Kid-Approved OT Activities

My favorite activities are ones that don't take up much space in my bag and that I can use for a variety of kids. I have used these 3 activities with children of many different ages and skill levels and, so far, they have all loved them! Many ask to play them again in future sessions. These can be perfect for longer summer days when you're tired of hearing, "I'm bored." While your child is focused on having fun, these activities are also building important developmental skills. They encourage problem-solving, creativity, coordination, spatial awareness, and visual perceptual skills—all through play.

Pop-tube Marble Run:

Connect as many pop tubes (pictured above) as you have to create a roller coaster for marbles. It's amazing how long this can keep kids entertained! They can experiment with different starting points and angles to create the perfect marble run. I put the marbles on the opposite side of the room to incorporate gross motor tasks (riding a scooter board, crawling over cushions, walking along a line of tape on the floor, or doing animal walks to pick up one marble at a time). I tape a cup to the end of the last tube to avoid losing my marbles.

Yarn Laser Maze:

Weave red yarn around furniture to create a laser maze. I usually start by showing the child how to wrap the yarn around chair legs or pillows and then let them finish creating the maze. Place stuffed animals to rescue or gems to steal on the other side of the lasers and have your child crawl through to retrieve them. When it's time to clean up, start wrapping the yarn up in a ball and then have your child finish disassembling the maze so that they can use the yarn again next time!

Treasure Hunt:

Hide a few stuffed animals or small toys around your living room and have your child search for them. If you'd like, you can draw a simple aerial view of your living room and mark X's near where you hid the items. To incorporate more movement, have your child crawl like a puppy, hop like a bunny, or waddle like a penguin while searching for the treasure.

I hope you and your children enjoy these activities as much as I have enjoyed them with my clients! If you'd like to identify additional developmentally supportive activities tailored for your family, schedule a consultation here. Or reach out to schedule a virtual or in-person workshop about sensory processing, resilience, anger management, or fostering a growth mindset. I love sharing this information with families and teachers!