Paperclip hearts

I'm always looking for fun ways to teach functional classroom skills, like using paperclips. Simply paper-clipping a stack of papers together is not all that fun or interesting, so I had one of my students create letter hearts to work on spelling words. This makes studying spelling words more fun, too!

Supplies needed:

• colored paper
• scissors
• marker
• paperclips

Directions:

• Have the student cut small hearts out of colored paper.
• Label the hearts with letters that can be used to spell student's spelling words.
• Read a spelling word to the student.
• The student must locate the hearts with the letters needed to spell the word and then paperclip the hearts to a piece of paper.

Skills addressed:

• bilateral coordination
• fine motor dexterity
• eye hand coordination 
• visual discrimination
• scissor skills
• spelling

Loving the Bumble Ball, Junior!

I have a few kiddos on my caseload right now with hemiplegia that are so good at accommodating and doing things with their less affected hand, that it is a challenge to get them to use both hands!

Blocks are not exciting enough, wind-up toys can be too difficult, but the Bumble Ball, Junior is just right! Holding the ball in one hand and pulling the string with the other provides just the right amount challenge. And they love the vibration of the ball, which motivates them to pull the string over and over again, strengthening the more affected arm!