RecyclingOT

Weaving the plastic snowball head onto the snowman's body develops strong fingers and dexterity. Parents can cut plastic to make clothing, attach hair, buttons, buckles or tie on a scarf so that children can manipulate the snowman or snow woman who never melts. This is a great way for typically developing children or those with fine motor challenges to develop eye-hand coordination during pretend play. Check out the Recycling Occupational therapist website for more activity adaptations that build hand skills: http://www.RecyclingOT.com

I love activities that are versatile and free! I made this activity out of a file organizer that I found at work and detergent/dishwasher soap plastic bottles. This video demonstrates how I use heavy duty scissors to cut up plastic bottle handles to create small shapes that can be attached or removed from the file organizer or other similar objects. (I apologize that I haven’t thought up a good name for these objects, yet….) There are many benefits to this activity and here are just a few: 1) The plastic is vibrant and colorful and can be used for color matching or sorting on the file organizer levels. 2) The file organizer creates a vertical plane activity that promotes visual attention, reaching and upright posture. 3) The plastic pieces can be cut into smaller or larger sizes. Use larger or smaller plastic bottles to control your size options. 4) Some individuals will be best at removing the shapes. That’s easier than attaching them! Choose your options according to the individual's skill level. 5) The file organizer can be rotated to explore how the individual is most successful in attaching or removing the shapes. 6) When plastic gets lost, simply cut up more bottles! No expensive pieces to replace! 7) The individuals need to stabilize with one hand while attaching or removing the pieces. For some people that is a skill that needs to be worked on! 8) The file organizer may be placed on top of a box so that the client is reaching and working on an upright posture. 9) Movement can be incorporated into the activity by setting up a box of plastic shapes across the room or on the floor so that the individual needs to walk across the room or move high and low to retrieve materials. 10) It feels good to slide the plastic pieces across the file organizer. Some individuals will focus on the sensory aspects as they have fun touching, sliding and pulling the materials. Please be sure that you keep small objects away from children or adults with developmental disabilities who may put them in their mouth, creating a choking hazard. By the way, parents may create this activity for their typically developing preschool age children as they work on color matching/sorting and manipulation skills. Learn about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com http://www.FromFlappingtoFunction.com

Purchase a geoboard or make your own using 2 old book binders, contact paper and elastics. Occupational therapists love using these because they help children or adults with developmental or learning disabilities to strengthen their hands and improve eye-hand coordination. Stretching the elastics provides sensory stimulation to muscles and joints that may help individuals on the autism spectrum to focus and learn. Attaching the board to a raised or angled surface may help children better visually attend to the activity because the board is right in front of the person's face. Try experimenting with color matching or copying designs from a picture or model. Learn more about activity adaptations at www.RecyclingOT.com

These rings are easy to cut out of all the vibrant, colorful, plastic containers in the recycling bin (especially if you drink coffee) and require using hands together to pull open and attach to a tube or giant ring stack. The ring stack shown in the video is too large to drop the rings down the traditional way, from the top. So, my clients need to pull them open to attach. This is great to work on • using hands together • sequencing steps to pull and place • providing sensory stimulation from pulling/pushing into place • integrating movement by retrieving rings from high or low surfaces The video also shows a client with hemiplegia who avoids using his weaker, less coordinated left hand. He was not happy about this set up but the more he uses his left hand, the better he is at tasks that involve stabilization with the left and manipulation with his right hand. This activity works on many different skills and the rings are FREE! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com http://www.fromflappingtofunction.com

The client in the video is blind, deaf and developmentally disabled. He appears to enjoy insertion tasks, but will stop if they are too challenging. I think that he enjoys inserting the magnetic pieces because he can feel how they connect and separate and they don’t go flying all over the place. This activity works on motor control, finger dexterity and stabilizing materials with one hand. He typically avoids using his hands together but here he is working independently for several minutes-a huge success for him! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com http://www.fromflappingtofunction.com

Light boxes are easy and inexpensive to make. Simply place a flashlight or other type of light inside an opaque plastic container. The light box shown in the video was purchased from a company that makes products for the blind. It’s pretty bright….. Note that I covered the boards with colored filter sheets to avoid a bright white light shining in anyone’s face. If you work with individuals with seizure disorders, please consult your health care professional before working with lights. The video demonstrates three fine motor-activities that occupational therapists frequently use to develop hand skills: 1)Simple insertions- I cut a hole in the bottom and top of a cardboard box placed on top of the light box. My client’s visual attention is drawn to the light as he inserts the objects. 2)Placing objects into the small containers attached to the top of the light box. This client enjoys sorting by color and the light box adds extra pizazz …. 3)A pegboard frame is placed on top of the lightbox so that light shows through the openings where the pegs are to be inserted. Now that you see the light…. See how many other adaptations you can create! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com http://www.FromFlappingtoFunction.com

Make-Your-Own clothespins for an unlimited supply of bright, vibrant, any size clothespins to clip onto a line. Here is the video that demonstrates how… https://rumble.com/v690er-diy-clothespins-activity-to-build-fine-motor-skills.html I love this activity because my clients get exercise and sensory stimulation when moving high and low or across the room to retrieve materials. They are also working on visual attention, manipulation skills and sequencing. Color sorting is optional. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Parents, therapists and teachers.... cut up your round containers to make toy buckles. Pushing the tab in and out of the notches develops strong fingers and eye-hand coordination. Use super large food containers for large rings and smaller shampoo bottles for smaller rings. Children can choose to buckle, pull rings open, toss them onto a ring stack or even string them on big strips of fabric. This activity is especially beneficial for children or adults with fine motor challenges who may struggle to close a belt. Make-Your-own buckles are easier than using real belt buckles and there is opportunity for REPETITION! Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Children and adults with autism, sensory processing disorders or other disabilities often enjoy the sensory stimulation provided by weighted materials and activities that involve pushing or pulling. I filled some long stretchy socks with bags of sand and attached handles to each end. You may also use stretchy sleeves or pant legs from clothing instead of socks or tights. Cut some handles from detergent bottles and attach to the stretchy heavy material and see how much fun they have! I have used this with clients to motivate reaching, grasping, shaking, pulling and other movements. Some clients find this calming and it may decrease agitation. This activity can be incorporated into sensory motor games such as... Players hold an end while others run under or step over the "Sensory Socks". Try it, it's fun!

Ahhhh (or should I say moooooo)- it's always sweet to watch the baby-mother bond! I loved breast-feeding my baby 31 years ago. He was a very sensitive, fussy baby who was difficult to soothe. Even though I am an occupational therapist and worked for 2 years in an early intervention program (I went into labor on my last day of employment there) I had no idea that not all babies cried so frequently, wanted to nursed all the time and took hours of settling down to sleep and then woke up 3 hours later for more TLC. I read “The Art of Breast Feeding” while pregnant and the concepts totally meshed with my values. I think most people love books that confirm a previously help belief system and lucky for my son, I was happy to nurse on demand and have him sleep with us on a Futon on the floor. The room was carpeted and babyproofed, so sometimes he rolled away during the night. Yikes! I have digressed from the adorable baby calf in the video! Like all babies, baby cow- who I will name Effie is hungry, has a strong desire to stimulate the mouth area and doesn’t care that a sibling is longingly waiting at the wings for a turn. Mom seems more concerned about swiping away flies. This is late October at Appleton Farm In Ipswich, Massachusetts. The scenery is stunning and the babies are active. I’ve become a vegan over the past year and won’t be buying the cheese sold at the farm at the time of this writing. However, I have fond memories of the cheese being delicious, especially the goat cheese. I make no judgements here about eating choices…. I just love watching a mammal feed her baby. Effie is getting lots of good sensory stimulation especially to the tactile and proprioceptive sensory systems. The word “tactile” refers to our sense of touch. The skin is our largest sensory organ because it is everywhere. Effie is getting good deep pressure tactile stimulation around that mouth and face while sucking. In addition, I think that her head whacking action provides proprioceptive sensory stimulation to both baby and mom. We all have sensory receptors called “proprioceptors” in our muscles and joints that get stimulated when force is used. For example, a person stimulates her proprioceptors when she carries a heavy child around, scrubs poop off a blanket or a toddler breast-feeds. I bet Effie and her mom are both enjoying all that great sensory stimulation! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com http://www.FromFlappingtoFunction.com

I created this bilateral ring stack many years ago to encourage children and adults with developmental disabilities to use both hands during fine motor activities. This is made by wedging two dowels inside a box or other container; secure in place with duct tape. This ring stack is more than a simple repetitive task. It provides the following sensory stimulation which may motivate engagement because it is fun! 1)There are pictures to look at and possibly identify (visual stimulation) 2)A dog toy is attached to the container. It squeaks when the shapes are pressed down hard enough (auditory stimulation) 3) Force is required to push these shapes down and activate the squeaky toy (proprioceptive stimulation). 4) You may be able to wedge a motorized toothbrush inside one or both dowels (more proprioceptive stimulation). 5) Clients may stand or walk around to retrieve materials. If you place a box of shapes on the floor and the stack on the table, they will be moving up and down (vestibular stimulation). Learn more about occupational therapy adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

This knot craft is so simple to make! Just cut loops out of old socks or stretchy sleeves. Then children or adults with or without disabilities develop coordination as they create loop chains. Some clients enjoy making the chain grow to shak3, pull or swirl. Others enjoy taking them apart to insert or push down a ring stack. No matter how it’s used, this is an easy, inexpensive way to develop manipulation skills. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://.www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Recycle those broken phone chargers or buy a cheap one from a Dollar Store to make this great sensory stimulation fine-motor activity. Suitable for young children with or without disabilities or adults who enjoy repetitive hand tasks; this activity develops skills to: 1) Use hands together 2) Eye-Hand coordination 3) Manipulate screw covers 4) Color matching In addition, this activity helps children discover which hand they prefer using. Notice which hand seems stronger or better coordinated while grasping the handle with one hand and pulling with the other and then reversing hands used. Ask your child or student which feels better. Pulling the shapes on or off the coils requires force and force builds strength while stimulating the muscles and joints. Many of my clients find this calming. Give it a try! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Kids love manipulatives!! Make your own plastic shapes and frames to weave by cutting up plastic containers or purchase Weavable toys on my website RecyclingOT.com. Weaving develops eye-hand coordination and bending the plastic strengthens fingers. Design your own toys for endless possibilities! These toys are designed for children and adults with or without disabilities. It is easier to teach how to pull the shapes off the frame or remove from a long cord.... so first teach this skill to people with greater challenges. Increase challenge by using more complex shapes, smaller shapes, thinner cord and smaller notches to weave into or stiffer plastic. Learn more at: www.barbarasmithoccupationaltherapist.com/weavabletoys.html

Children with sensory processing disorders, autism or other types of developmental disabilities often best engage when activities are "resistive". This means that force is required to push, pull or squeeze objects or the materials are weighted. Resistive materials stimulate muscles and joints and help develop body awareness. I adapted this simple insertion activity to require pushing objects between the elastics threaded through holes around the rim of the container BOTTOM. I use the bottom as the top because then I can unscrew the cover to remove objects later. This activity is great for very young children (as long as you supervise closely) to develop eye-hand coordination and strong fingers. Older children and adults with disabilities will also enjoy this unique sensory experience!

Ripping Velcro off backings is a great sensory activity because pulling stimulates the muscles, tendons and joints and at the same time provides auditory feedback with the ripping sound. The Loop Velcro covered board shown in the video can be positioned to promote reaching, trunk rotation and visual attention since the materials on the wall are easier to see than if on the table. If children or adults with developmental disabilities have difficulty learning how to attach loop and hook sides together, simply apply bright nail polish to the non-velcro side that you want facing up. Ripping longer or stronger pieces of Velcro from backings requires using both hands together-helping individuals with sensory processing disorders to develop bilateral hand skills, visual engagement and sequencing skills. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

I came across a small patio-type table minus the top. It has 4 curved legs that I immediately thought would make awesome ring stacks. I have a lot of experience cutting up plastic containers to make flat rings. I like these better than 3-dimensional rings because they don’t roll away and they take up less space when stacking or storing materials. I cut simple shapes in blue, white, purple and yellow to resemble familiar objects such as bananas, boats, berries, fish, ghosts and snowmen. Place the chair legs upside down on a table as shown in the video or perhaps a bit higher to require reaching. My clients enjoyed color matching the rings. However, they did it too easily and quickly without working on more challenging skills. So, I cut additional smaller holes in each shape for lacing strips of fabric or cord. Make a big knot on the end so that it can be pulled without slipping out. This additional feature created problem-solving and fine motor challenges to 1) Use the largest hole to stack rings onto the chair legs 2) Use one of the smaller holes to begin lacing so that the knot prevents it from sliding all the way through and out. 3) Pull the cord or fabric strip completely through and 4) Motor plan to later remove the cord from the shapes Plastic pieces may be placed on the floor or scattered around a room, hallway or another area to require movement as they retrieve the materials. In addition, using thick cord that requires force to pull through the smaller holes provides proprioceptive sensory stimulation to muscles and joint. Provide lots of materials if your child or client likes to be busy for long periods of time with repetitive tasks and fewer if they have short attention spans. I love the flexibility and price when I make and adapt my own materials. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com http://www.FromFlappingtoFunction.com

I designed the following sensory activity with a specific individual in mind. This is an individual who enjoys shaking, tossing or squeezing sensory-based objects such as squeeze balls. He has been very on edge due to the Christmas holiday and upcoming 10-day break. Many of my adult clients with developmental disabilities love the structure and predictability of a day program- Monday through Friday. They find routine changes a bit scary and discombobulating. I expect BIG smiles when they come marching in after New Years day. The individual in this video loves repetitive, fine-motor tasks such as stringing, peg and form boards or pushing golf balls with force into a container opening. He is also an individual who can be grumpy and hit you when demands are made. He appears to enjoy the rocking chair’s movement and weighted materials. The long lap cushion is • Filled with bags of sand and washers for weight/proprioception stimulation • Covered with felt or fleece for tactile stimulation • Adapted with plastic coils and stretchy cord to pull or use for stringing tasks and; • Decked out with fidget balls with a bell inside (covered with Hook Velcro) that can be pulled on and off the felt cushion (acts like loop Velcro) and/or shake to hear bells – proprioception and auditory sensory stimulation. The choice of whether or not to rock and how much force to use gives him a sense of control over movement that impacts his vestibular sensory stimulation. The individual shown in the video did not appear to be very interested in shaking, pulling or squeezing the sensory items. Hopefully, soon after New Year’s my other client will be chilled out enough to take a turn with this new, fidget sensory tool that provides just the type of sensory stimulation he seeks throughout his day.

Do-It-Yourself clothespins can be used in many different activities with children or adults with or without disabilities. Your children will love watching you recycle plastic containers to make their toys! The video shows the metal CD stand I found at a yard sale. It seemed perfect for attaching either purchased or home-made clothespins. Some individuals love color matching and others may prefer simply removing them. The individual in the video has a lot of energy so I scattered the plastic pins on the floor for him to gather up before attaching. The metal stand is removed when he is finished to avoid accidentally throwing it. Option: Try tying cord across the room to attach the “clothespins”. Reaching to attach or remove them is great exercise for elderly individuals or anyone who benefits from reaching activities. Residents in nursing homes may enjoy this, too! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

It was an extreme vestibular and proprioceptive sensory experience swinging from a bar at Tito Gaona's Trapese Academy in Venice, Florida. I recommend it! http://www.titogaona.com

Children and adults with a sensory processing disorder will love watching the bowl spin before or after attaching clothespins to the rim. Squeezing clothespins strengthens hands and promotes bilateral hand skills. I love taking the familiar activity of attaching clothespins to a box rim or suspended cord and adding this new spin on it! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

A file organizer was adapted by snipping the center of all the horizontal bars except the top and bottom. I found out that if you snip all of the bars, you end up with two separate pieces! The edges of the cut bars are rough so you may want to cover them with duct tape. I attached a plastic container at the top of the organizer to use for storage and to insert/remove the pieces. Now the fun part: Cut up plastic shapes or laminated pictures that your clients enjoy. Punch holes in the centers and enlarge them as needed. Some clients may prefer removing the shapes, others may prefer attaching and some want to do it all..... This activity works on the following skills: • Using hands together • Crossing midline in both directs • Eye-hand coordination • Identifying shapes or pictures Options: Place the file organizer higher to encourage reaching. Place the shapes/pictures in a container on the floor, high up or across the room to incorporate movement. I found that this activity made a very active client who likes busy hands very happy! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com http://www.fromflappingtofunction.com

A deaf-blind individual with developmental disabilities is motivated to engage in hand activities when they vibrate. I took the motors from a vibrating cushion and inserted them inside the base of the ring stack. The one shown in this video is electric but I have used a variety of battery-operated motors to make lots of activities vibrate- including insertion tasks, cone stacking, stringing and shape sorters. Check some of them out: https://rumble.com/v3cvu1-how-vibration-helps-children-with-autism-or-sensory-processing-disorders.html Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Attaching colorful stickers to indicate which end of the clothespin to squeeze is a simple and effective adaptation. Squeezing clothespins strengthens fingers and helps young children develop a tripod pencil grasp. My sedentary clients benefit as they move around the room or reach high and low to retrieve or return the clothespins. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Pulling objects out of a tight sock provides deep pressure sensory stimulation to skin, muscles and joints. This activity adaptation adds the complexity of pulling the rings off of the cord that is attached inside the long sock. This client is visually impaired and frequently seeks sensory stimulation by shaking her head. I think that she enjoys this type of repetitive sensory-based activity that offers a greater challenge that simply inserting objects into an opening. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com