Occupational Therapy Newsletter
Volume 22
December 2011
Fine Motor and Sensory Activities for Home and School
Fine Motor Skills involve the small muscles of the body that enable such functions as writing, grasping small
objects, and fastening clothing. They involve a combination of strength and fine motor control.
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Sensory Modulation is the ability of the nervous system to appropriately manage input from the senses.
Individuals with a poorly modulated nervous system may react to an over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to sights, sounds, tastes, smells,
movement, position sense, and/or touch. This is sometimes referred to as a ‘Sensory Integration disorder’.
To promote Fine Motor Abilities:
To promote Sensory Modulation:
Writing & art activities require strength enough to manipulate
materials and require coordination to control them. Focus hand
strength and coordination activities on using the thumb against the
index and middle fingers since these are responsible for controlling
writing utensils, scissors, and other useful classroom tools.
Sensory experiences affect how alert or focused we feel and
affect our ability to work at our best level. Choose strategies that
encourage a child to feel ‘just right’ for learning. If they appear
sluggish, engage them in alerting activities; if they appear jazzed,
engage them in calming activities.
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Stack and handle coins, or deposit coins (or poker
chips) into slotted containers.
Manipulate nuts and bolts or turn screws.
Tie knots in various size cords and rope.
Sort plastic knives, forks and spoons.
Paint with water on the blacktop, cement, or the
vertical surface of a building to encourage shoulder
stability while using the hands.
Draw on dark paper or on the sidewalk with chalk.
Cut out pictures from magazines and glue them on
paper, boxes, paper cups, or paper plates.
Use a button to tap on a table. Have your child repeat a
rhythm you tapped out.
Children love putting together a puzzle of them, a
family member, or a pet. Have a photo enlarged to
eight-by-ten inches. Mount it on heavy cardboard and
cut it into pieces to put together over and over.
Punch holes in paper of varying thickness with a hole
punch or punch holes from wax paper and put the dots
in a jar filled with water (screw on the lid, shake it and
watch the children’s very own snowstorm).
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Recommended website of Fine Motor & Sensory Activities:
www.YourTherapysource.com/freestuff.html
www.skillbuildersonline.com/SBA/Catalogue.asp?Current=Free+Stuff
Use these suggestions to engage your students in activities that
promote fine motor development and regulation of their sensory
systems. They are suggestions and guidelines for developing activities
that work for you and your students. Consult with your building OT
to share your experiences, ask questions, or to explore new ideas.
Push-ups performed against a wall, on the tabletop, or
against a partner. ‘Seated push-ups’ performed by
gently pushing your bottom up from the chair or floor.
Finger-fidget activities: Pinches; Spider push-ups;
Rubber band stretches; Fidget balls; Therapy putty; or
‘Pencil Aerobics’.
Use seating options that provide opportunities for
gentle motion: Casters, Inflated Cushions, a T-stool,
Exercise Ball, or Rocking Chair.
Large movement activities: Heavy marching; seated
‘walking’ while sitting on the floor with legs extended;
stretching exercises; jumping or using a small
trampoline; hopping; sit-ups; jumping jacks;
wheelbarrow walks; or crab walks.
Proprioceptive (Deep Pressure) sensory activities:
Leap frog, Tug-of-war, crawling or ‘squishing’ under
couch cushions, chin-ups, play with weighted balls,
jumping and crashing on a bed or couch, pushing
another child on a swing, bike riding, foot-to-foot
‘bicycling’ with a friend, firm gentle hugs; or
swimming.
Make a "sandwich" by firmly pressing on your child's
arms legs and back with pillows or make a "burrito" by
rolling him or her up tightly in a blanket (calming).
Incorportate hard muscle work into every day chores or
play: Push a stroller or cart filled with weighted
objects; carry or push heavy books; move chairs;
deliver notes or books while wearing a heavy backpack
or while wearing ankle weights.
*Every person’s sensory nervous system is unique. We therefore each
crave different types or different amounts of sensory experiences,
compared to others, in order to feel ‘modulated’ (-not too ‘revved’, yet
not too ‘lazy’). Experiment to see how you or your children respond to
each type of nervous system sensory input then make adjustments!
Sandy Russell OTR/L, M.Ed. and Mary Jacket OTR/L