Stabilizing to remove Rings

When I first starting to work with this young lady about a year ago she avoided using her left hand to stabilize materials and kept it on her lap while using her right hand to do puzzles and other activities she could perform using one hand.

 She learned how to stabilize a Velcro bottle on her lap and then on the table, gradually tolerating working on using the table surface.  Now she automatically stabilizes materials with her left hand, often while working with materials on the table. She has developed the motor control to stabilize the handle shown in this video without using the table or lap surface for support. This is very good progress. She prefers to remove objects rather than attach which is fine with me. (The cord is simple a long strip of fabric attached to holes in the handle. I added duct tape for the strining end). 

Sometimes she tries to remove rings in the middle of the cord rather than from the end, so I am hoping to teach her the cognitive concept of pulling the donut shape closest to the removal end first.  Also because one end has a handle on it to grasp, it is more obvious which end to grasp. If she were given a cord with just a knot on one end, she would try to remove the rings from that end. 

Hippity Hop Scanning, Sensory, Fine-Motor Activity

I may have to buy some of these. They look very fun and therapeutic as shown in the video !!!

Getting Heavy.....

 Here is the result of team effort at work. One person donated her old socks which are rather pretty (middle picture). I managed to shovel some beach sand into plastic bags before the bad weather began last year and someone else made this extra large, tall ring stack on a wooden base (bottom picture).

The gentleman sitting loves the feel of the weighted bags inside the socks. He has learned to pick up the socks to insert into a large container and also to stand up and bring each one into a container in the middle of the room during a sensory motor group. This is a perfect activity for someone who enjoys deep pressure but does not tolerate wearing a weighted vest or blanket. He typically sits with arms folded against his chest avoiding hand use.

I used the same socks with a different individual by placing them in the hallway, so that he could walk, pick each up to insert into a shopping back. So he received sensory input from moving high/low as well as picking up the weighted socks. He seemed to enjoy this a lot. He avoids using hands together so placing each in the bag worked on that skill.

I noticed that this same person used only one hand when putting the rope rings on the stack shown below. But he had better motor control and used both hands when placing the adapted heavy sock ring over the stack.

Coil Stringing

This activity provides visual stimulation while individuals watch the rings spiral downward. They are encouraged to reach above their eye level to develop better postural control while also using both hands together to attach the rings. The coil is half of a hose that I came across, its a really nice tube that stays  coiled up up after it is pulled upward. Pulling it provides wonderful proprioceptive stimulation to muscles and joins and is just fun to feel the springiness as it moves up and down. I attached a bag of sand to the bottom of one of these to help keep the bottom of it on the floor. Then I realized that if I attached a sock to the bottom of another one, the individual could stand on it and work on balancing while reaching to take more rings. It was quite the challenge for some of them to sequence these steps and it certainly worked on body awareness and motor planning !!

Source: Sensory Processing Disorder Activity: Stringing Coiled Hose by RecyclingOT on Rumble

Vibrating Candy Cane Shaped ring Stack

I have been using candy cane ring stacks for many years with young children to develop hand skills and give sensory input. You can attach it to a motor such as the massager shown in the photo. It helps children and adults to visually attend and be more aware of their hands. Children with autism have especially loved it, although adults with developmental disabilities have also been motivated to use their hands to place rings and feel the vibration.

 If you use pieces of swimming noodle to push down a candy cane so that it requires force, the child receives sensory stimulation to muscles and joints.

The candy cane is bright and seasonal!  Its easy to find or purchase many different types of candy canes....

I found this one at a hippotherapy farm around the holidays. It was thrown out after holding pony edible treats. I punched holes in the bottom and wrapped string in and out of the holes and legs on the blue massager until it felt pretty secure. these massagers are commonly sold in department stores and pharmacies.  The child shown in the photo is sitting on top of a horse. When finished placing the rings she will be rewarded with a trot- a very nice example of sensory reinforcement....

 I cut the rings out of plastic bottles and lids. This activity is very difficult to use with only one hand since it is shaking so it really encourages using both hands. 

Source: How to Make Vibrating Candy Cane Ring Stacks for Children with Autism by RecyclingOT on Rumble

Adapted Cup Holder

This adaptation was spontaneous and effective. The client tends to sit and stand hunched over. She does not want her dining equipment raised higher on a platform. I happened to have a cardboard tube from some packaging in my office and the cup fit inside it perfectly so that she can grasp the tube while eating. This set up is promoting a nice erect posture. I will be prettying up the tube with contact paper.

Reaching to String Words or Pictures

I designed this activity for an individual who is able to read and write. I wrote simple phrases on cards that I laminated and cut slits in the center for stringing.

There are 2 different products shown in the photos. One  has the end of the   cord attached to the top of a book stand using duct tape. I cut the flat plastic cord out of a shampoo bottle. There is another bottle attached to the board with black felt where the words are stored.

 Since the book stands that I ordered came with battery powered lights that clipped on, I added a few so that the activity can be performed in a room darkened for relaxation. 

The other photo shows the end of the cord attached to a green bottle handled so that he can tuck the end of the cord into it when finished. I just used the recycled materials, felt and duct tape that I had handy and this is how it turned out. You can use string or cord and make round holes in the word cards, but I have lots of plastic bottles available to use and these do not fray.

I love that he enjoyed reading the words. His eye hand coordination is pretty good so actually  stringing, although fun was not as important as the fact that he raised his arms repeatedly to strengthen his upper extremities and neck muscles.