Home Instruction Resources

Occupational Therapy Grades PK - K

Week 1

MOTOR: Heavy Work Activities

When children move their bodies and “work” their muscles it helps them with body awareness, calming, strengthening and focus! Try some of these ideas when you are home with your children. Kids love to do what their parents do, model the activity and play along!

• Push/Pull a laundry basket filled with books, pillows, or toys. Roll up some socks into a ball and throw them into the basket!
• Have them stuff a pillowcase full of toys or towels; have them “roll” it around the room
• Play in a bin or water or in the bath, put in non-breakable cups and large spoons. Have them pour water from cup to cup, or mix with the spoon. This is fun if you add dish liquid or shampoo to the water to make bubbles!
• Wipe a table or window clean with a wet cloth or towel, have them dry it!
• Push or pull a wheeled suitcase filled with books!
• Eat crunchy foods (heavy work for your jaw)!
• Set up an obstacle course with couch cushions and pillows. Have them crawl, walk, jump around the obstacles! Put a pillow on the ground run around it, try to jump over it!
• Crawl through tunnels made of towels or sheets draped over chairs!
• Lie on tummy and look at books!
• Push against a wall with your hands/back/legs!
• Give your child a big bear hug!! <3

SELF-CARE

 Please have your child try to practice some of these dressing, grooming, and daily life skills:

• Remove and put on their shoes (its ok to help them!)
• Put their dirty laundry in the laundry basket (or area)
• Wash their hands with soapy water (sing the ABCs or Happy Birthday so they wash long enough!)
• Practice drying the front and back of their hands!
• Have them help with clearing the table after a meal or snack
• Wipe the table and dry it (with assistance)
• Hang their jacket up when they get home
• Wring out the water from a sponge or wash cloth when they take a bath
• Have the children help you clean up their toys, sing “Clean up clean up everybody everywhere!”
• Have them brush their teeth (with your help)

SENSORY: Calming and wake-up activities

 Each child is different, but we encourage that you try some of these activities with your child.

 Calming:

• Get in an upside down position
• Read a book while you are rocking in a chair or in an adults lap
• Give a firm bear hug
• Hold your open hand in front of your mouth, take a deep breath, pretend to “blow out the candles” and bend each finger down as you blow
• Listen to soft music
• Dim the lights
• Drinking from a straw, sippy cup, or sports bottle

 Alerting/Wake-up Activities:

• Jumping
• Dance to music
• Singing songs and clapping
• Running
• Rolling on the floor
• Eating crunchy foods

VISUAL MOTOR: Coloring and Handwriting

 Enclosed are several coloring activities. It is fine to help your child color if they cannot do this by themselves. If your child can write their name or some letters feel free to have them write it on their paper.

 Activities included:

• Coloring pages
• Tracing pages
• Letter page

 Look for letters in your house! Find them on cereal boxes, in magazines, in books, on TV!

 Sing your ABCs and have a dance party!

 Throw or roll a ball back and forth and count to 10!