Inexpensive DIY "Therapy" Gifts for Kids, Teachers and Parents

Make Your Own Play Time Kits

Are parents asking you for gift ideas for the holidays? Maybe you want to give your child's teacher a special gift for the classroom? Why not try creating your own gifts to give. Just like the craft stores sell all of those kits to create anything that you can think of, how about create some fun play time kits on your own.

Step 1: Buy a plastic container with a lid or decorate a cardboard or shoe box.

Step 2: Decide on a theme. Here are some suggestions:

• Ball box - include various sizes and textures of different playground balls
• Bubble box - include bubbles, different bubble wands and bubble trays
• Jump rope box - add traditional jump ropes, chinese jump ropes and double dutch ropes
• Sidewalk chalk box - have an art contest, create new black top games, hopscotch, etc.
• Activity card box - write one playground game on each, i.e. freeze tag, hide and go seek, obstacle course, etc. The children can pick out one card at a time to choose a game.
• Science box - magnifying glasses, bug containers, tweezers
• Water paint box - buckets for water, large paintbrushes and paint rollers to "paint" the black top with different designs
• Beach party box - include beach balls, tether ball set, paddle ball and Velcro mitt set
• Celebration box - include streamers and ribbon sticks to run and play with
• Catch All Box - Velcro mitts, Frisbees, soft footballs, small balls, recycled plastic milk jugs with tops cut off but handles left on to catch balls
• Hula Hoop Box - suggest hula hoop contests or use hoops to create obstacle courses
• Race Box - include stopwatches and cones; the children can set up races and time each other

Don't forget to create some active free play boxes for indoor recess or staying active on those chilly winter days as well.  These would make nice gifts for teachers and parents.  

• Pedometers - children can see how many steps they take during recess and try to increase each time.  You can get these at some dollar stores.
• Dance party box - radio with batteries, dance music.  Find an old radio player at a garage sale.
• Indoor balls - balloons and cardboard tubes.  Have the balloons all blown up.  Put them inside stockings if you are worried about balloon pieces if they pop.
• DVD box - collection of exercise DVDs for kids
• Bean bag box - include bean bags and targets to throw at
• Ebooks - Print these ebooks and put in a box or folder for teachers/parents to use to encourage motor activities:  Mini Movement Breaks, Classroom Activity Posters, Roll Some Fun , Dancing with the Owls , Imagination Action Journeys and Motor Minute Challenges.   

Creative Play

• imaginary school - include a wipe off board, paper, red pen, pretend play school packet, pencil holder.
• imaginary hospital - band aids, ace bandages, gauze and flashlight.  Try printing and laminating the pretend play doctor and hospital packet.
• imaginary play with animals - stuffed animals, pretend play animal packet, simple cages and brushes
• imaginary office - tape, stapler, paper, calculator, pens, pretend phone and name tags
• arts and crafts - unusual crayon colors, scented markers, rainbow pencils and paper.
• sensory - dollar store fidgets, different types of fabric swatches, smock and kids shaving cream
• fine motor - Lego's, fine motor breaks notepad, beads, lacing string and small clips.

With the amount of active and imaginary free play time dwindling, physical and occupational therapists can play a crucial role in educating school staff and parents on the benefits of play for ALL children.
Reference:   Dowda, Marsha, Brown, William H., McIver, Kerry L., Pfeiffer, Karin A., O'Neill, Jennifer R., Addy, Cheryl L., Pate, Russell R. Policies and Characteristics of the Preschool Environment and Physical Activity of Young Children Pediatrics 2009 123: e261-e266

July 4th Game

Need an activity idea for July 4th that will test reaction time, visual perceptual skills and physical activity?  Download this free activity, Red, White, Blue, Flag from the July 4th Games ebook.

Loopz Motor Planning Game and App Review

There are more and more active games coming out on the market.  LoopzTM is a toy available in stores ranging from $35 to $50 (Walmart, Target, ToysRUs, etc) and online that is a great tool to practice motor planning and coordination skills.  It is a set of four arches that has lights in each arch.  There are different ways to play with Loopz and motion sensors detect your movement as your wave your hands through the matching loops.  Some of the games start out with you using one hand to follow the lights and then progress to two hands.  In addition you can make music by turning on and off the loops, which the teenagers enjoy.

This has been a great toy to add to my PT bag.  The children can play on all fours, over the therapy ball or even in standing.  Motor planning skills, reflexes, balance and coordination skills are challenged as the children have to follow the patterns of the lights.  My favorites are Repeat the Beat and Reflex Master.  Repeat the Beat is where you have to repeat an increasing number of lights.  Reflex Master challenges you to wave as many lights as you can before time runs out.  Have to admit the kids don't love playing in standing (although I do) because it challenges their balance and they really just want to play the game.  I usually have them try it and reward them with a turn on all fours which is still beneficial.  When the game progresses to requiring the player to use two hands at a time it can become difficult for many children since it challenges bilateral coordination skills and timing.       

The Loopz app ($0.99 full version but a free version is available) is also a fun addition to challenge students reflexes, motor planning, bilateral coordination and timing.  I prefer the "real" game to the app from a physical therapy perspective but I am sure OTs would love to try out the app.  There are also more options on the app to create music by tapping the Loopz.  I think a bargain for $0.99.    

Has anyone else tried out this game?