Get Those Stories Moving!
Mary Ann Efner – Occupational Therapist
Mary Shands – Librarian
NYLA Conference May 1, 2009
Outline
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Why Movement in the classroom?
Specific Lesson Plans (10) Pre-K through 5
Other Possibilities
Other Resources
Supporting Documents
Pictures
Video Clips
Why Use Movement in Library Class?
Standing appears to provide a 5 – 15% greater flow of blood and oxygen to the brain and increases
attention (Jensen, 1995).
Specific movements can stimulate the release of the body’s natural motivators, such as non adrenaline and dopamine, which wake up learners and help them feel good, maximize their energy
levels, and improve their storage of information and retrieval (Jensen, 2000).
Multiple Intelligences theory states that our learners all possess, to lesser or greater degrees, a
bodily kinesthetic intelligence (Armstrong, 2000; Gardner 1993).
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Movement energizes the brain bringing attention sensations and motor memory to both language
and cognitive processes. It is a way to involve the whole body in learning-enhancing memory and
giving added meaning to print. In our OT/library group, it adds to comprehension and reinforces
the sequence of story in a powerful and dynamic way. And it always makes learning FUN!
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All of the students in our Learning Concepts Class, have IEP goals of being able to attend for 5 to 8
minutes. Traditional story telling/library class will not be a successful fit with this IEP goal.
Title: The Senses
Big 6
Task Definition X
Information Seeking Strategies X
Location and Access X
Use of Information X
Synthesis X
Evaluation
Grade: Language Concepts Class
NYS Standard
English Language
Arts 1, 2 , 3,4
Arts 1, 3
HPEHE 1 and 2
CDOS
LOTE
Math Science Technology
Social Studies
Occupational Therapy Goals:
The use of sensory-motor activities to provide:
1. Increased Attention X
2. Self-regulation of the nervous system which impacts
on behavior and the ability to organize and filter
sensations (visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular). X
3. Facilitate sequential thinking on both cognitive and
movement levels. X
4. Develop body awareness in space. X
5. Develop strength and endurance. X
6. Develop motor coordination and motor planning. X
7. Provide hands on learning to give added meaning
and comprehension to vocabulary, story sequence. X
Information Skills:
Non-fiction book Senses; fiction book on sense My Dog Truffle or My Cat Tuna or Five for a Little One
Materials:
Non-fiction book on senses; one of the fiction books listed above; Jump and Jive With Hi-5; Die with senses with a picture of a sense
on each side; a variety of interesting objects to see, hear, touch, taste, smell.
Class Activities:
Show the non-fiction book on senses and pick out some interesting facts. Read My Dog Truffle/My Cat Tuna. These are lift the flap
books. Have the students guess what Tuna/Truffle, saw, smelled etcetera before they come up and lift the flap. Each student has a
turn rolling the die, he/she says what sense it lands on and then chooses an activity to do that engages that sense. Everyone has a
turn rolling the die and then the song is played “High 5.” Students dance and a high 5 is done each time it is sung on the CD.
Format revised from Otsego Northern Catskill BOCES School Library System
Title: It’s Simple Said Simon by Mary Ann Hoberman
Big 6
Task Definition
Information Seeking Strategies
Location and
Access X
Use of Information
Synthesis
Evaluation
NYS Standard
English Language
Arts 1, 2 and 4
Arts 1
HPEHE 1 and 2
CDOS
LOTE
Math Science Tech
Social Studies
Grade: Learning Concepts Class
Occupational Therapy Goals:
The use of sensory-motor activities to provide:
1. Increased Attention X
2. Self-regulation of the nervous system which impacts on
behavior and the ability to organize and filter sensations (visual,
auditory, tactile, vestibular). X
3. Facilitate sequential thinking on both cognitive and
movement levels. X
4. Develop body awareness in space. X
5. Develop strength and endurance.
6. Develop motor coordination and motor planning. X
7. Provide hands on learning to give added meaning and
comprehension to vocabulary, story sequence. X
Information Skills
Fiction verses non-fiction
Materials:
It’s Simple Said Simon by Mary Ann Hoberman; a small dog, cat, horse, tiger and something to put them in; a
tunnel to swim through.
Class Activities:
The plot of this book is that Simon meets each of the animals listed above and does an activity with them. While
reading the book with the class do the activity with the class as Simon does. After the book is read, one by one
each student chooses a dog/cat/horse/tiger from a bag and then the class as a whole engages in the activity that
the animal did in the story. For example, the dog growled, the cat jumped, the horse stretched and the tiger swam
through the tunnel.
Format revised from Otsego Northern Catskill BOCES School Library System
Title: No More Cookies by Paoeny Lewis
Big 6
Task Definition X
Information Seeking Strategies X
Location and Access X
Use of Information X
Synthesis X
Evaluation
NYS Standard
English Language
Arts 1, 2 , 3,4
Arts 1, 3
HPEHE 1 and 2
CDOS
LOTE
Math Science Technology
Social Studies
Grade: Learning Concepts Class
Occupational Therapy Goals:
The use of sensory-motor activities to provide:
1. Increased Attention X
2. Self-regulation of the nervous system which impacts
on behavior and the ability to organize and filter
sensations (visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular). X
3. Facilitate sequential thinking on both cognitive and
movement levels. X
4. Develop body awareness in space. X
5. Develop strength and endurance. X
6. Develop motor coordination and motor planning.X
7. Provide hands on learning to give added meaning
and comprehension to vocabulary, story sequence. X
Information Skills:
Non-fiction cookbook on cookies, fiction book on cookies
Materials:
Cookies: A Cookie Lover’s Collection by Creative Publishing; No More Cookies by Paoeny Lewis; Cookie Count by Robert Sabuda;
fortune cookies with activities inserted in them; big jar to put the lid in with a screw top; a path
Class Activities:
Show the book, Cookies and discuss how it is non-fiction and how there are cookbooks in the library. Read the book, Cookie Count, have
students guess the number and what type of cookie. Sing the song, “Who Stole the Cookies From the Cookie Jar.” Insert a student’s
name into the song. That student comes up, goes down the path and sneaks a cookie from the cookie jar. He/she breaks the cookie
open and there is an activity such as five jumping jacks that the entire class does. Repeat for the number of students in the class so that
everyone gets a turn.
Format revised from Otsego Northern Catskill BOCES School Library System
Title: Cars
Big 6
Task Definition X
Information Seeking Strategies X
Location and Access X
Use of Information X
Synthesis X
Evaluation
Grade: Learning Concepts Class
NYS Standard
English Language
Arts 1, 2 , 3,4
Arts 1, 3
HPEHE 1 and 2
CDOS
LOTE
Math Science Technology
Social Studies
Occupational Therapy Goals:
The use of sensory-motor activities to provide:
1. Increased Attention
2. Self-regulation of the nervous system which impacts
on behavior and the ability to organize and filter
sensations (visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular).
3. Facilitate sequential thinking on both cognitive and
movement levels.
4. Develop body awareness in space.
5. Develop strength and endurance.
6. Develop motor coordination and motor planning.
7. Provide hands on learning to give added meaning
and comprehension to vocabulary, story sequence.
Information Skills:
Non-fiction book on cars, fiction books, Red Light Stop Green Light Go by Kulman and Red Light
Green Light by Anastasia Suen
Materials:
Non-fiction books on cars, One or both of the fiction books mentioned above; CD- “Twist and Shout”; Pieces of paper that have roads
made on them; small matchbox cars.
Class Activities:
Show the variety of non-fiction car books and pick out a couple of interesting facts to discuss. Read either or both of the fiction books
listed above. Have set up large pieces of paper with each student’s name on it. Have the students find their road. Have each student
choose a car. Play the song from the CD entitled “Red Light! Green Light!” Have students stop their cars and stop the music when it is a
red light.
Format revised from Otsego Northern Catskill BOCES
Title: Miss Mary Mack by Mary Ann Hoberman Grade: Kindergarten/First
Big 6
Task Definition X
Information Seeking Strategies X
Location and
Access X
Use of Information X
Synthesis
Evaluation
NYS Standard
English Language
Arts 1, 2 and 4
Arts 1
HPEHE 1 and 2
CDOS
LOTE
Math Science Tech
Social Studies
Occupational Therapy Goals:
The use of sensory-motor activities to provide:
1. Increased Attention X
2. Self-regulation of the nervous system which
impacts on behavior and the ability to organize and
filter sensations (visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular).
X
3. Facilitate sequential thinking on both cognitive
and movement levels. X
4. Develop body awareness in space. X
5. Develop strength and endurance. X
6. Develop motor coordination and motor
planning. X
7. Provide hands on learning to give added
meaning and comprehension to vocabulary, story
sequence. X
Information Skills:
Non-fiction Elephant book and discussion of where those books are
discussion of fiction and how nursery rhymes are fictional
Materials:
Miss Mary Mack by Mary Ann Hoberman; non-fiction book on elephants; a stuffed elephant; a trampoline
Class Activities:
The non-fiction elephant book is read and discussed. Miss Mary Mack is read and discussed. A student helps to
demonstrate the hand clapping for Miss Mary Mack. The students are split up into pairs and while one student is jumping
on the trampoline, his/her partner takes care of the elephant while the rest of the students do the hand motions to the
song.
Revised from Otsego Northern Catskill Boces School Library System
Title: The Cheese by Marge Palatini
Big 6
Task Definition X
Information Seeking Strategies X
Location and Access X
Use of Information X
Synthesis X
Evaluation
NYS Standard
English Language
Arts 1, 2 , 3,4
Arts 1, 3
HPEHE 1 and 2
CDOS
LOTE
Math Science Technology
Social Studies
Grades: K, 1, 2
Occupational Therapy Goals:
The use of sensory-motor activities to provide:
1. Increased Attention X
2. Self-regulation of the nervous system which impacts
on behavior and the ability to organize and filter sensations
(visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular). X
3. Facilitate sequential thinking on both cognitive and
movement levels. X
4. Develop body awareness in space. X
5. Develop strength and endurance. X
6. Develop motor coordination and motor planning X
7. Provide hands on learning to give added meaning
and comprehension to vocabulary, story sequence. X
Information Skills:
Nursery Rhymes, revised nursery rhymes, fiction.
Materials:
On a white board or construction paper, have the words to the nursery rhyme, The Farmer in the Dell. Also, The Cheese by Marge
Palatini
Class Activities:
Discuss nursery rhymes, location of, brief history of. Have the students form a circle with the line leader in the middle. Instruct the class
to look at the lyrics of the song. The rest of the class joins hands around the person in the middle and sings the first two verses. When
the farmer picks a wife, the line leader picks a boy and a girl to come into the circle. Keep having the two new-comers pick the next
two. By the end of the song, you want to be the cheese standing alone. Run around the circle crazily singing the cheese stands alone
and then tell the students that you played the game to read the book, The Cheese. I usually have the students choral, “the cheese
stands alone” whenever that is stated. Read the book. Look at the white board which has the lyrics of The Farmer in the Dell on it. Ask
the class to notice the similarities, which characters are the same, which ones are left out and the pattern , The Cheese, goes backwards
from the nursery rhyme.
Format revised from Otsego Northern Catskill BOCES School Library System
Title: The House that Jack Built
The Book that Jack Wrote
Big 6
Task Definition X
Information Seeking Strategies X
Location and Access X
Use of Information X
Synthesis X
Evaluation
Grades: K, 1, 2
NYS Standard
English Language
Arts 1, 2 , 3,4
Arts 1, 3
HPEHE 1 and 2
CDOS
LOTE
Math Science Technology
Social Studies
Occupational Therapy Goals:
The use of sensory-motor activities to provide:
1. Increased Attention X
2. Self-regulation of the nervous system which
impacts on behavior and the ability to organize and filter
sensations (visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular). X
3. Facilitate sequential thinking on both cognitive and
movement levels. X
4. Develop body awareness in space. X
5. Develop strength and endurance. X
6. Develop motor coordination and motor planning
7. Provide hands on learning to give added meaning
and comprehension to vocabulary, story sequence. X
Information Skills:
Nursery Rhymes, revised nursery rhymes, fiction.
Materials:
This is the House that Jack Built, The Book that Jack Wrote. Copy the pages of each book twice and laminate. Put on popsicle sticks and put
them in separate boxes. Write the characters from each book up on a white board.
Class Activities:
Discuss nursery rhymes, location of, brief history of. Present This is the House that Jack Built. Tell students that they will play the parts in the
book. Hand out to each student a laminated page on a popsicle stick, double up when you have to. Tell the students that you will read the
story and every time their page/character is mentioned they have to stand up. Discuss how at the end of the book, everyone will be standing
up. Do the same thing with This is the Book that Jack Wrote but pre-set the students to think about what characters are the same and which
ones are different from This is the House that Jack Built. Start the other way with this book so that the other side is standing more often. For
fun, see how fast the students can stand up and sit down when their part is read. At the end discuss the characters that are the same and the
ones that are different you could even use a graphic organizer to do so.
Format revised from Otsego Northern Catskill BOCES School Library System
Title: Bats
Big 6
Task Definition X
Information Seeking Strategies X
Location and Access X
Use of Information X
Synthesis X
Evaluation
Grade: 2 or 3
NYS Standard
English Language
Arts 1, 2 , 3,4
Arts 1, 3
HPEHE 1 and 2
CDOS
LOTE
Math Science Tech 4b and 6
Social Studies
Occupational Therapy Goals:
The use of sensory-motor activities to provide:
1. Increased Attention X
2. Self-regulation of the nervous system which
impacts on behavior and the ability to organize and
filter sensations (visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular). X
3. Facilitate sequential thinking on both cognitive
and movement levels. X
4. Develop body awareness in space. X
5. Develop strength and endurance. X
6. Develop motor coordination and motor planning X
7. Provide hands on learning to give added meaning
and comprehension to vocabulary, story sequence. X
Information Skills:
fiction verses non-fiction on bats
Materials:
Vampire Bats by Julie Murray and Daft Bat by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross; yoga windmill pose; white board for
discussion of words daft and barmy; Ideally a document camera to show non-fiction book.
Class Activities:
Read and discuss the book on vampire bats. Focus on part that discusses roosting. Discuss what roosting means.
Introduce the book Daft Bat. Introduce the vocabulary words, “daft” and “barmy.” Ask the class whether they think
these words are compliments/insults. Discuss point of view and point of view in relation to roosting. Read the book
Daft Bat and discuss how bat has a different point of view because he is roosting and upside down. As a class do the
windmill pose and discuss how your viewpoint would be different if you went around in the world upside down.
Format revised from Otsego Northern Catskill BOCES School Library System
Title: Genre Basketball
Big 6
Task Definition X
Information Seeking Strategies X
Location and Access X
Use of Information X
Synthesis X
Evaluation
Grades: 3 - 5
NYS Standard
English Language
Arts 1, 2 , 3,4
Arts 1, 3
HPEHE 1 and 2
CDOS
LOTE
Math Science Technology
Social Studies
Occupational Therapy Goals:
The use of sensory-motor activities to provide:
1. Increased Attention X
2. Self-regulation of the nervous system which
impacts on behavior and the ability to organize and
filter sensations (visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular).X
3. Facilitate sequential thinking on both cognitive
and movement levels. X
4. Develop body awareness in space. X
5. Develop strength and endurance. X
6. Develop motor coordination and motor
planning. X
7. Provide hands on learning to give added
meaning and comprehension to vocabulary, story
sequence. X
Information Skills: Study of literary genres like science fiction, historical fiction, non-fiction, biography,
fantasy. You can also use the game the last week of school to review titles read throughout the year.
Materials:
A variety of books on a cart with, if needed, summaries taped to the back; a garbage can; masking tape;
white board to keep score; a ball.
Class Activities:
Students are split up into two teams, A and B. You read a brief summary of the book and the student
from team A has to guess the genre. If he/she has no idea the student may call on someone else on the
team A for help. If that person guess correctly, he/she takes a shot at the basket. To get a point for the
team the student must accurately answer the question and get the ball in the basket/garbage can. The
questioning goes back and forth between the two teams until all students have had a chance to answer.
Format revised from Otsego Northern Catskill BOCES School Library System
Title: Use the on-line catalog and find the books
Big 6
Task Definition X
Information Seeking Strategies X
Location and Access X
Use of Information X
Synthesis X
Evaluation
NYS Standard
English Language
Arts 1, 2 , 3,4
Arts 1, 3
HPEHE 1 and 2
CDOS
LOTE
Math Science Technology
Social Studies
Grades: 3-5
Occupational Therapy Goals:
The use of sensory-motor activities to provide:
1. Increased Attention X
2. Self-regulation of the nervous system which impacts
on behavior and the ability to organize and filter
sensations (visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular). X
3. Facilitate sequential thinking on both cognitive and
movement levels. X
4. Develop body awareness in space. X
5. Develop strength and endurance. X
6. Develop motor coordination and motor planning. X
7. Provide hands on learning to give added meaning
and comprehension to vocabulary, story sequence.
Information Skills
Use of on-line catalog, location and access of specific genres
Materials:
At least five computers; half a sheet of paper with specific genres and a place to write call numbers; pencils
Class Activities:
After an overview of how to use the on-line card catalog, students are split up by counting off into teams of at least
five. Each team has a computer. Working together, students must physically find a book from each of the genres and
show it to me. Every team that successfully finishes, receives a prize (bookmark).
Format revised from Otsego Northern Catskill Boces Library System
Other Possibilities:
Book
Movement Activity
The Little Engine that Could by Piper
Train – Make a train and as a train orient students to where things are in
the library, students collect trains from different areas, regroup and
discuss.
The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark by Grace and Geist
Have students straddle a bolster and “fish” for Fisher Price fish and say the
color fish found.
We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Metzger
Have leaves with students’ names on them around the room, have
students collect them and count them while listening to a song about fall.
Roller Coaster by O’Malley
Students are pulled by another student using a hula hoop while on the
roller coaster, the scooter board
Bark George by Feiffer
Students went through the tunnel and then turned over a picture with one
of the animals George was and they had to remember the sound made by
the animal
Goodnight Goon by Rex
Pin the nose on the goony pumpkin
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Williams
Stomped along squishy and when they got to a stepping stone with the
number that they rolled with the dice, they picked and underneath the
stepping stone was an action for the stepping stone
Everything You Need to Make a Snowman
The students did some of the action in the book, climb up the hill bean bag,
slid down the hill on the scooter board and then found a body part that the
student placed in the correct spot on the full-sized snowman
Potato Joe by Baker
Passed around musical potato. When it stopped the student with it had to
toss the potato on a potato card, turn it over and everyone did the activity
on the card.
Hop Jump by Walsh
Lilly pads with numbers, students roll the die choose the correct number
and then jump that many times on the trampoline and then all dance until
music stops
OTHER RESOURCES TO USE FOR STORY AND MOVEMENT
Children’s Book of Yoga
by Thia Luby
Any Laurie Berkner
CD’s
Trampoline
Tunnel
Bolster
Bean Bag
Dice
Scooter Board
Stepping Stones
Parachute
hula hoops
soft vibrating
animals
Focus Lotion
Poppers
Any object specific
to the story
Information Skills
A. Library Awareness –concept of a library
B. Behavior and Etiquette
C. Lifelong Reading Skills – reading for
comprehension and enjoyment
D. Information problem Solving – Big 6
Task Definition
Information Seeking Strategies
Location and Access
Use of Information
Synthesis
Evaluation
From Otsego Northern Catskill BOCES School Library System
NYS Learning Standards
ELA (Use Language For)
1.
Information and Understanding
2.
Literacy Response and Expression
3.
Critical Analysis and Evaluation
4.
Social Interaction
The Arts
1.
Engage in Creation and performance
2.
Know about, use resources
3.
Respond critically
4.
Cultural Awareness
Health, Physical Education and Home Economics
1. Maintain physical fitness
2. Maintain safe environment
3. Manage personal/community resources
Career Development and Occupational Studies
1. Career Awareness
2. Academic Application
3. Foundation skills
4. Career Development
Languages Other Than English
1. Communication
2. Cross-cultural skills and understandings
Math/Science Technology
1. Scientific inquiries
2. Information systems
3. Mathematics
4a. Physical Setting
4b. Living Environment
5. Technology
6. Interconnectedness
Social Studies
1. United States and New York State
2. History
3. Geography
4. Economics
5. Government and Civics
Heavy Work Activities List for Teachers: Compiled and edited by Elizabeth Haber, MS, OTR/L and Deanna Iris Sava, MS, OTR/L
The following are activities that provide heavy work activities. All the activities on this handout are “naturally occurring activities.” This
means they can easily be incorporated into the student’s daily routine within the school environment.
Place chairs on desks at end of
day or take down at beginning
of day
Erase the chalkboard/dry erase
board
Wash desks and/or
chalkboard/dry erase board
Help rearrange desks in the
classroom
Help the janitor with emptying
wastebaskets, mopping the floor
etc.,
Fill egg crates with books to take
to other classrooms.
Help the gym teacher move
mats, hang them up.
Take crunch food breaks such as
dry cereal, vegetables, pretzels
or popcorn
Sharpen pencils with a manual
sharpener
Cut out items for display from
oak tag
Have students carry notebooks
to the office or from class to
class
Carry books with both hands
hugging the book to the chest
Push the lunch cart or carry
lunch bin to cafeteria
Have students move several
packs at a time of Xerox paper
from storage area to copy center
Use the Ellison cut-out machine
Climb on playground equipment
Perform sports activities that
involve running and jumping
Run around the track at school
Have students push against the
walls
Fill up big toy trucks with heavy
blocks, push with both hands to
knock things down.
Have the student color a
“rainbow” with large paper on
the floor while on hands and
knees
Play “cars” under a table in the
classroom where the student
pushes the car with one hand
while creeping and weight
bearing on the other hand.
Open Doors for people
Use squeeze toys that can be
squeezed quietly on the
student’s lap under the desk so
that the student does not disturb
the class
Do chair push-ups
Do animal walks
Jump on a mini trampoline
Stack chairs
Alerting Activities
By Yack, 2002
Movement
Touch
Quick start/stop swinging,
bouncing, rolling rocking
Touch different textured board
Chew peppermint or sour
candy
Smell strong scents in sachets,
film containers, etc.
(peppermint, citrus, pine,
Vick’s Vapor Rub, strong
perfumes)
Brief spinning with frequent
directional changes
Hold multi surface fiddle toy
Eat something crunchy
Play with smelly stickers
Jump down from different
heights
Hold/manipulate cold items
Eat salty citrus, sour or bar-b-q
flavored foods
Flash lights
Rolling on chair with wheels
Hold/manipulate cold items
(e.g., ice pack)
Drink ice water
Track small flash light
Play clapping game
Use different bristles on skin
Drink water flavored with
lemons
Rock music/arrhythmic
movement
Erase blackboard
Intermittent use of fan
Suck on ice chips
Toys that provide intermittent
noises
Pass out papers
Walk to water fountain
Deliver messages
Oral Motor/Taste
Other
Classroom Adaptations and Accommodations
Yack, 2002
Visual
Auditory
Taste/Smell
Rugs or carpeted surfaces decrease noise
Use scented markers, smelly stickers to
alert sensory seekers
Turn lights off for calming and on for
alerting
Place felt or tennis balls on feet of chairs
Consider placement of desk in relation to
garbage or food items
Immediately replace flickering light bulbs
Reduce volume on intercoms
Teachers/aids need to consider use of
perfumes, deodorants etc., that might be
distracting
Experiment with colored acetate over
printed materials
Consider placement of desk
Use an angled surface to place task closer
to child’s field of vision
Provide headphones/earmuffs to muffle
sounds
Minimize accessories on teachers and aids
Place student close to teacher if auditory
discrimination problems
Alter complexity of screen savers on
computers
Play calming or alerting music through
Headphones
Use small flashlight to increase attention to
visual field
Alter volume and animation of
teacher’s/aid’s voice for calming/alerting
Minimize visual clutter
Use multi-colored materials to alert
Classroom Adaptations and Accommodations
By Ellen Yack, 2002
Movement
Deep Pressure
Touch
Rocking chair at desk or circle time
Weighted vest
Avoid light touch
Therapy ball at desk or circle time
Weighted wrist or ankle cuffs
When physically assisting or touching a
student, always approach from the front so
that they can anticipate the sensory input.
T-stool at desk
Tight hat, headband, bandanna or
barrettes
Add tactile input on writing tools for
students with poor tactile discrimination
(e.g., masking tape/Velcro/silly putty at
base of pencil
Swinging in class or playground for calming
or alerting purposes
Body pillow at circle time
Have students with poor tactile
discrimination practice printing in
sand/kosher salt
Rocker board underneath desk to place
feet on
Bean bag chair at desk or circle
Use materials with varied textures to alert,
consistent textures to calm
Move-sit cushion, sissel cushion, water
bottle, wine bladder
Padded chair at desk
Consider placement of tactile defensive
child, may not be able to sit with other
students at a table as there would be too
much tactile contact
Chair or stool with wheels
Sit at desk with pillow or large bean bag on
lap
Schedule day to create gross motor
opportunities between activities
Padded “snake” on lap or around shoulders
Calming/Organizing Activities
Yack, 2002
Movement
Touch
Oral Motor/Taste
Other
Slow rhythmical swinging,
rocking, bouncing
Hold fidget toy
Chew gum
Smell jars with calming
scents (lavender, vanilla,
banana, coconut)
Seat push-ups
Stroke soft toy fur animal
Suck on mild flavored candy
Sachets with calming scents
clothing or on desk
Wall push-ups
Stroke soft material strip on
insider of binder or glued
underneath desk
Slow breathing
Soft/rhythmic movement
Sit-ups; push-ups; chin-ups
Hand/body lotion
Suck on water bottle
White noise machine
Pull on theraband/bicycle
tubing
Drink from a narrow or curly
straw
Mini-water fountains
Lift weights
Blow cotton balls or feathers
Stare at fish swimming in
aquarium
Play tug of war
Blow pens
Wheel-barrow walking
Move furniture
Carry heavy books
Progressive relaxation
(squeeze and relax)