainbow activity before as a tool to target visual scanning skills. Have your student sit on a large piece of paper or stand at a chalkboard/dry erase board. Using one hand only, have them draw a rainbow across their body with different colors.

    More crossing midline activities for preschoolers

    • Ball pass- Your child is seated on the floor with a bucket of bean bags or other items on each side.  They need to move the bean bags to the opposite side across their body.
    • Obstacle courses – Create obstacle courses that involve jumping, crawling, marching
    • Scooter and plunger- The students sit on a scooter and “paddle” forward with a plunger.
    • Swing a baseball bat- Hang a wiffle ball from a string and have your child hold the bat with two hands to try and hit the ball.
    • Painting on an easel- Use large paper on an easel or other vertical surface. Large paper calls for large movements. Be mindful that your child is using one hand for this task
    • Arm isolation- Play a game where your child has one arm hidden in a sleeve or is wearing a sock over their non dominant hand if they need their arm for safety.   Have them work on different table top tasks without being able to use both hands.
    • Animal walks- Taking brain breaks to practice crab crawl or bear walk has multiple benefits at once.
    • Twister- This popular game can be modified for the preschool age population
    • Visual scanning- Scatter lots of items on a large table. Have students visually scan looking for something. There are lots of printables for visual scanning available. Check out this OT Toolbox search for scanning activities
    • Hand clapping games – These are especially helpful when clapping with a partner, having to touch opposite hands or legs
    • Prone reaching- Kids can lie prone over a large ball while reaching for items in different locations
    • Bilateral tasks- bilateral coordination activities work on crossing midline as each side of the body is responsible for doing something different. Stringing beads, reading a book, coloring, cutting with scissors, puzzles, etc.
    • Magnadoodle- This simple toy is not only great for developing fine motor skills, but erasing in involves sliding the eraser across the doodler.
    • Cooking- There are many aspects of cooking with kids that foster midline crossing. What about stirring, spreading, pouring, measuring, and scooping?
    • Back to back ball pass- Sit back to back with your child, pass a ball back and forth by twisting your body to reach the other person.

    A final thought on crossing midline in Preschool

    As you read through these activities you may find you have already been doing many of them.  Perhaps you are already an expert and just needed confirmation that you are on the right track.

    Maybe you are new to this and felt overwhelmed seeing a “crossing midline” goal on a plan of care.

    Having therapy students keeps me on my toes because they have to break down tasks and do activity analysis all the time.  I have been put on the spot many times when asked what therapeutic intervention or model I am following.  I say, “I don’t know, play?”

    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.

    Therapy Bags

    therapy bags

    Whether you are returning to a new school year, or working on your therapy tools, it is time to revisit the therapy bag. Depending on your work environment, caseload, and setting, your therapy bags may look different. For the therapy provider just getting started in the school setting, or for new grad OTs, the question comes up quite often: What is the best therapy bag to get?! In this post we will start by looking at different types of therapy bags people are using, then dive into the kinds of items therapists put in their “toolbox”. You may even want to consider a therapy bag as an occupational therapy gift for the OT or OTA in your life!

    therapy bags

    These therapy supply bags might even be a great gift for the occupational therapy provider in your life!

    The Best therapy bags

    The best therapy bag for you depends on your work space, the number of schools you might visit in a day, or the therapy setting (clinic, home setting, early intervention, etc.). Consider these questions to find the therapy bag that best meets your needs…

    • What kind of therapy bag do you like best?  Are you a backpack kind of therapist or a rolling cart therapy provider? 
    • Do you work out of the trunk of your car grabbing a handful of stuff as you go? A therapy backpack or pull cart might work for you.
    • Do you feel like you need to carry your entire office everywhere you go?  A rolling suitcase or therapy cart might work.
    • Are you fortunate enough to have everything at your fingertips, needing only a couple of things in your pockets? A therapy tote bag might best suit your needs.

    Let’s take a look at the various types of therapy bags and the pros and cons of each. (Amazon affiliate links are included below.)

    the Therapy Backpack

    A backpack is the go-to bag for many therapy providers. It is easy to carry, ergonomically designed to carry the weight of the bag and contents, and comes with lots of pockets for storing your tools.

    There are thousands to choose from, starting with the classic Swiss Army brand, the Jansport with its great warranties, Lands End and LLBean for their level of quality and more.

    These links below are Amazon affiliate links in which commissions are earned from qualifying purchases.

    • In the past I bought fancy trendy backpacks that were pretty, but not practical. Bags like this Vera Bradley design (commissions earned) were irresistible.  That was until my pens leaked into them, I sat them on the dirty floor, they were covered in who knows what, and the mysterious sticky stuff showed up at the bottom of the bag.  While these are washable, they are not practical. 
    • Now my preferred therapy backpack (commissions earned) is more practical, but less showy. It has over 89,000 positive reviews on Amazon.  It has lots of pockets for storing tools and toys. It is missing the chest strap, but generally my bag is not overloaded unless I am taking it on vacation. 
    • This Lovelook backpack (commissions earned) is very popular as a therapy backpack. It boasts many pockets and is trendy looking, however it does not open very wide, meaning all your stuff is going to end up at the bottom somewhere. It looks awkward to carry, especially if you have a heavy load or wear it frequently.
    • This great therapy bag from Coowoz (commissions earned) has a lot of space in it. It opens flat so you can see what is in the bag. The shoe compartment can hold baggies of stuff, or your lunch and snacks. It comes in a couple of different sizes. This therapy backpack is a cross between a piece of luggage and a backpack.
    • The Army Style backpack, (commissions earned) while looking very utilitarian, is functional and sturdy. Check out all the pockets!  It is also designed to be ergonomically correct with the chest and waist straps. I love that this one is called the Assault Pack. (commissions earned) Sometimes it feels like therapists are fighting a battle every day.

    Kawaii Therapy Backpack

    If you are set on fun over function, a Kawaii therapy backpack is a fun style. Check them out here. (commissions earned) The Kawaii backpacks are sweet and practical. 

    Kids will love to see the therapy tools they may use that day peeking through the windows of the backpack.

    Roller Therapy backpacks

    In recent years as I age, and my therapy supplies enlarge, I am leaning more toward a therapy bag on wheels. These are especially helpful if you travel on foot between schools, across a large campus, or throughout a big hospital or facility. 

    These types of therapy supply packs can vary from a roller backpack to a carry-on suitcase. For the therapy provider that works in school hallways or even supply closets, this can be a great bag to carry all of the therapy supplies from space to space.

    • The Rockland Rolling Backpack (commissions earned) is most cost effective. You might be able to replace this one every year if needed. I like that it still has handles for carrying up and down stairs or in tight spaces. Not sure how rugged and sturdy it is, and it only boasts a couple of pockets.
    • This J World New York style (commissions earned) is a little more costly but looks sturdier.  It comes in tons of fun designs and colors. It has a few pockets and nice big wheels for traveling.
    • Check out the giant wheels on this one! (commissions earned) If you travel in rough terrain, this bag might be for you.
    • Matein makes a roller bag (commissions earned) that is functional. It is high in price, but looks sturdy.  It has tons of pockets for all your tools and can be converted to a regular backpack.

    Alternative rolling therapy bags

    There are other options beyond your basic luggage rolling bag, too. These therapy bags are nice for the added features.

    • Rolling Duffle bags (commissions earned) have always been popular. They are not as sleek as other bags, but have lots of room and pockets. The added space means you can tote around extra supplies like wiggle cushions, alternative seating options, self-regulation tools, etc.
    • If you do not have a lot of things to carry in your therapy bag, a rolling laptop case (commissions earned) might be the way to go. They are more professional looking than a backpack or duffle bag if that matters where you work. This design has many pockets for storing items. It comes with carry handles and is not going to be as easy to tote as a backpack.

    the Rolling Suitcase

    In the past year I have switched over to a rolling suitcase.  I like that it is sturdy and big.  What I do not like is the lack of pockets. I find myself adding baggies of similar items into my case and searching for items. 

    Another benefit of the rolling suitcase therapy bag is that it’s easier on the back to pull, and the wheels are designed for someone who needs to walk through busy airports, or from school building to school building!

    • Us Traveler (commissions earned) has a basic budget friendly design. It comes with an additional bag for fidgets, manipulatives, snacks, or a grab and go bag. It does have some pockets and a large opening for your bigger tools.
    • Pediatric therapists (commissions earned) will love these cute bags!  They are not huge, but will be a big hit with your kids.
    • Scooter ride on case (commissions earned) – while I am not sure if these come in my size, I would love one!  Imagine scooting all over your work place. Plus, it doubles as a sensory therapy tool, too!
    therapy tote bags

    Therapy Tote Bags

    There are many therapy tote bags on the market, too. I love the fun advertisement for occupational therapy, physical therapy, or speech therapy that some of these offer!

    These links below are Amazon affiliate links in which commissions are earned from qualifying purchases.

    • A Utility tote is a nice compact bag with many pockets. If you do not have a long distance to carry it, and it is not too heavy, it is a practical therapy bag. This “Nurses bag” has 21 pockets!!  The trouble with too many pockets is remembering which one it is in!
    • If you are looking for something personal and crafty, there are tons of therapy bags listed. They come in all different shapes and sizes, can be personalized, and are fun to use.  While not as practical as a rolling tote, they are great for carrying a few items back and forth.

    Therapy Crate

    A rolling therapy crate or therapy box is nice because you can cart around paper, worksheets, and various therapy tools and materials.

    These links below are Amazon affiliate links in which commissions are earned from qualifying purchases.

    • The collapsible crate is becoming more popular. These are great for toting large items, or lots of toys at once.  No pockets, so stuff might get jumbled in there. FYI it does not fit in the trunk of a Mini Cooper, so it was out for me.
    • This hardshell bag is a functional sturdy bag. It does not have wheels and must be hand carried. This looks professional and has a large pocket for big items.  Not many pockets on this one.
    What's in my therapy bag? Occupational therapy supplies in a therapy bag

    The occupational therapy supplies in my therapy bag are geared toward younger elementary, preschool, and high school OT students.

    What is in your therapy bag?

    Now that you have selected the best bag for you (I am seriously eyeing a new roller backpack), you have to fill it with occupational therapy tools, and other stuff.  I love the “other stuff” because I am always amazed at what I find I have stuffed in my OT bag.

    There are many items that may make up your occupational therapy equipment list because therapy interventions depend so much on the needs of each individual. That’s why switching out items in your therapy bag (whatever the type) is so essential.

    Last year it was a random pair of socks, seven chapsticks, enough pens to write a novel, and a couple of valentines. If you are like me, your therapy bag is constantly changing, depending on the day and caseload.

    Let’s start with the basic standard occupational therapy tools to fill your therapy bag:

    • Mini zippered pouches (commissions earned) – these are a must have if you use small items. They are great for sorting items for easy retrieval. Fill them with school supplies, one for grippers, prizes, fidgets, snacks, or personal items.  You can also use pencil cases or plastic Ziplock bags for storage
    • Personal items – as noted above, lip balm is in my bag. You can pack items such as bandaids, feminine hygiene products, wipes, hand sanitizer, aspirin, makeup, hair spray, stain remover, ear buds, hair ties, extra reading glasses (had to make a quick Walmart run early one morning), or whatever you feel you might need.  I prepare for work as if I am living on a desert island where nothing is available.
    • Office supplies – pens, pencils, white out strip, paperclips, tape, scissors, envelopes, sharpies, labels, and a stapler. If you have an actual office, you might not need to travel with all these office supplies, but at least have a pen handy
    • Planner (commissions earned) I like this hourly one. Even if you do online scheduling, it is nice to glance at a paper calendar and have a back-up.  This way you have at least two sources to document your visits
    • School supplies – these are the standard supplies you use in therapy: scissors, glue, glue stick, paper, pencils, crayons, dot markers, etc. You can get a shower caddy to carry these or one of the zippered pouches

    beyond the basic therapy bag supplies

    These items can be used to create your own set of Occupational Therapy Activity Toolkits. Then, you can switch things out to keep the kids on your caseload motivated.

    • Fine motor therapy supplies – in the school system as well as some other settings you need a grab bag selection of pencil grips to try with your kids, different kinds of scissors (loop, self-opening, tiny ones), tongs, pom poms, a dressing board, pennies in a container, putty, beads and string, stickers, shaving cream, pop tubes, play dough, clothespins, and other small items to work on fine motor skills. Not sure what to add to your bag? You can make your own DIY Fine Motor Toolkit.
    • Small sensory items – you never know when a teacher or other professional is going to ask if you have ones they can use at this very moment. It is nice to have them handy. Small fidgets, calm strips, rubber bands, theratubing, a mini sensory bin, and different types of pencil toppers are great
    • Larger therapy items – hopefully you are not carrying too many large items on a daily basis. These might include: a rocker board, wiggle cushion, slant board, wipe off board, weights, headphones, or anything you use consistently. These items might fit best in the collapsible crate
    • Tools – some therapists need goniometers, grip and pinch meters, screwdrivers, and other items to work with their clients
    • Games and puzzles – large games like Connect 4, Candyland, Pop the Pig, Kerplunk and other classic games are great, but take up a lot of room.  There are now mini versions of several popular games. (commissions earned)
    • Snacks – as a therapist you are never ever certain you are going to get a lunch break.  Having snacks like granola bars, trail mix, candy, breakfast bars, and crackers is a good idea to keep on hand. If you motivate your students with candy or food, you will want to put some small items in your bag for them too.
    • Paper activities – while the bag is full of fun stuff, do not forget the fine motor paper tasks. Pack different lined paper, printed activities, color/cut/glue pages, mazes, puzzles, etc. I try and plan the week ahead by adding my printables to the bag that I can use all week.  Each week I rotate printables.  The OT Toolbox has some great themed kits like this A-Z Bug Themed activity set. Search on the site for fine motor kits, or shop in the OT Toolbox store.

    Therapy Bag tools change depending on setting

    There is not going to be a one sized fits all for the therapy bag.  Whether it is the type of bag you carry, or what you put in it. 

    Homebased pediatric therapists might have blocks, teething rings, stacking rings, and other primary toys.  A hand therapist will have tools specific to that trade. The school system therapy bag will vary depending on the age and type of students you work with.

    Therapy providers with multiple schools might find they have a different tote for each school. 

    One thing that helps with using a therapy bag of any kind, is staying organized and planning.  I can not tell you how many mornings I run around the office grabbing random things to throw into my bag, or dig around the bottom of the bag looking for a red crayon.  It is those weeks that I try and carve out a little time to reorganize the bag and get myself on track for the next week.

    All this talk of therapy bags has me wanting to order a new one for this school year!  I have my eye on a roller backpack this year, and am tempted by the scooter one if it fits. 

    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.

    Letter D Worksheet

    letter d worksheet

    Today’s post will address letter “D” and include a free printable Letter D Worksheet. All the letter formation worksheets in this series will have tips to the teach the selected letter, review the prewriting skills needed, and highlight different rhymes and prompts that are helpful to teaching the letter. D is for donuts and dogs, two of my favorite things! Moving through the alphabet, we are ready to learn how to teach the letter D. Keep an eye out for posts for all 26 letters!  

    The Letter D Worksheet is designed for students to cut the page into sections, then staple all the pieces together to create little alphabet books by grouping the dotted, tracing, playdough, and color sections together.  Click the link below and add your email address to get the FREE downloadable PDF letter D worksheet.

    Letter D worksheet

    If you have missed the posts for letters A, B, and C, be sure to check them out!

    letter D worksheet

    Today we are highlighting the Letter D, both in its upper and lowercase form. There are many terrific ways to teach letter recognition and formation. This article from the OT Toolbox archives is a great read when starting to teach letter formation.

    It is a great resource for providing multi-sensory learning. Using different methods to teach information can help find a method that works for your learners specifically, as not all students learn the same way. Find a way that works for your students specifically, as not all students learn the same way. 

    Teaching letter recognition and formation can be approached in various ways, and adopting a multisensory letter writing method is highly effective for enhancing skills while accommodating diverse learning styles among your students.

    On the Letter D worksheet, we’ve incorporated specific sections that cater to sensory-motor skill development when forming both uppercase ‘D’ and lowercase ‘d.’ These sections include:

    1. Dotted Letter D/d: This encourages tracing over dotted lines, promoting a tactile understanding of the letter’s shape.
    2. Tracing Letter D/d: Students can practice precise letter tracing, aiding kinesthetic learners who benefit from hands-on experiences.
    3. Playdough Letter D/d: Using playdough allows students to sculpt the letter, engaging their tactile senses and reinforcing motor planning.
    4. Color the Letter D/d: Coloring activities provide a visual and fine motor element to learning the letter’s form.

    These sections are particularly beneficial for kinesthetic learners who thrive when they can execute physical motions. I love that this worksheet series targets different sensory materials and supports differing learning styles while focusing on letter recognition and formation.

    The Letter D Worksheet is divided into six sections: 

    1. Build a Playdough letter D: hands-on learners will love the building section of the letter J worksheet. Students can mold the letter D out of play dough, clay, sticks, or other manipulatives.  Keep reading for more great ideas to build letters out of common items.
    2. Tracing letter D: Kinesthetic learners learn by doing, and will benefit from all the sections in these handouts, especially this section on tracing letters. Kinesthetic learners like to touch and engage in order to learn and retain information. Students can use their fingers, a wand, popsicle stick, or add a writing tool to trace the letters. You can also laminate the letter pages, place them on a tray covered with sand, salt, or shaving cream, and have students trace the letters this way.
    3. Do a Dot letter: Students can dip Q-tips or their fingertip into paint to make dots on the paper.  There are all kinds of stampers available on the web. What else can kids use to make dots on paper?
    4. Color letter D: encourage developmentally appropriate grasp patterns (broken crayons work wonders for developing a tripod grasp), work on coloring inside the lines, color selection, and attention to detail.  Explore different mediums for coloring including markers, gel pens, pencils, crayons (of all types), paint, glitter, or glue and small items to fill the space.
    5. Write letter D: these two sections are for students to put their practice into letter formation. They will practice writing the letters on the lines with correct sizing, formation, line placement, and details. Students also practice fitting the letters inside the small boxes to improve letter sizing and accuracy. As with the other sections, this section can also be laminated for reusability.

    how to teach letter D

    This letter D worksheet is a great start to teaching letter formation. Whether you are working on letter families to teach the letters in groups according to the lines that make up the letters, or teaching the letters in alphabetical order, these great worksheets provide a consistent method for teaching and tracking letter formation and understanding.

    There are several sites online with different rhymes available for teaching letters.

    • The HWT curriculum lowercase “d” narrative says: Magic c, up like a helicopter, up higher, back down, and bump the ground.   For the uppercase letter “D” HWT says: big line, big curve. The lowercase letters have some visual picture reminders to go with the wording. While the HWT curriculum does not use cute poems and rhymes, the consistent language that is taught using straight and curved lines is beneficial to learning.

    Letter D

    In addition to the skills above, students will need to know how to form
    straight lines and curves to make upper and lowercase D. Learning Without Tears highlights this as they teach “big line, curve” for uppercase D. Teach them about retracing so that the letters are formed correctly. This is a good time to start demonstrating the difference between b and d, as they are often confused.

    Uppercase Letter D has two pencil movements:

    • A straight line down
    • A big curve

    These two motions both start at the top line. Pencil control is needed to hop back up to that same spot on the starting line.

    Lowercase Letter D has two pencil movements also:

    • A small curve that starts in the middle line, and over to the right side
    • A big line down that starts at the top line, but must touch both curves of the first pencil stroke.

    This means that there is a lot of pencil control and visual motor skill awareness needed for placing that big line in a space that connects with the small curve. Otherwise, we end up with an opening in the letter. Pencil control exercises can support this development.

    As you are working on the Letter D Worksheet, be sure your students have the prewriting skills needed for writing letters. Here is a comprehensive post about the Prewriting Skills needed before letter formation.

    To make uppercase letter D, pre-writing skills are needed:

    • straight line down
    • circles with stopping at a given point
    • pulling the pencil into the palm of the hand to make the curve of the uppercase D (right hand writer)
    • pushing the pencil away from the palm of the hand to make the curve of the uppercase D (left hand writer)

    To make lowercase d, pre-writing skills are needed:

    • small circles with ability to stop at a given point
    • straight line down
    • pushing the pencil away from the palm of the hand to make the small curve of the lowercase d (right hand writer)
    • pulling the pencil into the palm of the hand to make the small curve of the lowercase d (left hand writer)

    You can see that the curves of the lines go in opposite directions for uppercase D compared to lowercase d. This can be confusing for some kids and might be a reason for commonly reversing letter d.

    Also, the straight line is on opposite sides of the letter when you look at uppercase D compared to lowercase d.

    Both of these considerations may result in letter confusion and are one more reason to teach letters according to lines used in the letters as opposed to teaching letters alphabetically.

    Additionally, the lowercase letter d requires greater visual motor integration and precision skills. The nice thing is that the curve is the same direction as a larger group of related letters (c, e, g, o, q, and the top of the f and s).

    Tracing Letter D

    Knowing these skills needed for forming an uppercase D and lowercase d, you can use the tracing letter D portion of the letter d printable to target these pre-writing strokes that make up the letters.

    Place Wikki Stix on the uppercase and lower case D and then trace the letters with a finger tip or even a paintbrush. Then, trace letter D on paper with that same fingertip or paintbrush.

    Finally, trace D and d with pencil lines, and then write the letters onto paper.

    prewriting skills needed to learn letters

    The prewriting skills for general letter formation include:

    • Grasping skills for holding the writing tool – it is preferable to work on forming a correct tripod grasp, but not essential for starting letter formation. Children begin to form a tripod grasp around age four. You can improve pencil grasp by working on hand strengthening activities
    • Finger isolation is what is needed to be able to tuck fingers into the palm when writing
    • In hand manipulation
    • following directions
    • Hand strength needed hold pencil and manipulate objects. Students with weak hand strength often have shaky, lightly written letters, and hold the writing tool lightly
    • Crossing midline is an essential skill for letter formation, otherwise letters like “t” are written in four pieces rather than two intersecting lines. In letter D, crossing midline is a consideration for the right handed writer forming uppercase D and the left hand writer forming lowercase d.
    • Imitating movements is important as many children do not respond to verbal directions only
    • Visual perception is making sense of what is written or seen.  These might include same/different, scanning, or discrimination
    • Prewriting strokes – being able to write lines and circles is important, as these are the foundation for forming upper and lowercase letters

     

    tips to teach letter D

    In addition to the rhymes above and using the letter D printable, there are other great strategies to teaching letter formation:

      • Letter I spy: Simply start asking your child to identify letters as you go about your day together. Beginning with letters that matter to them, such as the letters in their own name, is a great way to begin.

    •  

      • Finding letters in nature: Once you’ve gathered the natural materials you found, it’s time to practice forming uppercase letters and lowercase letters with these supplies. Start by choosing a letter that your child is familiar with, and have them write it out by forming it with one of their chosen materials.  Note: Rocks and leaves are easiest for forming rounded letters (B, C, D), and sticks are best for letters with straight lines (A, F, T).

      • Guess the magnetic letter: Grab your magnetic letters. Then, have your child put their hands behind their back before handing them a single letter of your choice. Ask your child to identify the letter in their hands — without peeking! — only by touch. For children who are still learning, provide choices for them to guess between (“Do you have a ‘T’ or a ‘B’ in your hands?”).

      • Letter matching cards: Start by cutting out rectangles of paper or cardboard for your cards, one for each uppercase and lowercase letter. Then, write a letter on each of the cards, or have your child practice writing it themselves. After the letters have been written, your child can decorate to their heart’s content! You might even want to draw (or glue a picture of) an object that corresponds to each letter to make it even more fun (like an apple on each of the “A” cards, a balloon for the “B” cards, and so forth).  This will also make the matching portion of the activity easier for your child if they are still mastering uppercase letters or lowercase letters.  When your letter cards are complete, mix them all up on the table and have your child select one. Their task is to find the corresponding uppercase or lowercase version of that letter from the selection in the pile.

      • Post it notes letters: Write an uppercase letter on 26 Post-It notes. Then, use the remaining ones for lowercase letters. Next, alternate placing uppercase and lowercase letters onto your wall or whiteboard. You might have a capital “A” followed by a lowercase “b.” Once you get to “Z,” set the remaining letters in a row so your child can see them. Point to the uppercase “A” and ask, “Can you find the lowercase letter that matches?” If your child correctly identifies the letter “a,” have them pick it up and stick it below the capital “A.”

    •  

      • If your child enjoys a bit of educational screen time, the HOMER Learn & Grow app is a great way to let them practice their letter identification skills.

      • Letter similarities and differences: Start by mixing up all of the letter cards. Then, invite your child to help you sort them into two groups: those that look the same in upper and lowercase and those that look different.  You may need to model this for your child a few times. For example, hold up the capital “D” card and ask, “Do you see a lowercase letter that looks like this?” Let your child examine both letters and highlight similarities and differences between the uppercase and lowercase versions. Continue sorting, letter by letter. Once your child sorts all the letters, have them count the cards in each bowl and see if there are more that look alike or more that are different. When your child finds it, say, “Both the uppercase ‘D’ and the lowercase ‘d’ look similar. They have the same shape, but one is a little smaller. Let’s put these two letters in this bowl because they look the same.”

      • write letters in the air with big arm movements

    •  

      • make letters in sand, shaving cream, chalk, sandpaper

      • teach the letter names and sounds before forming the letters so students understand what they are writing

      • use the whole body to teach letter formation

      • sing songs and rhymes about letters

      • practice prewriting skills through activities and play

      • encourage family to practice with their children at home

      • follow the same curriculum throughout the teaching for consistency. Whether you use Learning without Tears, Teaching Mama, Songs for Sounds, or another curriculum, being consistent helps students learn the language and follow the prompts

    •  

    how to use the letter D worksheet

    As described above, this free Letter D Worksheet, can be cut into sections and made into mini workbooks. There are many other great options for using these work pages:

      • Laminate the pages to make them reusable. Punch holes in them, and create a binder. This is especially helpful with the play dough cards

      • Take a photo of the letter made of playdough, rather than having students trying to keep their dough formations stuck in their books

      • Enlarge each section to make them full page sized. This might be helpful for younger learners who may need more room to write and color

      • Separate each kind of activity, and group them together to make an alphabet book. For example, make a book of all the “do a dot” letters. Keep going until your students have six mini alphabet books containing all 26 letters.  This is a great year long project to send home at the end of the year

      • Cut the pages into six sections, then staple together. Each book with have six pages, all relating to the same letter. For example, the Letter D Worksheet would be turned into a small booklet with a traced D, written D, colored D, dotted D, playdough D, etc.

      • Make your own modifications to some of the sections. Instead of tracing, students can fill the section with glue and glitter! In the coloring section, students can fill them with small manipulatives. Wikki sticks can be used instead of Playdough. Water color, paint, or any other creative medium you can find to fill in the spaces

      • Have sensory bins of manipulatives ready for creative play with this Letter D Worksheet

      • Glue, bits of paper, and other findings are always handy to have around

      • Making an activity fun will hopefully encourage the reluctant learners

      • Add this letter D worksheet to part of your bigger lesson plan including gross motor, sensory, social, reading, math, or other daily fun activities

    a final word on letter D

    When you get excited about teaching, it will become contagious. Your students will feed off your positive energy.  Teaching is not one size fits all, so it will take some trial and error to find something that works.  Find something that you feel you can teach over and over again. Sometimes the lessons become repetitive, so you need to like what you are teaching.  Modify these as needed to work with your students. Teach these in ABC order, or follow the Learning without Tears curriculum of grouping similar letters together.

    Free Letter D Printable

    Want a copy of this letter D worksheet? Enter your email address into the form below. We also have a copy of this printable and the other letters already released inside The OT Toolbox Member’s Club.


     

    FREE Letter D Worksheet

     

     

     
     
     

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