Recycled Crib turned into Vertical Surface

I love this recycling project
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2011/03/discarded_crib_turned_chalkboa.html

Cone Holder for Placement Activities

I always thought that those orange holders at the Trader's Joe store designed to clip onto the card and hold flowers would be useful for hippotherapy. So I asked and the store manager gave me one.

The cones fit in perfectly and I was able to attach the holder onto the side of the basketball stand. This freed up my hands and positioned the holder in a nice location for reaching while inserting cones. I like teaching the kids to turn them over in order to make them fit-a good concept to work on with 2-3 year old cutie pies.

One child was able to do this while standing on top of the horse and then squatting to insert each cone/standing to receive another. This worked on motor planning, sequencing, postural control  and balance as he reached toward the cone holder from the squat position.   

Source: Occupational Therapy Cone Activities by RecyclingOT

Teaching How to Open and Close Fasteners

It is generally easier to open fasteners than close them, so I suggest starting out opening as many objects with fasteners as possible to develop coordination  between the hands especially to stabilize with the nondominant hand. I often ask my very young hippotherapy clients to help me get out my sunglasses by opening and then zipping closed the case shown below. This photo shows anactivity I made that involves opening buttons, a buckle,snap and zipper to find the toy horse.

I suggest teaching how to close a zipper by having the child stand up wearing a jacket with a pretty large zipper. Stand behind the child so that you both have the same perspective. The jacket is easier to manipulate while standing rather than bunched up on the lap.   
Zipping is complex so I suggest using the backward chaining teaching method. this involves teaching the last step first. Consider attaching a cute toy or pin to the zipper tab to make pulling up easier. Then YOU connect the zipper together and place the child's nondominant hand to pull down on one jacket side while the other hand pulls the zipper upward.

After success with this step work on connecting the zipper into the slider part that zips by using the hand-over-hand method. You may consider color coding the two sides so that you can say "pull down the red jacket with this hand" and "pull up the blue zipper with this hand". Be sure to do all of this when the child is feeling rested, happy and then reward for trying with a favorite activity.

 Dressing and undressing dolls and other toys with fasteners is a good supplement to working on using fasteners that the child is wearing.

Flower Garden

I am going to gradually add real and plastic flowers to this big planter and see what I end up with. Check back for updates!!!

All materials are carved out of detergent or dishwashing soap bottles and yarn.

Thinking Outside the Hoop

I combined a few different activities in this video all involving using recycled objects and a hoola hoop.

Feed the bunny

Here is one of my favorite activities and I guess its the season to share it. I made the bunny out of an oatmeal container and taped some fur to it. I cut the head out of a detergent bottle, punched two holes for the nose and attached the head to the lid with a pipe cleaner. I cut out lots of fruits and vegetables  printed from the internet and covered them with clear contact paper.

I use this during therapy to encourage kids to engage in language. I ask what do you want to feed the bunny- a carrot or celery? Placing the food into his mouth works on eye hand coordination. When I hold the bunny  in different locations the children have to reach and balance in order to do this. Sometimes I make the children hold the bunny while inserting so that they have to use both hands-a challenge for many.

During hippotherapy, I can also use the bunny to make the kids turn around on the horse in order to reach it. Then they end up facing sideways and backwards-getting different types of sensory input.



Barbara Smith, M.S., OTR/L
The Recycling Occupational Therapist on Facebook
Web site: RecyclingOT.com

Milk Crate Garden

This is what I would do if I had the space, lots of crates laying around and the inclination. I would love to sleep inside the milk crate garden!
http://www.recyclart.org/2011/03/milk-crates-shelter/