5 Characteristics of Successful Carry Over Activities for OT and PT

Right now everything is changing so rapidly within the school system and there are so many unknowns. Schools are sending home information, activity ideas and review for students all across the country. A few years ago, we asked in a survey “What characteristics of activities or exercises influences successful carry over of recommendations for at home or in the classroom”?

If you are currently creating packets of information to go home for parents or anytime there is a school break, these responses about carry over activities for OT and PT may be helpful to determine what types of activities to send home.

Summary of the Best Carry Over Activities

We had a 320 responses to the survey in 2015.  Close to 70% of the survey responders were pediatric occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants.

Top 5 Ways to Promote Successful Carry Over Activities

Here are the top 5 responses of what makes an occupational or physical therapy carry over activity successful (each participant could choose more than one response):

1.  Activities are incorporated into the daily routine

2.  Requires a short amount of time (less than 5 minutes)

3.  The overall benefit of the exercise program or activity

4.  Child can complete activity/exercises independently

5.  How well the activities were explained by the therapist

What to Do with This Information

When you create supplemental activities for parents to complete at home or teachers to carry over in the classroom, try to suggest brief activities that children can complete independently throughout the day. Take the time to explain to the students, parents, and teachers the benefits of completing the activity and how to complete the activity.

Think outside of the box during longer breaks and schedule phone calls or emails to touch base with parents and make sure to answer any questions they may have. Offer suggestions to grade the activities.

Specific Results of the Survey in 2015

QUESTION #1: Are you a pediatric OT/COTA, PT/PTA, Parent, Teacher or other?

What characteristics of activities or exercises influences successful carry over at home or in the classroom?

Response                                                                               # of Responses            Percentage
the overall benefit of the exercise program or activity                       160                        50%
child is not in any pain or discomfort                                                     53                        16.6%
requires a short amount of time (less than 5 minutes)                       208                        65%
requires a longer length of time (10-15 minutes)                                  9                        2.8%
how well the activities were explained by the therapist                       141                      44.1%
activities have to be carried out less than 3x/week                               33                     10.3%
activities are carried out everyday                                                            62                     19.4%
activities are incorporated into the daily routine                                  268                     83.8%
child can complete activity/exercises independently                           157                     49.1%
child is motivated to earn reward when complete                                117                     36.6%
not disruptive to other students or family members                             111                     34.7%
Other                                                                                                                26                       8.1%

Popular Resources for Carry Over Activities

Right now, the bundles have been very popular to offer a wide variety of activities.

The Handwriting Interventions Bundle includes 3 occupational therapy tools to help you with handwriting instruction and help your students succeed.

This packet of Bilateral Coordination Exercises provides written directions as well as video demonstration of each exercise.

Roll Some Fun Brain Breaks has been updated to include 30 no-prep, boredom busting brain breaks to encourage visual motor skills, sensory motor skills, and FUN.  Each game board can be done with one person or a group in a small or large space!

Therapeutic Activities for Home and School digital download provides pediatric therapists with over forty, uncomplicated, reproducible activity sheets and tips that can be given to parents and teachers. Each activity sheet is written in a simple format with no medical terminology. The therapist is able to simply mark the recommended activities for each child.  By providing parents and teachers with these handy checklists, therapists will be encouraging therapeutic activities throughout the entire day rather than time set aside for traditional home exercise programs.

Read More

Read more on how to increase home exercise program compliance for parents of children with disabilities here.

If there is a very long break from school or therapy services, perhaps a coaching model may be beneficial.