Sensory Motor Activities for - yourtherapysource.com€¦ · Purpose: promote sensory motor skills Materials: coin, print out game board, cards and game pieces, cut out playing cards

Sensory Motor

Activities for

WinterRevised Edition

Your Therapy Source Inc.

Your Therapy Source, Inc.43 South Main StreetSchaghticoke, NY 12154

Copyright © 2007 by Your Therapy Source, Inc. All rights reserved.

Visit www.YourTherapySource.com

for other school based therapy and special needs resources.

Publisher’s Note: The publisher and author has made every attempt to make sure that the information in this book is correct and up to date. All physical activities require approval from a child’s pediatrician. The author nor the publisher shall not be liable for any impairment, damage, accident or loss that may occur from any of the suggested activities in this book.

Terms of Use: The electronic books from Your Therapy Source can only be purchased from this site. They are copyrighted by Your Therapy Source. This book can only be used by the original purchaser. The files may be reproduced by the original purchaser. The files may not be reproduced for others or transferred to others.

www.yourtherapysource.com

Winter Olympics

Purpose: Promote gross and fine motor skills, balance, and motor planning. Great

activity for all abilities.

Materials: scooter board, cardboard, ribbon or yarn, cones and beanbags; paper

medal

Activities:

Make pretend medals - Copy medal on the following page. Cut out the medal.

Punch hole through the small circle. Thread ribbon through hole to make medal

necklace.

Opening Ceremonies - start out with the Olympic opening ceremonies by marching

or following a marked path. Have child hold a pretend torch by balancing a tennis

ball on a cone or paper towel tube.

Start the Games -

Ski jumping: jump down from various heights

Bobsled: have child lie on their backs on two scooter boards put together

and propel with their feet. Try going through cones. Take frequent breaks

this is fatiguing for flexor muscles.

Ice hockey: using wrapping paper cardboard tubes, plastic golf clubs, wiffle

ball bat or hockey sticks try to hit a ball or puck into a goal. Have children

practice sliding on feet.

Skiing: take long rectangle box tops to use as pretend skis. Have children try

to ski across floor. Add cones to do slalom skiing having children try to ski

around the cones without hitting them.

Beanbag curling: create a goal at one end of the room between two chairs.

Have child try to slide beanbag along floor to get into goal.

Ice Skating: children stand on paper plates, slide feet along floor or carpet

and pretend to skate. Or provide child with a large pair of adult socks. Put

the heavy socks on as skates on a smooth floor that is not carpeted.

Ending Ceremonies - Write child’s name on line provided on medal and present the

children the medals to wear. Try having them climb a flight of stairs to receive

their medal. Or try setting up a step stool for them to climb on to receive the

medal.

Gold

Medal

Gold Olympic Medals

www.YourTherapySource.com

Gold

Medal

Snowman Board Game

Purpose: promote sensory motor skills

Materials: coin, print out game board, cards and game pieces, cut out playing

cards and the hats, fold hats so that they can stand up and be used as game

pieces. Use the blank playing cards to write any activities that you would like the

child to practice.

How to Play the Game:

Object of the game: return the hat to the snowman

Rules: Each player starts their hat in the start box. Flip a coin. Move your hat

forward one space if heads and two spaces if tails. If you land on a snowflake you

must draw a card. Pretend to perform the action requested of you on the card.

If you land on a snowball you do nothing. Continue along the snowball/ snowflake

path until the first player reaches the snowman.


START


1234

Jump in

the s

now

3 t

imes

Make a

snow a

ngel

Roll in t

he

snow

Spin like a

snowflake

4 t

imes

Sto

mp 5

steps

in

the s

now

Hop in t

he

snow 5

times

Make 3

big

snowballs

Make a

big

snowman

Catc

h a

snowflake

on y

our

tongue

Pre

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Game Cards

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Winter Dress Up Relay

Purpose: Encourage dressing skills, balance skills, motor planning, fine motor and

gross motor skills

Materials: winter accessories such as gloves, mittens, scarves, big socks (as

boots) and hats

Activity: Designate 2 teams or 2 players. Place the winter accessories in 2 piles

about 20 feet away from the start (if available place a play tunnel between the

starting line and the pile of clothes). When the race begins each team member

runs to a pile of accessories and places all of the items on - gloves, mittens, scarf,

socks and hat and then the team member runs back to the start. The first one

back with all the accessories on is the winner. Then the losing team has to close

their eyes. The winning team member removes one item of clothing and the losing

team must guess which one is missing.

Snowman BowlingPurpose: Provide vestibular input, coordination skills and muscle strengthening.

Materials: empty 16 or 24 ounce plastic bottles (at least 3); scooters, cut out and

tape snowman figures on to front of bottle

Activity: Line up snowman bottles. Pour water inside bottles to add some weight

to the bottles. Seal tightly. Have the child set up the bowling pins to promote

muscle strengthening.

Have children try: “sledding” on scooters into the bottles to knock them down.

throw white beanbags or white socks balled up as snowballs.

log roll into bottles.

Give commands such as hit the snowman with the: scarf, bow tie, broom or vest.


Snow

men T

arg

ets


Matching MittensPurpose: Promote eye hand coordination and fine motor skills.

Materials: 5 or more sets of matching mittens, rope or string and clothes pins.

Activity: Mix up the mittens and place in a pile or a bag. Hang a rope between

two chairs and place clothes pins nearby. Place the bag about 10 -20 feet away

from the child. Have the child perform motor tasks on the way to the pile or bag

of mittens such as skipping, jumping, hopping, wheelbarrow walk, etc. Have child

find two matching mittens. Return to starting point and hang the mittens up on a

rope with clothespin. Once all the mittens are hung have child stand back and

throw white bean bags or balled up white socks as snowballs at the mitten targets.

Lower the rope down and have the child try to kick a “snowball” at the mitten

targets.

Snowball FightPurpose: Provide vestibular input, promote lower extremity muscle strength and

eye hand coordination

Materials: scooterboards, “snowballs” - can use: balled up white socks or white

stockings cut up, filled with stuffing and knotted off. Try using tissue paper as

snowballs. Make it into a ball by using only one hand.

Activity: Divide the room into two areas with a rope or center line of a gym. Each

person or team stays on one side of the line. Place equal amounts of “snowballs” in

a bucket or hoop on each side of the line. Each player is on a scooterboard. When

the game begins each player must try to throw the snowballs to the opponents

side while propelling the scooterboard on their stomach or sitting. After a

designated time elapses, such as 2 minutes, stop play. Count the snowballs on each

side - whoever has the least snowballs is the winner.

If you do not have scooterboards available, just play the game without them. The

children can squat to retrieve the snowballs. If in a smaller area, try playing the

game crawling on the ground.


Winter Sensory FunPurpose: provide various tactile sensations and improve motor skills

Materials: instant potato flakes, styrofoam peanuts or shredded paper, small

objects, small sand shovel or spoon

Activity: Create a sensory station with snow like items. Fill a small box with

instant potato flakes, Styrofoam peanuts or shredded white paper as your snow.

Hide small objects in the pretend snow. Have child shovel the snow using a small

sand shovel or spoon to retrieve small objects that you buried in the snow. Move

the box about 20 feet away - have children pretend to jump in the snow to the

box, spin in the snow to the box, etc. to shovel the objects out of the “snow”. Can

also use snow box for activities on the therapy ball - have child do reaching tasks,

sit ups, prone on ball while searching for hidden objects in snow.

Indoor Ice Skating RinkPurpose: Promote balance reactions and provide tactile input

Materials: large plastic bag, shaving cream, small chair, tape

Activity: Rip the plastic bag up the seam so that it lays flat on the ground. Place

a small chair for the child to sit in on one end of the bag. Secure the other end

of the bag and the sides with tape onto the floor or heavy objects to hold it down.

Spray shaving cream on the plastic bag. Have child remove socks and shoes and

“skate” on the shaving cream. This is EXTREMELY slippery so use caution. It is

also messy but the children love it!


Cold PotatoPurpose: Provide tactile input and practice motor skills

Materials: mittens for each child, ice, white balloon

Activity: Make colored ice cubes by placing drops of food coloring into ice tray

AND/OR freeze a small amount of water in a white balloon to create a snowball

AND/OR if you have real snow freeze a snowball overnight to use.

Place all the mittens mixed up in the center of the circle. Call a child’s name and

have them perform a task to the center such as crab walking, wheelbarrow walk,

jump, etc. Ask child to match their mittens and place them on. Return to the

outside of the circle and call the next child’s name until all the mittens are

matched up.

Place two different colored ice cubes in a zip lock bag such as red and yellow.

Have the children sit in a circle and put their mittens on. Start playing music.

Pass around the bag with the colored ice. Stop the music. The player with the

bag is out of the game. Continue passing the ice bag until only one player left. As

the ice melts the colors will mix creating new colors (i.e. red and yellow ice cubes

will become orange ice).

Have everyone rejoin the circle. Start playing again with the other snowballs (the

white frozen balloon or real snowball).

Other ideas: have players play in tall or half kneeling; line players up in a straight

line and pass the ice bag over the heads of each other to the next player; try

passing between the legs.

REMINDER: Tell the children not to throw the frozen ice balloon because it will

be hard. Keep it small so that if it drops it will not hurt anyone. Also, if you do

the frozen snowball keep it quick so that it does not melt on clothes or put smocks

on.


Snow Letter Writing

Purpose: Promote tactile input, kinesthetic input and fine motor skill practice

Materials: box top or tray (dark colors work best), salt, white glitter or shaving

cream

Activity: For pretend snow pour salt, white glitter or shaving cream into the box

top or tray. Have children write letters in the “snow” with their fingers. Try

using the feet. Try writing sight words.

Garbage Bag SnowmanPurpose: Promote coordination, motor skills and balance

Materials: small, medium and large white plastic garbage bags, newspaper or scrap

paper, black construction paper

Activity: You will be building a pretend snowman. Scrunch up newspaper or scrap

paper with your hands and place them in plastic bags to fill them up. Try

scrunching up paper with one hand only. REMINDER - newsprint is messy on your

hands. Seal up the bags by tying them shut.

Cut out the face for the snowman out of construction paper - circles for eyes,

carrot nose and mouth. Cut out buttons.

Play with snowman pieces before creating the snowman. Take the different sized

plastic bags and practice kicking them. Try holding them in your hands, throw

them up and catch them. Try playing catch with a partner with the various sized

bags.

When done practicing skills with the bags stack the bags on top of each other to

form the snowman. Tape on the face and buttons onto the bags to finish off the

snowman.


Freeze DancePurpose: Promote motor skills, endurance and following motor commands

Materials: music player

Activity: Turn the music on. Have children dance to the music. When the music

stops they must stop dancing and freeze. Turn music back on and start dancing

again. Try calling out different actions while the music plays - jumping in place,

hopping, jumping jacks, wall push ups, etc. Again, stop the music and the children

freeze in place. Change actions and start again.

SnowstormPurpose: Promote coordination, balance and

motor skills

Materials: cotton balls, sheet or parachute,

cups

Activity: Pretend to have a snowstorm. Using

the cotton balls as snow try different games.

Throw up the cotton balls and try to catch

them in your hands. Try throwing up the

cotton balls and catching them in a cup.

Place the cotton balls on the floor and walk on tip toes trying not to step on any

snow. Pretend it is deep snow - give the children directions to step high through

the deep snow and lift their knees up as they walk not stepping on the “snow.”

Jump in the “snow” and have children try to jump forward landing on the cotton

balls.

Put the cotton balls on a sheet or parachute to create a snowstorm.


Arctic AnimalsPurpose: Promote sensory motor skills

Materials: none

Activity: This is a great warm up activity to a winter

theme. Have children act out the motions that arctic or

winter climate animals make. For example:

polar bears: crawling

penguin: waddle

seals or walrus: on stomach pull body forward only using arms with legs straight

out

arctic hare: hopping

snowy owl: arms out straight pretend to fly

reindeer: prancing.

Frosty Home Program Challenge Purpose: Promote carry over of therapy skills with home exercise program

Materials: print out directions, snowballs and frosty pieces

Activity: On the snowballs write simple, quick exercises or activities that can be

completed at home. Send home the snowballs and directions with the child. Each

time the child returns a snowball they can add a piece of Frosty. When all the

activities are completed the child will have made a snowman to hang up. You can

hang the snowmen in the therapy room to show how everyone is progressing.

Write “Frosty Gets Stronger with Exercise” on the bulletin board or wall.


Frosty Gets Stronger with Exercise

Student: Therapist:

Directions:Each student is working on building a snowman during therapy. Six snowballs are being sent home. Each snowball has an activity written on them. Please have your child perform one activity a day that is on the snowball. When your child has completed an activity, write the date, cut out the snowball and return it to therapy. Each time your child returns a snowball a piece will be added to their snowman. The are 6 pieces to the snowman. The goal is to complete the 6 tasks on the snowballs therefore completing the snowman at school.


Frosty Home Program Challenge

Activity:_____

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Activity:_____

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Frosty Parts

Six ItemsBottom snowball

Middle snowball

Head

Hat

Mittens

Boots


Indoor SleddingPurpose: Encourage proprioceptive input, upper extremity muscle strengthening

and reinforce academic material

Materials: at least three cardboard boxes or laundry baskets, at least 3 ropes or

yarn

Activity: Tie rope or yarn on each box to make a handle for the “sleds”. Using a

marker, write on each sled either a color, letter or number depending upon the

level of the child. Scatter various objects around the room. The child then pulls

each sled and picks up the objects that match the sled. For example, if the sled

is marked with a ‘B’, then the child pulls the sled around the room placing only

objects that begin with ‘B’ inside the sled. Continue filling up the other sleds as

well.

If you do not have many objects cut pictures out of magazines. To add more

resistance place heavy books in the bottom of each sled.

Homemade SnowPurpose: Promote tactile input, kinesthetic writing and upper extremity muscle

strengthening.

Materials: Ivory soap bars, water, grater, large bowls and spoons

Activity: Adult grates one bar of Ivory soap on a grater. Adult adds some very

hot water to the grated soap. Adult can stir the soap and water mixture. Once it

cools, the child can help stir the mixture. Now your pretend snow is ready to go.

Go to a window or easel and spread your pretend snow. Make pictures with it.

Spread it around and write letters in it.

When done, wipe off with wet cloth.


Push or Pull the SledPurpose: Encourage proprioceptive input, muscle strengthening and ability to

follow motor commands.

Materials: sturdy cardboard box or laundry basket, rope or yarn

Activity: Tie a handle on to the box. Place some heavy books in the bottom of the

box. Place a doll, teddy bear or other object to give a ride to in the sled. Read

the child the following story. Explain to the child that every time the story says

“push” he should push the sled. Every time the child hears “pull” in the story he

should pull the sled. If playing with a group of children, just pretend to push

(push up on floor or wall) and pull (pull on hands or rope).

Sledding FunOnce upon a time there was a boy (or girl) who wanted to take a teddy

bear (whatever object in your sled) for a sled ride in the snow. They

headed out into the snow. The boy/girl pulled the sled up a large hill -

he/she pulled and pulled. He/she he finally made it to the top of the hill.

At the top, he/she gave the sled a big push but it would not go. He/she

pushed the sled again. It would not budge. This time he/she pushed will

all of his/her might. Down, down, down went the sled. Faster and faster

until it made it to the bottom. The boy/girl wanted to do it again.

He/she saw a much larger hill down the road. He/she pulled the sled

down the road. The hill looked bigger now. He/she pulled the sled up the

hill. They made it half way up and rested. He/she began to pull and pull

the sled up the rest of the mountain. He/she thought they would never

make it. The hill was getting steeper. He/she had to get behind the sled

and push it up the rest of the mountain. Once at the top, he/she kneeled

down and pushed the sled. The sled went down the hill so quickly. It was

going to fast. It toppled over and the bear/object fell out. He/she ran

down the hill to save the bear/object. Once the bear was safely back

inside the sled, the boy/girl decided to pull the sled back down the

mountain slowly. He/she pulled the sled all the way back home. THE END


Penguin MazePurpose: Promote motor planning, coordination and body awareness

Materials: scrap paper

Activity: Using scrap paper, have the child or children fold the paper in half so

that it can stand up. Place the folded paper, standing up, around the room to

create “icebergs”. To add academic material to activity, write letters, numbers,

words or math problems on the icebergs.

Demonstrate to the children how a penguin walks - feet pointing out, arms at side,

hands out and waddle. Have the children practice walking like a penguin around

the room. Remind the children not to knock over any icebergs as they walk

around. Now call out a letter, number, etc. The children should waddle to the

iceberg with the letter written on it.

Move the icebergs into a line and practice zig zagging in and out of the icebergs.

If the child is able, practice jumping over the icebergs.

Penguin RacesPurpose: Promote motor planning, coordination and body awareness

Materials: small stuffed penguin or soft ball

Activity: Explain to the group that baby penguins are carried on the father

penguin’s feet. Arrange the group sitting in a circle on the floor or in chairs. Put

the stuffed penguin in between the feet of a player. That player must pass the

penguin to the player to his right using only his feet. Continue passing the penguin

around the circle until it is back to start.

Divide the group in to two teams. Place the stuffed penguin in between player

number one’s feet on each team. Each player must waddle or jump to a line and

back trying not to let the baby penguin drop. The next player on the team then

goes with the baby penguin. Continue playing until each player gets a turn.


Feed the PenguinPurpose: Promote fine motor skills.

Materials: copy and assemble the penguin on the next page, fish shaped crackers

and tongs, tweezers or spoon

Activity: Copy penguin on to card stock paper or glue penguin on lightweight

cardboard. Cut out the penguin around dark black lines. Cut out the penguin’s

belly. Fold at the dotted lines. The penguin can now stand up. A sturdier

alternative would be to glue the penguin on top of a shoe box and cut out the hole

feed the penguin.

Place the penguin on a table or the floor. Place the crackers near by. The child

should use the tongs or tweezers to grab a fish. Holding the fish between the

tongs, place it inside the penguin’s belly.

When done, enjoy the fish crackers for a snack.



Groundhog Day Fun- Shadow DancingPurpose: Encourage motor skills and body awareness

Materials: flashlight

Activity: You will need a room with shades so that the room can get dark. Turn a

flashlight on against a white wall. Have children dance in front of flashlight to

create shadows on the wall. Try different motor skills in front of the flashlight.

Groundhog Day Fun - TunnelsPurpose: Promote motor skills, body awareness and cooperation

Materials: none

Activity: This is a group activity. Have the children line up in standing one behind

the other with legs apart. The last child in the line will crawl through the tunnel

of legs and then become the first person in line. Repeat until each child has had a

turn in the groundhog tunnel. Change the tunnel and repeat with the children

crawling through. Have the children go on all fours, side by side, with only hands

and feet on floor to create tunnel. Make two lines of the children standing (or

kneeling) facing each other. Make tunnel by holding hands of child across from

you with arms up high.

Valentine’s PuzzlesPurpose: Practice specific motor skills and visual perceptual skills

Materials: cut out patterned hearts on following page

Activity: On each heart write a task on it such as hop 10 times, 5 push ups, etc.

Basically whatever tasks the children need to work on. Cut up each of the hearts

into several pieces (2-4 pieces). Have child close their eyes. Hide the pieces of

the hearts around the room. The child finds the pieces of the hearts, puts the

heart puzzles together and performs the tasks written on each heart.


Valentine’s P

uzzles

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Valentine DeliveryPurpose: Promote fine and gross motor skills

Materials: box of valentines, mailbox: empty box with a slot or a door cut out, bag

Activity: On the valentines write a task that you would like the student to

complete such as jumping, hopping, skipping, walking heel to toe, etc. Place the

valentines in the envelopes. Now place the envelopes in the “postal” bag. Put the

pretend mailbox across the room. The child will pretend to be the postal carrier.

Have the child reach into the bag, take out a valentine, and read the valentine.

The child then has to perform the task written on the valentine on the way to the

mailbox to mail the valentine. Repeat continuing to deliver the valentines.

Another activity with these items could be done with the therapy ball. Place

valentines on the floor around the therapy ball. Have child do therapeutic

activities on the ball while reaching for valentines. Place the valentines into the

mailbox each time child reaches for one.

Heart RelayPurpose: Improve trunk rotation, balance skills and general motor skills

Materials: Make 2 copies of the large red paper hearts for each child

Activity: Goal of activity is to make it from starting line to finish line only

stepping on hearts. Give child two paper hearts at the starting line. Child stands

on one and places one in front of them on the floor. When you say “go” child steps

forward on the heart. Then child squats down, reaches around behind them to

grab the other heart with two hands (to promote trunk rotation), place it in front

of them again and step forward onto that heart. Continue moving forward on the

hearts without losing their balance until child reaches the finish line.


Heart

Relay


Heart DancePurpose: Group game to practice motor skills, motor planning and ability to follow

motor commands

Materials: cut out small hearts on the following page

Activity: Hand out a heart to each child. Give motor commands such as “all the

children holding pink hearts should spin around.” Give directions then for the red

and purple hearts as well such as “if you are holding a purple heart jump up and

down three times.”. Continue with directions several times in that manner.

Explain to the children that when you yell “Happy Valentine’s Day” the children

must exchange hearts with a friend who has a different color. Start again with

commands for the colors again.

Cupid’s ArrowPurpose: Promote eye hand coordination

Materials: half of a Styrofoam swimming noodle or foam pipe insulator, red paper

hearts

Activity: Tape the hearts on the floor with the highest point value the furthest

away. Pretend that the noodle is Cupid’s arrow and throw the arrow at the target.

Throw the noodle three times and add up the score. Tape the hearts to the wall

and try throwing “cupid’s arrow” again. Practice with the hearts at different

heights.


Heart Dance Game


20105

Cupid’s Arrow Game


Valentine Home ProgramPurpose: Encourage carry over of therapy skills at home or in classroom

Materials: Make copies of Valentine and envelope below. With child assisting,

cut out the valentines and assemble envelopes by folding at center, taping sides

and fold over top.

Activity: Write specific activities that the child needs to practice at home i.e.

tie shoes, zip coat, down stairs, etc. Insert the Valentine into the envelope. Tape

or glue closed. Repeat with several activities. The child can open the Valentine’s

at home and demonstrate the activities to parent.

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Sensory Motor Activities for - yourtherapysource.com€¦ · Purpose: promote sensory motor skills Materials: coin, print out game board, cards and game pieces, cut out playing cards