RecyclingOT

I have been using what I call "Velcro bottles" for over 30 years! They are easy to make and all you need is a bottle, sticky back Velcro and shapes, pictures or objects to attach. Screw the lid back onto large bottles to prevent losing small pieces. Removing the items to insert develops skills to use hands together, visual attention, eye-hand coordination and hand strength. Children with and without disabilities may begin developing hand skills playing with Velcro Bottles as soon as they can safely avoid putting small objects in the mouth. Adults with developmental disabilities will also benefit from this simple, repetitive fine- motor task that can be completed in a short amount of time. This makes it perfect for people with short attention spans! Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.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 activity is very easy to make and fun for typically developing children as well as children and adults with autism or other developmental disorders that impact attention and hand skills. Individuals need to use both hands to position the rings with notches cut in the center on top of the “spiral sensory ring stack”. Then they let go and enjoy the visual stimulation of the shape spiraling down. I bought the helicopter toy at the Dollar store. The spiral piece is wedged and taped inside a bottle opening. I cut the colorful plastic rings out of detergent and dishwasher soap bottles and cut notches in the center. This activity promotes visual attention, eye-hand coordination and using hands together. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Children or adults with developmental disabilities may enjoy the sensory stimulation they experience while pulling shapes attached to stretchy cord. They need to stabilize the board with one hand while pulling the shape so that they can place it over the "ring stack" in the center of the board. Pulling stimulates muscles and joints and strengthens hands. Additional tactile stimulation was provided when I covered the board with fur and attached an electric tooth brush to the center. I made the plastic shapes by cutting up plastic containers. Punch holes in them to attach to the cord. The wooden circle shown in the video happened to be available at work, but you can make a similar board by cutting up the lid to a large storage container. Learn more about activity adaptations at: http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Many of my clients enjoy pushing golf balls into a small opening in a bucket lid. This takes force and provides sensory stimulation. I built onto that activity so that they work with a partner as one person inserts balls into the tube and the other person retrieves it and then pushes it into the hole. The individuals in the video range from young adult to elderly and non-ambulatory to very active. This activity promotes bilateral hand skills, sequencing and social skills. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Save your shampoo, vinegar or bleach bottles to cut in a spiral fashion to make lacing cord. I cut all types of shapes, such as hearts, Easter eggs or fish and make notches in them for lacing. This is a great activity to develop eye-hand coordination with very young children with or without disabilities and older individuals with fine-motor challenges. The young adult in the video loves this type of repetitive activity and has a picture of it in his daily visual schedule. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

My client is a very sweet woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury and has limited hand function. She told me that she likes this activity because it develops her "eye-hand coordination". I adapted a magnetic wand by wrapping it in soft fabric so that it is comfortable while at the same time opening up her hand. The active movement and grasping shown in the video appears to decrease pain, stiffness and enables her to engage in functional movements. This adaptation may be helpful for patients with spasticity due to cerebral palsy or other conditions. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Here is an easy to make activity that develops eye-hand coordination. Young children and older individuals with developmental disabilities such as autism may enjoy the repetitive nature of weaving the shapes together or taking them apart. This fun activity strengthens hands and helps to develop the motor control required to cut with scissors and write. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

It takes force to push these rings down the sturdy tube used as a ring stack. I had a surplus of Frisbees at work and cut out the centers to make the rings (using heavy duty leather shears). My clients with developmental disabilities including some on the autism spectrum love this adapted ring stack. They receive sensory feedback from muscles and joints as they either push the rings down or pull them off. They are encouraged to use both hands in order to be successful. This activity can be performed from a wheelchair or while standing. It can be a solitary activity or performed with a social partner. Reaching to eye level strengthens the arms, promotes visual attention and an upright posture since they are not hunched over looking downward. Learn more about activity adaptations at: http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Coloring and erasing with a dry erase marker is fun! The little girl in the video is developing dexterity to control a pencil, marker or other writing tool as she flips it over to erase and back to color more. This is an easy and quick activity to cut out of a large bottle. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Save those pill bottles! Put marbles, beads, pennies or other cool sounding objects inside. Secure the covers with duct tape. My clients enjoy pulling the bottles out of the openings inside a desk file organizer. They are a perfect fit since it requires force to push them in or pull them out. Using force stimulates the brain- helping people with developmental disabilities to engage while developing hand skills. This activity develops strong hands and coordination. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

My client loves the fan! He is nonverbal, developmentally delayed and has cerebral palsy. I noticed that he has a picture of a fan on his communication board but since it was not summer, there wasn't a fan in the room. I set-up a large button switch that activates a small (safe) fan so that he can turn it on anytime he chooses. He is also able to point to the "fan" picture on his communication board to indicate that he wants the fan and switch set up. Enabling the client to communication what they want and be in control of sensory stimulation such as a fan or music may decrease agitation and increase happiness! Learn more about activity adaptations at: http://www.RecyclingOT.com

This video demonstrates how to cut plastic containers to make one or several sets of Valentine hearts and arrows. Children and adults with developmental disabilities may enjoy celebrating the holiday with this activity. They may 1) put them together or 2) take them apart and then 3) insert the pieces into a container Explore how to use these with your children or clients as they develop fine-motor control and strong fingers. More activity ideas at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Sharing a little Etch-A-Sketch fun and showing off my fine-motor control! http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Form boards are designed for young children to learn how to fit shapes into corresponding openings. My older clients with developmental disabilities are also working on these skills. However, this form board is made with meaningful, age-appropriate pictures that I printed and laminated. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Zoom Ball (also called "Forward Pass") is a great activity for all children and especially helpful for those with visual attention and/or motor coordination challenges. How to play: 1)Each player holds a handle in each hand 2)One player keeps hands close together while the other player moves arms apart. 3)The "ball" flies across to the other player 4) Reverse and repeat over and over again This activity strengthens shoulders, arms and hands. It develops coordination between the right and left sides of the body and rhythm as the ball moves back and forth. Visual attention and tracking skills may improve as children or adults watch the "ball" move quickly back and forth. My clients on the autism spectrum and those with other developmental disabilities have really enjoyed playing this partner game...... Tip: the shorter the cord, the easier to play.... Learn more about activity adaptations at: http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Children and adults with developmental disabilities may enjoy this simple ball game. I filled up a long sock with sensory type objects like bells, marbles, foam, etc. and tied the ends to handles. The handles you see in the video were cut from large bottles but you can create any type of handle you choose as long as it is easy and comfortable to grasp. Players are learning to follow my directions. Perhaps after they learn the steps to this routine another client can position the balls on the table. That will take teamwork! This activity works on developing motor planning skills, visual attention and social skills. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

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

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

Collect caps or covers to screw on or off the threaded tops and make the following repetitive fine-motor activity. The young man in the video is blind and loves to match, sort and use his advanced cognitive skills. He used to avoid using his hands together but has gotten quite good at it because I keep creating variety and challenging manipulation tasks that he enjoys.... Some children or older individuals may enjoy matching a variety of covers/caps to the corresponding threaded pieces. These may come from detergent, dishwasher soap bottles, vitamin jars, juice or milk cartons or countless other sources. The covers may be screwed on lightly at first and later on more tightly as skill and hand strength develop. Visit my website for more ideas and adaptations: http://www.RecyclingOT.com

My client has spastic hands and is unable to use them. This video demonstrates how to make a jig for someone like her so that she can color. I used this at work and discovered that 1) she loved it 2) its a great way to open her hand, stretch and move her arm bit and... 3) her knuckles were pressing so hard into the plastic her skin got red. Watch the video to see how I revised the jig so that her knuckles press into soft fabric instead of plastic. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.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

This video demonstrates the types of cues or prompts that may be used to support learning in educational or training settings. These include: 1) Hand over hand assistance 2) physical assistance 3) touch prompts 3) point cues and 4) verbal cues. I frequently use a combination of these supports. For example, I might give physical assistance to reach toward the spoon and then a touch and verbal cue to bring it to his mouth. As a person practices a skill, try to provide the least amount of prompting needed in order to be successful. In addition, pictures may be used, especially when teaching a multi-step task such as laundry or setting the table. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website at: http://www.RecyclingOT.com

When my son was little he loved helping me make activities such as this for my occupational therapy clients. Many of these clients had developmental disabilities, including autism and challenges such as weak hands, short attention spans and poor coordination. The bottle tops are attached to the big detergent container with strips of stretchy fabric. Pulling on the fabric provides sensory stimulation to muscles and joints. Screwing or unscrewing the covers develops strong fingers and coordination. Matching the covers to the bottle tops develops visual perceptual skills. Learn about other activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

People who have difficulty grasping a paintbrush perhaps...due to hand weakness, arthritis pain or spasticity may be able to grasp this adapted Handle for sponge painting. This is one of the many adaptations described in my book: THE RECYCLING OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST. Learn more at http://www.RecyclingOT.com