Many activities require fine and gross motor skills, visual-perceptual skills, social interaction, and other cognitive abilities. Any skill that is necessary to carry out an activity is considered an occupational skill; strengthening those skills may help your child live their lives more successfully and enjoyably.
Occupational therapy is appropriate for children who have deficits in their daily living skills, for children whose needs are less significant, and those typically-developing, too! Read below for a list of easy crafts you can do at home with your youngster to help support their developmental skills.
Bead/friendship bracelet-making – bracelet-making is also a great activity to support hand-eye coordination as well as fine motor, visual-perceptual, and sorting skills. Use yarn and larger beads for younger kids, and small beads and thread for older kids.
Baking Cookies – the process of making cookies also requires a lot of fine motor skills. Have your children help measure ingredients, mix, use cookie cutters, and decorate frosting. This highly-motivating activity can be adjusted for all ages and results in a tasty product.
Play-doh – Play-doh is the ultimate imagination-building activity. Countless colors are available, or you can make your own using flour, salt, vegetable oil and food coloring! Great to get hands moving and squeezing.
Sock puppet show – old or unmatched knee socks are repurposed in this fun and creative activity that allows children to use their fine motor skills and imagination. Sock puppets can also be a great way to incorporate social learning on any topic – create a scenario or problem and work through it with your child using your sock puppet characters!
