Create a Sensory Nature Bracelet!

Create a Sensory Nature Bracelet!

Apply masking tape to the child’s wrists, with the sticky side facing out.  You can double the tape if it is thin.

As you go on an outdoor walk or adventure, encourage your child to pick up and save things that they find along the way (you may want to discourage live bugs).  

Talk about why they chose what they did!

OT Department        Winchester Public Schools        2020

Invent Your Dream House!

Vocabulary Boring:  not interesting Unique:  different, one of a kind Right off the bat:  right away

Directions:  Listen to the story If I Built a House by Chris Van Dusen.  In the story Jack is a little boy who thinks his house is boring.  He makes plans for a fun house!  His house has a flying room, a racing room, and even a fish tank room.

Click here to listen to the story:      If I Built A House by Chris Van Dusen

After you listen to the story

• Think about your likes and dislikes. 
• Describe in writing a room or rooms in your dream house.  Make it unique.
• Draw a picture of at least one of the rooms in your house.

Use the template below to organize your ideas or write on your own paper.

My house would have a room that  _________________________________________________________. It would be filled with ____________________________________________________________________. In the room you could ___________________________________________________________________. The walls would be covered in ____________________________________________________________. DRAW A PICTURE OF YOUR ROOM(S) ON THE BACK.

Movement Alphabet Challenge

MOVEMENT  ALPHABET CHALLENGE! Each letter of the alphabet has been assigned a movement activity.  See If you can spell your name in movements!  Can you spell a friend’s name? How about spelling words?  Try a sentence:                  Keep moving!       My  school is awesome!      Spring is here!

1.  Run in place for 30 seconds
2.  10 jumping jacks (apart-together)
3.  5 wall push-ups  
4.  5 squats
5.  15 second wall sit ( back against the wall, lower yourself into a sitting position.  Hold )
6.  15 arm circles
7.  10 arm reaches (pick an apple from a tree)
8.  5 Burpees (squat, plank, squat, stand)
9.  10 second plank
10. 10 squats
11.  5 frog jumps
12.  6  jump and turns (stand in one place, jump and turn ½ way)
13.  March in place for a count to 20
14.  Stand on one foot as long as you can!
15.  Stand on tip toes for a count to 20
16.  5 Windmills  (stand like an “X”- reach down to touch your opposite foot   with your hand)
17.  Hop like a bunny around the room-10 hops
18.  Lay on your back and pretend your legs are riding a bicycle 
19.  Do the floss (or your best imitation)-for 10 seconds
20.  Broad jump over an object on the floor
21.  Rub your hands together for 10 seconds-open and close your fingers 10x.
22.  Try to snap your fingers 3x (or clap hands 3x)
23.  Count to 100 by 10’s
24.  10 side stretches 
25.  Sit on the floor with legs outstretched. Touch your toes 5x. 
26.  Flap your arms like a chicken 10 ( add the cluck and the head movement too)

Wheelbarrow Walking

Wheelbarrow Walking

Wheelbarrow walking is a great upper body and trunk strengthening activity, and can easily be incorporated into a game. When wheelbarrow walking, you are strengthening your arms and your trunk since you are activating a co-contraction of muscles through the whole body to maintain the position. It is a great heavy work activity that also incorporates motor planning. The closer to the child’s body that you hold the legs, the easier it is for them, as the "holder " carries greater weight. If you want it to be easy, hold on the upper thighs or hips, and then move out towards the knees and ankles to increase the difficulty level. It can be great fun to challenge kids to perform a job or game while wheelbarrow walking. 

Here are a few ideas: kids may need to put the pieces in their pocket or balance it on their backs (hands are needed to “walk”.) 

● Simple Puzzles: Put the pieces at one end of the room and the puzzle at the other end. 

● Sorting socks: separate 6 pairs of socks. Put one of each sock at one end of the room, and the other matching socks at the other. 

● Letter matching, or match pictures. 

● Using matchbox cars, get cars to the “garage” 

● Balls or marbles to put down a “marble run” 

● Wheelbarrow walk into a pile of cushions or pillows. 

Winchester Public Schools OT Department 2020 

Adapted from Therapy Fun Zones

ANIMAL STEM            

Vocabulary Arctic:  The area around the North Pole Shelter:  Home Adaptations:  The special ability that makes an animal able live in its environment Predator:  An animal that hunts for other animals

Directions:  Design a new animal that can live in a cold place like the Arctic.

Your animal should be able to:

• Stay warm
• Hunt for food
• Stay safe from predators
• Have one moving part

1.  Answer the questions below about your animal.  

2.  Then, draw the animal.

                    OR

3.  Create a model of your animal using things from around your
house (tin foil, paper, toothpicks, elastics,
tape, egg carton, empty cereal box).

1.  Describe what your animal looks like.
2. What does your animal eat?
3. What is your animal’s shelter (home) made out of?
4. How does your animal stay warm?
5. How does your animal stay safe?
6. What are your animal’s special abilities (adaptations)?

The Sign Language Alphabet- A Great Finger Exercise!

Try the SIGN LANGUAGE alphabet!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csBb71UPN8E

Nature Bingo and Writing

If you can get outside this is a great activity that helps you explore nature!  

1. Check off each object as you find it.

2. Choose a plant or animal that you observed outside.

• Draw a picture of it.
• Write a description in complete sentences.
• Describe its name, shape, color, and what it is doing.

Ant	A bird hopping	3 yellow flowers	An animal with 4 legs	A leaf with rounded edges
A white flower	An animal with 6 legs	A leaf with smooth edges	A flying animal	An animal eating a plant
A worm	A tree with bumpy bark	Grass	A moth	A butterfly

Senses

Senses

Go outside for 5 minutes.  If you can’t go outside look at the pictures below. 

Use your imagination.

Pay attention to your senses.

What do you hear?

What do you see?

What can you smell?

What can you feel?

Then copy the sentence starters and fill in the blanks.

I hear _________________________.

I see __________________________.

I smell _________________________.

I feel __________________________.

                                 

Fine Motor Fun...THE PAPER-CLIP CHALLENGE !

Place paperclips on an index card, piece of cardboard or a paint chip as fast as you can for one minute.  

How many were you able to do?
Practice to get faster !

PULL OUT THOSE PUZZLES! It is a great way to "exercise" your brain and your fingers!

Categories

The bird, gorilla, and cat are all ANIMALS.

Dancing, washing hands, and talking are all THINGS YOU CAN DO.

Worried, bored, and excited are all _____________________.

Look at these pictures.
What are the 2 categories?

Can you draw a picture of many things in a category?
Then write the name of each object.

Do you have a blindfold?

                           THE  BLINDFOLD  CHALLENGE! 

                                 Can you write your name 

                                         without looking?

                             Can you tell what objects are...

                                       just by feeling them?

                                     

Practicing the letter M with Michael, Ms. Lassins' brother!

My brother's name is Michael, and he wanted to help you learn the letter M all the way from Brooklyn, New York!

Practice a greeting to Michael. You could say "Hello Michael, my name is ___________!

Now, lets practice saying the letter M. 

m

man

/m/

Thumbs Up!

Writing b's and t's

Try this week to practice writing some b's and some t's. See the video below. Once you're done, try to find things in your house that start with these letters!

Kindness Chain

It is SO important to be kind to ourselves and others.  See if you can spot any random acts of kindness at your house!  Write it on a piece of paper and add it to a kindness chain. 

Kindness Chain Materials:
Paper, scissors, marker, and stapler

Cut paper into strips.

Write down or draw any random act of kindness
you spot at your house

Loop the paper into a circle and
staple it onto your chain.
Hooray! 

Let's Practice the Letter N!

In my kitchen today, I found something that begins with the letter N! 

Pecans are a type of nut. 

Can you read this letter card?

n

nut 

/n/

Can you make a fort or a comfy space?

You can make a fort out of lots of things!  Outside the house or inside. I made a fort out of blankets and sofa cushions.    My dog likes to sleep in there.Take a picture of your fort!

10 Things That Make Me Feel Good

Look around your house and your yard!  Find 10 things that make you feel good and make a list.
You can write in English and in your native language too!

Do you have a deck of cards? You can do so many things!

                                     Can you find all of the Jacks? Queens? Aces?  Twos?

                                         

                                Can you find all of the Hearts? Diamonds? Clubs? Spades?

                                     DO YOU KNOW ANY CARD GAMES?  

               ASK YOUR PARENTS OR YOUR FRIENDS TO TEACH YOU!

                                     TRY  OLD MAID, GO FISH,  or  WAR!