Tactile Activity Using Rice

I am finding many benefits to using this magnets/cook sheet activity. In this case the magnets are buried inside a container filled with rice. The children don't seem to mind this texture as much as the fake easter grass. This child has just about learned how to place the magnets with the correct side up. But I am going to add stickers to the correct side so that I can cue with i.e. "lets see the dog picture" .
Here I placed the cookie sheet in front to make it easier. I place the sheet behind children after they understand what to do and I ask them to do it with the horse moving if they have pretty good balance. Stretching with the outside hand while walking the horse in a circle really works the trunk muscles as children places magnets on the cookie sheet. (When the horse walks in a circle, the outside hand and foot face the outside of the circle)

I discovered a neat trick during an evaluation yesterday. I asked a child to put the yogurt container lid on really securely. He tends to do a less than thorough job on these types of tasks. Then I tested him by turning the container over (above the cookie sheet) to see if anything fell out. He seemed to understand the test results since no spills. Yeah!

Barbara Smith, M.S., OTR/L author of, The Recycling Occupational Therapist
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