Victoria Wood OTR/L

Time Management in Executive Function

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Time management skills in everyday tasks. Image of a clock

Time management is an executive functioning skill that we address all the time in occupational therapy sessions. Even when we aren’t specifically addressing “time management goals”, I find myself working on this essential organization and attention skill! Oh, and by the way, time management doesn’t just mean doing multiple tasks at once. Although that’s something we need to address below…but what we mean when we say time management is actually managing your time effectively, even for one task at a time. This is huge when it comes to completing life skills tasks, planning and prioritization skills, and basically just doing things throughout the day.

Time management skills in everyday tasks. Image of a clock

Let’s go deeper into this cognitive skill!

Understanding Time Management Challenges in Executive Functioning

“Time is what we want most, but use the worst. ”William Penn.  Effective time management is the executive function skill that we strive for, but eludes many of us. I read that no one cleans a house faster than someone having unexpected company! 

Is there a “right way” to manage time? Is the goal to get the task finished on time, whether you procrastinate until the last moment, or evenly space out the job?  There is a case for both sides. 

In this article we will explore what time management means, and develop some effective strategies to better manage your time. You’ll find some ideas and strategies to use with occupational therapy clients that struggle with executive functioning skills.

Below, you’ll find a section titled, Six Key Elements of Effective Time Management. You’ll notice that each of these elements is an executive functioning skill. That’s because these skills and elements are all related. When we work on executive functioning skills in occupational therapy sessions, we definitely address the time management piece in order to help our therapy clients get things done, stay on task, keep track of time, and manage the time they have to do the thing that they are working on. This is a huge life skill!

Part of it is that we need to stop and think throughout our tasks. It requires impulse control to use this ability during daily tasks.

Time management skills with types of executive functioning skills listed among clocks

Another great read is our blog post on mental dexterity.

TIME MANAGEMENT Definition

Time management is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time to complete a task.

Traditionally, I think we referred to time management and multi-tasking as kind of the same thing. In this way, it’s more of juggling two or more tasks and managing that time. I think that since my college days, the ability to multi-task effectively complete more than one task at the same time, and to complete it well has been debunked. I remember when it was recommended to write your ability to multi-task on your resume. We all know we have to juggle more than one client, their needs (follow up with family, write a letter of recommendation for AT, print off that home program…) at the same time? Not easy!

Or have you ever tried listening to a podcast and texting at the same time? You end up blocking out the auditory input while thinking out the text that you are writing. Doing two things at once typically doesn’t work out the way that you home, which is to get things done faster.

We need to manage our time all day long. We use this skill to get up in the morning and get ready for our day in the time we have before we need to leave the house. We need time management in our routines and to follow schedules. We use time management to complete projects or homework assignments. Basically, this life skill is a cognitive skill we use under the surface all day long!

Our resource, the Time Management Cards help to work on this skill in actionable ways. It makes practicing this skill into a game that carries over to daily life.

Get time management right, and you’ll end up working smarter, not harder, to get more done in less time, even when time is tight and pressures are high. The highest achievers manage their time exceptionally well. The website Mind Tools has some resources available to work on learning effective time management.

“Only 12% of people have a dedicated time management system, a recent Timewatch survey shows. Despite the alarmingly low numbers, many people believe that proper time management reduces stress, increases productivity, and brings more focus and confidence at work.  Still we tend to lose a lot of time on unnecessary things, a minute here, ten minutes there, and we end up with an entire wasted day on meaningless tasks.  Learning how to manage our time is a skill that requires constant work. So, to use time in the best way possible, it’s important to come up with a system and schedule that makes us use our time more efficiently”  Milojevek, 2023.

“Better three hours too soon, than a minute too late” – William Shakespeare. 

Is this your philosophy?  Many people believe it is far better to be early than late. But three hours?  That does not seem like effective time management.  Better to be productive than show up three hours early and just sit around. 

Picture of occupational therapy room with text reading how to teach routine and structure and other time management skills

Effective time management is about managing time.  It is neither showing up three hours early or one minute late.  It is about knowing the skills to show up on time, or to get things done in a given time frame.

Developing Routine and Structure: Time Management Tips for OTs

One of the first stumbling blocks to time management is task initiation.  Sometimes getting started is the hardest part.  “You may delay, but time will not.” — Benjamin Franklin.  

Some people are great at time management, while others struggle to be productive. Here is a great example. I love writing these blog posts, but I often do not manage my time effectively to get them done right away. I sit in front of the computer, check Facebook, shop a little on Amazon, take a brief nap, take the dog out, get a snack and twelve other things before finally settling down. They get done on time, but I would be much more efficient if I sat down and concentrated right away.  

This scenario reminds me of the book (Amazon affiliate link), If you Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. In this cute series, the little mouse starts a task, then gets distracted by ten more activities before circling back around to get that cookie.  (I think we need a version of “If you Give a Mouse a Cookie” for therapy providers…!)

Again, this begs the question, as long as you finish the task on time, does it matter how you get there?

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” — Abraham Lincoln.  I feel this. I know my deadline, but often spend the first ¾ of it fooling around.

Occupational therapy practitioners (and Speech Therapy and Physical Therapy professionals as well), know the need of time management. When you have 6 evals to write up, 30 notes, and you have 30 minutes to do it, the math just does not add up. This is where therapy burnout comes in, big time.

Caregiver burnout is the same way. It’s hard to do the day to day thing (work, caring for children, cooking, cleaning, activities) AND caring for an older parent or another individual that requires hands-on care. There’s just not enough time in the day to get it all done and that’s where we feel the burnout.

Picture of a clock. Text reads: Skills needed for effective time management
“TIME WILL NOT SLOW DOWN WHEN SOMETHING UNPLEASANT LIES AHEAD” - HARRY POTTER

SIX KEY ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT 

As mentioned above, executive functioning skills is time management and time management is executive functioning skills. Look at the elements of time management listed below and you’ll see what I mean by this.

“You’ve got to know what you want. This is central to acting on your intentions. When you know what you want, you realize that all there is left then is time management. You’ll manage your time to achieve your goals because you clearly know what you’re trying to achieve in your life.” — Patch Adams

  1. Prioritization – identify which tasks are most important and give them more focus
  2. Planning – think ahead to what needs to be done so you can be more efficient and not waste time.
  3. Goal setting – set SMART goals to create a sense of accountability. Breaking down goals into actionable steps is a big part of this.
  4. Focus, aka Attention – Attention to the task at hand is a huge part of this. Basically, avoid multitasking and distractions (like scrolling TikTok, Facebook, and Amazon) “The irony of multitasking is that it’s exhausting: when you’re doing two or three things simultaneously, you use more energy than the sum of energy required to do each task independently. You’re also cheating yourself because you’re not doing anything excellently.” — Twyla Tharp
  5. Organization – Organization of time and activity means we might group similar tasks together to avoid overlapping. Think of it as body mechanics for your brain! When we talk about time management, organization also refers to keeping items in their designated place, like a student keeping all of the school materials in the backpack so they don’t have to gather up books, pencils, tablet, and other materials in the morning. It also means the backpack is kept in a spot where they know where it will be in the morning.
  6. Self-Control (impulse control)- teaching kids impulse control is a big part of this. “Time management requires self-discipline, self-mastery, and self-control more than anything else.” — Brian Tracy

Each of these factors help us to use the time we have effectively. For our students, this means they use the 10 minutes they have to get out the door in the morning to catch the school bus and still manage to put on their shoes, find their backpack, fill their water bottle, and walk out the door.

Pictures of occupational therapy tools for time management strategies: timer, calendar, checklist, rewards, self assessment, alarms

Next, let’s cover exactly how to work on time management skills in occupational therapy, during activities that also target other OT goals like problem solving skills.

Helping Clients with Executive Functioning Issues Develop Time Management Skills

There are practical tips for Occupational Therapy providers to use to help clients with teaching time awareness and time management skills.

There are great resources out there to learn to manage time effectively:

  • Time Management Task Cards – These Time Management Task Cards are an effective way to talk about tasks, break them down into measurable chunks, and understand the pitfalls that prevent them from getting finished on time.
  • Check out this recent post on the Free Task Tracker. A Task Tracker is another type of chart, checklist, and to do sheet, all in one.  Besides independence, self-confidence, and following a routine, we are building executive functioning skills with the task tracker, by working on problem solving, task initiation, follow through, attention, self-regulation, self-reflection, and more. 
  • Executive Functioning Skills – teaching planning and prioritization.  Planning and prioritizing tasks is a big concern for many kids (and adults) who struggle. These skill areas are essential for initiating tasks and following through with projects.

WHY SHOULD YOU PRACTICE TIME MANAGEMENT?

With better-managed time, we can satisfy all our responsibilities, work demands, and goals. Most importantly, we reduce the risk of feeling overwhelmed by stress, feeling like a failure, and other poor psychological wellbeing issues (Aeon & Aguinis, 2017).

“You’ve got to know what you want. This is central to acting on your intentions. When you know what you want, you realize that all there is left then is time management. You’ll manage your time to achieve your goals because you clearly know what you’re trying to achieve in your life.” — Patch Adams

Helping Students with Executive Functioning Issues Improve Time Use

Everyone has to start somewhere when learning to manage their time. This includes our students and young people. The fact is that executive functioning development is a long progression that isn’t completed until adulthood. But, development starts from a young age. Rather than nagging and reminding, empower people to manage their own time.

And, even adults with executive functioning skill needs can start from the beginning. Some of these ideas are great for adults too.

  • Preschoolers can learn about time in days, weeks, months of the year. They can practice waiting and taking turns. Teach Time to Kids is a great article to get started.
  • Young children need to learn the consequences of wasting time or poor time management. 
  • Teach organization skills. If you know where all your stuff is, you will find less time looking for it, and more time getting to work.
  • Use a timer – sometimes people lose track of time. A timer can remind them how much time is left.
  • Setting alarms can also help keep people on track.
  • Write reminders. Using the timer app on a phone or tablet is good for this.
  • Make visual schedules and to do lists. Kids can move one item from the “to do” pile to the “done” pile. 
  • Make a checklist for morning, after school, and nighttime. Include things like feeding the pet, making lunch, etc.
  • Teach kids to set priorities. What are the “must do activities” versus the “want to tasks”?  This does not mean always focusing on the must do tasks, but mixing it up to get things done. 
  • Work on estimating time – teach kids to guesstimate how long they think it will take to finish something.  You can check back to see if they were accurate.
  • Plan for long term assignments. My husband teaches college students. I can’t tell you the number of times a student asks for an extension because they are sick, or something happens the day before an assignment is due. He constantly has to remind them they have known about the assignment for at least a week. A (Amazon affiliate link) large desk calendar is a great way to map out the month.
  • Make a list and cross things off as they are completed.
  • Try a brain dump.
  • Pick the top three most important things that need to get done in a day and work on those things first.
  • Reward yourself and take breaks. Do small parts of the task and then take a short break. Remember to set a timer for the break so you know when to get back to the task.
  • Work on habit tracking. We have tools for this in The Impulse Control Journal.

MORE RESOURCES FOR TIME MANAGEMENT

  • One of my new favorite go to sites is Teachers Pay Teachers. This site is full of inexpensive or free activities made by regular people like you and I.  I find that the people who create these activities are in the trenches, so they know what works. This site did not disappoint in the search for time management activities.
  • If technology is your jam, check out these time management video games.
  • There are time management apps if writing lists on paper is not your thing.
  • Doing chores is a great way to get kids started on managing their time.

Strategies for Teaching Kids to Manage Time and Stay on Task in Therapy

Occupational therapy sessions are great place to work on the time management strategies in a low-pressure environment. We can help our students and clients to carryover these skills to the real world. They can then self-assess how they did and keep building the skills!

Some of the best strategies for teaching kids to manage time in occupational therapy is to use the strategies we listed above in a small task like a craft or another meaningful functional task. After all, that’s what OT is!

So, working on time management skills when doing a craft in a 30 minute OT session might look like this:

Make a checklist- As an OT, I LOVE using checklists in therapy! You can write down the steps of doing the craft and have the child check off each item. Basically, this creates a clear sequence for the craft (e.g., gather supplies, cut, color, assemble). Then, you’ll want to repeat this checklist routine in future sessions to help kids anticipate each step and stay organized. The benefit is that the checklist offers familiarity and helps with the transition between tasks, making it easier to stay on task throughout the activity.

Use a visual timer- Set up a visual timer to show the entire time allotted for the craft and consider segmenting it by steps (e.g., 5 minutes for cutting, 5 minutes for gluing). Explain that each step has a time frame and let the child check the timer to see how much time remains. This provides a visual cue to keep pace and helps prevent lingering too long on any one part.

Use a time estimation games– This is a good strategy, because it really carries over to functional tasks like getting ready for the day. Ask the child how long they think each part of the craft (e.g., cutting shapes or coloring) will take. Have them write down their guess. Then, after they complete each step of the craft, compare their estimate with the actual time spent. This teaches them to realistically gauge time while adding a fun, game-like element to the session. Kids love this!

Practice self-monitoring skills– I like to use a self-assessment checklist that has bullet points like, I’m on track with time. Encourage the child to pause every few minutes to evaluate their progress with questions like, “Are we on track?” or “Do we need to speed up to finish in time?” You can also set a timer to go off to pause and self-assess. Practicing these self-checks helps build self-awareness and accountability during the activity. It’s another skill that really carries over to functional tasks, especially ones that might have big distraction opportunities, like that phone that is asking for you to open up TikTok. Some kids have a lot of trouble with self awareness, so if that’s a problem, it can help to play some self awareness games to build that skill.

Teach prioritization for multi-step crafts– This is another great skill to develop. You’ll want to help the child so they can explain which parts are essential to complete first (e.g., cutting before gluing). By guiding them through this prioritization, you help them see the importance of task order and staying focused on key elements, especially for crafts with multiple steps.

Reward on-time completion– One of the best parts of completing an OT checklist in a therapy session is the reward activity! Kids love to reach the end of a visual schedule that has their favorite regulating activity (great for heading back to the classroom). This might be something like using the therapy swing or other sensory activity. Basically, you want to help them to celebrate finishing each step within the allotted time. If you don’t want to do an actual activity as the reward, you can offer verbal praise, or add a star to a progress chart. The therapeutic benefit is that you are helping them to reinforce the benefits of staying on task and how completing steps on time lets them enjoy their final product. This strategy helps to boost their confidence in time management!

“Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.” — William James

I hope these ideas helped to support time management skills in building the executive functioning skills needed for completing daily tasks. Whether you are using these time management strategies in therapy sessions or in the classroom or home, they should really help!

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 Impulse Control Journal is a great tool for working on many of the skills addressed here. You can find it in the link below or members can get this inside The OT Toolbox Membership Club.

Impulse Control Journal the OT Toolbox

The Impulse Control Journal…a printable resource for helping kids strategize executive functioning skill development. When saying “calm down” just isn’t enough…

When a child is easily “triggered” and seems to melt down at any sign of loud noises or excitement…

When you need help or a starting point to teach kids self-regulation strategies…

When you are struggling to motivate or redirect a child without causing a meltdown…

When you’re struggling to help kids explore their emotions, develop self-regulation and coping skills, manage and reflect on their emotions, identify their emotions, and more as they grow…

Grab the Impulse Control Journal to build organizational strategies, planning, prioritization, habits, and mindset in kids.

Hole Punch Activities for Occupational Therapy

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Piece of paper with star holes and folded paper. Text reads "hole punch activities"

Every fall when I am unpacking my supplies for the school year, I find the hole punches and smile. Teachers detest hole punchers used by children because of all the snowflakes that end up all over their classroom.  As an OT I see the fine motor value of making, picking up, and using all the little punches. Talk about dexterity! If you have some rusty hole punchers, dust them off and revitalize this awesome tool. Today’s post focuses on hole punch activities. 

Piece of paper with star holes and folded paper. Text reads "hole punch activities"

The nice thing about using a simple fine motor task like hole punch tasks is that you can make it as easy or as complicated as needed. The picture has folded paper and hole punched along each fold. This is a great fine motor task!

HOLE PUNCHer TOOLS for Crafts

Before diving into hole punch activities, let’s take a look at the tool first.  Hole punchers have evolved over the years, and include some great options!  Of course, you have the standard tried and true (Amazon affiliate link) metal puncher.  If you have a varied caseload like me, not all of your learners have the hand size or strength to manage this large puncher.  For those kiddos, there are many different options (Amazon affiliate links):

  • Soft Handled Puncher – this puncher is very similar to the standard metal puncher, but comes with a padded grip for easier use
  • EZ Squeeze Punch – requires 50% less force than traditional hole punch. Can easily punch through 10 sheets of paper. This is a great punch for those learners with poor grip strength or weak hands.  It is not great for small hands.  This puncher is quite large to get small hands around.
  • Mini Hole Punch – I love this little gadget. It not only requires less force, but is smaller to get tiny hands around. 
  • Single hole puncher – this guy claims to be able to punch through 20 sheets of paper at once with minimal force. I have not tried this one, but it is next on my list
  • Swingline Easy Hole Punch – the Swingline puncher boasts a 15 sheet capacity and less pressure needed. This works but is very heavy and large
  • 2 Inch Reach Puncher – this puncher has a longer reach than traditional punchers, for getting further into the paper. May cause less frustration?

Using the best hole puncher for your therapy client helps them to build hand strength, eye-hand coordination, and bilateral coordination skills.

I love to use them in crafts and activities where kids can tally off items on a list, use to match letters or numbers, or create small holes as part of a craft. Using the right sized hole puncher is key to success for our little ones who may have hand weakness.

decorative hole punchers for Therapy

  • Decorative Punch – the style of this punch is different from the others. This style requires you to put the punch down on a stable surface and push the button with fingers or the palm of the hand. It works on different muscle groups than traditional punchers, but still has great usefulness. This hole punch is a great way to target finger isolation.
  • Circle, Heart, Star Shaped Punchers – these are just like traditional punchers, but make different shapes.  These are extra fun!

Not a fan of Amazon?  The above are just examples of the types of hole punchers available for purchase. You can find tons of other styles on websites such as Temu, Shein, Target, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Office Depot and more. 

Picture of colored construction paper with hole punches. Text reads hole punch activities and lists benefits of hole punch tasks.

There are many benefits of using hole punch activities in occupational therapy.

THE BENEFITS OF HOLE PUNCH ACTIVITIES

I know you are ready to get to the activities, but it is very important to understand the “why” when selecting activities. This helps you select appropriate activities and streamline your therapy sessions to best meet the needs of your learners.

Children have notoriously developed poor hand strength during the past decade. We blame the pandemic, but it started well before we were hit by COVID-19.  Electronics play a big role in decreased hand strength. Not only this, but lack of exercise, playground time, heavy work, chores, arts and crafts, and hands on activities have contributed to weak hands. 

Check out this post on Grip Strength activities to get you started.  From there, click on Finger Strength Exercises.  What did you notice in the picture for “Grip Strength Activities”?  That little grip strength trainer was highlighted. What does it remind you of?  The hole puncher!!  I bet your students would be more motivated by making tons of little hole punches, than using a traditional grip strength trainer.  I know mine do. We actually have a hand gripper workout post that you can apply to a hole puncher. It’s basically the same muscle set and has a fun and functional component when you use the hole punchers in place of a hand gripper.

The number one thing to remember is that a hole puncher is great for building grip strength.  It also works on:

  • Bilateral coordination – two hands are generally needed for hole punching activities. What better way to work on coordinating both sides of the body
  • Eye hand coordination – it takes a lot of coordination to line the little punch tool on the exact item to be punched
  • Arch development – using a hole punch helps develop these important muscles that are used for handwriting, cutting with scissors, and fine motor precision
  • Graded movements– You need to know how hard to squeeze a hole punch to puncture the paper.
  • Neat pincer grasp (or fine motor precision) – once you create all the little paper shapes, picking them up requires fine motor precision and builds pinch strength

HOLE PUNCHERS ACTIVITIES 

There are endless possibilities for using hole punchers. Every time I look, I find more cute things. Not only can you use the punchers for hand strengthening fun, you can use the little circles of paper to create fun things.

  • Punch holes in leaves – how cute is this? All ou need are leaves from outside. You can even make a caterpillar with a leaf. Have students punch holes or bites through the leaf.  Doing a lesson on the Very Hungry Caterpillar? This cute punch card lets students punch through all the foods the caterpillar munched. Here is another activity to cut the shapes, punch holes, and string them on a green chenille stem
  • Letters, numbers, shapes – work on selecting and identifying items by using the hole puncher. Learners can punch holes that match the letter they are looking for.
  • Lacing cards – use hole punchers to create lacing cards. Punch through cardstock or laminated cards to make them more durable. Here are more DIY lacing cards that you can make with a hole punch.
  • Hole punch strips – This one is easy to make- Just cut a strip of paper and punch holes along the paper. We have a lot of printables that are themed hole punch strips inside The OT Toolbox. They are great to add to a busy box or to create task boxes for independent work.
  • Hole punch cards- We have a few different types of hole punch cards. I love this seasonal hole punch bundle.
  • Alphabet punch game – Inside The OT Toolbox Membership Club, we also have hole punch worksheets that are basically cards with all the letters of the alphabet. Call out letters Bingo style, and have students find and punch the correct letter. Here’s one example with a back-to-school themed hole punch card activity.
  • Another type of activity with a hole punch is our Life Skills hole punch cards. Users can punch off activities as they do them.
  • Stick hole punch dots on contact paper – substitute hole punches for the stickers you would place on a paper. There are a ton of sticker dot and dot marker pages that are super fun. Use these pages with a hole puncher to create a multi-sensory activity. Punch circles out of colored paper. Glue the little circles to your dot art pages instead of stickers and dot markers.  You can shrink the pages to match the size of your hole punches.
hole punch letter cards

This is just one of the types of hole punch letter cards we have inside The OT Toolbox Membership Club.

use the punches to create art or other activities

You can also use those little hole punch holes in fun ways to work on fine motor skills.

  • Apple tree craft with a hole punch – make red punches to be the apples. Use a printed apple tree. Glue the apples onto the tree
  • Fish bubbles – use a preprinted fish page. The hole punches can be bubbles around the fish
  • Christmas tree or string of lights – punch out lots of colored circles. Glue them onto a pre made or drawn tree. Use the same colored punches for making a string of lights
  • Sprinkles – I love ice cream!  Use your colored punches to make ice cream sprinkles on your pictures. 
  • Medical pictures – do a health lesson plan on germs. Use your punches to make measles, chicken pox, or a rash.  Read books on germs, do writing assignments, and count chicken pox
  • Vacuum/sweeping skills – practice these important household chores by sprinkling paper punches all over the floor.  This is a great way to learn
  • Create stickers – use the shaped punchers and sticker paper to make fun shaped stickers
  • Make a sensory bin – create tons of hole punches and fill a sensory bin with them. This is a great use for scrap paper.
  • Make eyes for different crafts like we did with our ghosts to work on scissor skills.

MORE WAYS TO ADAPT HOLE PUNCH ACTIVITIES

Every activity we do can be adapted somehow to meet the different needs of each learner. Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. I mentioned the different types of punchers above to meet the needs of physically different learners. What about meeting the emotional or mental needs of your learners? Try and find ways to motivate your learners by enticing them with their unique desires.

  • Vary the type of paper you use – glitter, sand paper, cardstock, tissue paper, crepe paper, cardboard, magazines and more
  • Change the theme – got a kid who loves trains? Use the puncher to make a train track. Make a lacing card to connect trains together. 
  • Use a hole punch activity to match the lesson plan for the week. You can vary the hole punch tasks to match each lesson plan. Add one for each letter, color, number, season, holiday, shape, or other theme
  • Multiple levels of students – have one set of students make hole punches for another group to stick them onto paper

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THESE POSTS

I love these posts because not only do they give you ideas, they give ME ideas as I write.  I am super excited about these new ideas I discovered or created while researching this topic. Fall is in full swing here in the southern US. What better time to make apple trees, fall leaves, and maybe a hungry caterpillar or two.

Here are more activities using just one item…do you have these materials in your therapy toolbox?

Fine Motor Activities with Paper Clips

Fine Motor Activities with Clothes Pins

Fine Motor Activities with Craft Pom Poms or Cotton Balls

Fine Motor Activities with Playing Cards

Fine Motor Activities with Beads

Fine Motor Activities with Chalk

Fine Motor Activities with Play Dough

Happy punching, and don’t forget to thank your teachers for allowing you to make messes in their classrooms.

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.

Why we Need to Support Directional Concepts in OT

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Picture of feet with two arrows pointing left and right. Text reads "directional concepts" and has a definition of directional concepts in functional tasks.

Following directions can mean a lot of things.  Following commands, making something, or getting somewhere. Today we are going to focus on directional concepts.  Directionality is the ability to understand and use information related to direction and space. This includes understanding concepts like left/right, up/down, in front of/behind, above/below, inside/outside, etc. Thankfully, we are not going to cover things like, “turn west out of the parking lot,” because no one understands that anyway.  There is a relationship to body awareness and proprioception at stake here, too.

Picture of feet with two arrows pointing left and right. Text reads "directional concepts" and has a definition of directional concepts in functional tasks.

The reason we need to worry about this in therapy sessions is that the a spatial relations concepts are very important to functional tasks.

We will take a look at following directions, direction signs and words, body in space to find your way and activities to help enhance directional concepts.

What are DIRECTIONAL CONCEPTS

You may have recently seen our post on left right discrimination.  Directional concepts take it one step further.

Not only do you need to know left from right, but behind, in front, before, after, beside, inside, and dozens more.  Coincidentally, many of the directional words are prepositions (or many prepositions are directional words).  These are spatial relations words like:

  • over/under
  • left/right
  • above/below
  • east/west
  • in front/behind
  • near/far

These words are important to direction following.

Popular singer Jack Hartman has a catchy preposition song.  There are lots of songs about directional concepts on youtube if that is your preferred method of teaching.

Children's fingers on cars pointing in different directions. Another picture with hands moving a Rubik cube. Text reads "directional concepts in play"

In occupational therapy, we use play to support development of skills. It’s an easy tool to help kids understand spatial relations concepts.

How to Work on Directional Concepts Through Play

Occupational therapy and play go hand in hand. It is the primary role of the child, after all. Luckily, we can use play as a tool to support development of skills like directional concepts at any age.

The best way to learn is by doing. Getting kids up and moving is a great way to teach directional concepts. Kids can memorize prepositions and direction words all day long, but they will learn faster by engaging in movement activities.

  • Use a stuffed animal or toys for following directions – ask students to put their bear on the table, behind the plant, below a chair, etc.
  • Body movement – kids can work on directionality by following commands. Say things like jump on the bed, jump off the bed, go around the trash can, crawl under the table. As they move their body, your learners will make a connection with the word and action
  • Obstacle course – create a course in your clinic/class/home for learners to follow. Give verbal, picture, or demonstration instructions. They can be: go around the table, then under the chair, then over the yellow mat, through the tunnel, up the slide, etc.  
  • Simon Says – this classic game is all about giving and following directions. Simon says touch your left hand to your right ear. Travel west across the room (just kidding).  Put your left leg in front of you.  Directions can be as simple or complex as your learners can handle
  • Relay races – these can combine obstacle courses and Simon Says commands all in one
  • Hula hoop games – use a hula hoop as a prop for following directions. Put one foot in the hoop. Put the hoop over your head. Stand behind the hoop
  • Hokey Pokey – this classic song is a great practice for in/out, left/right, and body parts
  • Line dance songs – the Cha Cha Slide, Cupid Shuffle, and several other line dance songs combine several different directions in the song.  These fast paced songs not only get kids moving, but they learn to follow directions while having fun
Picture of a cone with a ball on top. Text reads " how to teach directional concepts".

Teaching directional concepts is important for kids.

MORE WAYS TO TEACH DIRECTIONAL CONCEPTS

Beyond getting up and moving, here are some tricks to teaching directional concepts:

  • Teach in opposites – we already reviewed left and right, but how about up/down, on/off, in front/behind, before/after
  • Use visual cues – pictures help learners associate an action with words. Look at books, picture cards, signs, or videos. 
  • Positional songs – singing helps language development, increase memory, and understand concepts. Help your young learners master positional/directional words with these circle time songs that your students will love! This resource is packed with simple, memorable songs (set to childhood tunes you probably already know) that will capture the attention of your students and keep them engaged and learning. You’ll find headers, posters, and printables, too, to help you teach the important early childhood topic of spatial relations!
  • Task boxes – simple task boxes are a great visual hands-on method of teaching concepts. Make laminated cards and use clothespins or clips to match the concept with the word.
  • Interactive books are another great way to teach directional concepts. 
  • Chunking – teach in small chunks instead of lots of concepts all at once. For example, maybe one week you work on up and down, incorporating many activities for these two words in isolation.
  • Barrier games – this is a great concept for learning directional concepts. Students can work in pairs, or you can have an adult work with each learner. Students sit across from each other with a barrier between them. Each player has the same items. The students take turns giving the other player very specific directions (per ability level) on how to arrange the materials in front of them. The goal of the game is to have all the players’ materials look the same at the end of the activity.
  • Mental Blox (Amazon affiliate link)- this is a great game. One of the sub games in it is giving and following directions. Instead of students copying the card, give them directions to make their design without seeing the card. Then they can try and teach the concepts to you or another student.
  • Writing on a vertical surface or slant board – I recently wrote a post on the benefits of writing on a vertical surface. One of them was understanding concepts of up and down better. If you think about it, “up” makes more sense on a wall than a flat piece of paper
  • Teaching over, under, around and through – right here on the Toolbox you can find great resources for teaching direction.
Picture of many directional worksheets. Text reads " directional concept worksheets"

Another tool to have in your therapy toolbox is a variety of movement and spatial relations worksheets like we have inside The OT Toolbox membership club.

WORKSHEETS AND PAPER PENCIL GAME FOR DIRECTIONAL CONCEPTS

A great way to round off your lessons on directional concepts and following directions, is to put pencil to paper. Writing things down can help with muscle memory and understanding.

We have many worksheets to teach directional skills inside The OT Toolbox Membership.

DIRECTIONAL CONCEPTS in Occupational Therapy

After all this research, I am inspired into adding new activities to my toolbox. I have a better understanding of what directional concepts mean, and how to facilitate learning.  I still need someone to explain what “turn west out of the parking lot means.”

It’s important to recognize that when we tell our students a direction, there might be directional challenges at play that impact functioning skills.

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.

Sitting Positions on the Floor

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Image has pictures of different sitting pictures and labels of names of sitting positions.

In this post we will explore the classic crisscross style of sitting, as well as acceptable alternative sitting positions on the floor. We will explore floor sitting for circle time, gym class, and other classroom learning situations. Not only are we learning about alternative sitting positions on the floor, I am hopeful you will become an advocate for the students you serve. Another resource to check out is our post on flexible seating options for the classroom.

children sitting on the floor in different positions, text reads "sitting positions"

There are many versions of sitting positions on the floor and depending on the sensory motor considerations of each child, these floor sitting positions facilitate learning.

Image has pictures of different sitting pictures and labels of names of sitting positions.

We made this image of types of sitting positions but this visual is just the beginning. There are many other sitting positions that can be used for comfort, function, and sustained positioning on the floor.

Sitting positions on the floor

At least ten times a day I hear a teacher say, “come on in and sit crisscross applesauce.”  This type of cross-legged sitting used to be called “Indian style” or “Tailor sit” before that was deemed insensitive. I cringe when I hear this, not only because of the silly name “crisscross applesauce, but because this sitting position on the floor should not be a universal request, or the only choice students have for seating.

In the preschool setting, we usually have a circle time or floor activities where sitting on the floor is part of the school day. For kids that struggle with sensory motor skills, this can be a real challenge.

Read our blog post about Crossing Midline Activities for Preschoolers for a developmental explanation of this age range and how we can support young kids in functional midline tasks like sitting on the floor for story time or for preschool circle time.

One way to support these sitting positions is by using a ball pit as a therapy tool.

Types of SITTING POSTIONS ON THE FLOOR

There are several different types of sitting positions on the floor that are seen in classrooms. There are pros and cons to all of them.

Teachers may tell you that sitting on the floor in one specific way (criss cross applesauce) creates uniformity and structure. If everyone is sitting quietly in the same position, there is less distraction in the group.  Children benefit from rules and regulations. 

This is a great answer, however, not all children can comfortably sit in this position, thus causing more distraction as they struggle to find a comfortable seating posture or retain crisscross applesauce.

You might see a version of these various sitting postures during circle time activities, during play, or during various centers. Let’s go over each type of sitting position.

Cross-legged position

Since “crisscross applesauce” or cross-legged position is the most often used, let us start there.

This cross-legged position involves both knees bent, crossing feet at the ankle, with both ankles on the floor.

There is a rhyme that accompanies the crisscross applesauce phrase:

“Crisscross, applesauce

Hands on lap, gingersnap

Sit up straight, chocolate cake

On your rear, root beer

Zip your lip, cool whip.

Shhh, now you are ready to listen!”

Pros of Criss Cross Applesauce Sitting Position: the body is in a compact form with legs and arms “inside the vehicle.” It is a universal sitting position, known or taught to most children. If everyone is in the same sitting positions on the floor, there tends to be uniformity and less distracting chaos.

Cons of Criss Cross Applesauce Sitting Position: it is uncomfortable for many people. It can be difficult to stay in the same position for long periods of time, due to fatigue, discomfort, sensory challenges, and inattentiveness. There is not a wide base of support with the knees off the ground and arms tucked inside the lap.  Some students need more support.

W-Sit

Did you ever try to W sit? Do you know what a W sitting position looks like?

I know many of you are cringing just thinking about the dreaded “w-sit.”  It is a popular sitting position on the floor among young children, especially those with low strength and/or muscle tone.

In this position the legs literally form the letter W on the floor. When a child sits in a W sit position, their hips are internally rotated, while the knees are bent facing the midline, and the feet are positioned away from each side of the body.

Pros of the W Sit Position: offers great stability while playing, due to the wide base of support.  It is very comfortable for long periods of time, for those flexible enough to effectively achieve this position.

Cons of the W Sit Position: w-sitting is terrible for the knees and hips.  They are not meant to be in this position long periods of time. This wide based sitting position on the floor takes up a lot of space, especially when there are several children seated close to each other.  The hands do not naturally have a “bunny hole” to go into to keep them busy while sitting.

Prolonged w sitting can be a sign of developmental difficulties. For others, w sitting offers a wider base of support which offers more proximal stability so the individual can use the arms and hands with refined dexterity. For the individual who struggles with core strength and stability, and sitting balance, a W sitting position can help with attention and focus.

Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles has a different opinion. Their research claims that w-sitting does not cause hip problems, and most often children, by the age of eight, grow out of this habit on their own. 

Dr. Goldstein explains, some children have more inward twist in their thigh bones than other children, so they can easily bring their knees in and feet out. In fact, for some children, sitting with their legs crossed in front of them may be uncomfortable because their thigh bones have less twist in the forward position than the inward position.

Note: some children need this wide base in order to sit for several minutes. Without this wide base, they are unable to use the rest of their body to play with toys and engage. As they build core strength, students may be able to transition to a cross-legged pose.

Long Legged Sitting position on the floor

In this sitting posture, the hips are generally at 90 degrees with the legs extended out in front. The width of the legs, or how far apart the feet are, may vary depending on the type of support needed, and tightness in the back and hip structures.

There are times when this is the only position a person can achieve on the floor due to tightness in the hips or legs. 

Long legged sitting is a typical stage of development in children as they gain core strength, but is integrated into higher level sitting positions.

Pros of the Long Legged Sitting Position: it can offer a larger base of support than cross-legged sitting.  Long sitting may be comfortable. This position may provide enough support to free the upper body to move and engage.

Cons of of the Long Legged Sitting Position: this sitting pose takes up a lot of room.  If 30 children in the class sit like this, they will run out of carpet space. Long sitting can lead to posterior pelvic tilt, or slouching due to the stretch of the muscles, although some people have remarkable posture in this position.  It can lead to increased tightness as the student bends their knees or abducts their legs to get comfortable, thus making it difficult to straighten their legs later.  It is hard to reach forward to play with items while in this position. Sometimes this position is less stable as the child can easily tip over to the side or lean back too far. 

As with w-sit, some children can only sit in this position due to disability, tightness/weakness of muscles, or instability. In my opinion it is better to allow a person to sit this way, if sitting in other positions impairs their function.  The end goal is function.

An alternate seating option related to the long leg sitting posture is:

  • Bent Long Sit- The legs are both forward and the knees are bent. In yoga, this might be called a mountain sitting posture
  • Bent Legs Holding Knees- This position has the individual sitting with their legs in front of them with the knees bent. They may lean forward and hug the knees.

Mermaid Sitting Position

An alternative to the long leg sitting position is the mermaid sitting style, where the knees are both positioned to the side and back, in the same direction. This positioning offers greater base of support.

Short kneel Sitting Position

In the short kneel sitting position on the floor, the learner is sitting on their feet with their legs tucked under them.  This position can offer not only comfort, but needed sensory input.

Short kneel is a developmental milestone that leads to pulling up to stand.

Pros of a short kneel sitting position on the floor: this is a compact position with the legs tucked underneath.  It can be comfortable for long periods of time. Short kneel provides proprioceptive or deep pressure input while sitting, and often helps with self-regulation needed to attend to a lesson.

Cons of a short kneel sitting position on the floor: children are sitting up higher in this position, making it difficult for those behind them to see. It can cause pain in the knees.

An alternative sitting position to the kneel sit is:

  • Open knees kneel sit– the individual sits on their legs with their feet tucked under their bottom, but the knees are spread apart. This option offers greater base of support and stability through the core.
Drawings of deferent sitting positions showing posture and deferent positioning of legs and arms in sitting postures.

Image of different sitting positions on the floor from the World Distribution of Postural Habits, published in American Anthropologist in 1955.

These are the most common alternate sitting positions on the floor we see in schools. There is also side sit, lotus, squat, tall kneel, and more. This drawing illustrates over 35 different sitting positions on the floor!

How to offer alternative seating positioning on the floor

  • Teach children to stay in their personal space without touching others. You can do this by using a carpet with colored squares, taping squares to the floor, using rug samples, or mini swimming pools for each student.
  • Teach children that they cannot block another student’s vision of the circle time activity.
  • Unobtrusively put out the new possible seating options (cushions, fidget toys, lap pads, etc.) during free play so they are not so new and exciting that they take children’s attention away from the circle time activity.
  • Teachers can offer chairs in the back of the circle time area. Cube chairs, stadium seats, carboard boxes, wiggle cushions, or other alternatives. Consider DIY seating options.
  • How about weighted lap pads for children who cannot stay in one spot? They can be as simple as a sock weighted with rice, or sitting with a heavy backpack.
  • What about those children who seem to be in constant motion? Maybe they can have a squishy ball or fidget toy.  This opens another can of worms. Fidgets need to be tools, not toys, and taught to be used in a non-distracting manner. Here are some quiet fidgets you can try.  This article, The Ultimate Guide to Fidgets on the OT Toolbox provides some great ideas.
  • Maybe children who do not want to come to circle time can do a quiet activity in another area of the room.  While this does not seem like the right idea, it can allow the other 24 children to have a successful lesson.  Then work on problem solving getting this student involved in circle time.
  • Respect children’s attention span and keep circle time to 10 minutes.
  • Plan your circle time to include a welcoming time, an activity focus, and a closing tradition.
  • Tell children daily what is going to happen at circle time, first, second, third, so they know what to expect.

Neurodiversity and sitting positions on the floor

Above we illustrated some good reasons for children to all sit cross-legged on the floor. If all the students in today’s classrooms were neurotypical, with average tone, muscle strength, attention, and self-regulation, teachers might be able to expect all their students to sit in a uniform fashion.

However, classes are full of neurodivergent students who do not fit into the same box as typical peers.

Focus in classrooms needs to be on learning, not sitting positions on the floor.  In my opinion, as an occupational therapist, we need to offer students more options in classrooms to enhance their learning potential.

Some teachers are getting on board with this, while others are resistant to change. If you are a therapist in the schools, a big part of your role is education. Use your knowledge to explain why you are requesting changes to the classroom.

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.

references on Sitting Positions on the Floor

Hewes, Gordon W. “World Distribution of Certain Postural Habits.” American Anthropologist, vol. 57, no. 2, 1955, pp. 231–44. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/666393. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Chores and Executive Functioning Skills

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Picture of broom sweeping. Text reads: "How to improve executive functioning with chores"

One way to develop executive functioning skills that is very practical is by combining chores and executive functioning skills. Engaging in chores can be an effective learning tool for young people. In a recent post we highlighted Age-Appropriate Chores, demonstrating which chores are appropriate for certain aged children. Today we are going to focus on chores and executive functioning skills. Engaging in chores can be a great way for teens to work on their executive functioning skills. We wanted to highlight how chores foster executive functioning skills in teens. Insert your email address in the field below to receive your free handout.

Picture of broom sweeping. Text reads: "How to improve executive functioning with chores"

Check out our resource on IADLs because this is a good place to start when it comes to doing those “chore” tasks that we all need to do to live functioning lives.

What are executive functioning skills?

Executive function refers to a cognitive process that helps with planning, initiation of tasks, organizing, managing time, problem solving, and self-regulation. Many adults and teens with ADHD have difficulty with executive dysfunction.  This translates into weak prioritization skills, time blindness, and an inability to orchestrate concurrent tasks.

Many adults with executive functioning challenges struggle with chores and the daily tasks that need done around the home.

This is all critical for managing daily life, and even the simplest of tasks. Check out this post on Executive Function Disorder.

Brain sweeping with a broom. Text reads "Chores and executive functioning skills"

CHORES AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS

To make it easier to understand the role of chores and executive functioning skills, we can break EF down into the components, and analyze how chores can foster these skills.

For example, we love to use cooking to support executive function development. This is a great way to work on the underlying cognition skills.

TASK INITIATION in Chores

When working on chores and executive functioning skills, think about how difficult task initiation can be.

Many people, not just teens have difficulty with task initiation and follow-through. Here is one of my previous posts on Task Initiation Strategies. This information can easily carry over to teens.  In this article on how to teach task initiation, you can explore how to teach task initiation to children and teens who need their strategies a little more play based.

Procrastinators in particular struggle with task initiation. Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. Having a list of chores and responsibilities helps foster task-initiation when there are deadlines and expectations involved. You can help your teen by setting realistic goals, helping them break the task down into chunks if needed, create visuals or lists, and do specific task teaching. Our resource on breaking down goals is a great place to start with this strategy.

For an example, you can look at the task of sweeping a floor. To help with task initiation, you might:

  • First remove things from the floor like furniture or other items.
  • Next, get the broom and dustpan.
  • Then, you can divide the room into smaller sections to do one section at a time.

Just getting started is the biggest hurdle for many people. So, having some planning and organization processes in place can help to get this chore done.

PLANNING in Chores

Planning for chores is another executive functioning skill necessary for success. Sometimes planning for a chore can be the hardest part. People do not know where to begin. Help them by providing, or encouraging them to make checklists of supplies, steps involved, and the standards they need to meet. For example, when it comes to sweeping a floor, you can break down the task and make sure that there are certain steps that are met before you move onto the next step…

  • Going back to our sweeping the floor example, you can plan to sweep every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

Teach with different methods such as chunking and backward chaining. These are good ways to help with improving working memory in tasks like chores.

PROBLEM SOLVING in Chores

Part of planning and executive functioning may be preparing for “what ifs” and obstacles.  A sudden obstacle can derail any task, making it difficult for you to complete the task.  When planning, try and talk through any obstacles that might come about when completing a certain chore.

Example: Vacuuming – what if you go into a room and there is stuff all over the floor?  What if you get so far and the cord will not reach? Do you know how to empty the vacuum if it gets full? How are you going to manage your time if you want to vacuum and someone does not want to be disturbed?

With our sweeping the floor example, another part of problem solving is remembering which areas of the floor have already been swept and which areas still need attention.

TIME MANAGEMENT and Chores

My article on procrastination highlighted the reasons people procrastinate and the downfall of putting off tasks. Some people suffer from time blindness. They have no sense of how much time has elapsed. People who tend to procrastinate or be time blind, can benefit from timers, setting enough time aside for the task, and limiting multi-tasking.

Chores are a great way to practice time management. Help your teen determine how much time the task should take, and when they should get started/finished. Practicing chores has more leeway than your boss might, in terms of timelines and workload.

  • With our sweeping a floor example, we might want to set a timer. We can also determine what is an appropriate amount of time to thoroughly sweep the floor without taking too long or rushing. You might want to use an app like a Pomodoro app that counts down time.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL in chores

Above, I mentioned quality control standards. If you live with a teenager, you know this is a big one. People tend to rush through tasks just to get done. They miss a lot of the key details when completing tasks.  Doing chores requires attention skills!

Attention to detail is an executive functioning task not to be missed. This may take some demonstration as your teen’s “good enough” might not meet your standards. These can be part of your planning checklist as they go through the steps to complete the task.

Example: Cleaning the bathroom: highlight all the areas that need to be cleaned.  Demonstrate what “clean” means, and how they will know something is clean. Point out things like spittle around the sink, dirt around the toilet bowl, and dust bunnies in the corners.

You can play quality inspector when rewarding for a completed chore.  At first, expect some mistakes, and some things you will have to go over after they have finished. What grade did they get, and how does the pay out work?  $1.00 for a grade A job, $.80 for B work, $.60 for a C, etc.  Be sure to give the reasons for your grade so your learner can make adjustments the next time.

With our floor sweeping example, this might look like staying focused on the task, avoiding distractions like phones or interruptions. We might want to set a short term goal to continue to sweep even if the task is repetitive or tedious, and aim for a clean floor.

SELF REGULATION and chores

Being responsible for chores can help build the executive functioning skill of self-regulation. Learners need to manage their emotions, deal with distractions, and ignore the impulse to cut corners.  Help your teen identify their emotions such as fear of failure, perfectionism, or overwhelm, and talk though them. Imagine what advice you would give a friend instead of your child.  Recognize their emotional barriers.

Some other self-regulation skills that chores can build are:

  • work tolerance
  • frustration tolerance
  • taking turns
  • sharing (responsibilities and jobs)
  • working together
  • working independently
  • emotional regulation

Another way to build executive function through self-regulation is to help your child practice autonomy.  Teach them to advocate for themselves when they reach a road block they can not solve.  Better yet, encourage them to work hard to problem solve by themselves. Try giving limited instructions after the initial trials to build independent thinking and follow through.

For our sweeping the floor example, self-regulation might look like; Managing frustration if floor debris or dirt is difficult to gather or if the debris scatters when sweeping it into the dust pan. The goal is to stay calm to complete the task efficiently.

FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY in chores

Some people are more mentally flexible than others. Routine has its place, however, mixing things up helps build adaptability.  Once your teen has mastered one chore, start them on something new. Throw in some obstacles that will need to be problem solved (like encountering a messy room, or running out of cleaning supplies).

Doing chores allows great opportunities for flexibility. What might happen if you run out of toilet cleaner?  Is there something else you can use, or does the task have to be put on hold? Chores offer chances to adapt without significant consequences – the dishwasher will not explode if the dishes are delayed by 15 minutes.

SELF REFLECTION AND self ASSESSMENT in chores

After the chore is finished (and maybe before you give your grade on how completely the chore was done), ask your teenager to assess their work. There is going to be a tricky balance between praising them for a job well done and pointing out flaws.

Self reflection is really important with chores.

Direct them back to the checklist to review if all the steps were completed. Ask about their time management, attention to detail, planning, level of independence, problem solving and self-regulation to help them reflect.

For our sweeping the floor example, this means the individual has to continuously checking the cleanliness of the floor and ensuring no spots are missed. It helps to teach them to evaluate the thoroughness of the task…and this skill carries over to every chore, too!

How to Work on Executive Functioning Skills with Chores

Chores are a life skill that needs to be done. It’s a tool and a means for supporting executive functioning skills.

Here are some tips to help with doing chores even when executive functioning skills are a challenge…because doing the chores is a great way to actually work on those cognitive skills that then carry over to so many other areas of life.

  • Make a to-do list of chores that need to be done each day.
  • Use an app to help with chore lists
  • Make a routine that has you doing certain chores on certain days of the week. For example, clean your room on Saturday. Take out the trash on Tuesday night. Sweep Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Do laundry on Sunday. Then, you have one chore to do on certain days. This can really help to get those tasks done.
  • Have a plan. Include chores in your weekly routine and weekly lists, included with other tasks like schoolwork, jobs, activities, etc. You can even set a timer in your phone for the day of the week and the time that you will do certain chores.
  • Stack chores- This basically means you do two related things at one time and then try to make that part of your routine. Maybe you run the water in the kitchen sink to do the dishes and you wipe off the counters while the sink is filling up.
  • Try a visual reward chart. There are many different types and you can adjust this to meet the needs and the level (age) of the individual. Even adults can see progress on a reward chart that is as simple as crossing tasks off a list.
  • Set a timer. Pick the amount of time you want to spend on a task and then set a timer. See if you can get it done by the time the timer goes off. This helps with task completion and sustained attention.
  • Put the phone away. This one is huge! When you have a certain task to do like folding laundry, it can be easy to have your phone on with a video playing as you fold. However, before you know it, you’re sucked into a video and the folding isn’t happening. Put the phone away until the task is done and then maybe use the video watching as a reward once the task is completed.
  • Focus on accomplishments. I love this strategy for doing chores even when executive functioning skills are a struggle. This just means that you try to identify the benefits of actually having the chore done and accomplished. Maybe you really dread cleaning out the dishwasher. It’s a terrible task, right? So boring and monotonous. But if the dishwasher is cleared out, what does that mean? You will have a clean counter because you can put dirty dishes into the dishwasher. You can have clean utensils and plates to eat from. Basically, you want to list out as many positive benefits of actually doing the task that you can think of. It will feel so good to actually get this job done! This strategy can help you to push past the resistance. Especially when you do this automatically. The more you focus on the benefits, the more natural this process becomes.
  • Another tactic for doing chores even when executive functioning skills are a struggle is to take a look at how you spend your time. Use a calendar or an app and track how you spending time. How much time to you actually spend doing daily chores and how much time is spent on social media or on your phone? Seeing those actual numbers or actual blocks of time marked off can help you to see the chunks of time that ar available or are wasted.
Picture of lightbulb with brain inside. Text reads: Chores to develop executive functioning skills"

These are chores you can use to improve executive functioning skills.

Chores that Develop Executive Functioning Skills

Here’s a list of chores that can help develop executive functioning skills, with an emphasis on different cognitive skills that make up executive functioning:

Sorting Laundry

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Planning, organization, working memory
  • Kids must sort clothes by color, size, or type and plan out washing cycles (e.g., whites, colors).
  • There are several steps to the task of laundry, so this can be a challenge for some to do the whole process. Start with just one piece, like sorting laundry. Then add washing. Then drying. Then folding. Then putting away clean laundry.

Making the Bed

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Task initiation, sustained attention, sequencing
  • Completing multiple steps in a sequence (pulling sheets, arranging pillows) helps build initiation and persistence. I don’t know about you but making a bed is a good chore for self-regulation skills, too. It’s frustrating to get those sheets just right!

Setting the Table

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Planning, organization, working memory
  • Remembering which utensils and items go where, organizing the table, and making sure all of the settings are complete.

Sweeping the Floor

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Planning, sustained attention, self-monitoring
  • Planning how to cover the entire area, staying focused, and checking for missed spots.

Vacuuming

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Time management, self-monitoring, impulse control
  • Managing time to thoroughly vacuum and avoiding rushing through the task.

Cleaning a Room

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Organization, planning, sustained attention
  • Deciding where to start, organizing items, and maintaining focus until the room is tidy.

Washing Dishes

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Task initiation, time management, sustained attention
  • Beginning the task promptly, maintaining focus until all dishes are washed, and managing time effectively. Then there is the drying of dishes and then putting away clean dishes.

Taking Out the Trash

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Task initiation, working memory, time management
  • Remembering to do this regularly and making sure the trash is disposed of in the correct location. This one is important because if trash isn’t taken out in time for the trash pick up, you’ll have trash building up around the home.

Feeding Pets

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Planning, task initiation, self-monitoring
  • Following a schedule, remembering the correct amounts, and making sure the task is done consistently and daily.

Watering Plants

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Planning, organization, time management
  • Following a schedule, planning the amount of water for each plant, and being consistent.

Cooking or Baking- Cooking is a great way to work on executive functioning skills!

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Planning, sequencing, working memory, cognitive flexibility
  • Following a recipe involves gathering ingredients, following steps, and adapting as necessary.

Folding and Putting Away Laundry

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Task initiation, sustained attention, organization
  • Completing the task from start to finish, folding neatly, and organizing clothes by category or person.

Cleaning Windows or Mirrors

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Task initiation, sustained attention, self-monitoring
  • Managing time to ensure thoroughness and checking to ensure all smudges are gone.

Organizing a Backpack or School Supplies

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Planning, organization, working memory
  • Making sure all of the needed materials are included, packed in an organized way, and nothing is forgotten.

Emptying the Dishwasher

  • Executive Functioning Skills: Task initiation, sustained attention, working memory
  • Remembering where each item goes and staying focused until all dishes are put away properly.

In The OT Toolbox membership, we have a bunch of executive functioning resources for doing chores.

Want to add this resource to your therapy toolbox so you can help kids thrive? Enter your email into the form below to access this printable tool.

This resource is just one of the many tools available in The OT Toolbox Member’s Club. Each month, members get instant access to downloadable activities, handouts, worksheets, and printable tools to support development. Members can log into their dashboard and access all of our free downloads in one place. Plus, you’ll find exclusive materials and premium level materials.

Level 1 members gain instant access to all of the downloads available on the site, without enter your email each time PLUS exclusive new resources each month.

Level 2 members get access to all of our downloads, exclusive new resources each month, PLUS additional, premium content each month: therapy kits, screening tools, games, therapy packets, and much more. AND, level 2 members get ad-free content across the entire OT Toolbox website.

Join the Member’s Club today!

RESOURCES for Chores and Executive Functioning Skills

  • Here are some more ideas for task initiation strategies and executive function
  • Check out this great article on Task Initiation Strategies for Adults (and children)
  • This post on How to Involve Children in Chores is a great resource
  • Teachers Pay Teachers has some great resources on teaching chores, creating a lesson plan, and documenting progress.
  • Life skills cards – This set of 10 pages of Life Skills Cards help break down functional skills and measure them. Some goals such as “improve self help skills” are broad, and often overwhelming. These life skills cards help break a large goal into functional tasks, giving learners a visual reminder of the tasks being practiced, and a way to track them. Learners use a punch, or other tool, to mark each time they have practiced the task.

A final note about chores and executive functioning skills…

The reason we highlight teens and executive functioning skills is; this is the age range where it really begins.  While younger children can demonstrate attention to detail, some time management, and planning skills, it is not without much supervision and instruction. The prefrontal cortex that helps with decision making, is not fully functioning until our kids are in their late 20s!

Impulse Control Journal the OT Toolbox

The Impulse Control Journal…a printable resource for helping kids strategize executive functioning skill development. When saying “calm down” just isn’t enough…

When a child is easily “triggered” and seems to melt down at any sign of loud noises or excitement…

When you need help or a starting point to teach kids self-regulation strategies…

When you are struggling to motivate or redirect a child without causing a meltdown…

When you’re struggling to help kids explore their emotions, develop self-regulation and coping skills, manage and reflect on their emotions, identify their emotions, and more as they grow…

Grab the Impulse Control Journal to build organizational strategies, planning, prioritization, habits, and mindset in kids.

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.

Task Tracker

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Image of a task tracker worksheet on blue background. Text reads "printable task tracker"

They say it takes a village to raise a child.  Likewise, it takes a dozen different methods to teach one. Unfortunately, kids are not the same, nor do they learn like one another.  Just when you have one figured out, along comes another child with a different set of ideas and learning methods.  We have been featuring different methods and resources to teach chores and other tasks. We started by learning about appropriate ages for chores, moved on to  task initiation strategies, continued to find ways to prevent the summer slide, and finally we are onto the task trackers.

Image of a task tracker worksheet on blue background. Text reads "printable task tracker"

As a pediatric OT, I use a form of a task tracker in most therapy sessions, in the way of a checklist or visual schedule of some type. This is another version that is great for specific needs.

Free Task Tracker Worksheet

Once you have established a set of chores/tasks that you would like your learner to complete, it is time to implement a few different task trackers and charts. In this post you can get access to our free Task Tracker worksheet. 

Simply add your email below, and the OT Toolbox will send you the free PDF for downloading. Better yet, you can become a member of the OT Toolbox. This will save you from having to add your email address each time we post a fabulous new resource. Plus, the membership area has a lot of resources that are exclusive to members. I love that the posts and other information on in the membership area is grouped by different categories. One quick search will bring you dozens (or hundreds) of cool resources.

WHY DO WE NEED A TASK TRACKER?

In some ways, increased paperwork might seem like more work.  In reality, paper charts cut down on your overall effort, by streamlining tasks and ideas. How many of you benefit from to do lists, calendars, and visual aids?  I know I do.  I have several checklists, charts, and worksheets to help me remember everything I need to do in a timely manner.

A Task Tracker is another type of chart, checklist, and to do sheet, all in one.  Besides independence, self-confidence, and following a routine, we are building executive functioning skills with the task tracker, by working on problem solving, task initiation, follow through, attention, self-regulation, self-reflection, and more. 

Without a visual aid, it is difficult not only to complete all the task but makes self-reflection more difficult.  As a therapist, I am often data driven.  We log what we see and do, not only to document it, but to reflect.

HOW DOES THE TASK TRACKER WORK?

Like many resources from the OT Toolbox, there are different ways to use this task tracker. By the time you have a task tracker, you have most likely modeled, taught, and reviewed the tasks several times. The task tracker comes in when your learner is working on doing their chores (or daily tasks) mostly independently.

Your task tracker can be as unique as your learner. You can use one tracker for each day or week.  The list can include several trials of the same task, or a complete list to finish.

THIS OR THAT?

At the top is a column called “this or that”.  You can use this column in several ways.

  • Prefill in this section with two choices in each box. Your learner can circle the one they choose for the day/week/hour, or whatever time frame they are allowed for each task.
  • Your learner can repeat the same two tasks (picking whichever one that day) for the allotted number of trials.
  • Example of This or That: I might put do the dishes and/or fold laundry in the “this or that” column.  Scenario one allows for multiple trials of the two selected task.  Scenario two would add two different variables in each row.
  • Another way to fill in this area is to have a separate list of chores, or tasks. Your learner can fill in each box with their choice from the list.  Giving your learner some autonomy and choice will help them get motivated to complete the task (or get started if they are struggling in this area).
  • One way to complete this activity section is to make sure that all the tasks get done at some point. Therefore, your learner has a choice in the order they do things, but everything eventually gets done. 
  • Maybe you think differently and truly want to give your learner autonomy in what help they provide. There are benefits and drawbacks to this approach.

HOW YOU ARE WORKING ON IT TODAY

This section of the task tracker has another great visual. Your learner can check to the right if they are doing it, or have it finished. The middle-dotted line can be left blank, or your learner can describe how it is getting done. 

I see the “how are you working on it” section for tasks that have multiple parts, require practice or trials, or need to be problem solved.

Your learner can keep their to do list organized by visually documenting if they are in progress, must get started, or have already completed the tasks.

DATE ACTIVITY CHECK MARK

This section below in the task tracker is yet another visual reminder for logging tasks.  This works great for accountability, but also if you are working on a reward system. Your learner can log the number of trials they have done, practices, or the list they have completed.

THE TOP WIN on a Task Tracker

As an exercise in executive functioning and task completion, this section lets your learner reflect on their progress. What was their top win for the week?  Perhaps they have logged the same task eight times, and on the eighth time they did it without help.  Maybe you got all your tasks done for the week.  That is certainly a top win.

You might need to help your learner reflect at first. They may not have the sight to reflect on their accomplishments yet. Try not to give the answers, but maybe ask questions. Was there something you did by yourself? Did you get more than you thought you would done?

I FED MY ENERGY BY

This section on the task tracker is another exercise in self-reflection. How did your learner get through the tough times? What did they use for motivation to get started?

They might think literally like “I ate seven snacks a day” or “I drank lots of water”. These are indeed ways to feed ones’ energy. Other ways to feed energy might be working toward a reward, realizing some tasks build muscle and strength, or pleasing someone else. Hopefully they did not feed their energy by fearing what would happen if they did not finish the task, or refused to get started.

Fear of retribution is a good motivator, but not the best idea. Far better to work toward a positive reward, than fearing a negative one.

WAYS TO MODIFY AND PERSONALIZE YOUR TASK TRACKER

There are many ways to modify, personalize, and adapt your task tracker:

  • Laminate the task tracker to make it reusable. 
  • Make it bigger. Blow up the task tracker to a larger sheet of paper to post somewhere prominent
  • Make it smaller. By shrinking the task tracker, you can make it pocket sized
  • Add picture symbols for non-readers
  • Prefill some of the areas and have your learner circle their choice. This can be done in all sections, especially if your learner has difficulty reflecting and writing answers
  • Print it onto colored paper – colored paper can be motivating
  • GLITTER! I love some glitter. The shinier the better.  When I walk by a glittery list , it may help me get started.
  • Change the types of tasks.  Tasks do not need to be chores. They can be school work, self care, activities of daily living, or daily tasks.  Your list might have reading/writing/math for 20 minutes.  My list might have brush your teeth/take a shower/get dressed as items to be completed.

OTHER GREAT RESOURCES

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE TASK TRACKER

This task tracker does not need to be exclusively for children. Young adults, or anyone who struggles with executive functioning can benefit from visual resources and reminders to get them through tasks. At first these types of activities take time, but with practice they tend to go quicker. Once your learner is adept at doing tasks and chores, they may not need this list, or be able to visualize it in their mind.  Many learners get stalled at the idea of doing tasks, or their first roadblock. Use visual guides to help them succeed.

Free Task Tracker Sheet

We have a printable task tracker sheet that you can use starting today. We love to use this worksheet to support executive functioning skills by breaking down the steps of tasks. We love this as school based OTs for completing school assignments, homework, projects with multiple steps, chores, and daily functional tasks. Use it in a way that works for your needs!

Free Task Tracker

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

    What is Polyvagal Theory?

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    vagus nerve exercises

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

    what is polyvagal theory

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

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

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

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

    POLYVAGAL THEORY IN LAYPERSON’S TERMS

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

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

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

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

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

    NEUROCEPTION AND POLYVAGAL THEORY

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

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

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

    Polyvagal theory and sensory processing

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

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

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

    Each of these challenges have some aspect of sensory dysregulation.

    HOW CAN I APPLY POLYVAGAL THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE?

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

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

    HOW CAN I USE POLYVAGAL THEORY IN HEALTHCARE OR SCHOOLS?

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

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

    Polyvagal therapy

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

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

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

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

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

    vagus nerve exercises

    Vagus Nerve Exercises

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

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

    POLYVAGAL THEORY BEST TREATMENT IDEAS

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

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

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

    Types Of Communication

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    types of communication

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

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

    Types of communication

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

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

    TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

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

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

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

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

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

    NON-VERBAL Communication

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

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

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

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

     These communication types can support social and emotional development skills.

    Body Language

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

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

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

    Documentation Example for Body Language:

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

    Gestures

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

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

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

    Documentation Example for Gestures as Communication

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

    Paralinguistics

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

    How to document paralinguistics in therapy sessions

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

    Proxemics

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

    Documentation Example for Proxemics:

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

    Eye Gaze

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

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

    Documentation example for Eye Gaze:

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

    Haptics

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

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

    Documenting Example for Hepatics:

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

    Appearance

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

    Documenting for appearance as a communication form:

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

    Artifacts

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

    Documentation example for artifacts:

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

    Forms of NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

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

    SIGN LANGUAGE

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

    NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION THROUGH ELECTRONIC DEVICES

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

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

    Documentation Example when Using ACC

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

    Types of VERBAL COMMUNICATION

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

    WRITTEN WORDS

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

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

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

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

    Documentation example for written communication

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

    ORAL COMMUNICATION

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

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

    Documentation Example for Verbal Communication

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

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

    LISTENING IS A FORM OF COMMUNICATION

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

    OT TOOLBOX RESOURCES ON TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

    A WRAP UP of THE TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

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

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

    Cut and Paste Ocean Patterns

    by
    Ocean animals cut and paste worksheet

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

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

    Ocean animals cut and paste worksheet

    Cut and Paste Worksheet for Summer

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

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

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

    Summer Learning Loss Facts

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

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

    CUT AND PASTE OCEAN PATTERNS TO THE RESCUE!

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

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

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

    HOW TO use CUT AND PASTE OCEAN worksheets

    The directions are simple and straight forward on this one. 

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

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

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

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

    HOW TO MODIFY THE CUT AND PASTE OCEANS PDF

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

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

    How to Adapt a Cut and Paste Worksheet

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

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

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

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

    CHANGING YOUR MATERIALS IN ORDER TO GRADE/MODIFY YOUR TASKS

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

    Scissors: 

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

    Paper: 

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

    Types of writing utensils:

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

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

    OTHER PARTS TO YOUR OCEAN LESSON PLAN

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

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

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

    Free Ocean Pattern Printable

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

    FREE Ocean Animals Cut and Paste Worksheet

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

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