R is for Rocks – A Gross Motor Alphabet Activity

Last week was R week, and the Littles and I made up this activity that got us up, moving, bending, lifting, placing and best of all it got us out of the house.

What could be better than a pile of rocks?  How about searching for each one and bringing it back to the designated spot.

Next?

Vocabulary words:  rock, straight, bend, lift, up, down, curve, diagonal, next to, beside, more, on, pile, big, little . . .

Come on, readers, add to my list!

If you live in the Texas Hill Country, no matter how small your property, you’ll find plenty of rocks to do this activity with.  If not, head for your local park, or if you’re really desperate you can always buy a bag of river stones at the dollar store and do a miniature version.

Happy hunting!

In-Hand Manipulation – Coins

Here’s a shot from last week when we were working on the letter N.  We did our usual alphabet letter in painter’s tape on our Pergo, and I had the Littles hold about five nickles in their palm of their dominant hand.  They had to use only the fingers and palm of that hand to move the nickel (N is for nickel) between their thumb and index finger and then place it on the N.  This type of activity is the easiest I know for getting those little hands into a perfect Pincer grasp.  Another occupational therapy at home idea for our kiddos struggling or practicing fine motor skills.

 

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom – ABCs With An Attitude

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom was a book I missed out on when I was teaching Trinity (18), Andres (8), Eden (7) and Leah (11) to read.  Fortunately, I’ve caught this unfortunate oversight in time for my Littles – Noah (6 with Down syndrome), Bella (4) and Seth (2).

Actually, I didn’t realize what a treasure it was until I happened across the video version of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom put out by Scholastic.  I watched it once and knew the book would be a forever classic in our home.  Funny how every now and then it’s the movie that makes the book versus the other way around.

If you’re not familiar with the story, it’s about the letters of the alphabet as they make their way up the coconut tree, “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, will there be enough room?”

You’ll have to check it out yourself to find out.

So we’re doing a week of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, complete with alphabet activities, palm trees and coconuts.  We used construction paper, foam letters and glue for this.  It’s difficult to tell, but we fringed the leaves – great practice for Little Miss Scissor-Hands (Bella – 4) and Noah (6 with Down syndrome) too.  I just drew short lines on the edges of the leaves for the kids to cut.  A fun craft project with minimum mess and lots of opportunities to practice fine motor skills and alphabet recognition – who could ask for more?

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