vestibular

Back to School Sensory Activities

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back to school sensory activities

It’s that time of year and having a few back to school sensory activities up your sleeve can make all the difference in a stuffy, hot classroom when kids need self-regulation tools after a long summer break. Whether you are looking for classroom sensory diet strategies, or sensory strategies for the school-based OT, putting a back-to-school spin on “sensory” is a hit during the Fall months.

back to school sensory activities

Back-to-School Sensory Activities

The back-to-school season is a prime time to dust off those sensory cobwebs and consider how sensory motor input supports students.

In this blog post, you’ll find a list of ways to support sensory needs using a back-to-school theme. The ideas are great for this time of year when welcoming a new roster of students into the classroom.

  • Our free sensory strategy toolkit is another great resource that supports school-based OTs, educators, and parents of students with sensory needs.
  • You’ll also find many resources, including a printable sensory activity sheet here on this article about calm down strategies for school.
  • These ideas for sensory seekers can be adapted to meet school-based needs (or used in the home for homework time, the after-school period, or homeschooling)

Why Use Back-to-School Sensory Activities?

Heading back into the school year can throw some kids for a spin.  The first few weeks can be a change in routine from the safety of home. For kids who are starting up on a homeschool routine, it can be difficult to pay attention when sensory needs and distractions are in the next room. This can lead to self-regulation needs that support the student’s ability to concentrate and learn after a summer off from the routines of school.

Other reasons for using sensory strategies during the back-to-school season include:

  • Earlier wake-up times after a summer of staying up late and sleeping in. A quick sensory motor brain break can make all the difference.
  • A new routine may throw some students for a loop.
  • The transition period can be a real challenge for some children. It might be the early alarm clock or using time management in the morning that is a challenge. For other kids, moving to a new school, or even just going back to the classroom in general can be a challenge. Try these transition strategies to support these needs.
  • Distractions and Technology: With the prevalence of screen time in kids, and the use of technology/devices, students may find it difficult to focus on schoolwork without being distracted by social media, video games, or other online activities. A quick sensory break can help with attention and distractions.
  • Social-emotional needs: Social emotional dynamics can change over the summer, and students may feel pressure to fit in or establish their social identity when school resumes. This pressure can affect their self-esteem and confidence. The ability to regulate emotions might lead to challenges with learning due to the emotional regulation and executive function connection.

You may have a child of your own that “crashes” after a week of school during this time of year. There is a lot happening that is just exhausting during the return to school. Sometimes, all it takes for an easy transition into the back to school days is a sensory strategy that meets the needs of the sensory child. Let’s explore these ideas below…

  Classroom sensory activities and sensory strategies for back to school or throughout the school year.

 
 
 

 

back to school sensory ideas and strategies for the classroom that teachers can use with sensory kids.




Back-to-School Sensory Ideas

These sensory activities are ones that can easily be used in the classroom or homeschool room.  They are strategies that can be incorporated into the student’s daily routine within the school environment.  

These school sensory activities are presented in list form for ease and planning, but they can be used in a classroom sensory diet or in various strategies.  

The ideas below are ones that easily allow the child to meet their sensory needs in a natural way, so that it is not an interruption to the classroom or other students.  

Rather, some of these sensory strategies are movement and heavy work-based ideas that can easily be adapted for the whole classroom for brain break type of activities. 

As always, these sensory ideas are ONLY ideas and should be regarded as a reference.  Every child is different and has different sensory needs.

The ideas presented below are not regarded as Occupational Therapy treatment and should only be used in addition to and along with an individualized Occupational Therapy plan made following assessment. 

Sensory Activities for Back to School

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases.

1. Wall Push-Ups- Show the student how to push against the wall while doing “push-ups” from a standing position.  This is a great heavy work activity, or a quick “brain break” activity that provides proprioceptive input for heavy work for improved focus, calming, and self-regulation.

2. Desk Fidget- Use a DIY fidget or a store bought hand fidget toy (affiliate link) to allow the child tactile sensory or proprioceptive input to the hands for improved attention and focus while sitting and performing desk work.

3. Chair Push-Ups- Allow the child to push up from the seat with his arms, keeping the elbows strait.  Pushing up through the arms provides proprioceptive heavy work through the upper body.

4. Move desk/furniture.

5. Erase the chalkboard or dry erase board.

6. Sensory errand- Carry milk crates or plastic bins full of books or supplies from center to center around the classroom or from room to room in the building. Some schools have an “important message” to other classrooms or the office in the form of a folder. Just moving, taking a quick walk through the hallway, to deliver a note or other message can offer a much-needed sensory break. For more heavy work input, add a tote bag filled with books or ask the student to push a cart with materials.

7. Shoe laces fidget-  Add a couple of beads to the child’s shoe laces for a fidget toy that can be used discretely while sitting in floor circle time or during desk work.

8. Manual Pencil Sharpener-  Turning and sharpening pencils with a manual pencil sharpener provides proprioception to bilateral upper extremities.  This can be a good task prior to writing tasks.

9. Backpack for carrying supplies from room to room-  Students can carry supplies to other classrooms in a backpack for heavy input.  This can be a calming strategy while walking the hallways to other areas in the school as well, such as while walking to the lunch room or special classes. The hallway can be an overwhelming and high-sensory environment so deep pressure to center the child can be helpful.

10. Stapler heavy work- Staple paper or remove staples from a bulletin board for upper body proprioceptive input.


11. Sensory seat- Air cushion seating such as a wiggle seat cushion (affiliate link) or a frugal, DIY version using a $1 wiggle seat cushion option. Here are more ideas for alternative seating options and even some DIY flexible seating ideas.

12. Place chairs on rugs.  Sliding chairs on classroom floors can lead to auditory overload for some sensory kids.  Try using carpet squares under each individual chair.  When the child pushes his chair out, he can slide the chair right on the carpet square out from the desk.  

13. Hallway March-  Get the whole class involved in a “walk this way” activity.  They can march from the classroom to specials or the lunchroom.  Try other brain break and whole body movements while walking in the line down the hallway, too: Try high knee lifts, toe walking, heel walking, elbows to knees, and patting the knees while walking.

14. Sports bottles for drinking- Sipping water through a long straw or sports bottle (affiliate link) can allow the students to focus and attend given proprioceptive input through the mouth. This is a great whole classroom strategy for helping with attention and self-regulation. Read more about using a water bottle as a sensory tool.

15. Movement breaks in the gym or classroom- A quick brain break can help kids focus during periods of desk work.

16. Push mats in the gym- Moving those big gym mats is a great whole body proprioception activity. Or, ask students to move desks or other equipment that uses the whole body.

17. Auditory support- Headphones for limiting auditory stimulation during center work or times when there is a lot of chatter in the classroom. Here are more tips for auditory sensitivity in the classroom.

18. Visual picture list- Knowing what to expect is a non-traditional sensory strategy. But when you think about it, the visual input is a support when it comes to knowing what is next, how much time is left until lunch, and how much longer the day will last. A visual schedule can be a benefit for the whole classroom.  Try this daily pocket chart schedule. (affiliate link)

19. Simon Says Spelling-  Try practicing spelling words with a movement and vestibular sensory input Simon Says version. Try these Simon Says commands if there are a few extra minutes to use up during the school day or between transitions.

20. Play dough math for proprioceptive input through the hands.  Try a math smash type of activity and use a heavy resistive dough like this DIY proprioception dough. There are many benefits of play dough and sensory input is just one of them!

21. Kneaded eraser for sensory input through the hands- Use a kneaded pencil eraser (affiliate link) for a hand-held fidget that doubles as an eraser with proprioceptive input.

22. Crunchy snack break- Try snacks like pretzels, crackers, kale chips, popcorn, or roasted chickpeas for an alerting snack. Oral motor exercises offer calming or alerting input and using a crunchy (or chewy) snack can support these needs.

23.  Sensory bin for math or sight words-  Create a sight word sensory bin or even use a sensory bin for math or spelling words. This can be a fun and unexpected way to dive back into spelling after the summer break! Add tactile sensory input to learning using a variety of sensory bin fillers.  Ideas include shaving cream, shredded paper, crafting pom poms, among many other ideas.

24. Vibrating pen rainbow writing for sight word or spelling practice-  Proprioceptive input to the hands can be very helpful for many kids, especially if they are writing with too much pencil pressure.

25. Jump/move/hop in hallway- Take a movement and brain break with a hallway movement activity.  Add learning aspect with spelling, facts, or math.

26. Roll a ball on the legs-  Add a vestibular aspect to vocabulary or themed learning, including history, English language arts, or science.  Kids can answer questions and when they answer the question, they roll the ball along their legs by bending down to roll the ball on their thighs.

27. Hopscotch Math-  Add a hopping proprioception activity to the classroom with a hopscotch board created right in the classroom using masking tape.

28.  Graph Paper Writing-  Add a visual sensory twist to handwriting, math, spelling, or any written work by using graph paper.  The added lines can be just the visual spatial prompt needed for kids with visual sensory processing concerns. Here are more sensory based reasons to use graph paper.

29. Make a desk sensory diet box-  Use a dollar store pencil case to create customized sensory diet bins that can fit right into the desk. Items would be used specific to the child’s needs, but might include resistive putty, paper clips for fidgeting, or movable toys (affiliate link). Use these occupational therapy kits for more ideas.

30. Wash desks with spray bottles. Squeezing a spray bottle to wash desks or water plants offers heavy work through the hands.

31. Cut classroom decorations from oaktag. Heavy input through the hands by cutting thicker paper is a great way to add a quick and functional movement break. Students will love to see their handiwork on the walls, too.

32. Create a calm down corner in the classroom– This can include fidgets, mindfulness centers, books, and many more sensory tools. Plus try these other calm down strategies for school.

33. Try a sensory swing- Sensory swings for modulation can be used when applicable and recommended by an occupational therapy provider. Sometimes, you’ll see these in a sensory room or in a therapy room in the school. Here is more information on types of sensory swings.

34. Use the playground! Getting those students outside can make a great sensory movement break. Check out how to use the playground for sensory input and read this resource on sensory diets at the playground.

All of these ideas support sensory needs and are great activities to use during the back-to-school time. We love that they are fun, functional, and the whole classroom can benefit!

Want more ideas to support sensory needs at school? Grab a free copy of our Classroom Sensory Strategy Packet.

Free Classroom Sensory Strategies Toolkit

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    Related resources include our blog post on Ayres Sensory Integration. This is a great place to start with gathering information on the sensory processing systems and the related behavioral, emotional, physical, and cognitive responses that we see.

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

    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.

    Lower Extremity Strength and Motor Planning Activity

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    lower extremity strength activity

    Lower extremity strength and coordination are areas of development needed for so many functional tasks that children complete throughout the day. Here we have a fun and creative way to develop gross motor coordination by building strength in the legs and core of the body so that lower extremity coordination and mobility are used in daily tasks such as self-care, mobility, and play. Motor planning in the lower extremities drives play, and play drives lower extremity strength!

    These are great activities and ideas to add to an obstacle course.

    Lower extremity strength activity for motor planning and balance

    Add this to our other balance activities to develop stronger legs and lower body in kids here on the site. We’ve talked before how the development of balance occurs through play.

    Lower Extremity Strength

    When it comes to building strong core, legs, hips, and ankles, there are many lower body strengthening exercises that can be done:

    • Lunges
    • Squats
    • Planks
    • Yoga
    • Animal walks
    • Wall sits
    • Side-lying Leg Lifts
    • Prone Leg Lifts
    • Bridges

    While these exercises develop strength and stability in the core and lower body, they are just that…exercises. There is no function to completing them. However, as occupational therapists, our practice is driven by function.

    If a client wishes to develop the strength and stamina to complete exercises such as the ones listed above, that is the functional task, and working on these exercises in a graded manner is a no brainer. It’s the functional task which is being addressed.

    There is another side to the coin as well. Using lower extremity strengthening exercises to support development, stamina, add resistive feedback, and develop motor planning skills can drive functional performance by building on underlying areas.

    When therapists use lower extremity strengthening exercises in therapy sessions, several underlying areas are addressed all at once:

    • Balance
    • Coordination
    • Muscle strengthening
    • Eye hand coordination
    • Vestibular input
    • Stretching
    • Proprioceptive input
    • Stability
    • Body awareness
    • Personal space

    Lower extremity strength is needed for functional tasks such as:

    • hopping
    • skipping
    • jumping
    • kicking a ball
    • riding a bike
    • playing on playground equipment
    • running
    • tying shoes
    • getting dressed
    • bathing
    • toileting
    • so much more!

    Lower Extremity Exercise Activity

    One way to make this skill into a game is to use the skill-building as a game, an obstacle course, or a challenge.

    This lower extremity exercise challenges motor planning, balance, and vestibular input, while encouraging the child to pull weight back over their heels in dynamic stance.

    Materials needed:  

    • Ball
    • Something to use as a target (cone, bucket, bowl)

    To do the lower extremity and motor planning exercise:

    1. Set up a basket, cone, or bucket, or other target behind the child.
    2. Ask the child to stand with feet shoulder width apart, in front of the basket/bucket.
    3. The child can reach through the legs to place a ball or small toy through their legs and into the target.
    4. Challenge them to return to standing and pull the toy or ball up to shoulder height and repeat.

    You can see this exercise in action here.

    More lower extremity coordination exercises

    Make this exercise easier or more difficult by these extra challenges:

    • Can you move at super slow speed?
    • Can you move at super fast speed and still keep your body right in the middle?
    • Can you try with a smaller ball?
    • Can you sit and place the object behind you or pass it to a friend like we did in this friendship gross motor activity?

    You can also add some of these lower body activities to the fun:

    Matching Uppercase and LowerCase Letters

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    uppercase and lowercase letter matching

    This interactive and hands on game to teach matching uppercase and lowercase letters is a fun gross motor game for preschool and kindergarten. Use this interactive letter activity along as an alphabet matching with objects and a sensory-motor learning activity!

    Matching uppercase letters to lowercase letters is a literacy task that supports reading skills, but also challenges visual discrimination skills, form constancy, and visual scanning, all of which are visual processing skills needed for handwriting and reading comprehension. What’s fun about this activity is that it builds these skills in a fun way!

    Be sure to grab our color by letter worksheet to work on letter matching, visual discrimination skills.

    Uppercase and lowercase letter match activity

    Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters

    Learning letters and matching upper and lower case letters is a Kindergarten skill that can be tricky for some kids.  We made this easy prep letter identification activity using items you probably already have in the house.  If you’ve seen our blog posts over the last few days, you’ve noticed we’re on a learning theme using free (or mostly free) items you probably already have.  

    We’re sharing 31 days of learning at home with free materials this month along with 25 other bloggers in the 31 days of homeschooling tips series.  

    Today’s easy letter learning activity can use any letters you have around the house or magnetic letters and coffee filters.

    Matching upper and lower case letters and alphabet letter identification can be difficult for kindergarteners. Use this letter matching game to prepare for kindergarten skills and gross motor play along with visual scanning. Uses magnetic letters and coffee filters for easy prep and set-up. Great letter matching ideas and activities here!


    While this activity is almost free if you’ve got the items at home already, we’re sharing the affiliate links for the items in this post.

    Matching upper and lower case letters and alphabet letter identification can be difficult for kindergarteners. Use this letter matching game to prepare for kindergarten skills and gross motor play along with visual scanning. Uses magnetic letters and coffee filters for easy prep and set-up. Great letter matching ideas and activities here!

    How to play this interactive letter matching activity

    You’ll need just a few items for this letter matching activity:

    • Magnetic letters
    • marker
    • coffee filters (but paper towels or recycled paper would work as well.

    To set up the activity, there are just a few steps:

    (Amazon affiliate links included below.)

    1. Grab the magnetic letters from the fridge and 26 coffee filters.
    2. Use a permanent marker to write one lower case letter of the alphabet on each coffee filter.
    3. With your child, match the magnetic letters to the lowercase letters on the coffee filters.
    4. Ask the child to help you crumble each letter inside the coffee filter that has its matching lowercase letter.
    5. Continue the play!
    Matching upper and lower case letters and alphabet letter identification can be difficult for kindergarteners. Use this letter matching game to prepare for kindergarten skills and gross motor play along with visual scanning. Uses magnetic letters and coffee filters for easy prep and set-up. Great letter matching ideas and activities here!

    More ways to match uppercase and lowercase letters

    By matching the magnetic uppercase letter to the lowercase letter on the coffee filter, kids get a chance to incorporate whole body movements and gross motor activity while looking for matching letters.

    With your child, first match up each lower case coffee filter letter to the upper case magnetic letter.  

    You can spread the filters out to encourage visual scanning and involve movement in the activity, OR you can stack the coffee filters in a pile and one by one match up the letters.  This technique requires the child to visually scan for the upper case magnet letters.  

    Try both ways for more upper/lower case letter practice!

    We then wrapped the coffee filters around the magnets in a little bundle.  There are so many games you can play with these upper and lower case letters:

    • Match the same letter– match uppercase letters to uppercase letters and lowercase letters to lowercase letters.
    • Alphabet matching with objects– Match an object that starts with the letter of the alphabet. Use small objects inside the coffee filter and match it to lowercase letters written in the coffee filter with uppercase magnet letters.
    • Match the picture with the letter– Print off pictures of words that start with each letter of the alphabet. Then match the picture with letters of the alphabet using lowercase letters written on the filter and uppercase letters in magnetic letter form.
    • Play a letter memory game– Hide letters around the room and challenge kids to find the letters in order to match the uppercase letter to the lowercase letters.
    • Letter sound matching– Make a letter sound and challenge kids to find the letter that makes that sound.
    • Letter Hide and Seek- Hide the bundled up letters around the room while your child hides his eyes.  Send him off to find the letters and ask him to open the bundle and identify the letter.
    • Letter Toss Activity- Toss the coffee filter bundles into a bucket or bin.  Any letters that make it into the bin are winners!
    • Name the letters- Unwrap the bundles and name the letters.  Spread the coffee filters out around the room.  Toss magnetic letters onto the matching lower case letter.  
    • Letter toss game- Toss a bean bag onto the coffee filters.  The child can identify the lower case letter, then go to the pile of magnetic letters and find the matching upper case letter.  
    Matching upper and lower case letters and alphabet letter identification can be difficult for kindergarteners. Use this letter matching game to prepare for kindergarten skills and gross motor play along with visual scanning. Uses magnetic letters and coffee filters for easy prep and set-up. Great letter matching ideas and activities here!

    Can you think of any more ways to work on upper and lower case letter matching with coffee filters and magnetic letters? 

    Matching Big and Small Letters

    The nice thing about this activity is that you can teach the concepts of big and small letters. When we say “big letters” and “small letters”, we are showing the concept of letters that touch the top and bottom lines, or the upper case letters.

    And teaching children the difference between those big letters and the small letters which touch just the middle point are part of the visual discrimination process that is needed for handwriting on the lines, or line awareness skills.

    You will enjoy more alphabet posts from our archives:
     
     
     

    Looking for more interactive letter activities to match uppercase and lowercase letters? The Letters! Fine Motor Kit is for you!

    Letters Fine Motor Kit
    Letter Kit for fine motor, visual motor, and sensory motor play.

    This 100 page printable packet includes everything you need for hands-on letter learning and multisensory handwriting!

    This digital and printable packet includes these multisensory handwriting and letter formation materials:

    • A-Z Multisensory Writing Pages
    • Alphabet Fine Motor Clip Cards
    • Cut and place Fine Motor Mazes
    • A-Z Cotton Swab Cards
    • A-Z Pattern Block Cards
    • Fine Motor Letter Geo-Cards
    • A-Z Color and Cut Letter Memory Cards
    • Color By Size Sheets
    • A-Z Building Block Cards
    • A-Z Play Dough Letter Formation Cards
    • Graded Lines Box Writing Sheets
    • Alphabet Roll and Write Sheets
    • Pencil Control Letter Scan
    • Color and Cut Puzzles

    Benefits of Nature Play

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    benefits of nature play

    Research has a lot to say about nature play. When it comes to outdoor play, there is a lot that can be discussed too. Occupational therapy professionals encourage a lot of open-ended play, outdoor games, and outdoor play. There is a natural sensory aspect to outdoor play, which supports self-regulation, emotional regulation, attention, and learning, all through just playing outside! Today we are talking all about what the research has to say about outdoor sensory diet activities and outdoor play.

    Benefits of nature play in developing skills in kids and adults of all ages.

    Benefits of Nature Play

    Taking sensory diet strategies outside is nothing new. But, doing so may just be a meaningful way to create the “just right” state of alertness and calming nature that, well, nature provides! But to take it a step further, did you know there are benefits of outdoor games? Did you know that the outdoors support executive functioning skills, self-regulation, and motor skill development…all through playing outside?

    Use this information when explaining about what a sensory diet is and what a sensory diet looks like for kids with sensory needs. 

    There are quite a few benefits to sensory experiences in the outdoors:

    Children have a large opportunity for sensory input through playground play. But, in recent times, children experience playgrounds that are more safe, allowing for less risky play. Encouraging specific activities such as a playground sensory diet on playground equipment can be beneficial to sensory needs. 


    Another item to consider is the aspect of applying sensory diet strategies within the classroom or home environments as a fix for sensory processing needs. The specific and prescribed sensory diet activities for a particular child can be very helpful in addressing specific sensory-related behaviors.

    However, the use of a sensory tool such as an alternative seating system within the classroom provides only one type of vestibular and/or proprioceptive input, such as up and down vestibular input. The child who plays outdoors encounters a wide variety of sensory input across all sensory systems! 


    You might even call sensory tools used to address specific needs a sensory band-aide. What if we as therapists could encourage authentic sensory input in the outdoors (or indoors, as indicated) that addresses all of the sensory systems. Using meaningful play experiences not only provide all the benefits of play. They encourage healthy development through the senses. 


    Research says outdoor sensory play is beneficial in the development of children. Use these outdoor sensory diet activities to inspire outdoor activities that boost skills like motor development, attention, regulation, and more.

    Research on Outdoor Play

    There are many benefits of outdoor play.

    There have been decades of research on the benefits of play in kids. The information below depicts how outdoor play impacts sensory needs in kids. This is not an exhausted review of the literature, simply a smattering of research available on the topic. 

    Research shows us that some of the developmental and primary tasks that children must achieve can be effectively improved through outdoor play.

    These benefits of outdoor play include:

    • exploring
    • risk-taking
    • fine and gross motor development
    • absorption of basic knowledge
    • social skills
    • self-confidence
    • attention
    • language skills

    Wow! Playing outside has a bigger impact than we may have thought!

    Other research has shown an increase in communication, along with more observed emotions, and increased interactions in children with autism when more time was spent outdoors. 

    Studies have found that dynamic and varied outdoor play offers opportunities for decision making that stimulate problem solving and creative thinking, opportunities that aren’t as easily found in the more static indoor environment.

    Still other research supports the many health benefits:

    • reducing stress
    • decreasing symptoms of ADHD
    • protecting against myopia
    • boost the immune system

    Outdoor Nature Play and Attention

    One study found a sensory diet in outdoor play along with sensory integration therapy resulted in better functional behavior of kids with ADHD (Sahoo & Senapati). 


    Using sensory activities that are specific in time and quality such as those in a sensory diet should be done in an authentic and meaningful manner in a child’s life. In this way, sensory input is motivating to the child in that it goes along with interests and the environment in which the child lives.

    It’s a fact that kids are spending less time playing outdoors. From after-school schedules to two working parents, to unsafe conditions, to increased digital screen time, to less outdoor recess time…kids just get less natural play in the outdoors. 

    Some therapists have connected the dots between less outdoor play and increased sensory struggles and attention difficulties in learning.

    Knowing this, it can be powerful to have a list of outdoor sensory diet activities that can be recommended as therapy home programing and family activities that meet underlying needs.

    From an occupational therapy perspective, nature play offers supports for underlying skill development. Children have the opportunity to develop motor skills, visual perceptual skills, confidence, executive functioning skills, and self-regulation that enables them to feel confident in their abilities. These areas of development support functioning and independence!

    When heading outdoors, you can put on a coat, boots, or jacket and work on self-dressing skills. You can experience all of the motor rich opportunities for movement in the outdoors. Navigating the environment (whether in the woods or the city) offers visual perception, motor planning, and eye-hand coordination opportunities.

    Just going outside for a walk is an exercise in skill-building!

    Research says outdoor sensory play is beneficial in the development of children. Use these outdoor sensory diet activities to inspire outdoor activities that boost skills like motor development, attention, regulation, and more.

    Outdoor Sensory Play Ideas

    Knowing the benefits of outdoor games and free play, let’s cover some fun ways to offer the movement, regulation, and input from the outdoors. Here are some outdoor play ideas that tick all of the boxes.

    Need some outdoor sensory play ideas? Try these outdoor backyard sensory diet activities that inspire free play in the outdoors while encouraging sensory input of all kinds! 

    Sensory diets and specific sensory input or sensory challenges are a big part of addressing sensory needs of children who struggle with sensory processing issues. Incorporating a schedule of sensory input (sensory diet) into a lifestyle of naturally occuring and meaningful activities is so very valuable for the child with sensory needs. 

    Sensory diets and specific sensory input or sensory challenges are a big part of addressing sensory needs of children who struggle with sensory processing issues. Incorporating a schedule of sensory input (sensory diet) into a lifestyle of naturally occurring and meaningful activities is so very valuable for the child with sensory needs.    That’s why I’ve worked to create a book on creating an authentic and meaningful sensory lifestyle that addresses sensory needs. The book is now released as a digital e-book or softcover print book, available on Amazon.    The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook walks you through sensory diet creation, set-up, and carry through. Not only that, but the book helps you take a sensory diet and weave it into a sensory lifestyle that supports the needs of a child with sensory processing challenges and the whole family.   Get The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook here.

    The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook is a resource for creating sensory diets and turning them into a lifestyle of sensory success through meaningful and motivating sensory enrichment.

    That’s where the Outdoor Sensory Diet Cards and Sensory Challenge Cards come into play.   They are printable resource that encourages sensory diet strategies in the outdoors. In the printable packet, there are 90 outdoor sensory diet activities, 60 outdoor recess sensory diet activities, 30 blank sensory diet cards, and 6 sensory challenge cards. They can be used based on preference and interest of the child, encouraging motivation and carryover, all while providing much-needed sensory input.  

    Here’s a little more information about the Outdoor Sensory Diet Cards

    • 90 outdoor sensory diet activities
    • 60 outdoor recess sensory diet activities
    • 30 blank sensory diet cards, and 6 sensory challenge cards
    • They can be used based on preference and interest of the child, encouraging motivation and carryover, all while providing much-needed sensory input. 
    • Research tells us that outdoor play improves attention and provides an ideal environment for a calm and alert state, perfect for integration of sensory input.
    • Outdoor play provides input from all the senses, allows for movement in all planes, and provides a variety of strengthening components including eccentric, concentric, and isometric muscle contractions. 
    • Great tool for parents, teachers, AND therapists!

    Be sure to grab the Outdoor Sensory Diet Cards and use them with a child (or adult) with sensory processing needs!  

    Benefits of Nature Play References:

    • Frost, J. & Sutterby, J. (2017). Our Proud Heritage: Outdoor Play Is Essential to Whole Child Development. Retrieved from: from: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/jul2017/outdoor-play-child-development
    • Hanscom, A (2017, October). The decline of play outdoors and the rise in sensory issues. OccupationalTherapy.com, Article 3990. Retrieved from http://OccupationalTherapy.com.
    • Moore, R. (2014). Nature Play & Learning Places. Creating and managing places where children engage with nature. Raleigh, NC: Natural
    • Learning Initiative and Reston, VA: National Wildlife Federation
    • Version 1.2.
    • Von Kampen, M. (2011). The Effect of Outdoor Environment on Attention and Self-Regulation Behaviors on a Child with Autism.  Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://search.yahoo.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1118&context=cehsdiss
    • Sahoo, S. & Senapati, A. Effect of sensory diet through outdoor play on functional behavior in children with ADHD. The Indian Journal of Occupational Therapy. Vol. 46, (2 ) 49-54.

    What are your favorite outdoor play ideas?

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

    Sensory Blanket Activity

    by
    sensory tortilla blanket

    This sensory blanket activity is a simple home sensory diet activity that offers heavy work input using only a blanket. Did you know you can use a blanket as a calming sensory tool? One way that I love to help regulate and calm down over-responsive sensory systems is through heavy work activities. 

    Use a tortilla blanket (or any blanket) to make this sensory blanket burrito as a sensory tool for kids.

    Calming Proprioception Activity with a Blanket

    Using a blanket as a sensory tool is one of the easiest ways to offer heavy work , or proprioceptive input, through the whole body as a calming strategy.

    There are a few reasons why using a blanket works to calm the sensory systems.

    Rolling a child up in a blanket is a great way to provide deep input to a child’s whole body. This is calming and organizing.

    Additionally, the warm temperature helps to calm the body.

    A benefit to this sensory strategy is that every home has a blanket of some type. 

    Use this proprioceptive activity to offer calming input to help self-regulate emotions and sensory needs by rolling up in a blanket, either on the floor or with additional heavy work input. Check out all of our proprioception activities here.

    How to use a blanket for calming sensory input:

    1. Grab a blankets and spread it out on the floor.  
    2. Ask the child to lay down on the blanket, near one edge.
    3. Roll your child up like a burrito. Keep rolling until the whole blanket is used. Wrap the blanket tightly.  
    4. Add additional proprioceptive input for calming and regulating by piling pillows on top of your child after they’ve been wrapped up in the blanket.  Press evenly and gently, but firmly, with both hands to provide deep pressure input.

     

    Tortilla Blanket Sensory Activity

    Have you seen the (Amazon affiliate link) tortilla blankets? These are a great, fuzzy blanket to use in this sensory blanket activity! Kids can be the burrito as they are wrapped up in the tortilla blanket. Plus, the warmth from this fleece blanket is extra cozy and calming!

    Use the tortilla blanket to make a kid-sized burrito that adds calming sensory input!

    Another sensory activity using blankets is to use the blanket roll as a balance beam  or to lay on (without the child inside).

    For more heavy work activities using materials already found in the home, check out these low-prep heavy work exercises!

    Heavy Work Exercise Cards
    Heavy Work Exercise Cards- 50% off!

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

    Indoor Ice Skating Activity for Gross Motor Skills

    by
    indoor ice skating activity

    This indoor ice skating activity is an older blog post on The OT Toolbox, but the gross motor benefits are perfect for today! Did you know you can use an indoor balance and coordination activity like paper plate ice skating (and the inside skating task below) to challenge and integrate proprioceptive input, vestibular sensory input, and work on various gross motor skills. This is a fun indoor gross motor activity kids love.

    Use this indoor ice skating activity to challenge gross motor skills, balance, endurance, and add sensory input.

    Indoor Ice Skating Activity

    Sometimes, you come across a play activity that provides many skill areas and is just plain old fun.  These indoor ice skates proprioception and vestibular activity is one of those.  

    A few years ago, we shared a bunch of winter sensory integration activities.  This is on of those movement sensory ideas (that we’re just getting around to sharing this year!)

    With this indoor ice skating activity, you can play indoors AND incorporate proprioceptive input, vestibular input, crossing midline, visual scanning, motor planning, among other therapy areas…all with play.  


    Add these resources to the ones you can find here under sensory diet vestibular activities to meet the sensory needs of all kids. 

    This is a great indoor therapy activity for challenging balance and endurance.

    • Ask kids to follow a specific path to work on memory, sequencing, and motor planning.
    • Ask the child to move the indoor skates along a straight line and then bend and stoop to retrieve objects.
    • Incorporate the indoor skating activity into an Olympics therapy theme.
    • Use the indoor skates to move in circles, curved lines, and move as a real ice skater.
    • Ask the skater to carry objects from one point to another.

    In this skating activity, kids are really challenging strength and balance. The carpeted surface is a slick and slippery surface when sliding with a non-resistant surface when sliding on a paper plate, wax paper, or cardboard. TO slide, you need to move the legs along without lifting along the carpet, using core strength to maintain balance.  

    To move the feet, kids need to engage muscles of the core help maintain balance without falling or sliding.  

    Indoor Ice Skates proprioception and vestibular sensory play activity

    Tissue Box Ice Skates

    This is an activity that I remember doing as a kid.  When the weather is too cold or icy to get outdoors, adding any vestibular or proprioception input can be just what the child with sensory needs craves.

    To make your own indoor ice skating activity, all you need is a couple of cardboard tissue boxes and a carpeted floor.

    If you don’t have tissue boxes, you can use other materials to make indoor ice skates. Or, try some of these ideas. The options are limitless:

    • Tissue boxes
    • Cereal box cut in half
    • Paper plates
    • Styrofoam plates
    • Two pieces of wax paper
    • Pieces of cardboard delivery box
    • 2 plastic frisbees
    • Padded delivery envelopes (think Amazon delivery pouches)
    • Any cardboard box!

    Depending on the material and the user’s motor skills, you may need to strap the cardboard pieces onto shoes with pieces of tape. Other users can slide their feet to move the materials along carpeted surface by sliding their feet.

    There are many skills that are developed with this indoor ice skating activity. Let’s cover those therapy skill areas:

    Indoor ice skates with cardboard boxes add proprioception and vestibular sensory play.
    Use cardboard boxes to make a pair of indoor “ice skates” that work on a carpet.

    Indoor Ice Skating and proprioception

    Use empty tissue boxes to create ice skate “boots”.  Moving the feet along the carpet requires heavy work, coordination, balance, and awareness of position in space.

    Incorporate proprioceptive input by using a blanket and pull your child around a carpeted area.  Ask them to squat down to a skater’s ready position as you pull them, too.


    Try skating with the tissue boxes as an adult pulls the child along with a blanket or towel.  Play tug of war with the blanket, too.

    Read more about proprioception activities and how they impact functional skills.

    Indoor Ice skating and Vestibular Sensory

    A child can work on vestibular input by skating fast from one target to another. Encourage them to position themselves in different ways as they skate around a carpeted room.  

    This activity works on crossing midline as the child “skis”.  Sometimes you might see children with vestibular difficulties who have difficulty determining proper motor planning in activities.  They might have trouble crossing midline in functional tasks as well as difficulties with reading and writing.  


    A movement activity that challenges the body’s position in space like this one can help with these problem areas.

    Read more about vestibular sensory activities and how these therapy tasks impact functional skills.

    More Winter activities to use in occupational therapy

    Add this indoor ice skating activity to these other winter ideas for occupational therapy sessions or home programming:

    Snowman Therapy Activity Kit
    Snowman Therapy Kit

    This print-and-go snowman-themed therapy kit includes no-prep fine motor, gross motor, sensory, visual processing, handwriting, self-regulation, and scissor skill activities to help kids develop essential skills. Includes everything you need for therapy tasks, home therapy sessions, and movement-based learning.

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

    Outdoor Sensory Activities for the Backyard

    by
    outdoor sensory activities for kids with sensory processing challenges.

    If you are looking for outdoor sensory activities, this is the place to start. Here, you’ll find outdoor sensory ideas to address each sensory system. Also included are sensory play ideas to use in the backyard when creating an outdoor sensory diet for children.

    outdoor sensory activities for kids with sensory processing challenges.

    Outdoor Sensory Activities or a Sensory Diet?

    So often, kids are sent home from therapy with a sensory diet of specific activities and sensory tools that are prescribed for certain sensory processing needs. When a therapist creates a home exercise program, they do their best to ensure carryover through small lists of activities, parent education, and 
    motivating activities that are based on the child’s interests and personal goals.

    The important thing to recognize is that there is a difference between sensory play and sensory diets. Read here for more information on what a sensory diet is and isn’t.

    When therapists develop a specific and highly individualized sensory diet, it’s not just throwing together a day filled with sensory input. A sensory diet  is a specific set of sensory tools used to meet and address certain needs of the individual based on sensory need and strategizing.

    Each of the sensory diet activities above should meet specific needs of the child. Every child is different so applying sensory input to one child may look very different than that of another. Parents should use the tactics below along with your child’s occupational therapist.

    So, using sensory diet tools within the context of environments or activities that are deeply meaningful to a family and child such as play that is already happening, can be the meaningful and motivating strategy to actually get that sensory diet task completed. And it benefits the child along with the whole family. 

    These outdoor sensory diet activities are good sensory experiences to meet the needs of children with sensory processing needs or those who struggle with sensory related behaviors, perfect for a home exercise program or occupational therapy activities.

    Outdoor Sensory Activities

    These outdoor sensory activities are those that can be included into backyard play. That may look like independent play by the child or it might mean family time on a Sunday afternoon. Use these outdoor sensory diet activities in the backyard to as sensory tools that double as playtime for the child while he/she learns and grows… or to meet the sensory needs of the child while creating memories and enjoying time together!

    Below is a huge list of outdoor sensory activities, but to focus on each sensory system, check out these resources:

    These outdoor sensory activities are good sensory experiences to meet the needs of children with sensory processing needs or those who struggle with sensory related behaviors, perfect for a home exercise program or occupational therapy activities.

    Bakyard Sensory Activities

    • Slide down a hill on cardboard
    • Grass sensory bin
    • Use a magnifying glass to inspect the grass and dirt
    • Mud kitchen
    • Roll down hills
    • Animal walks with bare feet
    • Create nature “soup” with grass, flower petals, sticks, etc.
    • Pick flowers
    • Cartwheels and tumbling on the grass (barefoot or with shoes!)
    • Water Table with nature
    • Cartwheel or tumbling 
    • Target games
    • Outdoor lawn games
    • Bean bag games
    • Relay races
    • Hide and seek games
    • Simon Says games- Print off these Simon Says commands.
    • Tag 
    • Bell parade
    • Kazoo sound hunt
    • Listening for birds or animals
    • Record backyard sounds and playback the recording. Try to recognize and name the sound and where it was located in the yard.
    • Fill containers with items from the backyard.  Shake plastic containers or even paper bags with the items and see if your child can name the objects.
    • Play Marco Polo in the yard!
    • Auditory backyard games like: Neighborhood Listening Scavenger Hunt, Auditory Hide and Seek, Listening Tag, Noisy Toy Positioning Game
    • Create with recycled materials and make arts, crafts, and activities.
    • Pull plastic ware out of the cupboards and sort the lids onto the containers. Mix colors with food coloring in water.
    • Blow bubbles
    • Jump rope
    • Play Kickball
    • Throw a book picnic: grab snacks, a blanket, and a pile of books and head outside.
    • Dress up with old fancy dresses and clothes from mom’s closet (then throw them in a bag and donate!)
    • Bake
    • Poke holes in a cardboard box and push pipe cleaners through the holes
    • Bowl with recycled plastic water bottles
    • Act out a favorite nursery rhyme
    • Play tag games for heavy work, spatial awareness, and body awareness.
    • Put dollhouses or play sets into a bin of shredded paper.
    • Play hide and seek
    • Climb trees
    • Watch and draw clouds
    • Tell stories where one person starts a story and each person adds a sentence to continue the story.  Write it down and illustrate your story!
    • Make and deliver lemonade to neighbors
    • Go birdwatching
    • Make creative firefly catchers and then catch the fireflies that night.
    • Play charades
    • Act out a favorite book
    • Create with finger paints (make your own with flour, water, and food coloring or washable paint!)
    • Sing songs
    • Turn on music and dance
    • Pick flowers and give them to neighbors
    • Make summer crafts that build skills.
    • Have an art show and invite friends.
    • Create a spatial concepts map
    • Spin in circles.
    • Swing side to side on a swing set.
    • Hang upside down from swing set equipment.
    • Swing on a hammock.
    • Backyard dance party.  Encourage lots of whole body movements and spinning.
    • Cartwheels
    • Tumbles
    • Hopscotch
    • Play Leapfrog
    • Mini trampoline (or the big sized-trampoline) Catch a ball while standing, sitting, swinging, rolling a ball, catching between legs, etc.
    • Hit a tennis racket at a target including bubbles, falling leaves, large balls, small rubber balls, and balloons
    • Catch butterflies in a net
    • Bubble pop, including popping bubbles with a toe, knee, foot, head, finger, or elbow  
    • Play with goop
    • Draw in shaving cream on a cookie sheet outdoors. Then squirt off in the hose.
    outdoor equipment for sensory input in the backyard

    Backyard Sensory Equipment

    There are outdoor play items you may have already that can be repurposed to use in outdoor sensory play. These are common backyard toys or things that might be in your garage! It can be fun to re-think these items for a means of adding sensory input.

    Make a bin of outdoor toys that are readily available in your garage or storage area so that sensory play experiences are at your family’s fingertips. For example, all of these items could be used in an outdoor balance beam.

    • Hoola Hoops
    • Jump Ropes
    • Balls
    • Bat
    • Tennis Racket
    • Butterfly Net
    • Baby Swimming Pool
    • Tarp or Slip and Slide
    • Water Hose
    • Scoops and cups
    • Sidewalk chalk
    • Bike
    • Scooter
    • Skateboard
    • Cardboard
    • Target or net
    • Shovels
    • Buckets
    • Play wheelbarrow
    • Swing set
    • Climbing structure
    • Flashlight
    • Magnifying glass
    • Cones
    • Bubbles
    • Bean bags

    Outdoor Sensory issues

    Summer can mean sensory processing issues that impact kids with sensitivities or over responsiveness to sensory input. For autistic children or anyone with a neurodiversity that impacts sensory processing, summer can mean a real hatred for being outside in the hot summer months.

    So what are some of the reasons that sensory kids have issues with being outside during the summer?

    It can be hard to encourage outdoor play (and gain all of the benefits of outdoor play) when the summer months add a different level of sensory input. Here are some of the reasons that sensory kids are challenged in the summertime:

    For kids with sensory needs, it can be overwhelming to have an open space full of sights, sounds, scents, and textures.

    • Tolerance of the cuffs of shorts or sleeves
    • Tight bathing suits
    • Sensation of sunscreen
    • Sensation of socks or other clothing in hot weather
    • Humidity changes
    • Summer thunderstorms (can change the air temperature)
    • Short clothing that brushes on legs or arms
    • Sandals or open-toed shoes
    • Crowds or places where others are in close contact
    • Wearing a mask in warmer temperatures
    • Honking horns, barking dogs, and other sounds that frequent the backyard or lawn can be too much for the child with sensory sensitivities
    • Bright sun that is at a different angle in the sky than other months of the year
    • Overwhelming smells: cut grass, lawnmower gas, sunscreen, sweat, body odors, garbage scents
    • Interoceptive issues with body temperature, increased need for water, less hunger due to heat

    All of these sensory issues can occur unexpectedly and that unexpectedness of sensory input can be overwhelmingly alarming for those with autism or neurodiversity.

    How to help with summer sensory overload

    • Visual schedule
    • Help the child know what to expect
    • Wear shoes instead of sandals or bear feet
    • Proprioceptive input such as firm touch to the shoulders
    • Limit time outdoors
    • Know triggers for sensory overload and plan ahead when possible
    • Oral motor jewelry
    • Communicate travel or outdoor time needs
    • Calming vestibular sensory input such as side to side or forward-front slow swinging
    • Play that involves throw and play catch with a weighted ball
    • Bucket of water to rinse hands if child is sensitive to messy hands or dirt
    • Sheltered area if child is sensitive to wind blowing on skin
    • Wear a lightweight wind jacket
    • Bring a water bottle with straw for proprioceptive input
    • Calming or alerting snacks
    • Portable fan to help with overheating if needed
    • Hat with brim to reduce bright light or intense light in eyes or on face
    • Umbrella to deflect direct sun rays and prevent overheating
    • Sunscreen with firm touch before going outdoors
    • Scent free sunscreen
    • Sunscreen lotion vs. spray sunscreen (or vice versa depending on the particular needs and preferences)
    • Sensory friendly clothing, bathing suits, goggles
    • Wear sunglasses
    • Wear headphones to reduce background noise
    • Be aware of freshly cut grass which as a strong scent
    • Wear thin gloves for tactile activities
    • Use water shoes or crocks instead of sandals

    More about outdoor sensory diet activities

    Sensory diets and specific sensory input or sensory challenges are a big part of addressing sensory needs of children who struggle with sensory processing issues. Incorporating a schedule of sensory input (sensory diet) into a lifestyle of naturally occurring and meaningful activities is so very valuable for the child with sensory needs.    That’s why I’ve worked to create a book on creating an authentic and meaningful sensory lifestyle that addresses sensory needs. The book is now released as a digital e-book or softcover print book, available on Amazon.    The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook walks you through sensory diet creation, set-up, and carry through. Not only that, but the book helps you take a sensory diet and weave it into a sensory lifestyle that supports the needs of a child with sensory processing challenges and the whole family.  

    Get The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook here.

    The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook is a resource for creating sensory diets and turning them into a lifestyle of sensory success through meaningful and motivating sensory enrichment.
    These outdoor sensory diet activities are good sensory experiences to meet the needs of children with sensory processing needs or those who struggle with sensory related behaviors, perfect for a home exercise program or occupational therapy activities.

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

    Butterfly exercises

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    butterfly yoga exercises

    This week’s occupational therapy theme is all about the butterfly activities. And, these butterfly exercises help with coordination, motor panning, coordination, and add heavy work input. You’ll love the butterfly yoga activities that are fun, motivating, and engaging! Add these butterfly gross motor exercises to your Spring occupational therapy activities.

    butterfly yoga exercises

    In this free slide deck, you’ll love the heavy work and gross motor coordination activities with a butterfly theme. Butterfly exercises get those kiddos moving and building coordination skills so they can move, play, and develop skills.

    Butterfly exercises

    Kids will love these gross motor exercises that challenge the following skills in kids:

    • Balance
    • Coordination
    • Motor planning
    • Crossing midline
    • Movement changes
    • Sequencing

    When kids follow along with the visual images in the slides, they can work on planning out gross motor actions, crossing midline, and building core strength that helps with attention, following directions, and getting much needed proprioceptive and vestibular sensory input.

    These are fantastic butterfly gross motor activities for preschool, Pre-K and grade-school kids as a brain break that builds gross motor skills.

    Butterfly yoga

    In the slide deck are butterfly yoga positions to challenge balance and build strength. These exercises use a variety of yoga positions with a butterfly theme. Some of the activities use the butterfly yoga pose and others have visual images of a butterfly net or other images to make the yoga exercises motivating and fun for kids.

    Can they balance on one foot while pretending to catch a butterfly with their net?

    Butterfly gross motor activities

    You’ll also love the deep breathing exercise in the slide deck to encourage deep breathing. Try using this deep breathing exercise while doing the butterfly yoga!

    MORE BUTTERFLY ACTIVITIES

    Use the butterfly life cycle heavy work activities in the Heavy Work Cards to work on calming proprioceptive input.

    Butterfly Exercises Slide Deck

    Want to add these butterfly yoga and butterfly exercises to your therapy toolbox? Enter your email address into the form below to access this slide deck.

    Note that if you are using a school system’s email address, the PDF delivery may be blocked by your institution or workplace as a result of your system’s security measures. A personal email address may be better used.

    Butterfly Exercises Slide Deck!

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      Spring Fine Motor Kit

      Score Fine Motor Tools and resources and help kids build the skills they need to thrive!

      Developing hand strength, dexterity, dexterity, precision skills, and eye-hand coordination skills that kids need for holding and writing with a pencil, coloring, and manipulating small objects in every day task doesn’t need to be difficult. The Spring Fine Motor Kit includes 100 pages of fine motor activities, worksheets, crafts, and more:

      Spring fine motor kit set of printable fine motor skills worksheets for kids.
      • Lacing cards
      • Sensory bin cards
      • Hole punch activities
      • Pencil control worksheets
      • Play dough mats
      • Write the Room cards
      • Modified paper
      • Sticker activities
      • MUCH MORE

      Click here to add this resource set to your therapy toolbox.

      Spring Fine Motor Kit
      Spring Fine Motor Kit: TONS of resources and tools to build stronger hands.

      Grab your copy of the Spring Fine Motor Kit and build coordination, strength, and endurance in fun and creative activities. Click here to add this resource set to your therapy toolbox.

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

      Flower Balance Activities

      by
      Flower balance activities

      Want to help kids with balance, coordination, strength, and mobility? Need some core strengthening and stability activities to help with balance and vestibular integration? These flower balance activities are fun ways to help kids work on these very areas so they are able to move, play, learn, and function in day to day tasks. And, it’s all packaged up in a free Google slide deck so you can use these balance exercises in therapy sessions, at home, in the classroom, or clinic. These are Spring gross motor activities that really build skills!

      Balance activities slide deck with a flower theme to use in teletherapy sessions.

      Balance Activities

      You’ll find a lot of balance activities and exercises here on The OT Toolbox. We’ve shared balance beams, obstacle courses, brain breaks, prone extension activities, movement activities, and vestibular activities before. you may have even seen this DIY wobble disk made from ice. All of these activities are so great to help kids develop strength, coordination, movement pattern skills, and get them moving through play.

      Core strengthening is just one benefit of these balance activities kids can copy. We’ve talked before about core strength and it’s relationship to handwriting and other functional tasks.

      Flower balance activities for kids

      The free slide deck that I have available today, adds just one more balance tool into your therapy toolbox. It’s a fun way to challenge kids to move while copying visual images of body positioning. These exercises integrate visual processing to see the image and copy the positioning as well as motor skills as kids coordinate their body to move their arms or legs into the correct positioning.

      I’ve tried to use both sides of the body in this flower balance activity, so they can work on left-right discrimination as well.

      Flower balance activities

      When kids incorporate one leg stance, and holding a body position in a squat or lunge, they are adding proprioceptive input, so they gain the calming regulatory benefits, too.

      Flower balance exercises

      And, the therapy slide decks use a flower icon in various positions on each slide. So the user can copy the form by placing a pillow, stuffed animal, roll of socks, or bean bag into different places while maintaining balance. This can be a real challenge for some children!

      Flower deep breathing exercise

      There is a fun flower deep breathing exercise in the slide deck as well.

      Free Balance Exercise Slide Deck

      Want to use this free slide deck in teletherapy, in home programs, or in the classroom as a brain break? Just enter your email address into the form below.

      NOTE- Due to an increase in security measures, many readers utilizing a work or school district email address have had difficulty accessing free resources from the delivery email. Consider using a personal email address and forwarding the delivery email to your work account.

      Flower Balance Activities Slide Deck!

        We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.
        Built with ConvertKit

        Spring Fine Motor Kit

        Score Fine Motor Tools and resources and help kids build the skills they need to thrive!

        Developing hand strength, dexterity, dexterity, precision skills, and eye-hand coordination skills that kids need for holding and writing with a pencil, coloring, and manipulating small objects in every day task doesn’t need to be difficult. The Spring Fine Motor Kit includes 100 pages of fine motor activities, worksheets, crafts, and more:

        Spring fine motor kit set of printable fine motor skills worksheets for kids.
        • Lacing cards
        • Sensory bin cards
        • Hole punch activities
        • Pencil control worksheets
        • Play dough mats
        • Write the Room cards
        • Modified paper
        • Sticker activities
        • MUCH MORE

        Click here to add this resource set to your therapy toolbox.

        Spring Fine Motor Kit
        Spring Fine Motor Kit: TONS of resources and tools to build stronger hands.

        Grab your copy of the Spring Fine Motor Kit and build coordination, strength, and endurance in fun and creative activities. Click here to add this resource set to your therapy toolbox.

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