OT/PT Suggestions
BATHTUB TIME: Fill and empty cups, bowls or buckets of water. The higher your child lifts the container the more they work the muscles in their arms. Have your child push buoyant tub toys to the bottom of the tub, hold them down, release and have them float back up to the top. Use different textured cloths to scrub. Shaving cream pictures.
YARD WORK: Dig holes, rake, pull weeds, pile rocks, pick up sticks, plant seeds, fill a wagon or wheelbarrow with leaves/rocks/sticks and have your child move it from one part of the yard to another.
TAKE A WALK: Try walking on varied terrains. Have your child carry a backpack with a light load in it. Jump over the sidewalk cracks. Use the curb like a balance beam side stepping along the way or walking step over step.
YARD PLAY: Rolling up and down a hill, climbing up and down a hill or up and over obstacles, hoola hoops play (roll it back and forth, jump sideways, forward or backward over it), practice riding a tricycle, ball play using a playground sized ball (catch, throw, kick), T ball games, relay races, tug of war, mud pie play, squirt bottle play, chasing bubbles. Wheelbarrow walking. Scavenger hunts.
LAUNDRY TIME: Have your child load the washer or the dryer, once the laundry basket is full have your child push the basket across the floor. Have your child help you by carrying the detergent bottle for you.
HELP IN THE KITCHEN: Have your child stir, use a rolling pin or push dough with cookie cutters, mash potatoes with a masher. Your child can assist with washing or drying the dishes. Ask for help washing the floor on your hands and knees. Sweep, vacuum, wipe off the table. Unload and load the pot/pan cabinet.
INDOOR PLAY: Read a book, play a game, watch TV or have your child play with a device while lying on their stomach on the floor. Play Simon Says and have your child copy different postures (downward dog, superman on the floor, one-foot standing, tiptoe standing…). Dance to music and change the tempo dancing slowly and wildly. Wheelbarrow walk up the stairs.
SELF CARE: Have your child dress themselves with your guidance if needed. Practice using a spoon and fork instead of finger foods. Have your child brush their own hair and teeth. Have your child practice packing their own backpack to take for a walk. Encourage independent zippers, buttons and fasteners. Out of the tub have your child towel off themselves and put lotion or powder on themselves.
OT Ideas
- Squirt shaving cream onto a paper plate, cookie sheet, or bathtub wall. Use index finger to draw lines, shapes, or letters. *Always start from the top!
- Playdoh: Roll into little meatballs using palms of hands, then pinch them flat with thumb and index finger.
- Playdoh: Roll into “hot dogs” and use scissors or a plastic knife to cut into pieces.
- Scissors: Snip around the edges of a paper plate.
- Scissors: Cut pictures from a magazine and glue onto paper.
- String pasta onto a piece of yarn, shoe lace, or pipe cleaner.
- Finger painting or watercolors using your index finger.
Motor Skill Ideas
Crossing midline. This helps you child with organization and brain balance.
Kids Yoga with Bari Koral: “Fly Like a Butterfly” by Radiant Child Yoga & Bari Koral An update on the classic song for yoga. Off Bari’s album Little Box of Happy.
Arm exercise and crossing midline
Easy Core Strengthening Exercises for Kids Core strength is so important. Your core muscles are the base of support for your entire body, and play a huge role in everyday activities.
Jump Up, Turn Around, Cross the Midline Jump Up, Turn Around, Cross the Midline Dr. Jean advocates brain-based learning. Cognitive learning seems to improve when movement is involved during instruction. Left brain, right brain adherents consider that crossing the midline of your body and activating that connection between left and right is important.
Do the Bear Walk Do the Bear Walk is a song to help children with their Gross motor skills, Balance, Coordination and Self Regulation. It’s a super fun dance tune that will have the kids up and moving to get them ready to learn.
Brain Break Exercise Song for Kids, Move with Me, The Learning Station
Shake Your Sillies Out ♫ Brain Breaks Playlist for Children ♫ 32+ MINS by The Learning Station Your children will enjoy this popular playlist of brain breaks, action songs for kids! This collection of popular children’s brain breaks, action and dance songs.
PT Yoga Videos
Going on a Bear Hunt
Yoga Time! On the Farm
Yoga Time! Jungle Safari
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Arnold the Ant
Kids Yoga for Literacy
Sensory Play
Sensory play is an excellent way to engage our children in using their senses to observe and engage the world around them. Enjoy playing with your child as you participate with them in these suggested activities:
Shaving Cream Fun!
Put shaving cream on a cookie sheet. Using cars, paint brushes, small toys, etc., to move items through the shaving cream on the cookie sheet. You can invite your child to write or draw in the shaving cream. Sensory Play Shaving Cream is for some other ideas for shaving cream.
Water Color!
Add watercolor paints to a spray bottle. Using the spray bottle, spray the “water color water” onto paper.
Clean Up Fun!
Using detergent in a sink, bucket/bin/large bowl, have your children wash their dolls or any other toys they would like cleaned up.
Sensory Bin!
Add rice, sand, or water to a large bowl or container. Your child can play with their toys in the rice, sand, or water. Have fun playing! Click here for more Sensory Bins ideas!
- Color, read a book, do puzzles, watch enrichment videos while prone (on the stomach).
- Include crawling on hands and knees into the educational activity.
- Color on paper taped to the wall while in high kneel.
- Play Simon Says for receptive language carryover (and static balance).
- While gathering the rocks, leaves, sticks, etc., place them all in a bucket and carry the “heavy load” into your home.
- During bubble play, have the child reach for the bubbles while standing in one place and/or run to pop the bubbles.
- Jumping games to learn direction: Jump forward, jump backwards, jump sideways, jump over, jump in place…. How far can you jump?
- Play 123 red light / green light.
- Outside, use squirt bottles on the pavement or foundation to make designs or draw pictures.
- When making music with pots and pans, have the child lift the pots and pans in and out of the cabinet.
Songs and Movement
Space Rocket Ride by Barefoot Books
Stop and Go, Go Go by Barefoot Books
Over in the Meadow by Barefoot Books
We All Go Traveling by with Barefoot Books
Magic Train Ride by Barefoot Books
The Journey Home from Grandpas by Barefoot Books
Sesame Street Transportation Video
Go Noodle supports our Preschool children with moving!
Cosmic Yoga for Kids! Fun yoga videos to help our children move.