OT Motor Box Challenge by OTPlan

Hi…I’m Avital Shuster, a mom of 3 and a pediatric occupational therapist. I’m also the creator of OTPlan .com (a search engine for pediatric activity ideas), Skills in a Box (a subscription service that provides developmental activity ideas based on specific skills), and OTPlanDough (themed homemade play dough kits). I own a private pediatric clinic in Orange County, CA, and prior to that worked as a school-based therapist for 10 years. 

My favorite part about being a pediatric OT, aside from planning activities that work on developmental skills, is interacting with the kids and their families. As much as I love supporting them, I love learning new things from each and every child! I’m so thankful to be able to be part of their lives and do something I love so much!

I’m a big believer in using household and cost-effective materials to create activities that support the development of children! So, here is my list:

Challenge Items from OTPlan

1. Containers and Boxes

The possibilities are endless…but here are a few ideas:

• Stack them up and try to knock them down with a bean bag or a ball
• Fill them up with items, let the child put their hand through the opening to guess what’s inside.
• Use them in crafts.
• Poke a hole in the lid of a plastic container and let the child insert pom-poms, counting sticks, dried pasta, etc. through.

2. TP Rolls and Paper Towel Rolls

• Make a shaker/rain stick.
• “Lace” rubber bands over.
• Make binoculars.
• Write letters/words on them and let the child search for them.
• Draw a maze on them.

3. Pom Poms

• Use the in a sensory bin.
• Use tongs to transfer them from one container to another.
• Use them in craft (i.e. make a caterpillar using clothespins).

4. Jump Rope

• Tie it to a basket filled with bean bags and have the child pull the basket using the rope.
• Place the rope on the ground and balance along the rope.
• Place the rope on the ground and have the child practice jumping over it.

5. Pool Noodles

• Use it to bounce balloons.
• Slice pieces and lace them on a large pipe cleaner.
• Use it as stampers.
• Make sailboats and use them in a water sensory bin.
• Use it as part of an obstacle course.

6. Balls

There are so many activities that can be done with a ball!

• Throw and catch games.
• Throw to hit a target.
• Pass the ball over the head/between the legs.
• Kick the ball to a target.
• Hit the ball with a bat/pool noodle.

7. Squirt Bottles/Spray Bottles

• Great items for hand strengthening and finger isolation.
• Fill up with water and squirt on the letters/words you wrote with chalk on the ground.
• Use with pom poms and do a “race”.
• Fill up with puffy paint and squeeze the paint out to create a piece of art.

8. Chalk

• Write.
• Color/Chalk Art.
• Hopscotch.
• Make an outdoor obstacle course path.

9. Egg Carton

• Use it for crafts.
• Color each “cup” in a different color. Use tongs and colored pom-poms and let the child sort the pom-poms and place it, using the tongs, in the matching colored cup.
• Work on buttoning skills.

10. Hole Puncher

• Make lacing cards.
• Let the child use a single hole puncher to work on hand strength.

11. Index Cards

• They are a perfect size and have the perfect thickness to practice cutting skills.
• Make lacing cards.
• Use for practice writing.

12. Pipe Cleaners

• String beads/cut straw pieces and make fun and colorful bracelets.
• Use them in lacing cards.
• Practice letters/number formation.
• Put them through a slit in a container lid.

13. Tongs and Tweezers

• Work on hand strength by using them to catch and transfer objects such as pom poms, mini erasers, cotton balls, etc.

14. Dry Pasta/Rice/Beans

• Put them in a sensory bin. 
• Lace penne pasta on pipe cleaners.
• Practice letter/number formation.
• Use them in crafts.

15. Q-Tips

• Use them to paint.
• Push them through a slit in a container lid or the bottom of an egg carton.
• Use them to practice letter/number formation.
• Insert them through dried penne pasta.

Thank you OTPlan for bringing innovation to this challenge with so many household items. It makes it easy for most people to find a few therapeutic activities for their children at home!

Check out these other Motor Box Challenge ideas:

OT Motor Box Challenge by Cait the COTA

OT Motor Box Challenge by OT.Outside.the.Box

OT Motor Box Challenge by OT_for_School

OT Motor Box Challenge by OT_for_Me.box

OT Motor Box Challenge by WooTherapy