🌍 Good News! We Now Ship Worldwide! ✈️
No matter where you are, you can bring the magic of Fun Strokes into your home, classroom, or therapy room.
Start your pre-writing journey—from our hands to yours, across the globe! 💛 Dismiss
Dollar Tree Find of the Month: Puffers for Pennies
Pufferfish made out of pool noodles, how fun! Run to your local Dollar Tree and grab a few pool noodles, one goes a long way. You can make 20 or so pufferfish from just one pool noodle. Pop over to the craft section and toss some wiggle eyes into your basket, grab a box of toothpicks and you are all set! Children will enjoy making a cute little pufferfish of their own. Of course, while working on many fine motor skills.
Puffers for Pennies Supply List
Dollar Tree Supplies Needed
Pool noodle (one pool noodle makes about 20 fish)
Toothpicks (10-15 for each pufferfish)
Wiggle eyes (2 for each pufferfish)
Pipe cleaners (one for each pufferfish: cut into three pieces, one half, 2 quarters)
Staples Needed:
scissors
glue
How to Make:
Puffers for Pennies
Cut the pool noodle into 2” pieces. Glue the eyes onto the pool noodle first and let dry. Bend the pipe cleaner (quarters) to make round fins. Insert one on each side. Bend the third pipe cleaner (halve) to form a triangle, insert it into the back of the pool noodle. Break the toothpicks in half and stick them into the top of the pool noodle.
Use judgment, the pufferfish are prickly and can poke little hands.
Skills Addressed:
This fun activity addresses the following skill areas:
pincer grasp and 3 jaw chuck (tripod grasp)
hand separation
bilateral coordination
finger strengthening
pressure grading (figuring out how much force to apply)
eye-hand coordination
spatial relations
Grade Down(Make it Easier)
Break the toothpicks for the child
Make holes in the pool noodle and have the child insert the toothpicks in the hole
Pre-make the pipe cleaner shapes
Grade Up (Make it Harder):
Build in-hand manipulation skills:
Translation is the ability to move objects from the palm of one’s hand to the fingertips and from the fingertips to the palm. By ages 6 to 7, children are typically able to manipulate and secure multiple small objects within their hands. Practice this skill with the toothpicks. Using one hand, have the child pick up one toothpick at a time and move it from fingertips to palm. Try collecting 5 and then move up to 10.
In-hand Manipulation Skills: Translation
Do you know of a fun pool noodle craft? Please share in the comments section below. I’d love to hear about it!
Disclaimer:
The Fun Strokes blog is designed for educational and informational use only for teachers, therapists, and parents. It is not intended as medical advice or therapeutic treatment that would be provided in an individualized treatment plan. If you suspect a child has delays, please consult an occupational therapist.
Heavy work is any type of activity that provides resistance to the body by way of pulling or pushing. Resistance could be created by something pushing against the body like water in the swimming pool, or the body pushing against the floor such as doing push-ups. Pulling on resistance bands, and hanging on monkey bars are also examples. Heavy work activities offer many benefits because they provide proprioceptive input.
What is proprioception?
Proprioception is our sense of body awareness. It is the ability of our body to know how it is moving and where it is in space. For example, being able to close your eyes and touch your nose with the tip of your index finger. Our body knows how to do this because the sensory receptors in our muscles and joints send information to the brain. This vital information relays how our body is moving, where each body part is in space, and where each body part is in relation to the other. Try closing your eyes and touching your fingertip to your nose. When you really think about it, it’s pretty amazing.
Why are heavy work activities beneficial?
Heavy work activities provide proprioceptive input or information to the body that helps with feeling centered and grounded. This input provides a sense of organization and calm. Many children benefit from heavy work activities for this reason. When a child feels organized, tasks become easier. For example, proprioceptive input can help a child understand how to grade pressure. Know any kids who push really hard on crayons when coloring a picture? Many times their hand will hurt and fatigue before they are finished. When children have a lack of body awareness, it can be hard to determine just how much pressure to put on the crayon when coloring.
Who should partake in heavy work activities?
Heavy work activities may benefit all children. Heavy work is a form of movement and exercise, which we all need.
Heavy work activities can be particularly helpful and effective for children who have sensory processing difficulties. Sensory processing is the ability of our body to receive and interpret sensory information and deliver an appropriate response. Children who have sensory processing difficulties have trouble with taking in information from their environment, and sometimes their own body, making sense of it and figuring out how to respond to it. You may notice these children slamming doors, bumping into things, leaning against furniture and walls, and climbing on everything. Proprioceptive input provides their body with the information they need to modulate. In other words, proprioceptive input helps children process sensory information and deliver an appropriate response.
Children who have deficits in motor planning may also benefit from heavy work activities. This isoften referred to as dyspraxia. Motor planning is the ability to know what steps to take, in what order, and then carry out the novel motor action needed to execute the plan. Proprioceptive input can help children with this disorder gain a greater awareness of where their body is in space which in turn helps with movement and coordination.
Heavy work activities can also be employed to reduce stress and anxiety because they facilitate calm via organizing and regulating the sensory system.
How often should children participate in heavy work activities?
Heavy work breaks can be offered to all children, however, the amount of time, frequency, and intensity will vary. All children are unique and therefore have different needs. There is no one-for-all approach. Offering heavy work options during breaks is generally a good idea. It is not uncommon for special education and even some general education teachers to offer heavy work activities as breaks to their students. Brain breaks for example very well may consist of heavy work activities that the entire classroom will benefit from. Parents may decide to have their children engage in heavy work activities at home. This can be particularly beneficial during homework, morning and bedtime routines, or anytime you need your child to settle down. Ever had a hard time keeping your little one under control in the grocery store? Of course! Kids sometimes have too much energy and not enough patience for what you are trying to do. Heavy work activities can be beneficial in the grocery store as well.
However, if you have or work with a child who has a sensory processing disorder, consulting with an occupational therapist is recommended. Sensory needs can be complex and the expertise of a therapist is needed. Sometimes it is necessary to develop a sensory diet tailored to meet the specific needs of the child. A sensory diet provides lots of opportunities for the child to engage in meaningful sensory-based activities. Sensory diets provide the input needed for the child to modulate sensory information and produce appropriate responses. Each sensory diet varies based on the child’s needs. It typically is carried out throughout a child’s day. Some may include scheduled breaks, while other sensory opportunities are designed to occur as a natural part of the day.
What are some heavy work activities that can be done in the classroom?
Here are some of my favorite activities because I feel that they are practical, doable, and easy to incorporate into your classroom routine.
A stress ball or squeezable/squishy fidgets (having a designated “fidget box” with several options is a good idea)
Resistance bands on chair legs (students push their feet or legs against the bands while seated)
Chair dips
Seated push-ups or desk push-ups (child places both hands on the chair or desk and lifts their body off the seat or floor)
Movement breaks: tug-of-war, jumping jacks, yoga poses
Squeeze and squish: Kinetic Sand, Play-Doh
Trampoline (investing in a mini trampoline for your classroom is so worth it)
Crumple paper and shoot for the trash basket (this is great to incorporate while your student is cleaning his/her desk)
Wipe the chalkboard or whiteboard clean
Wall push-ups (these are just like regular push-ups except the child is leaning against the wall)
Recess: monkey bars, any type of climbing equipment, climb up the slide instead of using the ladder
Carry a weighted backpack during transitions (mustn’t exceed 20% of child’s body weight)
Hold an exercise ball against the wall using your back
Animal walks (crab, bear, seal, etc.)
Body sock
Weighted lap pad or lap animals
What are some heavy work activities that can be done at home?
Here are my suggestions. These activities can easily be incorporated into your day.
Jump rope
Kinetic Sand
Push-ups
Wall push-ups (these are just like regular push-ups except the child is leaning against the wall)
Stress ball or squeezable/squishy hand fidgets
Crumple paper and toss into wastepaper basket (a great opportunity to get rid of your never-ending supply of junk mail)
Tug-of-war
Jumping on the bed
Trampoline
Chair dips
Swimming
Playground: monkey bars, any type of climbing equipment, climb up the slide instead of using the ladder
Jumping jacks
Yoga poses
Squish and squeeze Kinetic Sand, Play-doh
Animal walks (crab, bear, seal, etc.)
Pull wagon filled with something heavy like books or stones
Hold exercise ball against a wall using back
Steamroll: Roll exercise ball over child’s back and legs while he/she is laying on the carpet/rug; make it fun by saying “I’m going to turn you into a pancake”
Jump and crash into pillows or sofa cushions placed on the floor
Blanket burrito: tightly wrap your child in a blanket to create a nice squeeze; make it fun by saying “I’m going to turn you into a burrito”
At the grocery store have your child carry a basket and gather some of the things on your list. Or you can have your child push the cart. They will probably love being a helper.
Crunchy Snacks: Offer snacks that provide intense oral motor input like pretzels, carrot sticks, and celery sticks.
Chores: Yes, I said chores! Chores are a great way to get some heavy work in. My favorite is vacuum cleaning because vacuums tend to be heavy. Mopping and sweeping the floor are also options. Doing yard work? Have your child dig using a shovel, or pull weeds. Pushing a wheelbarrow is also a great option.
Fun Strokes Freebie:
Heavy Work Activities for School & Home Infographic
An excellent resource to provide to teachers and parents when recommending heavy work activities as part of a self-regulation program.
Heavy Work Activities for School & Home Infographic
It’s also a good idea to allow children to become vested in their self-regulation journey by choosing what activity they’d like to partake in. If the child is getting an adequate amount of input, you and the child will probably notice a difference in behavior. For example, the child is able to remain seated if needed, stay on task longer, and get his/her independent work done. Over time, he or she will begin to understand what they need to self-regulate.
You can offer choices by presenting the child with visuals of heavy work activities like in the example below.
Heavy Work Activity Choice Boards
When behavior suggests that a heavy work activity is needed, or when it is time for a scheduled break, present the child with the choice board. He or she may make a choice by selecting a laminated picture card from the sensory choice board and placing it on their break card. Once they have finished the break they may move it to the “all done” side of their break card.
Heavy Work Activity Choice Boards
Hey OTs! Do you have kids on your caseload who need and will benefit from heavy work-based sensory strategies? Of course, you do! Ever have trouble getting teachers and/or staff to invest their time and effort in implementing your suggestions for sensory breaks and strategies? Do you need a tangible solution that structures your sensory consultation in a way that is easy to understand and carry out? Look no further, Heavy Work Activity Choice Boards are your answer! Provide insight into the sensory needs of your students and how to address them in a way that flows with natural classroom routines. Offer many options for heavy work activity breaks that are easy to implement and will provide results!
Heavy Work Activity Choice Boards and Break Cards
These interactive choice boards are excellent for helping children self-regulate. They can be can be used in both school and home environments. Post them on the wall in plain sight. They are ideal for use in the regular or special education classroom or they can be provided to parents as part of a home program for self-regulation. Would you like to use my interactive heavy work activity choice boards and break cards with your kiddos? Click the button below to get your digital download today!
Have any heavy work suggestions that you like to do in your classroom or home? Please share in the comments section below, I’d love to hear about it.
Disclaimer:
The Fun Strokes blog is designed for educational and informational use only for teachers, therapists, and parents. It is not intended as medical advice or therapeutic treatment that would be provided in an individualized treatment plan. If you suspect a child has delays, please consult an occupational therapist.
As a school-based occupational therapist, I receive many referrals for handwriting difficulties. Handwriting is a very complex function that requires many underlying skills. Many children struggle to acquire legible handwriting skills. For more information on the importance of handwriting legibility check out this post. Handwriting Legibility: Why Is It So Important?
Several factors can make a child’s writing difficult to read.
Poorly formed letters
Letters that are squished together or spread too far apart
Words that are squished together or too far apart
Poorly organized writing that is all over the page instead of aligned along the margin and lines of ruled paper
Very faint print that is difficult to see due to inadequate pressure
Very dark print that appears messy due to too much pressure
When looking at a child’s handwriting, it is important to figure out what is impacting legibility. Once you’ve identified what components need work, many times it’s best to grapple with one issue at a time. Why is this important? Often times kiddos with handwriting difficulties become frustrated and overwhelmed when trying to fix all the errors they’ve made. When this happens, little progress is made. It may seem like it will take too much time to tackle one problem at a time, but it really doesn’t and the end result is surely worth it. Once competency is gained in each area, the child is able to complete the editing process without getting overwhelmed. This is when you can have the child use a comprehensive checklist that addresses all legibility components and grammar if necessary. This post will focus on how to help kids learn how to space between and within words or improve visual processing skills (spatial relations).
Try one of these tips:
Fun Stroke Handwriting Helpers
Finger Spacing Have children place the finger of their non-writing hand after each word. A finger is just the right width or amount of space that should be left between words. I love this strategy because children always have access to their fingers. Unlike spacers and tools which often get lost, a child always has their finger on their person, ready to help them. Here’s a visual aid that can help children remember to do this. Place it on their desk or in plain sight while they are writing.
Spacing Visual Aid
Spaceman: Kids love spacemen. Spacemen are little wooden astronauts that help children learn how to space between words. Children place the spaceman after each word after it is written. There is a red line on the spacer indicating where to place it on the line.
Really Good Stuff Spaceman Deluxe Student Set – Includes 30 Spacemen in a Reusable Storage Container
Starting Blocks Plus Bundle- One Finger Spacer Handwriting Tool, Green and Two Finger Spacer Handwriting Tool, Blue
Spacers: Some children have trouble with coordinating their hands to place a finger after each word. This has been particularly noted with lefties because their non-writing hand gets in the way. You can purchase spacers that function just like finger placement. The one-finger spacer is for use with wide-ruled paper (2nd grade or above). The two-finger spacer is for use with primary paper (kindergarten and 1st grade).
DIY Spacers: Craft sticks work too! Have children decorate the popsicle stick to their liking. Simply place the stick after each word, much the same as any other spacer. In the primary grades, a wider stick is needed.
Artlicious – 200 Wooden Popsicle Craft Sticks 4.5 inch Standard Size
100 Piece Large Jumbo Wooden Craft Sticks (6″ x 3/4″)
Edibles: Many children are motivated by edible rewards. This technique is almost guaranteed to work. When teaching the child, have he or she place a candy after each word written. Once the child begins to learn the concept, using an edible during the editing process works like a charm. The child is only allowed to place a candy where there is enough space for it to fit. M&Ms and skittles are the perfect sizes for this activity.
Stamps are another great option. Particularly if you want to avoid the use of edibles. The kids I’ve worked with were always excited to use stamps to help them space between words. Just the same, the child is to place a stamp after each word written. You can have them use it during the writing process or after as an editing tool.
100 Pcs Assorted Stamps for Kids Self-ink Stamps 50 DIFFERENT Designs ( Emoji Stampers, Dinosaur Stampers, Zoo Safari Stampers)
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What about kids that leave too much space between the letters of a word?
Visual Aids We often see children who have trouble with spacing between words. But sometimes kids have trouble with placing the letters of a word together. They leave too much space between the letters. This is another handwriting issue you may see in children who struggle with spatial relations. I find visual aids are quite helpful when trying to get children to understand what to do. I like to use the analogy of houses on a street by saying “Letters of a word stay together, they live in the same house.”
Spacing Visual Aid
Would you like a free PDF of the visual aids presented in this post?
As you can see, there are many ways to help children learn how to space between words. Figure out what works for your student or child. Like anything else, we all have our preferences. Let your student/child decide what works for them. For more information regarding how to improve handwriting skills, check out these posts:
The Fun Strokes blog is designed for educational and informational use only for teachers, therapists, and parents. It is not intended as medical advice or therapeutic treatment that would be provided in an individualized treatment plan. If you suspect a child has delays, please consult an occupational therapist.
What are letter reversals? Letter reversals mean writing letters backward. Letter reversals are quite common in all children. They typically resolve by the age of 7. By third grade, reversals may still be present, but only occasionally. In typical development, it takes time for children to gain a solid picture in their minds of what each letter looks like. Then they must devise and carry out the motor plan required to mimic the visual image in their brain. Believe it or not, there is still more to developing the skill of handwriting, but the focus of this post is different. Here I will focus on the topic of reversals.
Although letter reversals can be typical up to third grade, the earlier you help the child to resolve the problem, the better. School-age children spend a tremendous amount of time writing, up to 50% of their day. Many bad habits can develop, reversals being one of them. Try to stop the issue before it becomes habitual.
What causes letter reversals?
Reversals result from difficulties in visual processing and/or executive functioning skills.
Visual Processing Difficulties Explained:
Visual Memory
Some children have a hard time remembering what letters look like. So when they are attempting to write letters from recall or without a model, reversals occur because they simply can not remember what it looks like. This is particularly confusing for those letters that are a mirror image of each other like b and d, or letters that can be flipped like p and q. These letters are most commonly reversed. Some children also have trouble with w and m, as well as n and u.
Directional Awareness
Knowing left from right and developing a dominance for the use of one hand over the other plays a significant role in the development of handwriting skills. If a child struggles with this, they may also struggle with the position of letters.
How can you tell if a child struggles in this area? You will probably notice the following behaviors:
Switching hands when coloring, drawing, or writing
Using both hands when coloring, drawing or writing
Putting shoes on the wrong feet
Starting in the middle of the paper or random locations on the paper when writing sentences
Failure to demonstrate left-to-right progression in reading and writing
Spatial Awareness
Some children need help figuring out where to start letters and/or how big or small to make letters.
Visual Discrimination
Recognizing how images are different is extremely important when learning to write letters. If subtle differences are hard to discern, it won’t be easy to learn this skill.
Visual-Motor Integration
Being able to copy shapes and write letters requires visual-motor integration. This is the ability to look at a form (shape or letter) and process the visual information in your brain. Then your brain must come up with a motor plan. Meaning your brain must tell the muscles in your hand how to move to copy the shape or letter using a writing utensil.
How can you tell if a child struggles in this area? You will probably notice the following behaviors:
Difficulty learning pre-writing strokes, the basic shapes that serve as the foundation for all letters and numbers
Unable to draw or write with fluid strokes meaning the child needs to pick up their utensil every time they change the direction of their stroke, like from horizontal to vertical. This is also referred to as segmental drawing.
Unable to change the direction of the stroke without turning the paper. This is a compensatory behavior where the child will help themselves by turning the paper instead of using their fingers to execute the stroke.
Children who write letters from the bottom up versus top to bottom. This is another compensatory behavior where the child feels more grounded by starting at the bottom of the line.
Difficulty crossing the midline or reaching an arm/leg across the body to the opposite side when playing, getting dressed, drawing, or anytime it makes sense to approach a task in this manner to be most efficient.
Executive Functioning Difficulties Explained:
What is executive functioning? This brain function is responsible for many skills. Here I will focus on the executive functioning skills that play a huge role in the acquisition and execution of handwriting skills. Executive functioning provides working memory and allows us to pay attention and to self-monitor our actions.
Working Memory
Working memory is retaining information long enough to accomplish a task. For example, remembering a telephone number long enough to enter the digits into your phone. When children are learning to write letters, they must remember the stroke sequence. This often requires several steps; some letters are more complex than others. Let’s emphasize letter b; the stroke sequence is “start at the top, make a vertical line, climb back up the vertical line, upon reaching the mid-point of the line, form a circle on the right side of the line that closes on the bottom of the line. Sound complicated? Of course, those who learn this skill readily don’t have to think about it that much, but those who struggle need to think about it too much!
Attention Span
I’ve covered how complicated and complex learning the stroke sequence to letter formations can be. Imagine if you also struggle with paying attention to the instruction while learning to write. You will undoubtedly compensate by coming up with your own method which may or may not be a legible version of the letter.
Self-Monitoring
Executive functioning allows one to pace oneself. Early writers or those learning to write need to think about how to form every letter before writing it. This is a meticulous effort that requires self-control. Those who struggle in this area will write without forethought, often resulting in poor formations and reversals.
Other factors may also play a role. Often, children who are learning to write are also learning letter sounds, phonetics, and other language components. Sometimes problems learning these concepts may lead to trouble learning to write. Sometimes problems learning to write may lead to trouble understanding language components. The bottom line, every child is different and have unique struggles.
Do children who write letters backward have dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning disability that impacts reading. Letter reversals are not necessarily a sign of dyslexia. Some kids with dyslexia have trouble with this, but many don’t. In fact, most kids who reverse letters before age 7 end up not having dyslexia. Source: www.understood.org
Letter Reversals Explained At A Glance:
Infographic: Letter Reversals, Should You Be Concerned?
Teach children letters following developmental guidelines
Ideally, handwriting should be taught following developmental guidelines. More specifically, pre-writing strokes first, then uppercase letters, and finally, lowercase letters. It is also ideal to teach letters with similar stroke sequences in groups. My favorite handwriting program is Handwriting Without Tears. An occupational therapist created it. Handwriting Without Tears follows the developmental progression of skills and group letters according to stroke sequence. For example, “magic c letters”. All letters that begin with “c” are taught as a group. Those letters are c, a, o, d, g, q. Some schools use the Handwriting Without Tears program as part of their curriculum. I strongly believe that it helps to prevent letter reversals and helps to correct letter reversals.
Kindergarten Workbook
First-grade workbook
Check out the Handwriting Without Tears Program by clicking the images above.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Use a multi-sensory approach
Use visuals: color contrast, varying colors for each stroke and visual aids like the one presented on the right can be very helpful. Download the PDF on the right or the ones below and place it on the child’s desk or the wall in your classroom.
Provide tactile input that will give the child more feedback when learning the motor sequence to form letters: use textures like writing on sandpaper, or make letters in sand, shaving cream, pudding, rice, etc.
Provide kinesthetic input: air writing (form letters with pointer finger in the air). Use hands as visual aids.
Provide auditory input: have the child state the stroke sequence while writing the letter. Make up a song to accompany the stroke sequence to the letter. Sing it to a familiar tune like…Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.
For some children, teaching cursive handwriting may help. Cursive handwriting naturally lends itself to correct reversals as letters are connected and words are formed as one continuous stroke. This method may not work with children who struggle with motor planning, as cursive requires more complex stroke sequences with many directional changes.
Do you have a go-to strategy to combat letter reversals? I’d love to hear about it. Please share in the comments section below.
Disclaimer:
The Fun Strokes blog is designed for educational and informational use only for teachers, therapists, and parents. It is not intended as medical advice or therapeutic treatment that would be provided in an individualized treatment plan. If you suspect a child has delays, please consult an occupational therapist.
It is with great enthusiasm that I share an article that I’ve written for the outstanding publication Autism Parenting Magazine. In the May 2021 issue, I share strategies that parents can use to prepare their children for the handwriting demands of kindergarten and beyond. These strategies are also recommended for teachers, those who homeschool, or anyone who provides care for children with autism.
Handwriting is crucial for success in school, communication skills, and a child’s self-esteem. Children with autism often have handwriting impairments, so they may be referred to occupational therapists to address this most important skill.
I’ve been working as a pediatric occupational therapist for a little over 20 years. While on my professional journey, I’ve received my fair share of referrals for children with autism. This population soon became one of my favorites to work with.
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced when working with autistic children is gaining and sustaining attention, particularly for non-preferred tasks like pre-writing and handwriting. I’ve embraced this challenge and made it my mission to come up with a solution.
From this experience, the Fun Strokes pre-writing program was created. This program was designed to spark interest when learning pre-writing skills while incorporating some of the strategies that I’ve found to be effective when working with children with autism.
This article will discuss the strategies that I typically use to address handwriting skills when working with children on the spectrum. Of course, these strategies are not a catch-all, just some guidelines to go by. Every child is unique, including children with autism. An individualized approach that builds on learning strengths is recommended when working with all children.
Eight strategies to address handwriting skills
1. Start early
Working on pre-writing is just as important as reading books to your child. Provide lots of exposure and support in this area in an attempt to combat potential handwriting difficulties.
Know what age expectations are and try to keep them on track or as close to it as possible.
At 12 months old you should see your child scribbling while holding the utensil with a fisted grasp
By age two you should see your child’s grasp maturing and scribbles becoming defined horizontal and vertical strokes
Foster a strong foundation by making sure your child can form the prerequisite pre-writing strokes before attempting letters. In short, by the age of 12 months old, you should be monitoring and addressing pre-writing skills. These crucial years provide lots of opportunities for scribbling followed by forming basic shapes using various types of medium: finger paint, pudding, whipped cream, Play-Doh, Wikki Sticks, or basically anything you can think of.
2. Know their limit
Above all, the most important thing needed in order for a child to progress with anything is focus. When presenting your child with a task, particularly a novel task, you must establish meaningful engagement with your child. In other words, your child should feel enabled to focus on the task.
What exactly does focus mean? It is the ability to sustain selective attention or concentration on the task at hand while ignoring or filtering out the non-relevant or distracting information in one’s environment (McLeod, 2018). This is the level of attention that yields steady results on a task over time. For some children, this can be a great challenge.
Here are some guidelines
Attention span in typically-developing children is about 3 to 5 minutes per year of age (Schmitt, 2014). If a child is four years old, you can expect that he/she will attend an educational task like letter recognition for about 12 to 20 minutes
Attention span is typically greater for a preferred activity like playing a video game, watching a video on an iPad, or wherever the child’s interest lies
Attention span may be significantly less for an activity that is extremely difficult for the child. This is when it is important to provide a customized level of challenge and other means of support that will spark a greater interest
3. Find the “just right” challenge
It is very important not to overwhelm a child with any task demand. Be sure to provide an opportunity for some success. In other words, make sure the child is able to do a portion of the task. Meet them where they are, then add a bit of challenge.
For example, if working on letter formation, choose letters where the child is able to form the prerequisite pre-writing strokes. If working on the letter F, be sure that your child is able to form both horizontal and vertical lines. Then show him/her how to combine those strokes to form the letter F. Do not attempt the letter X, for example, if your child is unable to form diagonal lines.
4. Keep language simple and concrete
Children with autism can get bogged down when too much language is used to present a demand or task. Only say what is necessary, in as few words as possible. Avoid abstract concepts and/or sarcasm (Caushi, 2014). Use simple and consistent verbal prompts. When working on pre-writing strokes, use the same verbal prompt for each stroke until they can do it. For example, if working on drawing a vertical line, demonstrate the action while saying “line down, STOP!”
5. Provide sensory supports
Proprioceptive support
Prepare your child’s body with proprioceptive or heavy work opportunities. Basically, any type of activity that provides resistance (pushing or pulling) to the muscles and joints. This type of activity can have an organizing effect on our bodies, facilitating calm and focus. Some children crave intense input and may prefer crashing into bean bags, sofa cushions placed on the floor, or jumping and crashing onto the bed mattress.
Some kiddos like the feeling of a big squeeze. This can be accomplished by tightly wrapping them in a blanket or towel to make a “burrito”. You can also jump rope, play tug-of-war, jump on a trampoline, or “steamroll” them by rolling a therapy ball over their back while they are laying on their tummy. Pretending to push the wall down or doing “wall push-ups” are other options.
Tactile support
For your tactile seekers who need to touch everything, present activities that offer a great tactile experience. For example, have them trace their finger over gritty letters cut from sandpaper. Use a tray or cookie sheet to form shapes and letters in kinetic sand, whipped cream, or pudding.
Some children with autism do not prefer stationary tabletop tasks like handwriting. Offering activities that provide movement opportunities are oftentimes more successful. For example, he/she can stand or kneel while working on an easel or on worksheets taped to the wall.
Oral support
Some kiddos need a lot of oral motor input, particularly when engaged in a non-preferred activity. If you have a child who puts everything in his or her mouth and/or chews on clothing, he/she may be seeking oral motor input. Offer hard crunchy snacks before the activity. Carrots, pretzels, anything with a nice crunch. You can also purchase chewies that are made for this purpose—they come in many varieties.
Finally, make sure the environment is conducive to learning. Clutter can be overstimulating. Clean and clear work stations work best for most children. This eliminates visual distractions. Lighting is also important. Some kids prefer to work in a dimly lit room. Others may prefer a brighter ambience. Strobe lights can be too intense.
Auditory supports can also facilitate time on task. Some kids prefer quiet, others may need to have some type of sound in the background. Classical or mindfulness playlists often facilitate focus. Take note of your child’s preferences and try to cater to his/her needs.
6. Build on visual strengths
Children with autism tend to be visual learners rather than auditory learners (Rao, Gagie, 2006). Supplement verbal information with a visual image. A picture depicting your request is always beneficial. For example, present a picture of a child writing to serve as the visual model illustrating the expectation. Even better, take a picture of your child while engaged in a written task, laminate it for durability (optional) and show it to him/her when it is time for handwriting practice.
Use visually stimulating images and work at eye level, leaving little opportunity for the eyes to wander. This is especially helpful for kiddos who have trouble visually focusing on material placed on the tabletop; work on a vertical surface instead. Placing material at eye level helps children visually attend.
Finally, provide a visual demonstration of what you expect your child to do. Children learn pre-writing strokes first by imitation (the adult models the action before the child attempts it).
7. Provide a consistent routine
Children with autism, like all children, benefit from structure and routine. Knowing what to expect reduces stress and anxiety. Develop a schedule and try to stick to it. Working on pre-writing and handwriting skills at the same time every day is ideal. Having a general visual schedule for time spent at home is also recommended.
8. Offer rewards
Whenever the child is able to produce the desired behavior, offer a reward. For example, if your child was able to focus and work on pre-writing skills for the amount of time expected, reward him/her with a choice activity or item. Ask them what they would like to work for so they will be motivated and excited about receiving it.
“First and then” charts are great visual tools to use. Place a picture of the work activity under “first” and a picture of the reward under “then”.
The Fun Strokes pre-writing program is a great resource to teach your child how to form pre-writing strokes. The program utilizes most of the strategies explained above, as the inspiration for the program came from my experience working with autistic children. The support strategies for children with autism work for all children as it is based on good teaching practices (Caushi, 2014).
Remember, starting early is one of the most effective tools you can employ. The Fun Strokes program is intended for children ages 2 to 5. Begin at age 2 and continue until your child is able to write all pre-writing strokes successfully. The Fun Strokes book outlines age expectations and pre-writing milestones. It provides a step-by-step curriculum to follow, along with modifications for children who need more assistance. The ability to form pre-writing strokes will provide your child with a very strong foundation from which handwriting skills will build upon.
This article was featured in Issue 123 – Autism In Girls. I hope you’ve enjoyed it! Please share with anyone who may benefit or may find this information useful. These strategies are also recommended for teachers, those who homeschool, or anyone who provides care for children with autism. If you would like to see more of what Autism Parenting Magazine’s May 2021 issue entails, please click on the following link:
Caushi, K. (2014). Strategies Used in The Classroom for Supporting Children with Autism. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 22.
Fuentes CT, Mostofsky SH, Bastian AJ. (2009). Children with Autism Show Specific Handwriting impairments. Neurology, 73(19),1532-1537, doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181c0d48c
Schmitt, Barton D. (2014). My Child is Sick! Expert Advice for Managing Common Illnesses and Injuries. American Academy of Pediatrics Books.
Rao, Shaila M., Gagie, Brenda. (2006). Learning Through Seeing and Doing. Visual Supports for Children with Autism. Teaching Exceptional Children,38 (6), 26-33. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005990603800604
Disclaimer:
The Fun Strokes blog is designed for educational and informational use only for teachers, therapists, and parents. It is not intended as medical advice or therapeutic treatment that would be provided in an individualized treatment plan. If you suspect a child has delays, please consult an occupational therapist.
Children with ADHD often have difficulty learning how to write, also known as dysgraphia. In this post, I will dive into what can be done to help children reach fine motor developmental milestones as they relate to handwriting readiness. I will also talk about what can be done to help those who may be struggling with learning how to write or who struggle with written expression. Please refer to Part One of this series to learn more about ADHD and dysgraphia: The ADHD and Handwriting Series…Part One Let’s get to it!
Number One…Start Early
Take preventive measures by monitoring the child’s development. One of the primary goals of starting my blog is to inform parents, grandparents, teachers, and caregivers of what to expect during the crucial early years. Before children learn to write there are very important developmental milestones that must be met to ensure handwriting readiness. These milestones are typically acquired during the preschool years and equip children with the foundation that is needed to meet the handwriting demands of school.
Is the child between the ages of 3 to 5?
Prepare children for handwriting demands by ensuring that they can form prewriting strokes in preschool or before starting kindergarten. Prewriting strokes are simple lines and shapes that are the basis of all letters. Children must be able to form prewriting strokes before they can to learn how to write letters. Making sure that children are proficient in this skill will prepare them for the very complex task of learning how to write. I’ve purposefully created the Fun Strokes program to teach children this skill. Fun Strokes is a super fun and engaging program that addresses all facets of fine motor skills. Learn more by clicking here: Fun Strokes Prewriting Program
I also recommend having children work on a vertical surface or easel when learning how to form prewriting strokes. Children benefit in so many ways when working on a vertical surface. Learn more by clicking here: Benefits of Working On a Vertical Surface
Is the child in kindergarten?
If you notice a child struggling with learning how to write in kindergarten, take action. This is a crucial time where intervention can have the greatest impact. Work with the child by providing extra support. The following suggestions will help with motor planning, muscle memory, and visual memory.
Have the child verbalize the stroke sequence for each letter while writing it
Have the child write the letter with eyes closed in the air
Provide sensory input by forming letters with various mediums (shaving cream, pudding, whipped cream, sand, Play-Doh, etc.)
Address pencil grip if needed. If a child’s grip looks awkward or if the child complains of discomfort, chances are he or she will benefit from additional support. Learn more about typical development and what to expect by clicking the following link: Pencil Grasp Development: What To Expect
Here are my go-to pencil grips from Amazon:
Grotto Grips
The Pencil Grip Original Universal Ergonomic Writing Aid for Righties and Lefties
Always Use Primary Paper
Children this age need the structure and visual guidelines provided by primary paper. Do not try to skip this stage by having kindergarten children write on standard wide- ruled paper. Developmentally they are not ready and this can create unnecessary problems.
In addition to the visual guidelines primary paper provides, some kids need additional sensory input. There are many forms of modified paper that offer sensory input. Providing paper with color contrast and visuals assists children with learning how to orient letters on the line and letter placement skills. For example, the Smart Start paper featured below has a top blue line with a picture of the sun and clouds. This helps children with the placement of tall letters like t, l, and f. The baseline is green with a picture of a flower that represents grass. This helps children to learn that all letters need to be grounded on the baseline. Provide even more support by providing auditory cues like “tall letters start on the blue sky”. Some children need tactile input. Providing paper that offers raised lines allows kids to see and feel where letters should be placed on the line. Here are two of my favorite types of paper from Amazon.
Smart Start K-1 Writing Paper
Pacon Multi-Sensory Raised Ruled Tablet
Improve fine motor skills via activities. Here are several fun activities to promote fine motor skills.
Addressing the problem in the crucial primary years is paramount. Try to remediate struggles before academic demands increase. If you’ve worked with the child for a considerable amount of time and they are still having a hard time or very little progress has been made, a referral to an occupational therapist may be warranted. Especially if the child is nearing the end of kindergarten.
What can you do if the child is in first or second grade?
If the child continues to struggle with learning how to write consult with an occupational therapist. Talk with your child’s teacher to learn about your school’s process. He or she may recommend an occupational therapy evaluation. If the child is experiencing problems in other areas as well, additional testing may be recommended to determine if your child needs specialized instruction (individualized education plan also known as an IEP) or a 504 accommodation plan. You may also seek an OT evaluation through your pediatrician. Most major insurances will cover the assessment if it is deemed medically necessary.
What can you do if the child is already in 3rd grade or higher?
Continuing to address handwriting automaticity is still important typically via OT services. Additionally, modifications may need to be made in the classroom via specialized instruction (IEP) or a 504 accommodation plan. If you homeschool, you can also implement these strategies at home. At this grade level, children are no longer expected to learn how to write but to write to show what he or she has learned. Sometimes reducing or eliminating the manual aspect of handwriting is necessary if you want a true assessment of what the child can express. Getting thoughts out of one’s head and onto the paper is the ultimate goal. Eliminating the need to think about how to form letters, how to spell many of the words, and how to apply the rules of grammar will help the child focus on the content they’d like to write about. Typically the IEP or 504 teams will use their expertise to determine what modifications or accommodations would be appropriate and most beneficial. It is important to strive for the maximum level of student participation and independence when determining the level of support needed. There are several options that can be trialed to determine what works for the kiddo. Everyone is unique so there is no catch-all. Children may benefit from one or a combination of the strategies listed below:
1. Graphic Organizers
Help with producing and organizing thoughts with graphic organizers. Graphic organizers are visual thinking tools that prompt ideas and facilitate building those ideas into detailed paragraphs. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt offers over 30 templates of various graphic organizers that you can download for free! Click on this link: Free Graphic Organizers
Sandwich chart courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
2. Franklin Spellers
Franklin Spellers are a form of assistive technology that helps children self-correct spelling errors. How does it work? A child simply types in his or her phonetic spelling of a word, and the Franklin Speller will present a list of words that the child probably meant to spell. It helps children learn how to edit or check their work for spelling errors with greater independence. If selected, each word will be presented with a definition. This way the child can figure out if it is the correct word. Some electronic spellers come equipped with built-in text-to-speech functions which are very helpful for those who need assistance reading.
Franklin SPQ109 Collins Pocket Speller
3. Sentence Starters
Sentence starters do just that. They provide the beginning of a sentence to stimulate a thought or idea. The child then builds on that thought to complete the sentence. For example: “What excited me was….; What surprised me most was…
4. Sentence Frames
Sentence frames are fill-in-the blank sentences. The structure of the sentence is already built to support kiddos who have trouble writing a complete sentence. The sentence frame prompts the student to think of responses or words to make the sentence complete. For example: “My favorite ____________ is ____________ because _____________.
5. Word Banks
Word banks are a list of words provided to children to assist them while they are writing. The words provided relate to the content you want them to write about. Children are encouraged to use the words when creating sentences.
6. Grammatical Checklists
Provide checklists to support the editing process. Once the student has written a paragraph they can go over their work using a checklist to ensure that they have started each sentence with a capital letter, used punctuation, etc.
7. Expect neat handwriting ONLY when copying a final draft
Reduce frustration and anxiety by eliminating all other demands (letter formation, spelling, grammar) while developing content. Once finished, the child can rewrite their composition neatly and correct spelling and grammatical errors.
8. Build Keyboarding Skills
As middle and high school approaches, is important to work on building keyboarding skills. Preparing children before handwriting expectations increase will equip them with the tools they need to keep up with the rigor. Having this skill may also reduce the anxiety associated with written tasks. Many websites offer free tutorials, lessons, and games. Spending just 10-15 minutes a day can make a huge difference. Here are my favorite websites:
9. Allow the child to type instead of writing when appropriate
Again, eliminating other demands (trying to remember letter formations, line orientation, spacing, spelling) can reduce frustration, anxiety and yield better content.
Here’s a free infographic that summarizes these strategies.
It is important to continue working on handwriting legibility skills or keyboarding skills to develop as much independence and autonomy as possible. Written communication is an essential life skill needed for both school and the workplace.
Have a suggestion to share? Know of a strategy that has helped a child in your life? Please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear about it!
Disclaimer:
The Fun Strokes blog is designed for educational and informational use only for teachers, therapists, and parents. It is not intended as medical advice or therapeutic treatment that would be provided in an individualized treatment plan. If you suspect a child has delays, please consult an occupational therapist.
May’s Dollar Tree Find of the Month: Butterflieson a Budget
Spring is in the air and so are butterflies. Children will enjoy making a cute little colorful bug of their own. Of course, while working on fine motor and visual processing skills.
The Frugal OT Series…Dollar Tree Find of the Month
Materials Needed:
1 full pipe cleaner
3/4 pipe cleaner
1/2 pipe cleaner
assorted beads
pencil or straw to form antennae
How to Make:
Butterflies on a Budget
Skills Addressed:
This fun activity addresses the following skill areas:
pincer grasp and 3 jaw chuck (tripod grasp)
hand separation
bilateral coordination
visual discrimination
visual sequencing
visual tracking
eye-hand coordination
crossing the midline
Grade Down(Make it Easier)
Have the child place beads onto the pipe cleaner and the adult assists with bending the pipe cleaner as needed to form the butterfly.
Hold the straw or pencil to stabilize it as the child wraps the pipe cleaner to make antennae.
Grade Up (Make it Harder):
Make sequencing and scanning more difficult by placing plenty more beads onto the pipe cleaners.
Build in-hand manipulation skills:
Translation is the ability to move objects from the palm of one’s hand to the fingertips and from the fingertips to the palm. Have the child practice this skill with the beads. Ask the child to grab a handful of beads and move them from the palm to fingertips to put them onto the pipe cleaner.
Frugal OT Series: Butterflies on a Buget
Disclaimer:
The Fun Strokes blog is designed for educational and informational use only for teachers, therapists, and parents. It is not intended as medical advice or therapeutic treatment that would be provided in an individualized treatment plan. If you suspect a child has delays, please consult an occupational therapist.
April’s activity is egg-cellent! Yes, I couldn’t resist saying that!
Spring has sprung and Easter is right around the corner. Grab the following items from your local Dollar Tree and your kiddos will be delighted!
This months activity works on the following skill areas:
Tripod Grasp
Hand Separation (developing separation of the sides of the hand improves fine motor skills)
Fine Motor Control
Eye-hand Coordination
Bilateral coordination
Visual Discrimination (scanning the eggs to find its pair, then putting to two sides together so that the cute little face is correctly aligned)
How to Make:
Fine Motor Egg-cellence
Grade Down or Make it Easier:
Use fingers to pick up the candy and place it into the eggs
Grade Up or Make it Harder:
Help children build their fine motor skills in the following areas with this fun “cracking egg” task:
Develop intrinsic musculature (all the little muscles in the hands)
Learn how to grade pressure (figuring out whether more force is needed or if applying too much force)
Develop proprioceptive awareness (sense of self-movement and body awareness)
Egg-cellent Challenge!
Add On Activity:
An Easter egg hunt of course:) I hope you and your kiddos enjoy this activity. Have any ideas that would make this activity even better? Please share in the comment section below.
Disclaimer:
The Fun Strokes blog is designed for educational and informational use only for teachers, therapists, and parents. It is not intended as medical advice or therapeutic treatment that would be provided in an individualized treatment plan. If you suspect a child has delays, please consult an occupational therapist.
This is a two-part series that will dive into why children with ADHD often struggle with learning how to write and written expression skills. This problem often leads to a revulsion of all writing tasks. Know any kids who shut down as soon as you give them a pencil? This series will explain why in plain terms. I hope to provide insight to teachers and parents and offer ways to help children who grapple with this issue.
What is ADHD?
ADHD is one of the most common childhood disorders. According to the CDC, the estimated number of children ever diagnosed with ADHD is 6.1 million or (9.4%). ADHD is described by most experts as resulting from abnormal chemical levels in the brain that impair a person’s impulse control and attention skills. (Schwarz & Cohen, 2013)
How is ADHD Diagnosed?
ADHD has no definitive test. Diagnosis is made only by speaking extensively with patients, parents, and teachers, and ruling out other possible causes. (Schwarz & Cohen, 2013)
Is ADHD a learning disability?
No, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, not a learning disability. However, ADHD can impair learning. (Cleveland Clinic, 2021)
Is there a link between ADHD and handwriting difficulties?
Yes, kids with ADHD often have trouble with handwriting.
According to research, between 90–98% of children with ADHD struggle with learning how to write. (Chung, Patel, & Nizami 2020). Unfortunately, children with ADHD are often viewed as lazy, messy, or sloppy writers. Many do not realize just how complex the skill of handwriting is and that it can be quite daunting for kids with ADHD.
Why is it so hard for many children with ADHD to learn how to write?
Learning how to form letters and numbers follows a developmental progression of skills. It begins in preschool with drawing lines and simple shapes and is typically mastered by second grade. During this time, children also learn the relationship between letter sounds and phonemes (the smallest unit of sound that distinguishes one word from another word) while continuing to grow in motor skills. By the time children reach third grade, handwriting should be automatic, meaning they no longer need to think about how to write, they just can. Much like riding a bike, once you can do it, it becomes automatic.
Children with ADHD often have difficulty learning how to write despite having adequate instruction. In order words, after being taught in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade. This is called dysgraphia.
There are many possible reasons why. Children with ADHD often have one or more of the following coexisting conditions:
fine motor delays
difficulties with motor planning and coordination (also known as dyspraxia)
visual perceptual and/or visual-motor deficits
executive functioning difficulties
learning disabilities- 30% to 40% of children with ADHD (Cleveland Clinic 2021)
When primary issues are compounded by a comorbid condition, the issue becomes even greater. When a child is grappling in one or more of these areas, it’s pretty easy to imagine how they will soon be lost in the classroom. On average, writing tasks occupy up to half of the school day (Chung, Patel, Nizami). This can be very frustrating for children with ADHD. Oftentimes these kids may also struggle with anxiety, depression and behavior problems. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020)
Why are the handwriting struggles of kids with ADHD often overlooked?
Children with ADHD are typically diagnosed around age 7, although symptoms typically first appear between the ages of 3 and 6 (Holland & Riley, 2014). At the age of 7 most kids are in second grade. The time when they should be nearing mastery of handwriting skills and automaticity. If diagnosed in second grade, it is unlikely that their kindergarten and first-grade teachers were fully aware of their struggles. They may have appeared lazy or sloppy, rather than struggling with learning how to write.
What happens if handwriting skills do not become automatic?
This is the key question! The issue often has a domino effect.
Oftentimes children are taught how to write letters and letter sounds simultaneously. When there is a struggle with learning formations due to impaired motor planning, weak motor skills or whatever the issue may be, it may consume all of the child’s attention. This can take away from his or her ability to absorb additional information like learning letter sounds and phonemes. Oftentimes this lends to further trouble down the road when trying to put letters together to spell a word and then put words together to build a sentence.
Once children enter third grade, handwriting demands increase tremendously. Children are no longer learning to write, but rather, they are writing to demonstrate what they have learned. If a child has failed to gain automaticity with handwriting skills, many classroom expectations become an uphill battle.
Writing projects require the additional ability to organize, plan, and implement a complete written product. In other words, writing tasks require executive functioning skills which many kids with ADHD are lagging in. For example, let’s take a look at the steps required to write a sentence. First, one needs to create the thought. Then, formulate that thought into a complete sentence. Then, remember all parts of the sentence while trying to remember how to write the letters, where to place them on the line, and how to apply the rules of grammar. Hopefully once all things are considered and executed, the written product matches the original thought. That’s just one sentence! By third grade, the child must put together many thoughts to create sentences and build them into a whole paragraph or several paragraphs that make sense. Children who fail to acquire writing automaticity by third grade have a much greater chance of struggling with more complex writing tasks. They are likely to have a hard time keeping up with their peers’ growth in writing ability. The skills of automaticity are connected to superior writing products in high school and college. (Chung, Patel, & Nizami, 2020).
What happens if skills become automatic but writing is still illegible?
As stated earlier, oftentimes children with ADHD also struggle with executive functioning skills. Self-monitoring (keeping track of what you’re doing) is required for neat and legible handwriting. Poor executive functioning skills can impact a child’s ability to self-monitor or pace his/herself while writing. In other words, impulsive behavior or acting without thinking about the outcome can result in a child rushing to finish writing just to be done with it. This can have a huge impact on legibility. It’s not that the child doesn’t know how to write neatly, but rather has a really hard time pacing his/herself in the moment to do so.
Get this free infographic which quickly explains the link between ADHD & Poor Handwriting
Can handwriting difficulties in children with ADHD lead to other problems?
Yes, it can. Difficulty developing handwriting skills often has larger harmful effects. For many children with ADHD, any writing assignment is an ordeal; the struggle to spell words correctly or produce legible handwriting is immensely frustrating, and also takes attention away from the more meaningful aspects of the assignment. (McCloskey & Rapp, 2017)
It can have a huge impact on the completion of homework as well. For example, a child who has a hard time writing numbers legibly and aligning them neatly in a column or line will work harder in math while learning less. Homework will take longer to complete than the child with typical handwriting skills. (McCloskey, & Rapp, 2017)
Deficient handwriting has been associated with lower self-perception, lower self-esteem, and poorer social functioning. (Chung, Patel, & Nizami, 2020).
Bottom line, the ability to write is a fundamental component of literacy and is crucial for success not only in school but also in most workplace environments. (McCloskey &, Rapp 2017).
Stay tuned for part two where I will dive into what can be done to help children with ADHD and dysgraphia.
Disclaimer:
The Fun Strokes blog is designed for educational and informational use only for teachers, therapists, and parents. It is not intended as medical advice or therapeutic treatment that would be provided in an individualized treatment plan. If you suspect a child has delays, please consult an occupational therapist.
Chung, P. J., Patel, D. R., & Nizami, I. (2020). Disorder of written expression and dysgraphia: definition, diagnosis, and management. Translational Pediatrics, 9(Suppl 1), S46–S54. https://doi.org/10.21037/tp.2019.11.01
Holland, K. & Riley, E., (2014, September 4) ADHD Numbers: Facts, Statistics, and You The ADD Resource Center https://www.addrc.org/
McCloskey, M., & Rapp, B. (2017). Developmental dysgraphia: An overview and framework for research. Cognitive neuropsychology, 34(3-4), 65–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/02643294.2017.1369016
Here is a really simple but super fun St. Patrick’s Day themed activity. Many skills are addressed while children enjoy searching for everyone’s St. Patty’s dream…a pot of gold!
Visual perceptual skills addressed during scavenger hunt:
figure- ground
form constancy
spatial relations
During the Covid 19 pandemic, it’s not easy coming up with safe activities that are not shared or can be sanitized between uses. At less than 3 bucks per kit, this is a very economical way to supply each child with their own materials. Have peace of mind while enjoying this activity with your little ones. Leave a comment or pic of your experience. Share your spin on this activity, have any ideas? Leave a comment:)
Disclaimer:
The Fun Strokes blog is designed for educational and informational use only for teachers, therapists, and parents. It is not intended as medical advice or therapeutic treatment that would be provided in an individualized treatment plan. If you suspect a child has delays, please consult an occupational therapist.
