RecyclingOT

I originally cut up a container to make a shape sorter for a blind individual. He pulled the round, triangular or cube shapes from Velcro backings and inserted them into the corresponding holes. But he got bored after a while. So, I cut a hole in the center of the same white container to wedge a tube. This functions as a ring stack. The rings are easy to cut from container lids, other plastic containers or purchase them. Finally, I attached a strip of fabric to the top of the tube for stringing small rings or any objects that have holes in them. This client is blind and non-verbal but understands directions and has very good fine-motor skills. I love giving him variety, especially when there is some problem-solving involved. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://.www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

This video demonstrates how to make natural sun screen using bee's wax. Stir into the pot equal parts of: 1. purified wax 2. coconut oil 3. olive oil Then slowly stir in 3 tablespoons of zinc oxide. Hubby carefully stirred and alternated pouring the ingredients into two jars so that the contents would be an even consistency. It smells and feels fantastic and best of all works!!! Making and using this sun screen is a wonderful sensory experience and older children or clients may be able to help with some of the steps. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://.www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Children and adults with autism and/or other types of developmental disabilities often love materials that involve pulling, squeezing or pushing. These materials are sensory-based because they stimulate the muscles, joints and skin. I attached retractable clips that hold name IDs to a book stand. They are really fun to pull! I cut lots of ring shapes out of plastic containers, but you can use other small objects with openings that can be strung onto the clips. I tied pieces of fabric to the ends so that the rings won't easily fall off. The thicker the fabric, the more challenging the stringing will be. Have fun adapting! Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

This "bowling alley" is adapted so that children or adults with disabilities do not need to grasp or reach far. All they need to do is push the ball or tubular object that is stabilized with Velcro. I like to vary the sensory qualities so some make sounds, have fun textures, bright colors and even vibrate. Consider adding a switch that is activated when the ball taps it. 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 (SPD) often love using heavy materials. I filled plastic sands with sand, placed them inside socks, sleeves or pants legs from old clothing and sewed them closed. Use them in a game of "hot potato", catch with a partner or catch in a group with the player in the center throwing it to others sitting in a circle. This activity works on motor planning skills, strengthening, social skills and attention. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

I adapt many activities to use on a large book stand so that my clients need to reach shoulder level. This helps to strengthen the upper extremities, improves posture and promotes visual attention. Use large buttons or make our own by cutting plastic circles out of detergent bottles and then punching holes in them. I attached them to the book stand using elastic cord. My clients love the plush, soft fleece that someone had donated! This tactile sensory experience motivated them to engage as they improved their fine motor control. Some clients enjoyed color matching. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

This color matching activity requires lots of pulling as children match and attach different color rings. Using force stimulates the muscles and joints helping to increase body awareness and motor skills. Some children will enjoy the color matching aspect. Others may prefer to pull the shapes off and insert into the container. In either case, this is a fun, sensory-based learning activity. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

This simple adaptation makes it easier for my client to cut the correct amount of paper towel and fold it in half. She loves to help others so she is preparing a towel for each of her peers to use for lunch. 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 often love to manipulate by shaking, pulling, pushing or rolling. This video demonstrates how to make and use a simple make-your-own "busy bottle" activity. It works great for this client because she cannot throw it off her tray or choke on any small moving parts. It was free to make and individualized just for her…. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://.www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Many children and adults with Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD) and/or autism spectrum disorders find weighted vests, blankets, collars and lap pads to be calming. This video demonstrates how to make them! This was a great way to put my old sweat shirts, pants and socks to use. Here are the steps: 1) Put sand into a plastic bag and tie the end. 2) Put the plastic bag inside a sock and tie the end 3) Put the sock inside a second sock so that the outer sock can be washed 4) Place these double layered socks either inside an extra long sock or bag for insertion/removal tasks OR 5) Place bags of sand inside the sleeves and body of an old pair of pants or sweatshirt. Tie up all openings so that contents stay inside 6) Place the filled pants or sweatshirt into a second one so that the outer layer can be washed. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

My client is eager to be as independent as possible. He has a developmental disability and had a stroke a few years ago that impaired his right side. His friend sewed the loops onto the lunch box so that he can use his right arm to stabilize it while opening or closing the zipper. I love how he is using his weak arm instead of leaving it hanging at his side. Learn more about activity adaptations on my website and blog: http://www.RecyclingOT.com http://www.RecyclingOT.blogspot.com

Some children with Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD) avoid crossing midline. Imagine a line running down your body dividing it into right and left sides. This line is called “Midline”. Sometimes your right hand will cross over left of this line and your left hand will cross right of this line. We describe this as "crossing midline" (CML). Children with SPD often avoid crossing midline. They may only reach for objects on their right with their right hand and only reach for objects on their left with their left hand. This is not very efficient, especially when they color with whichever hand is closest to the crayon rather than the dominant hand. Activities such as the one in the video are designed to promote CML. Ask the child to alternate using right and left hands while sequencing the letters and at times they will need to cross midline. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

My clients helped me to make this activity out of my contact lens holders, a plastic container and stickers. I cut lots of slits on all sides of the container. Children or adults with developmental disabilities can enjoy this pull and push activity that works on: 1) stabilizing with one hand 2) strengthening the fingers 3) eye -hand coordination Pulling and pushing using force provides sensory stimulation that many individuals find calming. Optional adaptation: Sorting the colors so that each side of the container has a different color. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

The "Insertions Ring Stack" is very versatile and develops many skills. Children or adults with disabilities may find repetitive tasks soothing. This involves pushing rings down the tubing and inserting small objects inside. Your child or client will need to think about which of these steps to perform. This activity promotes: • eye-hand coordination • using hands together • visual and auditory stimulation • proprioceptive stimulation by pushing the objects down • following directions • sequencing skills • problem solving I cut the rings and small objects out of plastic bottles, but you can use other types of rings or small objects in the same way. Be sure to supervise closely or avoid if your child or client puts small objects in his or her mouth. This activity can be adapted by • using larger rings to make success easier • smaller rings that require force to push and thus, provide greater sensory feedback. • try placing a motorized toothbrush inside the container and see how your child or client reacts! Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Manipulating springs makes a fun sound and feels good. I have incorporated them into insertion and ring stack activities. In the video my clients stack rings onto a cat toy made out of a spring and mouse. I can position it to the client’s side, behind or use while the client is kneeling or standing on a dynamic surface such as a platform swing or horse. The door spring is fun to push also and can be attached to a container to stabilize while "boinking" it or placing rings on top. It takes a lot of force to push and thus, lots of sensory stimulation. Notice that I use small rings when I want to work on using hands together to push and larger rings when working on postural control. I love the versatility of these simple materials! Learn more about activity adaptations at: http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Many children and adults with Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD) find weighted vests, blankets, collars and lap pads to be calming. This video demonstrates one of my clients enjoying the sensation of wearing a backpack filled with bottles of sand. I also stuffed a dog toy inside so that she can enjoy deep pressure fun when pressing against a wall to make it squeak. She is often flapping her arms around so I added the socks to pull or hold onto for additional movement and deep pressure sensory stimulation Learn more about activity adaptations on my website: http://www.RecyclingOT.com

My client has difficulty unscrewing tight bottle caps since his right side is weak. I made this jig by cutting the side of a cube shaped container so that the side lays flat on the table. He is able to place his right arm on top of this to stabilize the jig. He needs to push the bottle into the hole using a lot of force and he is really strong since he uses that left side all the time. The bottle does NOT wiggle as he unscrews the cap. He has the option of 1) placing a straw into the bottle and drinking with it inside the jig or 2) removing the bottle after screwing the cap back on loosely. This really is a great way for him to practice using his right arm to assist and maybe it will eventually get stronger. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

It occurred to me that pictures of bagels and donuts would be fun and meaningful to use on a ring stack. I printed the pictures, laminated them and cut out the center holes. I made the ring stack by wedging a groan stick toy inside the bottle opening and securing it in place. It makes a fun sound when turned over. My clients really enjoyed identifying the types of bagels, as well as stacking them. Make the center holes larger to make easier and smaller to create challenge. Notice how the lady in the video needs to use both hands together in order to push the bagel down. Learn more about activity adaptations at: http://www.RecyclingOT.com

My sweet client likes to soothe herself by putting her fingers in her mouth and clasping her hands tightly. You can see that she is wearing a chewable necklace and she sometimes will keep that in her mouth. This video demonstrates a brief activity alternative. I put several rings made out of socks on each arm. She really liked that tight feeling. After she removed each ring I put them on my arms and repeated the game. Then the rings went to the laundry basket! If you are a parent or work with children or adults with developmental disabilities give it a try. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

We enjoyed watching the boaters bail out water during our vacation in Guadeloupe. I've been in this position before!!!!

The roosters and goats in the Guadeloupe countryside created beauty and peace during our vacation.

Children and adults on the autism spectrum often benefit from sensory stimulation that promotes calm, focus, engagement and decreases agitation. Walking and moving up and down stimulates the vestibular (balance) system. Wearing a weighted or pressure vest and moving weighted objects stimulates the proprioceptive sensory receptors in muscles and joints. These types of sensory-motor activities help children to develop coordination and body awareness. Parents and teachers may set up play and learning centers incorporating these types of sensory stimulation. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

Occupational therapists love using cones to develop bilateral grasp, reaching skills and eye-hand coordination. Clients develop postural control and balance as they reach for cones while in a variety of positions such as kneeling or standing on top of a dynamic surface (such as a horse!). Clients with poor attention may be motivated to engage in hand activities such as the vibrating cone stacker. Try placing the cones on the floor and the vibrating cone stack on a high surface across the room to incorporate lots of movement into this sensory activity. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com

While vacationing in the beautiful country of Guadeloupe, I came across plastic bottles and other recycled objects used in art. These pictures were taken at the Memorial ACTe, museum of slavery. I think that the sardine cans might symbolize a slave ship and the connected plastic bottles look to me like chains. The museum was incredible and multi-sensory with sound effects, music, art and videos. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5vtgj0mWTU and learn more about using recycling materials in therapy at: http://www.RecyclingOT.com

A "tripod" pencil grasp is considered most efficient during handwriting. The term “tripod” is used because 3 fingers- the index, middle fingers and thumb look like a tripod when controlling the pencil. Young children strengthen and develop coordination between the “tripod fingers” when squeezing clothespins, chip clips or tongs. This video demonstrates how to make and use similar "tongs" in repetitive fine-motor activities that young children or adults with developmental disabilities may enjoy. Learn more about activity adaptations at http://www.RecyclingOT.com