Improving Function with Adapted handles
People with spasticity may have difficulty grasping or stabilizing objects. This video demonstrates how to adapt with handles cut out of detergent, dishwasher or other bottles. The handles can be attached to activities such as ring stacks, sorting containers or shape sorters using Velcro or tape.
This adaptation enabled the little girl in the pink sweater to grasp the green handle attached to the coffee can while inserting picture cards. At the same time her little hand is opened up instead of fisted, helping to maintain her range-of-motion.
Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com
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Prompts for WH Questions and Answers: Walking in the Woods
I made this video to use with developmentally disabled individuals and others who need conversational prompts to ask and answer simple WH- "who", "what" "why", "when" and "where" questions. Sometimes staff find it challenging to promote these types of social exchanges and I am hoping that videos with built in questions might help them. I realize that many clients will not relate to the experience of walking in the woods and seeing a lake but this happened to be where I spent a lovely fall weekend in New Hampshire. Enjoy!
Visit my website for lots of other activity ideas... http://www.RecyclingOT.com
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PUlling Objects Out of Sensory Socks
The young man in this video typically does not like to use his hands together to stabilize materials. His attention span is very short and after a few repetitions he usually throws or pushes objects away. I knew that he liked deep pressure and his eyes lit up when he felt his arm inside the tight sock as he removed objects. I am sure that he would do even better if there were an electric toothbrush attached to the bottom. However, I am very proud of him for telling me that he wanted "more" and attending for over a minute....
More sensory strategies at http://www.recyclingOT.com
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Spider and Web Fine-Motor Activity
Wrap and knot cord all over a weighted ball and then tie several black fabric strips all over them. Some of my clients love to untie the "spider legs" and then insert them into the "web". The weighted ball is calming to use on one's lap or table. Children and adults with fine-motor challenges will have a fun opportunity to develop strong fingers and dexterity as they repetitively tie or untie these knots.
Learn more about sensory activities and adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com
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Ring Stack Color Matching Activity
Many children and adults with developmental disabilities including autism spectrum disorders enjoy repetitive hand activities. The client shown in the video is very active and easily distracted. By adapting the activity to involve movement to retrieve rings she becomes more focused and completes the task.
I use flat ring shapes cut out of detergent bottles instead of beads because they will not roll away and many more will fit on the dowels.
Learn about activity adaptions on my web site: http://www.recyclingot.com
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Container Lids Sensory Activity
Pulling and unscrewing lids is sensory fun while developing eye-hand coordination and dexterity. First cut off the tops of containers and punch holes in them. I demonstrate how in the video....
Attach them to a sturdy board using stretchy cord or elastics. Young children will enjoy the sensation to skin, muscles and joints as they pull unscrew or pull the lids.
Next you may teach how to match up the lids to the corresponding container tops and put them back together. But, remember..... taking apart is easier and a better place to start teaching a new skill.
Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com
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DIY Fine- Motor Activities for Toddlers
These Do-It-Yourself activities for toddlers are easy to make, free, versatile and entertaining to play with. Simply cut up containers with large screw lids to make toys to stack like blocks, string, insert objects into and place on a ring stack. Materials are large, therefore, easy for learning and pose no choking risk. (But supervise your little ones anyway...... ) These materials also help older children with developmental delays to improve hand strength and eye-hand coordination.
Learn more about simple activities and adaptations that build hand skills on my website: http://www.RecyclingOT.com
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Word Completions for People with Memory Impairments
When my mom developed Alzheimer's disease she gradually lost the ability to think of the words she wanted to say. She had always loved word games and singing. So I made up games that required her to complete a word, phrase or sentence. Because the phrases were so familiar, they jogged her memory. We did this over and over again during my nursing home visits and each time was fun and exciting for her. She felt like a winner!
I describe many of these games and activities in my book- Still Giving Kisses: A Guide to Helping and Enjoying the Alzheimer's Victim You Love. I didn't have a smart phone or tablet a decade ago when I needed them. But you can share this video with a loved one, friend or patient. Encourage the person to guess or repeat the word that completes the phrase. Press pause if they need time to respond. It will give caregivers a fun activity to do with a loved one at home or while visiting in a care facility. Please read my book and visit my web site for more fun activity ideas athttp://www.RecyclingOT.com
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Make Your Own Apple Toys for Preschoolers
This video demonstrates 3 different apple fine motor activities made out of plastic bottles. Bending and lacing plastic apples strengthens fingers and develops eye-hand coordination. Inserting or removing worms from apples is great pretend play and pushing the circles down hard to decorate the big apple develops the motor control needed to grasp a pencil. These activities are fun and help both typically developing children and children with challenges such as autism to build hand skills.
Learn more in my books and website at http://www.RecyclingOT.com
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Binder Geoboard to Develop Fine-Motor Skills
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
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Sensory Visual Perception Writing Activity
This activity teaches children the spatial relationships between small and large letters and how they fit on writing lines. Practice this activity with children before offering paper and pencil. Pulling the shapes off the Velcro "lines" and wiping them clean requires using force and force provides sensory stimulation to muscles and joints. Learn about other easy to make and effective adaptions that help children and adults on the autism spectrum or with other developmental disabilities at http://www.RecyclingOT.com
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Sensory Processing Disorder Activity: Stringing Coiled Hose
Children and adults with autism, sensory processing disorder and other developmental disabilities often seek out sensory stimulation to the eyes, muscles and joints. This unique stringing adaptation provides exactly this type of stimulation and its FUN!
Simply take a coil type water hose and cut it to the desired length. Attach a sock or something to the bottom so that the user can stand on it, preventing the bottom from popping upward.
This activity is great for developing balance, visual engagement and bilateral hand use (using hands together).
Use rings that attach shower curtains, arts and crafts rings or cut your own out of plastic bottles.
My clients love the sensation of pulling the coil upward and watching the rings spin downward. Learn more about adapting activities on my web site www.RecyclingOT.com and thank-you to Ben at www.Bensound.com for the lively music.
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Stretchy Ring and Ball Activity for Children with Sensory Processing Disorders
Children and adults with autism, sensory processing disorders or other developmental disabilities often engage best when materials provide stimulation that meets their sensory needs.
For example, it feels good to push and pull a ball attached to the table with elastic cord. This client needs frequent prompts to persist at most activities. However, he enjoys this type of sensory stimulation- the sensation to skin, muscles and joints as he pushes and pulls materials.
Learn more about adapting activities for children or adults with autism, sensory processing disorders or other developmental disabilities on my web site: http://www.RecyclingOT.com
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Do-It-Yourself Waterproof Cast Cover
After hand surgery my hubby needed a waterproof cast cover so that he could shower and go boating. This video shows how he made an inexpensive cover out of a dry bag and Gear tie.
After his injury heals and cast is removed he will find many other uses for these 2 products. Please check out my occupational therapy website and books for more clever adaptations to solve many types of challenges... http://www.RecyclingOT.com
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Weavable Toys Develop Fine-Motor Skills for autistic children
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
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Make Your Own Paint Easel
Painting on an easel is fun for children and adults. I made this easel out of a cardboard box. Its easy to make and replace when someone accidentally throws it out!
I use easels with children and adults with developmental and other disabilities because they make it easier for the client to reach and see how to move the brush. They also sit more upright when looking and reaching in the vertical plane. The client in the video is unable to grasp the paint brush unless it is attached to his hand with the cuff sold at EaZyHold.com. Now he is all set to enjoy painting....Learn more about activity adaptations at RecyclingOT.com
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How to make this helpful toy for children with autism
This "curvy ring stack" is made out of a bird mister found at a yard sale. Clients with autism or other developmental disabilities enjoy the visual stimulation experienced when watching the rings spiral downward. They need to reach, pay visual attention and use their hands together as they develop eye-hand coordination.
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Sensory Pegboard for Children with Autism and other Developmental Disabilities
My "sensory pegboard" is easy to use because the "pegs" are actually bottles, large and easy to grasp and insert into the large holes. These "pegs" do not easily fall out! This helps children with decreased motor control. But the best part is the sensory stimulation provided by the weight of the water bottles, looking at colorful objects moving inside the bottle, the vibration and the music. These types of sensory-based adaptations help children and adults with developmental disabilities to engage and develop hand skills. Learn more at RecyclingOT.com
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How to Teach Zipping Skills
Many children with or without disabilities find connecting a zipper to be tricky! This video demonstrates a few fun adaptations that develop the bilateral coordination to open and close zippers. It usually helps to attach something like a pipe cleaner or toy to the zipper slider so that it is easier to grasp while pulling.
When I teach hand skills to children or adults with disabilities, I always make sure there is a lot of REPETITION. The young man in the video is learning how to zip his own jacket for the first time in his life because he practiced attaching 5 zipper sliders every day for several months. A different client loves to insert objects into containers so I created a task where he needed to close the zippers before inserting them. I put a motorized toothbrush and some bells inside the container to add some sensory stimulation. Let me repeat…..repetition and adding some sensory stimulation help motivate my clients to engage in some challenging hand activities.
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Fun Activities that Develop Buttoning Skills
Children with sensory processing disorders or developmental disabilities such as autism- may find it challenging to learn how to open and close buttons. The adaptations shown in this video are designed to make learning easier by using large materials and repetition. So parents, teachers and therapists consider making "button squares", "button stringing", "button rings" and "button boards" to develop these hand skills. Learn more on my website at RecyclingOT.com
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"Sensory Rings" Help Children with Autism or Sensory Processing Disorders
Children with autism, sensory processing disorders or other types of developmental disabilities often find heavy pressure from using heavy or tight squeezing materials calming. They may seek this type of sensation by crashing into cushions or people! This video shows how to make "sensory rings" out of socks and supermarket bags. They are virtually free and quick to make. Moving the rings over the body develops body awareness and coordination while meeting the child's sensory needs. Learn more at RecyclingOT.com
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How to Make Vibrating Candy Cane Ring Stacks for Children with Autism
Children and adults with autism, sensory processing disorders or developmental disabilities often engage better and enjoy using materials that vibrate. The vibration provides sensory stimulation to muscles and joints and the sound helps them stay focused. This video demonstrates 2 different types of ring stacks made inexpensively from plastic candy canes and rings cut out of detergent bottles. As an occupational therapist, I look for ways to adapt activities so that my clients are motivated to engage, focus, use their hands together and develop new skills. Learn more at RecyclingOT.com
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How Vibration Helps Children with Autism or Sensory Processing Disorders
Children with or without disabilities often love vibration! Vibration stimulates the muscles and joints and this, in turn, helps develop body awareness and coordination. The sound and feel of the motor often motivates individuals with autism or sensory processing disorders to grasp and manipulate objects such as ring stacks or stringing even though they typically avoid using their hands. I adapt many activities to vibrate when I work as an occupational therapist with both children and adults with developmental disabilities. This video demonstrates just a few of my creations. There are many more strategies in my book From Flapping to Function: A Parent's Guide to Autism and Hand Skills. Learn more at RecyclingOT.com
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Sensory Processing Activity: Pushing Objects between Elastics on Container
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!
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The Happy Bee Keeper
My son David Smolinski, the beekeeper got his first swarm a few years back by putting a cardboard box in our tree. Its been a struggle to keep some of them alive due to the harsh winters and pesticides. It seems that toxins either confuse the bees so that they leave the hive or kill them. Some of David's bees are thriving in locations with greater space and less spraying. David continues his work to create happy and healthy environments for bees..... sweet!
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