Cute Chic

Try this cute chic for some spring time art.  Just cut out an oval (have the kids draw one and then cut it out, if they are capable) and cut it in 2 pieces using a zig zag pattern.  Cut out a chic shaped head from yellow paper.  Then put a hinge on the side and have the kids decorate as they like.

Bubble wrap bee hives

Try this to make bee hives: paint bubble wrap with yellow paint.  Draw a picture of a hive on white paper and push the bubble wrap onto the hive to paint it.  Next, put an index finger into black paint and push it onto the yellow hive to make bees.  So easy and cute and great for finger isolation (index finger only in black paint) and sensory. For an added challenge, once the hive is dry, have the child cut it out.

Puffy paint painting

Here's a way to make finger painting different- add some bath foam or even shaving cream.  The paint feels thicker and smoother and seems "puffy".  Try a divided tray to hold different color paints. Remember- don't be afraid to let the kids get messy!

Car roll painting

Here's a fun idea that kids will love- especially boys!  Use cars to roll a picture.  Simply roll the tires through paint and let the kids roll them on paper.  Use different cars and different color paints to make really cool designs.

Looking for something to do with all that bubble wrap?  Paint with it.   Simply apply paint to the bubble wrap and push a piece of paper on top of it, pushing down all over the paper to get the paint on it.  You can use one color, or many different colors to make a picture.  Give it a try!

String art

Have fun painting- use string to make stripes on a zebra.  Just dip the end into paint and swish it across a picture of a zebra.  Looks cool, and kids love to paint using string.

Paint with vegis

Here's a fun way to paint.  Use vegetables.  Here, we used a pepper, a potato, and a carrot to create pictures.  The vegetables are cut in half so the paint has a place to stick. The kids loved being able to use the vegetables to make cool pictures.  You can use any vegi you like- try broccoli. Have a blast making neat pictures.

Paint with foam

Here's a twist on painting- use foam.  Just mix finger paint with bath foam and you get foamy paint.  What great sensory play!  Not only does it feel different, it has a different smell.  So, give your kids some paper and foamy paint and let them go at it.

Have your kids write letters and numbers in the paint using their index finger.  Remember, the more senses you put into learning, the easier it is to learn. So, use this as a non-conventional way to teach letters and numbers.

Jacks

I remember playing jacks all the time as a young girl.  I could play for hours, either by myself, or with a friend.  I never tired of it.  But kids these days have other amusements and, I fear, jacks has become less appealing.  Jacks are a great game for kids of all ages.  Playing Jacks works on  eye-hand coordination, counting skills, problem solving, and  fine motor control.   Plus, it entertains your child!
By the way: I didn't notice the "W" sit of my child until after I had posted this (my PT friends would chastise me for allowing this).

Painting with squirt bottles/guns

It's still summer, so get outside and have fun!  Here's a great and creative idea for painting.  Use a squirt bottle, or squirt gun.  Just add food coloring to the water and have your child squirt at a piece of paper.  We first attempted to squirt on pavement, but the color didn't show up.  You could try adding a lot of food coloring to see if that would make the color show on pavement, or just hang up some paper.  It's great for hand strengthening to have your child squeezing the bottle/gun and the kids think it's great. 

Make books come to life

Kids love to hear stories, and most parents read books to their kids often.  So, have your books come to life.  Here, we read the story "Rainbow Fish" and then did a craft related to the book.  Older kids can cut out their fish and then cut out their fish "scales".  Younger kids can either rip the scales or simply glue them on the fish.  Find some really shiny scales (we used tin foil) to put on the fish.  If really ambitious, your child can make many rainbow fish to hang from his/her ceiling. 

Jelly Fish

Here's a cute kids' craft- jellyfish plates!  Have your child paint a paper bowl and add streamers and any other decorations to make jelly fish!  You can hang them from the ceiling with fishing wire to create a sea of jellyfish.

Trips With a Child With Sensory Needs

Going on a trip is fun and exciting and provides the much needed break from everyday routines.  But, all the unknowns and chaos associated with packing/unpacking and being on a trip can be overwhelming for a child with sensory needs.  Here are some tips to help your trip go smoother and be more enjoyable for everyone.
1- Bring gum or other motion sickness aids. 
    For those children prone to motion sickness, ask your doctor about motion sickness pills or other such remedy.  Some motion sickness pills are ok to give little children in small doses.  These pills can be crushed in apple sauce or pudding to allow a small child to swallow them.
2- Provide frequent movement breaks.
     Stop and get out of the car  if you are on a long car ride.  Most children need this break from sitting in order to endure a long car ride.  Encourage your child to run or jump for a while.
3- Provide lots of entertainment to keep your child occupied during the trip
    Bring books, dvds and toys for your child.  I found that it works best when they are novel toys or special toys.  I would go to the dollar store prior to the trip and pick up a bunch of toys and coloring and activity books.  These would not come out until the trip and then only one at a time.
4- During your trip, keep to familiar routines (such as bed time) as much as possible
     Children crave routine, so stick to some familiar routines in the unknown place.  Try to keep bedtime the same and at relatively the same time as at home.  Try to eat meals close to the same time.  This will allow your child to not feel too disoriented during the time away from home.

Ok, only a few short days until Mother's Day!  So, I thought I should give those last minute dads a quick, easy solution to the gift.  What mom doesn't like a hand made picture from their kids?  This one is easy to do, so get started.  All you need is paint and paper.  Have your child (or children) make hand print flowers, using their finger prints to make the stems.  Your child (children) can snip green paper to make grass.  Get started, you may want it to dry before handing it to mom.

Hand Print Flower

Now that it's spring, let's make it feel like it  with hand print flowers! Most kids love to get dirty, so lay down some newspapers and let them have fun (or let them do this outside).  Use different colors to create a beautiful flower.  Don't be afraid to let the kids get dirty- we are finding that some parents don't allow their kids to just be kids.  Allowing kids to do messy play is so important and fun.  Kids need the sensory component of putting their hands into gooey, messy things.  For those kids that won't put their hands into a plate of paint, use a paint brush and paint their hands.  For those kids that have tactile sensitivity, at least paint their finger tips, at first, and then try to progress to painting their entire hand.  Do the activity, or a similar activity, over and over to allow the child to get used to the feeling.

Here is a simple, yet great, fine motor activity.  Stickers!  Have your kids peal the stickers and put them onto a paper.  Here, we are putting "paw" stickers on the letter "P".  It's sometimes difficult to get the stickers off of the paper, but don't jump in to help too quickly.  Let your child use his problem solving skills to try to figure out a way to get the sticker off.  This is so great for pincer grasp and hand coordination.  Small stickers tend to be more difficult to peel.

For those children who just don't have the finger strength to open scissors, try self-release scissors.  Here is one example of this type of scissors.  The idea is that the child squeezes the scissors to snip, and the scissors pop back open so the child does not have to open the scissors.  He can then continue squeezing to cut, thereby learning the other aspects of cutting, such as scissor progression and hand placement. There are many different types of these scissors and some are not very expensive (I have seen them at the Dollar Store).  After strengthening the child's fingers, transition to regular children's scissors (if able).

Help with pencil grip

 So the goal is to get children to hold their writing tools in a mature, tripod grasp- or something near that.  Some kids have real difficulty achieving this functional grasp, so we use adaptations to promote a better grasp.  Here is one of my favorites.  It is called a Handi Writer.  It angles the pencil so that children can hold the pencil without using a fist.  The child uses his pinky and ring finger to hold the dolphin against his/her palm to keep these two fingers from being used to hold the pencil.  The goal is to use this tool consistently for a few months (or less, if able) to get the child into the habit of holding a pencil/crayon like this,) and then start slowly transitioning to not using it.  Most children, by then, have developed a better writing grasp.  Another adaptation is to have your child use pencil grips to position their fingers correctly on the pencil.

What to DO with all those leftover candy hearts?

Got a lot of conversation hearts left over?  Try these simple games that target fine motor skills:

• Use tongs (children's chopsticks that are connected at the top are great) to sort them out by color
• Sort them out by message for older children
• Place them face down on the table and use thumb and forefinger only to turn them over
• Place one face down in your child's palm and have him turn it over using his fingers only, no other hand allowed!

For a challenging oral motor strengthening activity, try playing with the hearts with straws.  Who can blow one across the masking tape line on the table?  Who can pick one up with their straw? (Hint, you can make the last one easier by cutting the straw shorter.)  Paper straws are safer than the plastic for little kids or kids who tend to have a very strong bite...

Pencil Control

Now, let's get started drawing shapes, begining with a circle.  Have your child imitate a circle, with the end points meeting.  Next, try a square and triangle, or intersecting lines.  Have your child focus on the corners so that they are not rounded.  Continue with this until the shapes come naturally.  Dot-dots are another great way of improving pencil control.