Straws and a Box

Using a shoe box that I covered with paper we played "straws in a box".  This activity is a great fine motor activity, but also eye hand coordination.  I cut the strays in various lengths and we put them "in the box".  Pipe cleaners would work great for this activity also because you could incooperate matching the colors.   Ours straws had some color strips and I was not sure if Adeline would notice them or not but she did.

Fine Motor Sorting

This is a simple sorting activity that can be done at many different levels.  If you child has been working on sorting for a while I recommend using at least three bottles, if they are a beginner start with two.  If you are not sorting yet but what to work on colors or fine motor just use one bottle and one color.

I'm sorry I should have removed the green balls from the bowl for this sort.  It should just show red and yellow balls.

Also this should have just had red balls.  While doing this activity you can work on speech while putting "red ball in".

We also did this activity while siting on the bosu ball.  This works our fine motor and gross motor together.  Sorry the lighting is not great.

A bosu ball this a great piece of exercise equipment sort of like a half yoga ball.  I love it because I can have Adeline sit on it and I don't have to hold on like I would if she where on a yoga ball.  This help to do multi- task activities.  

12 Of Our Best Gross Motor Activities

For all children gross motor activities are important but even more so for children with Down syndrome.  Children with Down syndrome are usually born with very low muscle tone which means they have to work extra hard to work up those muscles.

I try to daily do some gross motor activity with Adeline.  Here are a few of our favorites.

Stepping Up

Walking The Plank

DIY Therapy Equipment

Our Favorite Gross Motor Toys

Three Ways To Sort Colors

Noodle Fun

Crib Mattress and Gross Motor

Crash

Brown Bags and Shapes

Scooting Along

Fun Gross Motor

Beach Balls and Tablecloths

Gross motor activities can be fun and beneficial for your child.  What are some of your favorite?


Linking this post to 1+1+1=1 and Montessori Monday

Fall Learning

We are starting to think about Fall.  We are talking about pumpkins, leaves, red, orange, and yellow.  I put together some fall activities that we have been working on.

Matching Leaf Colors:

I found some leaf templates online and colored them. Adeline matched buttons to the correct leaf.  Not only does this use matching skills but fine motor picking up the buttons.

Pumpkin Patch Sensory Box;

I used grain for this box and Adeline scooped grain into a bowl.

Leaf Puzzle Match:

 Using the same templates that I used of the button match I created leaf puzzles.

Drawing to the Same:

This is something new we are working on, "finding the same".  I taped the leaves on a chalkboard and using a paintbrush with water we drew to "the same".  I did this activity hand over hand with Adeline today.  I am hoping that after a few times she will be able to do this on her own.

Here are a few of our Fall activities from last year:

Corn Fun 

Thanksgiving Fun 

25 Of Our Best Fine Motor Activities

 

Alphabet Muck

Pull Box

Our Favorite Fine Motor Toys

Fine Motor Sorts

Milk Caps and a Box

Painting With Toddlers

Numbers and Shaving Cream

Bugs in the Grass

Exploring the Ocean

Pattern Blocks and Preschoolers

Animal Stamping

Icy Fun

Early Learning With Teddy Bear Counters

Recycled Materials Sensory Tub

Exploring Cold

Pre-Writing

Sticks Instead of Clothes Pins

Working On Our Interactive Book

Three Ways To Sort Colors

Sensory Tub With a Slide

Stick and Throw

Jelly Bean Fine Motor

Spring Learning

Shamrock Learning

Reviving a Puzzle

Milk Cap Counting

We have been working on numbers lately.  Honestly, Adeline was not very interested in this activity but I thought it was great.  She was more interested in reading her books today.  She graciously gave me a few minutes of her time to count to five but she then said "all done" and left.  So here is what we have.

I used a file folder to create my number cards and milk caps for the counters.  I cut the folders on the fold and wrote a number with the correct amount of circles to indicate the place for the milk caps.

Adeline then placed the correct amount of lids onto the cards.  I wanted to do this up to 10 but I guess we where "all done" at 5.

Milk Cap Number Matching

 Adeline is working on learning her numbers.  I have been using some flashcards that I printed up and she has learned up to 10.

Today we did a matching game using milkcaps and cups.  Adeline placed the correct number cap into the labeled cup.

Pull Box

Developing a pincher grasp can take some time.  I know for Adeline she "raked" her fingers for a couple years before she was a full time pincher.

I had an empty shoe box and today I made a "pull box"  to work on pinchers.  I poked a hole from the bottom to the top with a knife and strung ribbons in the holes from the bottom to the top.  I tied a knot on the bottom so the ribbon could not come all the way through.

The bottom of the box.

The top of the box - ready to be pulled.

Pulling the ribbons.

This is a pretty simple box to put together to help develop those needed skills. 

Our favorite Fine Motor Toys

We have been making some amazing fine motor progress recently, so I have to change out some of Adeline's toys.  Today I thought I would share with you some of the new items we are using.


Pop Beads-- I found these pop bugs awhile back at Target.

Adeline is 3 and she is starting to move from the peg puzzles to these great Melissa and Doug puzzles.  They are nice chunky  puzzles with about 6 pieces.  Adeline loves these.  She does require assistance with these.

Adeline has pretty much mastered this peg board, and we are moving on to the next board.  This first board is easier because the peg just sets into the hole.  The nest board requires some pressure to press the peg in.  We are working on adding that pressure to get the peg completely in.

 This by far is my favorite Lacing set.  We have tried others with the strings, and been so frustrated.  This set is made by Lakeshore and has three levels.  It starts with a thick rope and rings to lace.  Adeline mastered that in a couple of weeks and we are now on stage two.  She is doing really well with this level too.  The string is like a plastic tube so it is so much easier to control.  Next is a string with smaller beads.    

Adeline is doing great with vertical lines, so we are working on horizontal lines.  We use this easel while I do hand over hand with her to practice horizontal lines.

 Another fine motor activity that we are enjoying is this hinged magnetic toy by Melissa and Doug.  This toy requires a lot of fine motor to open the doors and pull the little magnetic animal out.