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Victoria Wood OTR/L

Handwriting Games

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handwriting games

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

handwriting games

Lets get to the games to work on letter writing!

Handwriting Games

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

what is a Handwriting game?

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

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

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

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

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

Key components of games are:

  • Goals
  • Rules
  • Challenges
  • Interaction

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

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

choosing handwriting games

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

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

These letter formation games might be something like:

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

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

Pencil and Paper Handwriting Games

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

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

letter recognition games

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

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

The author suggests games such as:

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

letter formation games

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

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

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

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

Other games for handwriting

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crossing midline Activities for Preschoolers

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crossing midline activities for preschoolers

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

crossing midline activities for preschoolers

Why are we highlighting crossing the midline for preschoolers?

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

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

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

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

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

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

crossing the midline and the Brain

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

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

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

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

difficulty crossing the midline

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

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

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

Crossing Midline Activities for Preschoolers

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

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

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

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

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

Midline Activities for Preschoolers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More crossing midline activities for preschoolers

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

A final thought on crossing midline in Preschool

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

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

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

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

Therapy Bags

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beige tote bag with the words "occupational therapy bags"

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

therapy bags

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

The Best therapy bags

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

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

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

the Therapy Backpack

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

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

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

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

Kawaii Therapy Backpack

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

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

Roller Therapy backpacks

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

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

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

Alternative rolling therapy bags

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

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

the Rolling Suitcase

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

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

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

Therapy Tote Bags

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

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

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

Therapy Crate

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

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

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

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

What is in your therapy bag?

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

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

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

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

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

beyond the basic therapy bag supplies

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

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

Therapy Bag tools change depending on setting

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

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

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

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

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

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

Letter D Worksheet

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letter d worksheet

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

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

Letter D worksheet

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

letter D worksheet

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Letter D Worksheet is divided into six sections: 

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

how to teach letter D

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

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

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

Letter D

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

Uppercase Letter D has two pencil movements:

  • A straight line down
  • A big curve

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

Lowercase Letter D has two pencil movements also:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tracing Letter D

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

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

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

prewriting skills needed to learn letters

The prewriting skills for general letter formation include:

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

 

tips to teach letter D

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    • write letters in the air with big arm movements

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

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

    • use the whole body to teach letter formation

    • sing songs and rhymes about letters

    • practice prewriting skills through activities and play

    • encourage family to practice with their children at home

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

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how to use the letter D worksheet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    • Making an activity fun will hopefully encourage the reluctant learners

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

a final word on letter D

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

Free Letter D Printable

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


 

FREE Letter D Worksheet

 

 

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Sitting Positions on the Floor

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children sitting in different positions on the floor. Text reads "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.

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.

Foot Fidget- Ideas for Feet Fidgeting and Under Desk Fidgets

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child sitting at desk with feet on a partially inflated balloon. Text reads "foot fidget under the desk"

Recently we’ve had some questions about foot fidgets, or ideas for under desk foot fidgets. These movement tools support sensory motor needs and are a powerful tool to support not only attention in the classroom, but can also be a positioning device like our under the desk foot rests. In this post we will explore different ideas for feet fidgeting, and foot fidgets that fit under the desk. 

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foot fidget

A foot fidget is an under the desk fidget tool that supports movement needs while sitting at a desk.

Foot Fidgets

So what exactly do we mean by foot fidgets? A foot fidget, or an under desk fidget for the feet is a tool to allow movement and fidgeting to enhance learning. Some students need to move. These movement devices do just that: allow movement of the feet to facilitate an organized and regulated nervous system for optimal learning and classroom participation.

As a side benefit, a foot fidget under the desk can be a sitting posture device as well, to support sitting posture when writing or reading.

Additionally, a foot fidget is a great calm down sensory tool for the classroom, especially if it adds the needed movement some kids thrive on.

Do you often hit a road block with teachers when handing out fidgets for students to use in class?  They can be a visual distraction to other students if not used properly.

If this happens to you, try using a foot fidget instead. Even though the foot is not always as fidgety as the hands, calming one area of the body helps reset the others.  I like to call this the back door approach. The under the desk fidget tool is a quiet fidget for busy classrooms.

As you are aware, sensory based treatment is largely based on trial and error.  While nothing is one sized fits all, you can add these foot fidget ideas to your OT Toolbox.  

You can find the following products on Amazon. These are not the only site they are available, but rather examples to begin your search. Amazon affiliate links are included below.

Foot Fidget Products – the classic bouncy band

Bouncy Band – the most well-known is the bouncy band. There are different versions of this product, offering pros and cons to each one. 

At 29.99, these basic stretchy bands (affiliate link) are a great price for 12.  They are simple and easy to use (although not very easy to stretch over chair legs).

The negative comments I have heard about them is that the kids push them down with their feet and they end up on the floor, or fly off the chairs.

The Original Bouncy Band (affiliate link), while much more expensive is a far better product. It is sturdy and attaches to the chair legs directly. 

They are super difficult to stretch into place, but with a little help from a friend, you can do it!  I like that these fidgets are under the desk so they are not as much of a distraction as other fidgets.

innovative foot fidgets

Theraflow Foot Massager (affiliate link)– this little tool has a ton of good reviews. It is simple in its’ design and provides interactive foot movement. It is relatively small so it might be good to take to different classes.

The cons of the Theraflow would be; this does not attach to the floor to make it safe from students tossing it, and I bet it works better with bare feet than shoes. Here is the mini version of the foot massager (affiliate link) that can your students can easily carry in a backpack.

Foot Rest (affiliate link)- sometimes people just need a place to put their feet. This foot rest is great!  It is light and soft. 

While 19.99 does not seem too much to pay for this, it can be pricey if you need to buy ten of them.

Kids can place their feet on this or tap them up and down on it. I sometimes turn mine to the side and place my feet at an angle to stretch my ankles to the sides. I also turned it upside down to use as a rocker board similar to this one. This foot rest is large and not very portable.

Exercise Bike (affiliate link) – I love the idea of these under desk exercise bike!  The idea is great, the execution not so much.  The desk needs to be very high to have enough room under it to use the bike without hitting your knees on the desk.

If you have a high table that your student can reach the pedals while still sitting comfortably at their desk, this might be a good option.  Not super expensive, but if you need more than one, it adds up quickly.

SWYNX Surfer (affiliate link)– thinking outside the box, this gadget looks cool.  It does not have many reviews yet but they are all positive ones.

It seems like this would be a good option for small classrooms or home bound children as they are over 30.00 each. The manufacturer says it is easy to set up and you can use it anywhere, including restaurants.

Wiggle Feet (affiliate link)– this is a classic therapy tool. It allows for bouncing, as well as side to side movement. When you are not using under a desk, the Bouncyband Wiggle Feet is an excellent option for improving bilateral coordination, balance, and stabilization. 

A less expensive version of this under the desk foot fidget is using a partially deflated beach ball. Or, you could partially inflate balloons for an even less expensive option. You can add the amount of air that meets the needs of the individual user.

Rolling Foot Fidget – This is similar to the bouncy band but has a roller element to it. You need a therapy band (affiliate link) and a section of pool noodle. Cut the therapy band to fit around the legs of the chair. Then thread the therapy band through the center of the pool noodle. Attach the therapy band to the chair legs by tying the ends tightly. The user can roll their feet on the pool noodle.

They look neat, but are not inexpensive. The Think and Roll is meant to be rolled on the floor by rolling the pool noodle on the floor. Kids pushing down on them will not be an issue like it is with the bargain bouncy band.

Budget Friendly Foot Fidgets

Not everyone has a large spending budget at their disposal, or you have 100 students to buy for. In these situations, buying or making tools is the way to go. Be mindful if your place of work has restrictions on using home made tools. These can be part of your DIY fidget tools that you have in your toolbox.

Bungee Cord – you can buy a pack of three mini bungee cords at the dollar store.  You can easily attach these to the legs of a small chair. I can imagine there might be safety issues, so a bit of duct tape might be in order to secure them to the chairs.

Inflatable beach ball or small raft – get a beach ball or small inflatable raft at the dollar store.  Blow a small amount into your inflatable to make a great foot fidget. These also make great wiggle seats. You can secure them with double sided tape, Velcro, or Dicem.

Pool noodle – attach a cord or rope through the pool noodle, securing it to the chair legs. You can also find these at the dollar store. You can cut each noodle into several pieces to be more cost effective. Experiment with different positions and designs for this cool idea.

DIY Foot Swing – Melissa Souden, Occupational Therapist— created her own foot fidget swings using PVC to help sensory and inattentive kids pay attention in class. Here are the step-by-step directions so you can do the same!

Theraband foot fidget – use Theraband (affiliate link) or Theratubing across the legs of the chair or desk to make a resistance band.  These are not as inexpensive as pool noodles, rope, and bungee cords, but might be more likely to be approved as usable tools in your setting.

More thoughts about foot fidgets

You might be wondering why I did not add adaptive seating options to this list like ball chairs, wiggle seats, bean bags, rocker stools, etc.  While these are excellent options for improving attention and focus for your students, they are not as discreet as a foot fidget under the chair. 

They are also not as portable. If you are looking for a discreet fidget that will be less likely to distract the rest of the class, or make your student stand out from the rest, the foot fidgets are a great avenue to try.

Remember, nothing about OT (or children in general) is one size fits all.  Child A might do exceptionally well with a bouncy band, while children B, C and D create chaos with them.

This is often the case in classrooms. Think of adaptations like eye glasses or prescription medication. There are many variables that go into the right fit, compliance, cost, and effectiveness. 

This is often frustrating for therapists, however, think of yourself like a detective trying to solve a case.  Each case is unique. You can also just have these options in the therapy room for trialing and testing, or you can use the under the desk foot fidgets in a sensory calm down corner to be used with reading or other regulating needs.

The bigger your toolbox of ideas and supplies, the more likely you are to find the right fit for each student.

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 Sensory Lifestyle Handbook
The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook

The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook walks you through sensory processing information, each step of creating a meaningful and motivating sensory diet, that is guided by the individual’s personal interests and preferences.

The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook is not just about creating a sensory diet to meet sensory processing needs. This handbook is your key to creating an active and thriving lifestyle based on a deep understanding of sensory processing.

Self Regulation Group Activities

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teacher leading group of children in a reaching exercise. Text reads "self regulation group activities"

Today we are covering fun ways to use self-regulation group activities to support regulation, social emotional skills, and coping strategies in a group setting. While the concept of self regulation is an individualized concept, there are many ways that a group activity like the ones described below can support individual needs. Let’s explain…

self regulation group activities

Self regulation group activities are appropriate for all ages, from preschool groups to small groups of middle school or high school students.

Self Regulation Group Activities

The term “self” and “group” in the title are oxymorons. Self regulation refers to “the ability to understand and manage your behavior, and your reactions to feelings and things happening around you”

This being said, there are many times that sensory strategies can not be done in isolation. A classroom is a good example.

Many schools have a sensory room. This is a great location for group self regulation activities. Read about various ways to meet coping needs in our blog post on how to create a sensory room on a budget.

In this post we will review Self Regulation Group Activities, talk about the benefits, and discuss drawbacks to working on self regulation in a group.

self regulation in a Group

Before getting into Self Regulation Group Activities, we should take a minute to review.

Self regulation is used to:

  • regulate reactions to strong emotions like frustration, excitement, anger and embarrassment
  • calm down after something exciting or upsetting
  • focus on a task
  • refocus attention on a new task
  • impulse control
  • behave in ways that help you get along with other people.

As your child grows, self-regulation helps them:

  • learn at school – because self-regulation gives your student the ability to sit and listen in the classroom
  • behave in socially acceptable ways and control their impulses
  • make friends – self-regulation gives your child the ability to take turns in games and conversation, share toys, and express emotions in appropriate ways
  • become more independent – self-regulation gives your child the ability to make appropriate decisions about behavior and learn how to behave in new situations with less guidance from adults

All of these concepts can be covered and developed in a small group setting.

benefits to working on self regulation group activities

While there are certainly challenges to working on self regulation in a group setting such as a classroom, there are also benefits:

  • Efficiency – working with 25 children all together is much more efficient than working individually with those same students.
  • Peer learning – self regulation group activities foster peer learning and interaction. Students learn positive and negative interactions from those around them.
  • Improves group attention – learning to work in a group while also working on oneself takes more attention than individual lessons because students need to filter out group noise and movement.
  • Empathy development– discussing social emotional concepts in a group fosters empathy.
  • Great for data collection – while students are working in a group, adults can watch for trends, negative/positive responses, and pick out difficulties among a crowd. When comparing children together in a group it is much easier to see who is struggling than when seeing them all individually.
  • Group work is one of the key elements of school dynamics – self regulation group activities are often fun and rewarding. Practicing group work in this manner helps build a foundation of working together.
  • Executive function – a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control.

drawbacks to working on self regulation group activities

Just the term “self” indicates it is preferable to work one on one rather than in a group. There are definitely some challenges to working on this complex and individual task within a large group:

It may be difficult to meet the needs of all students when discussing self-regulation strategies in a large group you may have different levels of learners, and more importantly different arousal levels and needs. Child A might need a “pick me up”, while Child B could benefit from a calming activity. The answer is to pick activities that foster general improved self regulation and arousal level.

The group setting may not be the best place for supporting a disorganized student. If your student is already overwhelmed or dysregulated, and in a high state of arousal, adding 24 other children is likely to set them over the top. This is the challenge in a classroom.

Difficulty with data collection – if 12/24 students are struggling in your self regulation group activities, it will be hard to gather data about each of their skill levels, behavior, and deficits.

Group work may make using the individualized self regulation strategies more difficult, unless the whole group is practicing one specific tool, all at the same time. If the purpose of self regulation is to: calm down after something exciting or upsetting, focus on a task, refocus attention on a new task, and control impulses, it is going to be tough for your students to do this while in a group.

ideas for self regulation group activities

While balancing the benefits and drawbacks to self regulation in a group, there are some great activities out there. Some of these ideas incorporate proprioceptive input for body awareness and others incorporate talking and learning about self regulation concepts.

  1. Brain gym – the is a popular program that incorporates 26 activities to work on learning through movement

2. Yoga for kids – yoga is an activity that can increase and decrease arousal level. It is a type of proprioceptive and vestibular activity that is grounding. These partner yoga poses can be a great activity for self regulation in a small group. Other ideas include:

3. Obstacle courses – turn your gym or classroom space into an obstacle course. Students work on their own self regulation while working in a group. They can crawl under desks, step over and around chairs, hop across tiles, do wall push ups, and more. This will help improve arousal level while working on key components of turn taking, social function, impulse control, and behavior.

4. Sensory play – sensory play can be an individual activity done in a group. Each student can work on their own project while the rest of the class is doing the same. This can include art, play dough, sand, building activities, or noise making

5. Sensory stations – similar to an obstacle course, sensory stations are a path that is followed with different experiences at every stop. This might include hopping, jumping, crawling, push ups, deep breathing, clapping and more. These are great in hallways and classrooms.

6. Centers – center time allows for a large group to be divided into smaller groups that rotate through different activities. You can hand pick which center a group of student needs most. Maybe these five need the quiet reading nook, while another five need playdough at the table.

7. Gross motor coordination activities – while an organized structured activity is preferable for working on focus and regaining self control, there are times when free play gross motor fun is great. Send the group out to play on the playground. Set out riding toys for all of the students. Throw a basket of balls around the gym. While this may be disorganizing for some students, it might be just the fast paced input several students need

8. Sensory eating – oral sensory input is a large part of sensory integration. Put on an audio book while giving your students some great sensory snacks. These might be popcorn, sour candy, twizzlers, crunchy veggies, flaming hot Cheetos, etc. While I am not a huge fan of giving kids junk food, it is rare that students will snack on carrot sticks and celery.

9. Group chores – why not enlist your group in a clean up session. Everyone can crawl around on the floor picking up paper shreds. Students can stack chairs or wipe off tables. We used to have to clack the erasers together, but smart boards did away with that fun task.

10. Emotional Regulation games– Pull out one of these games for teaching self regulation skills.

11. Talk about feeling words, and emotional responses to situations. Playing “what would you do” in a small group facilitates learning because students can hear the options and ideas that other group participants offer. This is a way for the students to build their emotional vocabulary.

reflection on self regulation group activities

Group activities have a benefit, as well as posing challenges. As the proverb says, “necessity is the mother of all invention”. Sometimes there are no alternatives to working in groups, or the benefits of group interaction outweighs the struggles.

The best compromise is self regulation group activities in which the student is more or less working individually while in a group setting. This takes strategic planning, but can be done successfully. Imagine a karate class where everyone is working side by side in a group, but focusing on their own balance, breathing, and coordination.

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.

Alert Program Self-Regulation Program

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The Alert Program

Below we are covering on popular self-regulation program that therapy providers love: The Alert Program®. In therapy therapists say “focus” a fair amount. One parent report hearing her child mutter “focus, focus, focus” as he was walking down the stairs! Paying attention and staying focused are major struggles for students and their teachers.

There are several programs to help improve attention, focus, and self regulation. One of the newer popular program is Zones of Regulation. Today we will circle back around to the Alert Program. This is a classic program that makes sense. Alert Program Activities are a great way to introduce and use this great resource.

The Alert Program

Alert Program frameworks and tools support individuals with self-regulation needs.

What is The alert program?

The Alert Program® for Self-Regulation is also known as “How Does Your Engine Run?”®. This self-regulation program was developed by two internationally known occupational therapists, Mary Sue Williams and Sherry Shellenberger.

The Alert Program helps students understand the basic theory of sensory input as it relates to their arousal states, or the internal engine of their body. The primary focus is to help children learn to monitor, maintain, and change their level of alertness so it is sufficient for a situation or task.

The basic premise of the program is that the body is similar to a car engine. When the engine is running in its’ optimal state, things run smoothly. If the engine is running too fast or too slow, problems arise.

Therapists often use “Lightning McQueen” as an example of the fast car who gets into trouble.

One quote from the program that is helpful for children to understand is:

“If your body is like a car engine, sometimes it runs on high, sometimes it runs on low, and sometimes it runs just right.”

Alert Program

Of course you do not have to use “engines” for this program to work. Therapists have used Winnie the Pooh to describe states of alertness: Eeyore is in low arousal, Winnie the Pooh is just right, and Tigger is way too high. You can describe the actions and consequences of each character.

By using the engine analogy to teach self-regulation, The Alert Program helps children learn what to do if they are in a non-optimal state of alertness. It teaches children that there are five ways to change how alert they feel:

  • put something in the mouth
  • move
  • touch
  • look
  • listen

Alert Program for Self-Regulation

Alert Program goals teach students, educators, and parents the relationship between internal states and attention, learning, and behavior. With this support, Alert Program strategies help students to recognize and define the self-regulation strategies in a variety of tasks and settings.

We could all use this Alert Program framework at one time or another!

We all self regulate throughout the day, but rarely talk about it. Perhaps you don’t even think about it, it just comes naturally. What did you do to help wake up this morning? A cup of coffee, a jog, a steamy shower, television, or a fruit smoothie? Which system is your “go to” for self regulation? Are you a mover, eater, visual, listener, feeler, or a combination of several?

Children need to learn to self regulate by first talking about it, then doing it. As learners understand the program and start to mature, they too will do self regulation strategies without giving it much thought.

These tools that help to organize the individual’s nervous system using a framework including vocabulary, activities, and environments that work for the individual.

alert program activities through play

The “occupation” of a child is play. You will get much further with a five hear old through a game rather than a lecture. Another way to put it is:

“Play is the work of children. Through play, children learn about themselves and the world around them. When all that they see, hear, and feel makes sense to them, a process of sensory integration occurs.”

From Sensory Integration International’s poster, Children at Work, Jean Ayres Clinic, 1991

This means that when teaching any self regulation program, play-based activities not only make it fun and motivating, they help your learner understand how and why it works.

The Alert Program has five methods it describes for self-regulation that are intended to support the individual in reaching an optimal level of arousal. The framework helps the child to understand how arousal levels can change over the course of a day (and this is totally normal!) with periods of sensory overload (sensory dysregulation) and periods of low arousal (under-responsiveness or sensory registration problems).

The Alert Program helps the individual to attain, maintain, and change arousal appropriately for the given situation. We might all feel a lull in the afternoon after lunch, but using some coping tools, we can get to a state that allows us to attend a meeting and finish out the work day.

For the individual that responds with sensory defensiveness, we might see a fight, flight, or fright response of the limbic system.

Rather than using top-down approaches, or verbal reminders, picture directives, and telling the child to “sit still and pay attention”, the Alert Program framework offers tactics to support sensory motor needs from a bottom-up perspective, or by offering heavy work to the muscles and joints as input through the cerebellum in the brain as a way to activate the reticular formation in the brain stem.

Alert Program wording and strategies offer the calming and efficient tools of inhibition by activating the proprioceptive, vestibular, oral/gustatory, tactile, visual, and auditory systems.

We all have sensory preferences and the Alert Program walks through comprehensive checklists to select activities for each of the components. It helps the individual to find input that supports the brain and body for optimal learning and participation in daily activities, knowing that at different ages, we usually prefer differing intensities of input, changing duration of sensory motor input, and frequency.

  • put something in the mouth
  • move
  • touch
  • look
  • listen

In general, the supports allow for periods of movement or input followed by concentration and an optimal state of arousal.

These tools allow the individual to have a better quality of life, feel good about themselves, participate in meaningful activities. These tools are powerful when teaching children about mood and affect as a support for self regulation.

Alert Program activities

Before exploring specific ways to add self regulation, there are great activities for teaching the Alert Program.

activities to understand alert program basics

While there are many actual activities to self regulate, a period of introducing any program is needed for “buy in”.

  • Adults brainstorm with children regarding possible methods to change their engine speeds. Methods use sensorimotor strategies that are either calming (if the child’s engine is running too fast) or alerting (if the child’s engine is running too slow).
  • Children practice changing their engine speeds by performing sensorimotor activities (see list below)
  • Children can use individual engine speed identification worksheets (fast, slow, just right) to further define what behaviors should and should not be using at each engine speed. The information from these 3 individual engine worksheets can thenvbe added to the engine speeds worksheet and posted in the classroom to remindstudents and/or in a central location at home.
  • Teachers can set up an “Engine Check Station” in their classrooms; this station cancontain movement or “engine break” options for students to perform, as well asengine check feedback sheets for students to document how the use of the enginebreak affected their behavior.
  • An alert program social story can be developed to assist a child who may be having difficulty learning the program. It should be read/reviewed with him/her daily untils/he begins to understand the concept.
  • The adult labels his/her own engine speed using a large class speedometer or anindividual speedometer.
  • Children make their own individual speedometers using paper plates, markers, etc. Children then chart their own engine speeds on the class speedometer or their own individual speedometers.
  • Children may also enjoy playing the “Guess that Engine Speed” game, using magazine pictures and the engine speed posters. The adult shows pictures and has the child determine the engine speed of the individual pictured. The child can then fasten the magazine picture to the corresponding engine speed poster

The Alert Program offers a curriculum with really great activities to support the individual in each stage of the program. It has activities and ideas to help the child learn engine words and to help them develop an awareness of their engine “speed”. Some of the ideas include:

  • interactive activities
  • games
  • obstacle courses
  • crafts like collage art
  • stations
  • games
  • more

alert program activities for putting something in the mouth

The oral sensory system is a great tool for self regulation. The mouth has tons of sensory receptors, making it the perfect place to receive input. Here are some activities for “putting something in the mouth”. Note: not all activities are appropriate for small children.

  • Drink a milkshake or sensory smoothie (not only cold, but the resistance provides extra input)
  • Drink through a water bottle
  • Chew gum, beef jerky, Twizzlers (left out in the air to dry first)
  • Suck on hard candy, mints
  • Crunch on nuts/pretzels/chips
  • Crunch or suck on ice pieces (be cautious of dental work)
  • Tongue in cheek movements, suck on your tongue in your mouth, move your tongue around (oral motor exercises)
  • Eat popcorn/cut up vegetables
  • Chew on a fidget or pencil topper
  • Eat chips and a spicy dip
  • Take slow deep breaths: relaxation breathing
  • Blow a whistle, kazoo, harmonica
  • Hum
  • Drink carbonated drinks
  • Drink coffee/tea caffeinated/hot cocoa/warm milk
  • Eat a cold popsicle, crunch a pickle

This list was derived from the Sensory Preference Checklist from 1992. A lot has changed since then! I have removed smoking, chewing collars and sleeves, biting buttons, chomping toothpicks, chewing pencils, and biting your nails from the list as they are no longer deemed appropriate as mainstream strategies.

alert program activities for movement

Movement, or vestibular/proprioceptive input is often a go to for helping kids get regulated. They are often in constant motion, seeking this type of input, so it makes sense to use what they are craving.

  • Rock in a rocking chair, sit on a wiggle cushion or therapy ball
  • Sit with crossed legs and bounce one slightly
  • Shift or change positions in chair
  • Run/jog
  • Ride bike or a scooter
  • Aerobic exercise
  • Heavy Work Movement Cards
  • Tap toe, heel, or foot
  • Isometrics/lift weights/carry something heavy
  • Dance, yoga, obstacle courses, stretching and shaking body parts
  • Rock own body slightly
  • Household chores – cleaning, laundry, scrubbing, sweeping, vacuuming
  • Yard work

I removed “push chair back on two legs” from the original list, as it is not a safe practice to be teaching.

alert program activities for touch

Children seem to want to touch everything! This is the way babies learn about their environment. It makes sense for children to explore through touch. Here are some appropriate ways to get tactile input:

  • Twist own hair
  • Move keys or coins in pocket with your hand
  • Cool shower
  • Warm bath
  • Receive a massage
  • Pet a dog or cat, play with stuffed animals, get under a blanket
  • Rub gently on skin/clothes
  • Play in sensory bins with different textures. Here is a Year of Sensory Bins

Fidget with the following:

It seems funny (and a little scary) that I removed: phone cord while talking, put fingers near mouth, eye, or nose, and fiddle with cuticle/nails from the original 1992 list.

alert program activities for visual/looking

While Ipad and technology seems to be a great option for adding visual input, it is not. Technology is too alerting and disorganizing with the fast paced movement and visual clutter. There has been some recent research on the Negative Effects of Technology. Here is a post on The Effects of Technology on Children. While not all technology is bad, it needs to be used in moderation and at the right time.

Here are some better ideas for visual input:

  • Change the lighting, open window shades, add a dimmer, cover florescent lighting
  • watch a fireplace or a fish tank (funny enough there are television background screens with these on them)
  • Watch oil and water toys
  • Sensory Bottles – here are some great sensory bottle ideas

Be mindful of having too much visual input. Sometimes people need a break from input in a dark,quiet space. Often a cluttered classroom, or messy desk is enough to change someone’s arousal level.

self regulation ideas for auditory listening

It is interesting that “listening to music” is often recommended for auditory regulation, but this is such a complex strategy to navigate. People respond differently to various types of sounds. It takes time and practice to find the right type of auditory input at the correct time.

  • Listen to classical music
  • Listen to hard rock, country, pop, jazz, or other genre
  • Download and audiobook or podcast
  • Listen to others hum or sing
  • Work in quiet room
  • Move to a noisy room
  • Sing or talk to self

Be mindful of negative sensory input that can set someone off. How do you respond to a scratch on a chalkboard, fire alarm, dog barking, a sudden noise, someone chewing, or snoring?

self reflection

Take some time during the next few days to notice your own arousal level. Be mindful of what activities you do to self regulate. Think about what is working for you, and what you could do better.

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.

Emotion Crafts

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emotion crafts

In this blog post, we’re covering all things emotion crafts…or crafts designed to foster emotional development and emotional intelligence, through play and crafting! These emotions crafts are great tools for supporting emotional intelligence in all ages. When you think about it, crafting is a coping mechanism for many, both young and old! Let’s explore specific feelings craft activities that support kids!

emotion crafts

emotional regulation Crafts

An emotion craft is one that teaches emotions, or feelings through the craft activity. An emotion craft might include facial expressions, or the ability to express one’s own feelings through the art and craft process. There are many ways kids crafts facilitate underlying skills and development, and emotions and feelings crafting does just that!

How many times have you thought, “I need a time out”, during the past week? As adults, once we recognize the need for a break, we are often able to find a successful strategy to take one.

Children are not as fortunate. They are not able to articulate needing a break, or navigate appropriate activities to help them feel better. Young learners use play as their method to self regulate. In this post we will explore play through Emotional Regulation Crafts to help with this process.

Emotional regulation is a key to success. Getting into the “just right zone” helps with executive function and productivity. The “just right zone” is similar to the Goldilocks effect; not too big, not too small. In the Zones of Regulation® method, the “GREEN ZONE” is often considered the “just right zone”. Emotional regulation in the “just right zone” feels like neither too much or too little input. However, it is tricky to find that sweet spot and stay there.

Practice through communication and play can help your learner find that “just right” feeling. Here is a great overview post on Self Regulation Activities. Building or making things with the hands, can help spark understanding of self regulation, as well as provide much needed input.

Emotional Regulation Crafts are just one strategy to building this understanding, and get your learners into their optimal learning zone.

emotion crafts for teaching

There are different levels of crafts and ideas out there for different types and abilities of students. Some involve journaling, drawing, and writing ideas and feelings. Younger students are not ready to complete this type of self reflection task. They need something more simple and concrete like these emotion craft ideas:

pumpkin emotions
  • Pumpkin Emotions– This activity uses a pumpkin to explore emotions, but you can use any shape or theme. Just add fun face to create facial expressions.
empathy activities
  • Empathy Beads– Make a set of bracelets and discuss empathy and feelings.
emotion coffee filter craft
  • Coffee Filter Faces– Use paint and googly eyes to create monster faces with all sorts of emotions and facial expressions.

slime emotion faces
  • Slime Emotion Faces- This is an activity we shared many years ago our Instagram page. Make a small ball of slime and pat it down to a flat “face”. Then add googly eyes and use a pipe cleaner to make smiles, frowns, or surprised facial expressions.
pet rock emotion craft
  • Rock Emotion Faces– Also from our Instagram page, making pet rocks with facial expressions is a fun emotions craft. Just paint the rocks, add googly eyes, and then use a marker or paint to add facial expressions.

  • Play with Clay – use clay or play dough as a medium for expressing emotions. Not only is this a great idea for learning, the deep pressure and tactile input involved in sculpting and molding the clay is great for self regulation. Learners can make faces into the dough by poking into it, or adding other colors for facial features. You can add googly eyes, sequins, or other items if needed. Adding different colors for the faces (red for angry, blue for sad) may be another method for teaching feelings, although this may be too abstract for some learners. Other benefits to using clay include the fine motor exercise with clay play.

  • Face Masks – print emojis or pictures of different facial expressions onto cardstock. Students can decorate, color, and cut out the faces. They can be glued onto a large craft stick or pain stirrer. Play a pretend role play game with these, or have students learn to hold them up when they want to express a feeling. Use a paper plate to create an emotions face mask. Cut the plate in half and attach string. Then, decorate the mask according to an emotion name.

  • Paper Windmill Emotion Craft – learners can create a paper windmill using cardstock or construction paper, a brad to fasten, and a stick. Students can write emotions or draw faces on it to decorate if they like. As students blow onto the windmill, they can learn about soft and hard breathing. Getting direct feedback about their breathing is a helpful learning tool as well as a great way to calm down.

  • Tissue Worry Box – Use an upcycled container like a tissue box, or food container to create a worry box. Decorate the box like a monster with a wide open mouth. Students can create their own personalized worry monster by decorating the monster. Then, they can write or draw their worries on paper (or dictate), then put them in the box to give them less power. If this idea takes off, you can purchase (or make) a (Amazon affiliate link. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases.) Worry Monster to keep on the bed or under the pillow.

  • Plastic egg faces – use plastic Easter eggs and markers to design faces. Have the eyes on one side of the egg and different mouths on the other. Students can have fun mixing and matching different faces

make your own sensory tools

  • Make your own fidgets – how cool are these?! Crafting a keepsake, or one to share with others is a great idea
  • Identify feelings – Have students cut out faces from magazines and identify what zone they are in, their arousal level, or how they are feeling. They can make a big chart to sort all of the people
  • Do it yourself calm down bottle – Fill a water bottle with oil and water, then add glitter, or other fun stuff. Making this is an enjoyable activity, then using is as a calm down tool is a great idea.

emotional regulation crafts for adding input

Sometimes arts and crafts do not have to have an “end product”. Often just the process of creating or playing is a great strategy for self regulation.

  • Sand table or tray – free play in sand is great. Add tools, water, and other toys to build it to the next level. I love these (affiliate link) Zen sand trays for simple relaxing play.
  • Kinetic sand – another relaxing sensory art game without limits. Check out this 3 ingredient kinetic sand recipe.
  • Painting – finger paints, painting on large paper, painting with Q-tips, painting on ice, the options are endless. Here are 105 Creative Painting Ideas!
  • Art play – here is a resource from the OT Toolbox for Art Play ideas
  • Scribbling – have you ever wanted to grab all of the markers at once and just scribble all over the paper? Do it! There is something liberating in just scribbling for no good reason.
  • Creative collage – all you need is some craft supplies and glue. Pull out the sequins, pompoms, stickers, colored rice, beads, googly eyes, or whatever else you have handy and some liquid glue. Let your students get creative, or just sticky!
  • Partner Art Trade – Making things to share with others is a great “feel good” activity. Friendship bracelets – the art of knotting string is a great stress reliever (unless you are frustrated by the process). Other ideas might be macrame, knitting, crochet, drawing, sewing, or other projects that make us feel proud of accomplishment, while regulating emotions.

emotion crafts for older learners

Older kids can benefit from emotion crafts too. Some ideas include more complex crafting or art processes like bead work, ceramics, or weaving.

Several of the feelings craft ideas include :

  • making a cootie catcher
  • drawing the Zones of Regulation
  • making a feelings spinner
  • Emotions play dough mats
  • feelings flip chart
  • make your own worry doll
  • Use this monster emotions I Spy activity
  • During the holidays, try this Santa emotions worksheet
  • circle of control – write the things you can control in your circle, and all of the things you can not, on the outside
  • create a poster of a personal mantra that lifts you up or makes you feel good
  • a hand made emotions boardgame might be a fun activity for a group
  • Paper craft chain – write/draw/dictate positive traits and happy thoughts to make into a paper chain
  • wearable fidgets are a great self regulation tool, and fun to make and share

other activities for emotional regulation

If your students are not into arts and crafts, or find them more frustrating than helpful, there are other ways to use play to learn about or improve emotional regulation. Emotional Regulation Games are great activities.

what is your go to activity for emotional regulation?

While I hate to admit it, I have an unhealthy relationship with Etsy and Amazon. Browsing, shopping, and receiving cool stuff is a thrill. I try and mix this up with some light reading, coloring, crafting, laying by the pool, and an occasional nap. While my kids were young I neglected my needs and did not use my emotional regulation tools often enough. This led to some serious Caregiver Burnout. Make sure that while you are focusing your attention on helping those around you, that you take a minute for yourself as well.

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.

social emotional activities for kids

Exploring Books Through Play: Friendship, Acceptance, and Empathy Activities for Kids is a digital ebook with crafts, activities, and hands-on exploration of social emotional skills, all based on popular children’s books.

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