Category Archives: Fine Motor

Therapro Games Bundle: Letter Treasure Hunt, Novenops, and Trunks

Boosting Skills with Games!

In the world of education and therapy, finding engaging and effective tools to boost skills can be a game-changer. Fortunately, Therapro has developed a trio of unique games designed to not only boost skills but to also make learning an exciting adventure. In this blog we are exploring how the games Trunks, Letter Treasure Hunt, and Novenops are helpful tools for boosting skill development.

Trunks: The Game of Motor Memory

“Remember, perform, and succeed!”

	
Trunks®: A Game: boosting Motor-Memory skills

Trunks is the brainchild of an occupational therapist, carefully crafted to promote memory, motor sequencing, and cognitive skills. The concept is simple yet brilliant: players draw a card, study the given action, and then perform it from memory. But here’s the twist – on their next turn, they draw an additional card and must execute both actions in the correct order without peeking.

The real magic lies in the creation of a “trunk,” a series of four cards that, when combined, forms an elephant’s trunk. Through this engaging game, players not only sharpen their memory and sequencing abilities but also enhance their attention to detail and focus. Trunks is an excellent therapeutic tool for those seeking to strengthen cognitive and motor skills in a fun and interactive way.

Watch the short video below for a review of Trunks by physical therapist, Laurie Gombash!

Letter Treasure Hunt: A Multisensory Learning Adventure

“Learning to write, one treasure at a time.”

Letter Treasure Hunt game: boosting handwriting skills

Letter Treasure Hunt is a game that seamlessly blends handwriting skills, gross motor challenges, and language development. It’s an exciting adventure where children explore the world of letters while engaging in activities that improve their handwriting and motor coordination.

In this game, kids embark on a quest to discover hidden treasures, all while completing ‘captain’s orders’, fun gross motor tasks that challenge balance, coordination and strength. This dynamic blend of gross motor challenges not only keeps children active but also enhances their physical development. Moreover, the game fosters language skills by encouraging communication among players.

Letter Treasure Hunt is the perfect example of how education can be both fun and effective, making it an excellent choice for parents, teachers, and therapists looking to boost various skills in an engaging manner.

Watch the short video below for a review of Letter Treasure Hunt by physical therapist, Laurie Gombash!

Novenops: Mastering Grammar through Play

“Grammar made fun, one card at a time.”

NOVENOP is an acronym created from the words NOun, VErb, NOun, and Phrase and is a board game for children of ages 6 and up

Novenops is a game that focuses on enhancing the player’s understanding of the basic elements of grammar. With 60 carefully designed cards, this game creates a captivating learning experience that continuously reinforces sentence structure concepts. As players progress, their word familiarity improves, subsequently boosting their reading and writing skills.

The beauty of Novenops lies in its ability to turn grammar lessons into an enjoyable activity. By gamifying language learning, it removes the traditional barriers associated with grammar education and replaces them with excitement and engagement. It’s an ideal tool for educators and parents who want to transform grammar from a chore into a rewarding adventure.

Watch the short video below for a review of Novenops by physical therapist, Laurie Gombash!

Therapro’s games— Trunks, Letter Treasure Hunt, and Novenops —are shining examples of how education and therapy can be both effective and enjoyable. These games are not only designed to boost skills but also make the learning process a memorable and fun experience. Whether you’re a therapist, educator, or parent, consider incorporating these games into your toolkit to unlock the full potential of skill development. With Therapro, learning is an adventure waiting to be discovered!

Bean Bag Chair

Enhancing Sensory Experiences in the Home Daycare Setting

Porch, the home services platform, reached out to Therapro for help with their latest article, Safeguarding Your Home Daycare: What Experts Have to Say. The question posed to the Therapro team was: How can home daycare providers utilize therapeutic and educational resources to enhance sensory experiences and cognitive development for children in their care? Therapro’s team of experts had a lot to say on this topic! Read our latest post to see what Therapro shared and be sure to check out the full article for additional information!

Home daycare providers can greatly enhance sensory experiences and cognitive development for children in their care by incorporating therapeutic and educational resources from Therapro, among others. In this post we are covering several strategies and Therapro resources that can be used to enhance these experiences.

Tactile Search & Match a tool used to enhance sensory experiences

Sensory-Focused Environments: Creating sensory-focused environments within your home
daycare is a great, all-around way, to enhance sensory experiences. This can be accomplished simply by utilizing sensory tools, like fidget toys, or sensory integration equipment like therapy balls. These resources can stimulate children’s tactile, proprioceptive, and vestibular senses, promoting sensory exploration and integration.

Create And Play Sensory Beads (6 Pack); a set of 6 beads with various textures to enhance sensory experiences

Sensory Bins: Therapro offers various sensory bin materials, like mini animals or sensory beads. These bins can be customized to match educational themes and provide opportunities for tactile exploration, improving fine motor skills and cognitive development.

Waddle Plastic Balance Board

Fine and Gross Motor Activities: Tools like therapy putty, sensory beads, and balance boards. are examples of therapeutic resources that can be integrated into activities to enhance sensory experiences. For instance, swap therapy putty for traditional playdough activities to bring in grounding proprioceptive input. Add a balance board to traditional circle time activities to add vestibular stimulation that can increase alertness. 

By integrating therapeutic and educational resources into your home daycare setting, you can create an enriching environment that fosters sensory experiences and cognitive development for the children in your care.

Activities That Build Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills are vital for many functional activities like zippering our coats, writing our name, and opening lunch containers. In this post we will take a dive into fine motor skill development and explore toys and activities that are appropriate for every skill level.  

Level 1

Fine motor skill development begins with the simplest hand movements; reaching, swiping, and gross grasp. As development progresses things like visually guided reach, purposeful release, and a better ability to hold medium and small sized objects develops. Poking, pointing, and the ability to use the thumb and first fingers to hold small objects are major milestones during this period. For children at this developmental stage activities that support the growth of the proximal muscles (core and shoulders) are important because it is these muscles that will support later fine motor skills. Activities that are done while on the tummy and activities that involve pushing and pulling are great choices at this stage.

Level 2

The next stage of fine motor development is marked by the ability to begin to use simple tools like crayons, scissors, and spoons. Activities like the Smartmax games and Lock Boxes are still great choices but now simple arts and crafts, lacing, and building activities can also be enjoyed. These increasingly more complex activities will lend to the development of the hand skills that are needed for greater independence with self care activities like feeding and dressing.

Level 3

The next stage of development is marked by the ability to complete tasks that require the separation of the two sides of the hand; the ‘power side’ and the ‘skilled side’. The power side of the hand is what we use when we engage in activities that require strength like opening a jar; actions like squeezing a toy or playing in putty or playdough are great ways to develop these muscles.  The skilled side of the hand is what we use when we engage in activities that require refined movements like writing, tying, or fastening a button.  To develop these muscles we must engage in activities that predominantly require the use of the thumb and first two or three fingers; actions like winding the small knob on a wind up toy, using the first fingers to grab, grasp or manipulate objects, and using one finger to push a button or lever are all great ways to develop these muscle. The development of the separation of the two sides of the hands is important for academic and self care tasks.

Level 4

Hallmarks of this stage of fine motor skill development include the skilled coordination between the two sides of the body and a mature pencil grasp. Games like Froggy Feeding Fun and activities with Wikki Stix or Playdough are still great but now activities that require refined skill can also be introduced.

Choosing activities that are developmentally appropriate will ensure not only engagement but will also promote continued fine motor skill development.