Recess Boring? SHAKE IT UP!

Web Version  |  Update preferences  |  Unsubscribe Like Tweet Forward Pocket Full of Therapy Recess Ideas: Robot Faces Race:  It's a race to be the first to identify and rescue the indicated Robot out of the 120 robots pictured on the board. Shake the Robot Identification Device to see the different robot by the color of his eyes, nose, mouth and head. First player to find this missing robot gets to place a chip in his rescue vehicle. Five rescues and your a winner! 2-4 players  BARNYARD ANIMALS: Players will need to use deductive reasoning, visual and memory skills to help the farmer find all his animals. 25 animal cards showing one of 5 different kinds of animals in 5 different colors are scattered around the pay area. A Herd card is then turned over showing 4 different animals in 4 different colors. All players scan the scattered cards to find the missing 5th animal in the 5th color. First person to do so correctly, gets the card. Collect the most cards and you win. A more challenging variant reverses the game so that players are now looking for the single animal that is missing from the turned over Herd car. Can also use cards to work on sorting, counting and color recognition. Boring Indoor Recess? Shake it Up! As winter drags on and the snow piles higher, schools have no choice but to keep children indoors more and more at recess and during after school programs. Kids get bored of the same activities over and over and we all know bored kids means there could be trouble brewing. Shake it up! Most schools have no money to spend on "entertaining" children, but most families have games their children no longer play. The children may have outgrown them, lost a few pieces or just got bored with them.  PERFECT! They can be used by the younger grades, duplicate games can be combined to fill in any missing pieces and they maybe new or favorite games to others. The amount of games donated can be overwhelming. So maybe start by posting a "Games Wanted" sign in the teachers room or by the mailboxes. Remember to place a large collection box or instructions where to drop the games off. Try to keep it convenient. Or plan a special time when folks can bring in and swap games. The Next Step? Parents (and don't forget grandparents) may have a huge number of games to donate. These may be very diverse and some may actually be inappropriate or not wanted at school. Include a sample list of "Like these Please" vs "No thank you" to avoid getting too many "No Thank You's". Here's a sample: "Like These Please" - Chess - Checkers - Headache - Chutes and Ladders - Trouble - Backgammon - Boggle - Yahtzee - Twister - Decks of cards, Uno, Duo... - Building sets - Jenga "No Thank You" - Pie face - Laser tag - Tiny cars, dolls or trucks - Collectibles - Electronic gadget games - Very noisy toys or musical instruments - Guns, darts, boomerangs, slingshots - Games like monopoly that can't be finished quickly Need Directions? So you don't have to ask? Here are links to directions for popular games that you may have forgotten how to play: Chess: Don't be intimidated, it's really a simple game. Capture the other King, while protecting yours. Yes pieces can only move a specific way, but it's really only 6 pieces to learn. Here's a link to solitaire chess that is an online game for 1 player so you can learn to play & see how to easy it can be to play: http://www.thinkfun.com/play-online/solitaire-chess Here's a website with directions for many classic board games including: Checkers, Parcheesi, Chinese checkers, Backgammon, and many, many others. http://www.boardgamecapital.com/board-game-rules.htm You're receiving this because you subscribed or placed an order with Pocket Full of Therapy. We will NEVER share or sell your info. Edit your subscription | Unsubscribe Contact Us: (800) PFOT-124 (732) 462-4474 *An OT is always available to answer questions or assist in selecting the right item!

Using Outdoor Items for Indoor Projects

Web Version  |  Update preferences  |  Unsubscribe Like Tweet Forward Pocket Full of Therapy Mystery Boxes Who doesn't LOVE a good mystery! We take a standard shipping box and stuff it with all kinds of fun goodies. We can't tell you what will be in it (that would ruin the surprise!), but we can tell you that the total retail value will be AT LEAST double the price!* Limited time - so order today! Share the fun- order with a friend, or a group of colleagues and order THE BIG BOX! **(Most items brand new-1 or 2 opened for review only. Never used. Not broken. No missing pieces or parts. As is.) What fun is inside??  Using Outdoor Items for Indoor Fun During one of the nicer weather days, spend time on a scavenger hunt outside!  Can you do this during your therpy group time?   - Give each child a list of items they have to find; sticks, leaves, rocks, acorns, etc.   -Collect enough items for an outdoor item sensory bin!  Or here are some fun activities with the items you found Working together in pairs, large group or individually have your children work together to see how many letters they can form with the items you found outside.   - Can they spell a word or a name of someone in the group?   - Can they form shapes with the items they found?  - How many triangles or squares can they make?  Big ones? little ones?  - Now give them time to create a picture with your collected items- Can they build a house or a person.   Stick Tic Tac Toe: Find four large sticks and use them to make a tic tac toe board.  Now your children can play tic tac toe- rocks vs. leaves.   Outdoor Cutting: How easy is it to cut a leaf? A small twig? Practice cutting with your outdoor finds.  Leaf Stringing: Use our mini hole puncher to punch a hole in your leaves and then string them onto string.  Makes a great fall decoration! Stick Painting:  Use your sticks as paintbrushes! What kind of designs can you make by rolling your stick across the paper?  Pine Cone Elastic Band Ball: Find some pine cones outside and use them as the base to your rubberband ball.  Have your children stretch rubberbands using those small hand muscles to cover the pine cone with rubber bands.   Stick Weaving:  Find two longer sticks or a stick that is shaped like a Y.  First take yarn and wrap it around the two sitcks or top of the Y until it is halfway up the sticks.  Then tie in a tight knot so the string doesn't move.  Now take another color and weave it over then under the string that is there.   When you get to the end turn and weave back down to the beginning, continue until you fill in the area.   Sensory Bin: Collect enough items to fill a sensory bin.  Now hide other objects such as puzzle pieces or pegs in your bin for your children to find.  You can also use just the outdoor items in the bin, ask your child to close their eyes and use stereognosis to find the item you request. Outdoor Item Sort: Can your children sort by type of item, color, or how it feels?  Have them sort through all the items they found outside.   You're receiving this because you subscribed or placed an order with Pocket Full of Therapy. We will NEVER share or sell your info. Edit your subscription | Unsubscribe Contact Us: (800) PFOT-124 (732) 462-4474 *An OT is always available to answer questions or assist in selecting the right item!

Top Ten Activities with a Therapy Ball

Web Version  |  Update preferences  |  Unsubscribe Like Tweet Forward Pocket Full of Therapy Threrapy Balls It is hard to outfit a therapy room or clinic without a couple of therapy balls, so for our customers convenience we are now stocking the original yellow, orange and green therapy balls, to which we have all become accustomed. Additionally, we are introducing the pink ball, which is the smallest therapy ball available. Balls are perfect tools for working on balance, strengthening, proximal stability, as well as for providing controlled vestibular and proprioceptive input. Contains no latex. Approximate sizes. Balls With Feet Same high quality latex free vinyl as the regular therapy balls, but these come with 3 little feet. The feet are a real asset when balls are used in the classroom or at home for homework. Point the "feet" down, under the ball to help keep the ball where it is placed when not being used. When ready to sit on, point the feet toward the back. They should not touch the ground. No more balls rolling around the classroom, so less chance they will be thrown. Balls with feet are really neat! 4 Sizes. Top Ten Therapy Ball Activities Whether you don't have a lot of space to work or you have a gym, a therapy ball is a perfect piece of equipment.  Here are some activities that will have your children working their muscles as well as having fun!  1. Wheelbarrow Walking Over the Ball:  Have your child lie on their belly on the ball, as you push the ball forward, they can reach out and place their hands on the floor.  In this position you can have your child complete a puzzle or pegboard.  How many pieces can they get in before needing a break?  2. Bounce Catch: Use those upper extremity muscles and lift the therapy ball overhead, bounce and catch.  Throw the ball against the wall and be ready to catch on the return.  3. Steamroll: While your child is lying on the rug or therapy mat roll the therapy ball over them.  Make them a pancake and then roll on some butter and syrup.  4. Sit up Bean Bag Toss: Have your child sit on the therapy ball and place bean bags behind them.  While you support them at the knees, have them lie backward over the ball, pick up a bean bag and sit up.  Once they are sitting ask them to throw it at a target.   5.  Wall Kick:  Have your child lie flat on their backs, bottom against the wall.  Now place the therapy ball at their feet, can they push the ball up the wall and catch it on the way down?  If you have more then one student, have them lie next to each other and pass the ball using their feet.   6.  Ball Seat: Of course this isn't a new idea but make sure when using the therapy ball as a seat your child is safe!!!  Their feet should be on the floor!  If possible use a ball seat base, so the ball doesn't roll.   7.  Ball Drum: Banging on the therapy ball can make some great sounds!  Can your child imitate the sound you make, when you hit the ball?  See how many they can copy in the pattern.  8.  Wall Squats:  Place the ball against the wall at waist level.  Have your child put their back to the ball.  Now stregthen those legs with some squats.   9. Can You Hit the Paperclip?: Play catch but aim at paperclip. When you hit the clip it will move so you have to adjust where you stand.  Also be sure symmetrical and not over 1 shoulder. 10. Steady Dribble:  Dribble using steady pressure for steady height. More difficult than you think. How many bounces using 1 hand, alternating hands.  You can also play games such as  "a my name is..." for some cognitive distraction.   You're receiving this because you subscribed or placed an order with Pocket Full of Therapy. We will NEVER share or sell your info. Edit your subscription | Unsubscribe Contact Us: (800) PFOT-124 (732) 462-4474 *An OT is always available to answer questions or assist in selecting the right item!