Occupational Therapy | Westford Public Schools

Parents are always asking:

"What can we do to help our child perform better in school?"

My advice: Tell them to PLAY!!!

I think play is vastly under-rated! Did you know that adequate arm and trunk strength are essential pre-requisites to fine motor development?

There are many fun and simple activities you can do with your child at home, that naturally build strength in these areas.

For example, encourage your child to spend some quality time on mastering the monkey bars at the local playground OR be a little inventive with the way games are played in the home.

Here are some ideas:

Coloring or painting on an easel or blackboard encourages co-contractions of the shoulder muscles and improves strength and stability.
Other activities may include: wheelbarrow walk (forward and back), crabwalk or crab soccer, playing tug-of-war, doing push-ups, climbing on jungle gyms, swinging and hanging by arms, doing pull-ups.
Encourage your child to try different positions (other than sitting) to facilitate increased strength/stability. Some possibilities are prone (on stomach) and supporting self on elbows and forearms or side sitting and supporting self with either left or right hand. These positions could be incorporated while watching television, reading books, or playing board games.

Now it's time to work on those little hand muscles!

Here are some fun activities you can do at home to enhance fine motor development:

Allow ample opportunities to make various craft projects. Ready-made kits are available at local craft stores. Use a variety of decorations including feathers, paints, glitter, beads, buttons, beans, etc.
Play Doh is your friend! Set up a designated area (preferably on a table in a NON-carpeted room) With a few simple rules and appropriate work space, clean up is a breeze and your child will be working on developing those all-important hand muscles without even knowing it.
Making your very own play-doh is even more fun! Use the recipes below to make dough ornaments, play doh, and oobleck.

Goop/Oobleck:

Mix 3 cups cornstarch and 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water.

Clay:

1-cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons glue, and 1-tablespoon oil. Mix and let dry for two days. If dry add water; if watery, add flour.

Dough Sculptures:

2 cups flour, 1-cup salt, add to 1-cup water (add tsp at a time). Knead dough for 10 minutes until dough is firm and smooth. Form pieces by using cookie cutters or making shapes freestyle (can roll out strips and piece together or mold any shape). Bake in slow oven at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until light brown and hard. Let cool. Paint as desired. Note: to make ornaments, be sure to make a small hole in dough prior to baking.

Just think of the hours of fun that await you and your child!

What did you say?

You're not feeling especially creative? The prospect of mixing up your own Play Doh is not filling you with delight? Have no fear; the local toy store is near!

Here are some great gift ideas that work wonders on skills of fine motor and upper body strength development.

Hungry Hippo

Elefun

BedBugs

Don't Spill the Beans

Operation

Battleship

Pick-up Sticks

Wind up Toys

Game of Jacks

Magna Doodle

Etch-A-Sketch

Super Catch Mitt Set

Zoom Ball

Tether Ball

Chin up Bar

Lite Brite

Motorized games such as Hot Shot Basketball

Snafu

Jewelry Kits or other craft projects (weaving, woodworking projects)

Legos

Kínex

Erector Junior and Eector Sets

Cat's Cradle String game

Jenga

Tip It

Labyrinth

Any Board Game

And last but not least: Play Doh Factory (thought I would sneak that one in AGAIN!)

Remember to keep it fun, keep it simple and guess what?

They'll never know they're getting their muscles all set for success in school!

Thanks for visiting.

Coleen Noble, OTR/L