Everyday Objects for Home Therapy
As parents we are always looking for the next great toy for our children. We want it to be fun but also educational for them. We have found many of our favorite therapeutic “toys” are ones that most people have sitting around the house. As we share some of our favorite tools/toys we encourage you to take part in their play. Paint, lift weights, and engage in what they are interested in. While you do this narrate and model language for them: “Stack the cups!” “Oh no, they fell” “Let’s do it again!” To learn more about modeling, click here.
Here are a few of our favorite everyday objects in use:
Canned Goods
Cans make a quick set of weights to help build strength and coordination. They provide just enough resistance for kids that it can be challenging if they do enough reps. Join them and work on counting, motor planning and following directions!
Cereal
Make pictures and objects with cereal and pipe cleaners.
We love using any “O” cereal to thread onto pipe cleaner to make different shapes and designs. This is great for eye-hand coordination, fine motor skills, sequencing, and combining it with language makes a perfect afternoon activity for kids.
Paint
Instead of using brushes use balloons, marbles, even marshmallows!
Use what you have at home to help kids explore with paint.
This supports fine motor skills or pinching, gross motor skills of coordination, and executive functioning skills to plan and organize the outcome. Plus it’s so much fun!
