RecyclingOT

I don't follow sports but my clients do! This young man is excited about the Super Bowl. He is non-verbal but talks about them using his communication device. He loves to spell, but is not too fond of using his hands, especially both hands together. The video demonstrates my client learning to connect the large Duplo Lego Bricks to spell out his favorite teams. This is a lot easier to do when stabilizing the base with one hand while pushing the bricks down. As you can see this activity works on 1) motor control 2) strength (pushing bricks onto base) 3) sequencing to spell in the correct order 4) scanning and problem solving to find the needed blocks to spell Start out with only a few large Duplo Lego bricks. Use smaller ones and add more words or letters to sort through to add challenge. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Children love lacing boards and it’s a great way to develop eye-hand coordination. When you make your own plastic lacing shapes you can individualize according to your child's needs. Make fewer and larger holes for younger children. Older children may enjoy the challenge of lacing 2 different shapes together. Involve your child in choosing the theme and colors. Try creating seasonal and holiday themes such as lacing stars, trees, hearts, snowmen or shamrocks. Be creative and enjoy all these free materials found in your recycling bin! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.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

When a broken hoola hoop was delivered to my desk, I turned it into unusual ring stacks. The video shows a client who is blind and enjoys repetitive fine-motor tasks. He later learned how to sort the rings according to tactile qualities. However, sighted clients may be able to sort the rings by color. For example, blue rings on the left hoop end and red rings on the right hoop end. I attached a flat object to the center of the hoop to help stabilize it under the chair. You may choose to use a bag of sand or different type of heavy object. This activity may be adapted to perform on the person’s lap or on the table depending on the client’s abilities and preferences. In any case, I love how the set up encourages tactile exploration in front and to his sides, trunk rotation and crossing midline. My clients certainly enjoy learning a new twist to a familiar task that is at their cognitive and motor skill level. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Salvadore Dali's Abraham Lincoln boggles my mind. As I walk closer his face transitions into a nude woman!!! See him at the museum https://thedali.org/ Visit my website and blog at: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Who doesn't love to feed a begging animal? I enjoyed meeting him during my vacation. Filmed in Sarasota, Florida. Check out that neck!!! http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

I don't recommend getting this close to alligators but they were quite busy sunbathing. Actually, we weren't as close as it seems. I love the wildlife at Myakka River Park in Florida! http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Here is Woody Wood Pecker at Myakka River Park in Florida, one of my favorite places.... http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Its always a thrill to come across deer at Myakka River State Park. Please visit my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

I have to share these cute goats at a farm in Fruitville, Florida. I love their playfulness and energy, as well as balance and coordination! I find it therapeutic to watch them leap on and off the benches.... Learn about sensory motor activities and adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

This activity helps children and/or adults with developmental disabilities develop skills such as 1. color matching 2) eye-hand coordination 3) hand strengthening when pulling or pushing the shapes on and off the cord 4) dexterity to buckle or unbuckle. 5) sequencing several steps such as opening a buckle, removing the shapes and inserting into the container. Make your color matching buckle fine-motor activity by 1. Cutting strips of cord or fabric of different colors 2. Cut plastic or fabric pieces to color match. cut a hole in the centers. 3. Tie a buckle half to each end of a piece of cord 4. Cut a slot in a large container’s lid for insertions Be sure that you buy buckles that are all the same size and interchangeable. Larger buckles are easier to manipulate....but you may want to use smaller buckles to create challenge. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

My client has spasticity that makes it difficult to use his hands together. He is unable to manipulate objects on his tray, but enjoys stabilizing a container with his left hand to insert objects. He loves to use his hands and he loves to talk. But he has learned that his hands work much better when not talking! At this stage he only has to perform one step before being rewarded with an opportunity to chat. Hopefully, as skill develops, he will be able to remove all of the cards before the "chat reward". How to Make: 1) Cut a long strip of fabric. 2) Tie short pieces of fabric or string along the long strip. 3) Punch holes in picture cards, plastic or other materials. This is the first activity I designed for him where he is able to use both hands together in midline. He needs to continuously reposition his hands to find the materials. It was just the right amount of challenge! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

The client shown in the video typically has her right hand fisted against her body. My goal is to maintain range of motion by reaching for objects to insert into the container with her left hand as she grasps the handle. The large blue container is tied to the table so that she is unable to pull it into her lap. This individual prefers to be busy, so this adaptation serves to 1) provide a repetitive task 2) maintain or improve range of motion 3) motivate to engage in bilateral tasks 4) Open up her fisted hand during a functional task. She refuses to wear a splint to prevent contractures. How to make: Simply cut an opening in a large detergent or kitty litter bottle so that the desired container can be wedged inside. I cut an opening where her knuckles were rubbing and then put tape around the edges. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.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

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

Children or adults with developmental disabilities may enjoy matching as they screw bottle caps onto the corresponding size threaded pieces. Write numbers, letters or glue pictures to caps and threaded pieces to make matching fun! Materials needed: 1)Threaded pieces cut from plastic bottles 2) Caps or covers that screw onto the threaded pieces 3)A long strip of fabric 4) A container to insert the lids into (optional) Cut 2 holes in each threaded piece in order to string them onto the cord. You will see in the video that some clients preferred to sit. However, I adapted the materials to encourage reaching or standing. Some clients not only enjoy standing, they crave movement and this activity enables them to retrieve materials located on the floor or across the room. Screwing or unscrewing the lids strengthens hands and develops bilateral hand coordination. Making this activity costs virtually ZERO $$$$ Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

A large detergent bottle has a "Sensory Pop Tube" attached to one opening to push/pull rings down. Use shower rings or cut plastic bottles into donut shapes. These are not only free, but also vibrant and won’t break easily. Curly strips are inserted into the other opening. This video demonstrates how to make them: Https://rumble.com/v6l3fv-curly-insertions-develop-motor-planning-skills.html Cut a secret opening on the bottom of the bottle to remove the curly strips. This activity develops the visual perceptual skills to choose whether the plastic pieces either need to be pushed down the tube or inserted into the opening. While developing eye hand coordination, the child or adult with autism or other types of developmental delays will enjoy using force on these materials and the sound of the rings going down the pop tube. Using force stimulates the muscles, joints and tendons helping individuals with sensory processing disorders develop body awareness and motor coordination. Increase the motor planning challenge by twisting the pop tube to bend in different directions! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Children and adults with autism or other types of developmental disabilities often benefit from pulling sensory activities that stimulate the muscles, joints and tendons. The video demonstrates pulling colorful shapes off of curly plastic strips attached to a tray. I drilled holes in the tray (actually a wonderful maintenance man at work did) to push the strips through and attach on the bottom of the tray. The following video demonstrates how to make the curly strips by cutting around bottles: https://rumble.com/v6l3fv-curly-insertions-develop-motor-planning-skills.html The last step is to cut a notch in the shapes for stringing or removing. Some children will be able to string while matching by color, shape or objects (in this case, apples, bananas and grapes). Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Walking is great exercise that also provides vestibular sensory stimulation that impacts balance and body awareness. Many of my clients are sedentary, obese and/or have limited physical endurance. The program hallways are designed for walking groups. However, there is not always enough staff to provide supervision and many clients refuse to participate. Therefore, I find it helpful to create simple movement activities that involve walking across the room and/or moving materials at different heights. Staff can gradually increase endurance, by providing more materials to transfer. Although functional activities such as putting away groceries or recreational pastimes such as walking in a park are ideal forms of exercise, clients who enjoy repetitive tasks in the program or classroom, benefit when activities are adapted to involve walking. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

These "rings" are cut from round containers and are open-ended so that they can be attached to or pulled off suspended cord or a tube. Many of my clients are sedentary and this is a great way to encourage standing, reaching, crossing midline, trunk rotation and if possible walking from one part of the room to another to retrieve more materials. Notice that I used a lot of verbal cues with one client and nonverbal cues with the other. We all learn and follow directions in different ways! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Using vertical surfaces has always been a popular occupational therapy strategy used in school systems and pediatric clinics. I work with adults with developmental disabilities who continue to benefit from vertical plane activities. I notice that in many of the program rooms these fantastic therapeutic materials (AKA white boards) are filled with schedules, photographs and organized to be attractive as well as functional. However I believe that whiteboards can be functional, therapeutic and as well as beautiful! This video demonstrates just one of many simple therapeutic activities that uses 3 common materials: Magnetic white boards, dry erase markers and magnets. Benefits of this activity for young children and/or adults with developmental disabilities include: 1) Visual attention is easier when materials are right in front of the face 2) Standing, reaching high/low and moving back and forth between magnet container and white board is more aerobic than sitting and movement provides sensory stimulation. Unfortunately, many of my clients who are obese and sedentary may find this activity an endurance challenge. 3)Students or clients developing social skills as they work together to perform one of the 3 main steps (i.e. drawing circles, placing or removing magnets and cleaning the board) 4) Learning to clean the board helps them to improve similar motor and daily living skills such as wiping tables or drying trays. 5)This activity encourages using both side of the body at the same time. My client in the wheelchair who had a brain injury avoids using hands together and crossing midline. This activity was fun and fairly simple so he was willing to use one hand to control the wheelchair and the other hand to do the task. 6) This activity can be easily adapted to work on cognitive skills such as color matching, picture identification or counting. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

These "curly insertion strips" are cut out of round containers. They add a little pizzazz and challenge to ordinary insertion tasks as children or adults with developmental disabilities manipulate them. This activity promotes 1) using two hands together 2) visual attention when materials are raised to eye level 3)sequencing skills when the strips are pulled off a cord and then inserted 4) sensory stimulation when pulling or pushing to remove or insert the strips Adapt the activity according to the person's needs. Insertion openings may be larger or smaller than the ones shown here. The curly strips may be longer or shorter. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Children or adults with sensory processing disorders might enjoy pushing pieces of fabric on or pulling them off a simple homemade stack. Simply wedge a sturdy tube inside a detergent bottle. Secure with duct tape. The bottle handle provides an enlarged, comfortable grasping handle that encourages them to stabilize materials. Individuals with autism and others with sensory processing disorders benefit from the force used to pull or push the fabric on or off the tube. Use varied fabric textures to develop tactile discrimination skills. It is often easier for children with attention challenges to visually engage on what they are doing when the materials are straight in front of their eyes. 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

This activity develops bilateral hand skills as individuals insert a picture attached with string and beads through a container opening. This is really difficult to do when using only one hand as many of my clients attempt! This activity also develops visual perceptual skills to rotate and position objects to fit through the opening. I used laminated pictures of meaningful objects to work on picture identification and language. Another option is to cut shapes out of readily available plastic containers. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com