Using Sensory Adaptations to Develop Hand Skills

Here are a couple of strategies from my book From flapping to function: A Parent's Guide to Hand Skills that involve making fine-motor activities such as stringing easier for children who have motor control challenges while at the same time adding sensory stimulation that motivates and meets their sensory needs.




This string has a squishy squeeze ball from the Dollar Store tied to the end. These don't last forever, but fun to squeeze in between inserting rings onto it.




I tied a bottle with beads and water inside that can be shaken after done with stringing the ring shapes.

A battery powered electric toothbrush can be taped onto the end of a stringing activity. The white toothbrush shown in the photo is taped to a long strip of plastic cut from a container. Its firmer and easier to manipulate than string.

The other toothbrush shown is covered with a decorative duct tape so that individuals do not consider putting it in their mouths. The "string" is made of a strip of stretchy cord.

Other options of sensory objects to attach to the stringing end are:

• a Koosh ball
• flashlight
• flashing toothbrush
• cat toys with bells
• squeaky dog toys

These types of sensory materials may also be attached to the top of a ring stack.




As usual, the rings are cut out of detergent and other types of plastic containers and they are not sharp. I can rub them across my face without creating a scratch.

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Stretching elastic loops over the ball shown in the video below provides great sensory stimulation and motivates my client to use his hands.....
Source: Stretchy Ring and Ball Activity for Children with Sensory Processing Disorders by RecyclingOT on Rumble