Here is a sample activity idea from our electronic book, Motor Magic: Turn Fine Motor Skills into Gross Motor Skills. This is a fun, outdoor activity that encourages fine motor skills, eye hand coordination, motor planning, gross motor skills and balance. The electronic book has 25 activity ideas incorporating fine and gross motor skills and is available at www.YourTherapySource.com/motormagic.
Heard about this from @KarenJan on Twitter. Speech recognition software enables computer users to use voice commands to control the computer such as typing and mouse functions. Some students with dysgraphia, physical or learning disabilities use this type of software. If you are thinking of recommending speech recognition software for a student, you may want to check out this website – www.customtyping.com. They have created a short evaluation form to determine if the student has the ability to use speech recognition. This type of assistive technology requires training and considerable practice (not to mention money for certain programs). This evaluation tool helps to determine the level of assistance and training a student will need to learn how to use voice input.
A recent study in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity offers some exciting research regarding physical activity in boys. The researchers studied physical activity levels in 47 boys(ages 8-10 years old)using accelerometry for seven days. After the seven days they measured waist circumference, aerobic fitness and microvascular function. The researchers discovered that the boys performed short physical bouts of activity rather than long, sustained periods. This was consistent with previous research which indicated that children normally perform short bouts of physical activity. The frequency of short bouts of physical activity was associated with waist circumference, aerobic fitness and microvascular health. There was no correlation with blood pressure. The researchers recommend further studies to determine if overtime the results remain and if the physical activity patterns are the same for girls.
Here are some suggestions to apply this research:
1. Encourage children to participate in any amount of physical activity (short or long).
2. Research has shown that children normally move in short bursts therefore keep that in mind during sporting practices if children are losing their focus.
3. Break up sedentary time with movement breaks whenever possible. Try our Mini Movement Breaks – this is a collection of physical activity breaks for children that can be performed with no equipment indoors or outdoors. Below is a video of how to create the mini movement break notebooks or shoe boxes. Download the breaks and create these notebooks to pass out to teachers and parents. Even better, have the children help to create the notebooks or shoe boxes to include fine motor skill development practice!
References:
Stone et al. The pattern of physical activity in relation to health outcomes in boys. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, 2009; 1 DOI: 10.1080/17477160902846179
University of Exeter (2009, May 13). Sporadic Play Activity As Beneficial To Child Health As Continuous Bouts Of Exercise, Study Suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/05/090511101652.htm
Here is a short video on the benefits of the EasyStand bantam. Would love to hear in the comments section what therapists and parents think of this product – likes or dislikes.
Children absolutely love to fly a kite. They love the challenge and the thrill of getting the kite up and in the air. Then they progress to the challenge of keeping the kite in the air and out of the trees. Kite flying requires eye hand coordination, motor planning, body awareness and gross motor skills. Try out these activities today:
1. Make a kite out of a brown paper lunch bag. Decorate, punch 4 holes in corners where bag opens. Tie string and you are ready to fly it.
2. Not windy enough for a kite? Draw, decorate and cut out a kite. Tie ribbons to the end of it. Tape it onto the top of a long stick. When the child runs with it, the kite will fly!
3. Raining today? Print and complete our FREE kite activity, Jump Up, Up and Away, to encourage sensory motor skills.
Here is a four year old boy working on bilateral coordination, eye foot coordination and motor planning skills. He has velcro attached to his feet. We are using a velcro ball from velcro catch game. Try this is standing for older children to really challenge their balance (SUPERVISE CLOSELY).
Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly reports on research indicating that persons with intellectual disabilities frequently join inclusive sports but do not continue with the inclusive sports overtime. Parents reported rejection by staff and other participants. In addition, parents felt there was a lack of contact and understanding of people with intellectual disabilities.
Physical activity for persons with disabilities is extremely important. It is disappointing to hear that parents find inclusive sports not appropriate for children with intellectual disabilities. School based occupational and physical therapists can be instrumental in promoting physical activity for the disabled. Try to schedule a presentation on inclusive sports for your community or school. Here are some tips to help any children with disabilities participate in inclusive sports programs:
1. First and foremost make sure that the sports program is accessible for the child. If not, offer some modifications that can make the program accessible.
2. Educate the coaches and volunteers on the child’s disability. If a coach does not know what to do this can make participation very difficult.
3. If any modifications require adapted equipment, make sure all sports staff know how to use it.
4. Offer suggestions on how to present the directions or rules in different formats instead of just verbally. Maybe the coach could provide written rules or visual demonstrations.
5. Inform sports staff that the child may need accomodations such as more time to complete a skill.
6. If a child requests additional help, perhaps assign a partner (peer or adult) to help.
7. Do not assume a child can not do a task. If possible and safe, always let them try first before determining that something can not be accomplished. Most likely, sports staff will be amazed at what children can accomplish.
8. Remind staff of safety precautions that be necessary for specific disabilities such as a visual or hearing impairment.
Based on your own expereinces, what have you done to support inclusive sports? Please comment.
Reference: Eva Hiu-Lun Tsai, Lena Fung. Parents’ Experiences and Decisions on Inclusive Sport Participation of Their Children With Intellectual Disabilities
APAQ, 26(2), April 2009.
Researchers at Baylor University have created a mechanical horse to mimic the actions of a real horse. The goal of the project is to have a machine that children or adults can use if they are scared of horses or if they can not get up high on the horse. This mechanical horse is the first of its kind to use a three dimensional system. It is meant to be a complimentary therapy or a tool to progress to riding on a real horse. Additional research is planned for the mechanical horse.
I am not very well versed in hippotherapy but I have to say with no horse there is something missing. It is my opinion, that one of the benefits of hippotherapy beyond the physical benefits is the bond that a child creates with the horse. The experience of being outdoors riding on a real horse also offers benefits.
I would love to hear from therapists who specialize in hippotherapy on this topic.
Reference: Baylor University Baylor Researchers Build Advanced Mechanical Horse For Therapy Retrieved from the web on 5/6/09 from http://www.baylor.edu/pr/news.php?action=story&story=58672
May 6th is the date for Project ACES (All Children Exercise Simultaneously). Project ACES was started to help celebrate in May for National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. The goal of the project is to encourage physical fitness through daily exercise and to live healthy lives. This is a great way for school based therapists to educate the school on the benefits of physical fitness.
It is simple to participate. Organize the event at your school (big or small crowd). Explain the details of Project ACES. Then, EXERCISE in any way for 15-45 minutes starting at 10:00am local time. You can get more information at http://lensaunders.com/aces/aces.html
May 5th is Teacher Appreciation Day. Depending upon the types of children that are in the classroom try some of these ideas:
1. Give the teacher a basket of fidgets to use in the classroom as a sign of your appreciation
2. Offer to host a party. If the children earn enough rewards, have a therapy party for the class. All the kids can try out equipment, games and activities. (Check with your school administrator regarding liability issues).
3. Have a student(s) make their footprint on a poster, banner paper or t-shirt and write “You Lead, We Follow” on it
Anyone else have any ideas?
