Your Therapy Source Blog » fine motor skills

Free Thanksgiving Printable

Administrator — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 11:27:00 +0000

Here is a free Thanksgiving activity to print and create. Laminate the play mat. Using wipe off markers, draw a path for the turkey to get to the table. Make matching letter clothes pins for Happy Thanksgiving. Pinch open the clothes pin and attach to the matching letter on the play mat. Get the free printable here.

Inexpensive Tactile Cues on Paper

Administrator — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:07:00 +0000

Here are some economical ways to provide tactile cues on paper for children. By providing these cues children receive extra input to stay between the lines. They are an excellent way to adapt activities for children with visual impairments as well. Of course, raised line paper can be purchased at speciality therapy shops but here are some simple ideas:

1. Glue: Apply glue to the lines and let dry for 24 hours. Color the glue to provide an additional highlight on the line.

2. Puffy Paint: Purchase puffy paint to apply to the lines. Try making index cards with sight words or letters on them. Apply the puffy paint to add dimension.

3. Wax String (aka “Wikki Stix”): Put wax string sticks along the lines. These are great because they are reusable.

4. Cardboard Stencils: Make your own cardboard stencils. Cut out the space where you want the child to stay between the lines. For example, cut out one inch blocks to stay in between one inch height writing paper.

5. Rubber Bands: If you need an adaptation in a hurry, put a lined worksheet on a clipboard and wrap rubber bands around the board to write between the bands.

6. Embossing: Use an embossing tool or sewing wheel on the back side of paper to make raised lines on card stock paper.

7. Fun Foam: Cut out thin strips for lines or shapes of fun foam. The child can trace around the foam shapes.

8. Flour and Water: Combine flour and water to make a thin paste. Put it in a plastic bag with the corner of the bag snipped off. Pipe the flour paste onto the lines. Let dry 24 hours. You can add food coloring for visual cues.

Can anyone else add to the list?

Wax String Activities: Over 50 wax string activity pages

List Price $4.99

Find out more.

Button Fine Motor Projects

Administrator — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 14:48:00 +0000

If you need to work on fine motor, visual motor or button practice why not try some of these activity ideas?

Dressing Skills:

Step by step visual directions to teach children how to dress

List price: $4.99

S&H: Free

Find out more.

Type 1 Diabetes and Fine Motor Skills

Administrator — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:28:00 +0000

A recent study in Pediatric Diabetes examined the neurocognitive functioning of 68 preschool children, 36 with Type 1 diabetes and 32 without any chronic illness. The two groups were administered a number of tools to assess cognitive, language and fine motor skills. The results indicated that the children in both groups performed similarly with skills in the average range. The children with Type 1 diabetes with poor glycemic control scored lower on cognitive skills and receptive language and had slower fine motor speed.

Reference: Patiño-Fernández AM et al. Neurocognitive functioning in preschool-age children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Pediatr Diabetes. 2010 Sep;11(6):424-30. Epub 2010 Apr 23

Fine Motor, Gross Motor and Visual Perceptual Activity

Administrator — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:50:00 +0000

Here is a video of a fun outdoor activity idea, Create, Hide and Lace, that encourages fine motor, gross motor and visual perceptual skills. The children can create paper circles, hide them outdoors and run to lace them on the ribbon. Looking for more sensory motor ideas? Try these electronic books:

Motor Magic: Turn Fine Motor Skills into Gross Motor Skills
Get Up and Learn: Incorporating Movement with Learning
50 Sensory Motor Activities for Kids!
$ensory Motor Fun on a Budget

Turn Fine Motor Skills into Gross Motor Skills

Administrator — Tue, 19 May 2009 10:26:00 +0000

Here is a sample activity idea from our electronic book, Motor Magic: Turn Fine Motor Skills into Gross Motor Skills. This is a fun, outdoor activity that encourages fine motor skills, eye hand coordination, motor planning, gross motor skills and balance. The electronic book has 25 activity ideas incorporating fine and gross motor skills and is available at www.YourTherapySource.com/motormagic.

How to Make Your Own Ink Dabber

Administrator — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Here is a slide show on how to make your own ink dabbers. The great thing about this idea is that you can modify the dabber for children with varying abilities. This works well with our electronic book DOT Letter and Shapes.

Video Activity: Salt Letters

Administrator — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:38:00 +0000

Here is a video of a suggested activity to do with our newest electronic book – Alphabet, Number and Shape Cards.

What’s Missing Tactile Game Video

Administrator — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Here is a fun activity that encourages upper extremity muscle strengthening, proprioceptive input and tactile input.

What more sensory motor activities? Check out 50 Sensory Motor Activities for Kids!.

New Idea for Sensory Ball

Administrator — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:42:00 +0000

Here is a new way to use a sensory toy. This is a spiky ball that can go on a child’s head so there is a hole in it. Stuff the inside with a cloth napkin or dish towel. Mark one counting stick (or coffee stirrer) with a piece of masking tape on it. The child puts all the sticks in the spiky ball. After all the sticks are in, the adult or another child, pulls out one stick at a time. How many sticks do you have to pull out before you reached the marked one? If more than one player, the winner is the first one to find the marked stick. This activity encourages fine motor skills, bilateral coordination and tactile input. Want more activities like this? Go to www.YourTherapySource.com.