Category Archives: Activities

Therapro’s Free Activity of the Month: Have a Hoot with Fine Motor Skills

Activities, Fine Motor

By: Diana V. Mendez-Hohmann

Enhance fine motor skills and have fun learning about owls while you make this simple craft. With this easy craft your child will:

  • Practice scissor skills
  • Trace different shapes
  • Use both hands (bilateral coordination)
  • Cross the midline

Materials

  • 2 Sticky Back Foam Sheets or Felt
  • 2 Buttons
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • White Paper for the pattern
  • Markers

Step 1

Draw the pattern on white paper.

Cut the pattern shapes.

Place the shapes on the sticky back foam sheets. Use at least 2 different colors.
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Step 2

Cut the foam shapes
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Step 3

Peel the back of the wings and place wings on the belly.
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Step 4

Peel the back of the behind the eyes area and place on the top part of the belly.
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Step 5

Peel the back of the large eyes and center on the top.
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Step 6

Peel the back of the small eyes and center on the top.
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Step 7

Peel the back of the nose and place under the eyes.
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Step 8

Glue the buttons to the center of the eyes.
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Step 9

Decorate using the markers.
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Don’t forget to make it a multi-sensory experience.

  • What sound does the owl make?
  • Sing songs about owls or birds.
  • Have your child feel a feather.
  • Use different textures; combine foam and felt, or decorate with glitter.

Here is a felt owl we made using a heart for a nose. Send us a picture of your owl, or post it on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #Therapro
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Therapro’s Free Activity of the Month: Banana Nut Bars

Activities, Sensory

Look no further than your kitchen for some Sensory fun!

As therapists we constantly recommend sensory strategies and activities. The kitchen is full of sensory activities that can easily be incorporated into any child’s daily sensory strategies.

Baking is a fun activity that a parent and child can do together. The recipe below will offer opportunities for tactile exploration, olfactory stimulation and more.

Prepare for the activity

Make sure you have a stool for your child to use so that he can reach the counter. You can also move the activity to the kitchen table for a more accessible location and this way the child can sit on a cushion while they help with the baking.

Have your child help gather the ingredients and the necessary tools for baking. Tell them what they are, how they are used and encourage them to smell and taste the ingredients.

Banana Nut Bars (If you or your child is allergic to nuts, you can substitute the trail mix with chocolate chips)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 2 overripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup oatmeal
  • 1 cup self-rising flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup trail mix

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Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grease a 13 x 9 pan and set aside.
  3. Have your child place the bananas in a resalable plastic bag and mash them using a rolling pin. A great way to provide proprioceptive feedback and bilateral integration.

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  4. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and shortening until light and fluffy.
  5. Your child can stir in the mashed bananas and egg and vanilla.
  6. Mix well.
  7. Have your child add the rolled oats, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

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  8. Mix until thoroughly combined.
  9. Have your child stir in the trail mix.
  10. Have your child place the mixture in the greased pan.

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  11. Bake just until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
  12. Let cool, cut into squares and enjoy!

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Therapro’s Free Activity of the Month: Sock Snowman

Activities

If you are looking for fun seasonal activities you must read our Pre-Writing Curriculum Enrichment Series written and illustrated by Peggy Hundley Spitz, OTR. The books are split in 5 sections and each section is packed with seasonal activities to enhance your classroom or therapy session. The sections are as follows: Trace & Draw, Crafts and Costumes, Cooking, Stories to Color and Read and Games.

This month’s activity comes from the Crafts and Costumes section of Winter Activities: Snowflakes Snowflakes Everywhere.

Materials:

  • 1 White tube sock
  • Rubber band
  • Polyester stuffing
  • Fabric paints
  • Felt Strips, 1” x 12” or Ribbon
  • Colorful yarn scraps
  • Scissors

Directions:

  1. Fill sock with polyester stuffing. Leave 2” at the top unstuffed.
  2. Wrap rubber band around the top of the sock to close the end.
  3. Tie a felt strip or ribbon firmly around the sock where the neck and the scarf of the snowman should be. This will divide the sock into “head” and “body”.
  4. Tie some colorful scraps of yarn around the rubber band,
  5. Use fabric paints to add features and buttons to your snowman.
  6. Allow paint to dry completely.
  7. Enjoy!

Activities:

  1. Explore and encourage tactile awareness by discussing the variety of textures- stuffing, sock, felt, paint, yarn and rubber band.
  2. Add uncooked beans or uncooked rice instead of polyester stuffing to make a weighted snowman.
  3. Add lavender scented sachet to the inside of the snowman for a relaxing friend.
  4. Encourage each child to make their snowman unique and name them.
  5. Use light colored socks such as light blue or pink and shorter socks, see how different they look.

Make it a sensory activity:

After you complete your snowmen enjoy our recipe for Winter Fruit Salad. The recipe is in the cooking section of Winter Activities: Snowflakes Snowflakes Everywhere.

Winter Fruit Salad

Food Needed:

  • 1 red delicious apple, cored and sliced
  • 1 granny smith apple, cored and sliced
  • 1 winter pear, cored and sliced
  • 1 8oz can mandarin orange slices
  • ½ cup seedless grapes
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • Miniature marshmallows
  • 8-10 maraschino cherries

Equipment Needed:

  • Large Bowl
  • Plastic knives
  • Mixing spoon
  • Can opener
  • Serving bowls

Directions:

  1. Wash & dry hands.
  2. Cut apple and pear slices into cubes. Place in a large bowl.
  3. Wash grapes. Add to bowl.
  4. Open can of orange slices and drain. Add to bowl.
  5. Add some marshmallows and ½ cup of shredded coconut. Stir in until all the fruit is covered with coconut.
  6. Spoon into serving bowls. Sprinkle with more coconut and top with a cherry.

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