Feed the Gator: Prescissor Skills Activity!

 Feed the Gator!

  

This is an easy activity to make that requires just a few objects (tongs, pom pom balls, construction paper, glue, and a small disposable tin container. The activity promotes separation between the two sides of the hand, and it builds the muscles and coordination needed to develop scissor skills and fine motor skills.

The first step is to decorate the pan using glue and construction paper. You can make the pan into a gator, frog, or even a bear! Be sure to add the eyes, tongue, and teeth. 

To have the child complete the task, just place the pan on it's side and instruct them to "feed the gator" the pom poms! Click on this link to watch "feeding the gator!"

Suggestions for grading the activity
• Using different tongs (more or less resistance)
• Different size pom poms (smaller = more difficult; larger = easier)
• Smaller target/container (smaller target = requires more precision, more difficult)

This project was completed by a Master of Occupational Therapy student at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center and posted with permission.

Using Wikki Stix for Pre-writing Skills!

I love Wikki Stix! What are they? Wikki Stix are pieces of yarn dipped in different colors of non-toxic wax that can be used to form shapes, design, numbers, and letters! They are great because they are reusable and can be cut into different lengths. They will also stick to different surfaces such as paper or a table and be easily removed.

For prewriting skills, you can form a circle (as seen above) and instruct the child to make one just like the one you made. You may need to provide some assistance with forming the circle at first.

You can do the same with a cross (as seen above)!

And you can also have the child copy letters or numbers!

There are many other uses for Wikki Stix. You can use them to make mazes for tracing through,  and you can even use them to outline the edges of a coloring deign to help teach a child how to color within the lines!