What School Therapists Carry in their Bags Compiled by Janet Groll, OTR/L and C. Marcell Following are responses from occupational therapists around the world (who belong to the otpeds listserv) who were asked, “What do school therapists carry in their bags? Karen My absolute must haves are: -changeable markers -travel Connect Four (there's so many things you can do with it) -Theraputty to hide things in -vibrating pens -Etch Sketch travel size -1" blocks -and of course any project ideas -plastic confetti shapes -- they have seasonal ones. For example, I have Halloween ones (ghosts, bats, moon and black cats). We make Halloween pictures and glue on the shapes. I made a haunted house of poster board...ghosts were in the dark windows, cats in the lit windows (yellow paper makes it look like lights are on), bats against the moon, etc. There are animals, flowers, butterflies, shapes, etc. great fine motor tool. (Watch for close out sales after a holiday.) -tissue paper. You can make balls (small) and glue onto paper to make shapes (e.g., pumpkins with green tissue paper for stems yellow for eyes. My poor fine motor muscles sure feel it long before the end of the day! -roll marbles in paint, then roll on a round piece of paper in a pie tin with different colors or white paint on black paper (makes a great spider web). I did this one last year and then glued on black confetti spiders – really cute. (Works with acorns and a leaf cut out for a fall project, too) -Rainbow fish book, green and blue round stickers(the ones you get in office supply stores) and a few hologram stickers. Copy off a food sized fish from the book, read the story, then have kids make their own rainbow fish by applying stickers (they overlap each other and get finished off with a hologram for each fish). Kids love this. You can mount the fish on the wall for an elevated surface. -I Spy books are great. One activity I do with these is have kids prone on a ball, weight bearing on their hands/walking back and forth side to side (small movements) while looking for things in the pictures. A good way to combine vestibular and eye tracking. KDAB201 For my early intervention "gotta have" list: -vibrating toys -puppets / stuffed animals / beanie baby-type toys -toddler feeding utensils -therapy putty with things to stick in it -Koosh balls -lots of scrap paper

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-markers -spinner board -surgical scrub brushes -bumble ball (mine also has the "giggle" factor, from Kay Bee Toys) For my pre-school and school agers, I "gotta have": -wind-up toys -therapy putty with things to stick in it -Koosh balls -Fiskars for kids scissors -old cereal boxes (for cutting with scissors) -old magazines for cutting -pencil grips of various types -surgical scrub brushes -t-stool or other rockable seat -my biological kids' old clothes for dressing training (But my bag sure seems heavier than just this stuff.......) Shelly Things I use a lot are: -changeable markers (my favorite) -mazes, dot to dot's etc. -wipe off boards with shapes, letters, etc. to trace and a blank one to draw or write on -a supply of various types of adaptive writing paper ("green means go", raised line, two line like is used in "Handwriting without Tears", graph paper, etc.) -variety of pencil grips and pencils -variety of scissors (Fiskars, squeezers, blunt, sharp, decorative) -variety of glue (glue sticks, Elmers, and gel...the gel is great for kids who tend to glob their glue on or need to work on strengthening) Bonnie A few other things to add to the other lists (put it all in a WHEELED bag): -small colored paper clips- great for a variety of fine motor activities -flippers- small plastic game with multi-colored plastic "W" shaped pieces -doodle tops -scoopers to use with the Koosh balls -pegs and peg board -hand held hole puncher -scented crayons

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-table top easel -Wikki Stix -for younger kids I use a lot of play dough items: fun factory, barber shop, etc. Sue -Etch a Sketch with homemade mazes/activities drawn with permanent markers on overhead transparencies and decorated with stickers -small chalkboard with pencil-like water-filled stamp moisteners (available at stationary store) that I use with chalk for tracing letters. Pencil-like water-filled stamp moisteners can be found at office supply stores and stationary stores. They are about 6" long and 3/8" wide. You pop off the foam top, fill it with water, and replace the top. -mini-clothes pins on a bungee cord with laminated mini-clothes cut out of colored construction paper--each pants and shirt has a design drawn on it and the children match either designs or colors and hang them on the line -a deck of cards -mini-laser pointers (I hold the laser pointer, not the child, as I do have to be careful with eyes. I find them easier for the child to visually track along walls and gym floors. They work well for changing focus from near sight to far sight as the point of focus is so clear. I also use them to write letters on the wall and the child guesses the letter before I finish) -those small sized 25 piece jigsaw puzzles -spider balls/1/2" cut up sponges/buttons/etc. in small margarine tub banks -a fabric airlines toiletries pack with matching small toys and objects for stereognosis and I also use the objects for visual memory -a turkey baster (for the open-close motion of the hand as a pre-scissors skill) with cotton balls to 'blow' across the table -salad tongs (can use strawberry pinchers) for the same skill -plasticine and play dough, -various size beads with boon-doggle (plastic) string. Boon-doggle is also called gimp. It’s a flat plastic-covered string that is used to make lanyards, etc. -a show lace on card board (for shoe-tying) -various lined paper (i.e. interlined paper, various lined-size paper etc.) -Dycem -glue (to outline the form of a picture to be colored, let the glue around the picture dry and then have the child color while feeling the lip of the glue as a cue for stopping). I carry a small hot glue gun to do what you do with glue. It is quicker, less messy, no dry time and you can easily vary the thickness of the 'lip'. -the lines and curves from the "Handwriting without Tears" program -Stetro grips, letter strips for the desk, hole punch, etc.

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Pam I went out and bought a rolling suitcase like the stewardesses use. Inside I pack lots of fine motor and writing things, and will change things around a little from week to week. But here is a list of stuff I can remember: -a pencil box full of pencils grips of all types, no. 2 and no. 4 pencils -erasable pens, mechanical pencils -several different pairs of scissors, including the regular Fiskars, the tiny little scissors Mary Benbow uses, loop scissors and double loop scissors -a tiny chalkboard I got through "Handwriting Without Tears", and a smallish dry erase board -changeable markers, dry erase markers, and a bag of colored chalk -a little bag of glass rocks -pegs -modeling clay -pennies -paper clips -tape -a glue stick\ -a tiny stapler -lots of stickers -a pad of plain paper, lined paper, and construction paper -small box of sticky back Velcro -a small assortment of balls like tennis, squishy, super balls etc. -a few tiny art and craft things -a few different grades of Theraband - I carry a few dollars -gum and breath mints WOW. It is amazing what you do with this stuff with a bit of imagination. I have a few schools where I have left some bigger equipment, like a mini tramp and scooters. Weber Things I carry in my school bag: -legos -pop beads -ear/nose syringe with Ping-Pong ball (for same reason as turkey baster/cotton ball) -"fidget" bag (from Pocketful of Therapy) -magnetic building pieces -teddy bear and clothes for dressing -wind up toy

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-tops for spinning -clothes pins -fun paper punches for punching out shapes i.e. star, heart, bear -large plastic jacks game -Wikki Stix -blank jig saw puzzles for drawing on and then putting together -small pegs (for pushing in theraputty) and tweezers for pulling them out -piggy bank and zippered coin purse with a variety of coins -a lock and key -empty 35 ml film canisters to hide things in and one with a slit for pushing button through -small empty plastic spice jars for the same purpose as the film canisters -the "coffee filter pick" that comes in the box of Mr. Coffee filters. I glued the white ends on and it makes a great tweezers for little fingers Lynn A few more items, especially those that appeal to pre-schoolers: -the very large plastic "tweezers" that come with the "Bedbugs" game (the plastic bedbugs are very hard to pick up, use cut up pieces of sponge or pick up small crackers for snack time) -a portable version of "Lite-Brite" called "Sparkle Light" (made by "Ohio Art" the folks who make Etch-a-Sketch and often sold in the same places) -balloons and foam paddles (I like to hang the balloon on a string from the ceiling to make the activity easier for preschoolers) -a very small covered plastic container for water and a fat preschool paintbrush for painting on the chalkboard, chalk, and a small spray bottle for erasing the chalk Angela I have a lot of standard activities too and games such as: -Marble Works -poker chip through slots in margarine containers -straws in holes in plastic Kool-aid containers and then go smaller. -I also use toothpicks,the colored ones in the small jar. I poke a small hole in the top of the toothpick jar, it is plastic and easy to do, and make it a little bigger than the toothpick. The child has to pick out the color I say (or he says) or just pick a toothpick out of the jar -- it isn't easy but it’s possible. Then after you have a few, stick them in the hole. If they can't pick them out of the jar, then I dump out a few and then they put them in. It really works on pinch, and push and pull using the isolated finger joints of the thumb and index finger. Supervision is required for kids under 5 because of the danger of toothpicks, of course.

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SuzM I look for small compact things that weigh next to nothing, such as: -using cookie cutters to cut putty or play dough. I also use those cookie stamps made by Wilton. They are seasonal patterns and many others. At the moment, we are using the jack-o-lantern and a monster that the kids press in theraputty and then pull and stretch the face in all directions. They love it. -Milton-Bradley travel games. There is a basketball game that requires good eye-hand coordination. -playing cards such as UNO. You can play a game or build a house with the cards. Maggie Now to my traveling bag of goodies. For the many children with PDD I see, certain activities appeal again and again. These usually do not include pencils and paper! They like: -a nesting set of barrels which has a small figure in the tiniest barrel -a tin in the shape of a milk churn which is full of plastic money -some plastic discs shaped like frogs which jump across the floor when you press the middle section with an index finger or thumb -plastic fruit which velcros together and can be cut with a plastic knife -Mr. Potato Head -a play telephone -shallow trays with rice, flour, etc. plus some containers, scoops, animals and people -jars of different diameters with interesting contents -pop-up toys -wind-up toys (difficult to find toys strong enough to withstand heavy handling) -play dough -plastic straws to cut for candles and make birthday cakes -beanbags, balloons with rice in them, etc. Linda Add another to the bag – Boppers. Place a balloon in a sock ( I use adult white socks donated by local dept store). Blow up the balloon and tie it off. The assembly can then be used as a bat during balloon games (hold the neck of the sock) or for a game of "boppers." Based on my experience, it is too difficult for most kids to inflate the balloon themselves. Do not try to blow the balloon up and put the sock on over it. Have also challenged some of my higher functioning students to figure out how to make the boppers. Kids love it and frankly, teachers have been known to use them to let off steam.

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Cumba I once found a teacher in the process of throwing away a gym ball- you know, those red rubber things. There was a hole in it, which I cut into a slit just big enough to get small hands into. I hide small toys in there, which can only be removed one at a time and with some force. The kids love it. They can also be asked to name what objects they are feeling before removing the object. Tracy In response to how to use your bag of tricks in the regular classroom: -In our practice we try to integrate strategies into the curriculum, which involves planning ahead with teachers. In the early grades it is easy to integrate our tricks into creative centers that all the children can benefit from. For example, if the letter of the day is B, one center may be traditional handwriting practice, another may be writing with vibrating pens, another maybe forming the letter with theraputty or clay etc. We have found teachers very open to this and have observed teachers using some of the activities with other classes that do not have any OT recipients in them! -When possible, I try to integrate into the higher grades. Many times, I will do cursive handwriting, if visual motor is a goal of my student. I have co-taught cursive using the "Loops and Other Groups" program by Mary Benbow. We do some upper extremity warm-ups, and have a variety of pencil grips and inclined surfaces available for my students and any other students who may wish to try them. If a group is having difficulty keeping pace with the class, we break into two groups and I take the slower group and integrate more hand strengthening and grasp reinforcement as warm-ups. -I have also participated in Science classes and worked with my students and others in the class on organizing notes and materials. Teachers try to plan experiments on days when OT is going to be in the classroom. -Math class is also an ideal setting to work on spatial organization and visual tracking. We use graph paper and highlighters to help students "keep their place" in the calculation. -In middle school, we help students plan and organize projects for science and social studies in addition to working writing and keyboarding in context of language arts or computer class. Jamie I used lycra swimsuit fabric for my tunnel, so it needed one seam along the long edge. Actually, I did not use the full width of the fabric so that the tunnel would be tighter. I use the leftover piece as a stretchy rope for kids to pull themselves on the swing, or as a wrap, or as whatever else the students can think up.

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Lynda I recently made a pocket with a zipper on top. I cut out the front panel from an old pair of my son's jeans, including the zipper and snap. There was probably about an inch and a half of fabric on both sides of the zipper. Then I cut out two squares of fabric as wide as the zipper panel and about 8 inches long. I zigzagged the bottom end of the zipper panel, because it will end up as a raw edge on the pocket. (I'm sure there was a better way to enclose the end, but I was in a hurry!) Then I sewed the squares to both sides of the zipper panel, folded the whole thing in half (right sides together) and sewed the remaining edges of the squares together. I was able to turn it right side out by opening up the zipper panel. It's relatively difficult for my students to manipulate, but they're very motivated to find out what's INSIDE! Lately I've been putting a small vibrating ball inside to use for waking up those hands before handwriting activities. I'd like to make some more pockets with buttons, snaps, etc. I just need more time in my day! ??????? In my OT bag I have: -a little baggie of colored feathers that are great for sorting, slap floating, playing hands off blow air hockey in weight bearing, becoming a chicken, catching from various positions etc. -I have also found that a simple ace wrap is good to work on reciprocal patterns of wrapping around and around, swaddling, as well as the process of re-rolling it up using "scrunching" against tension are good ones. The kids love fighting and crashing games down here in the south and the imaginary characters always need bandaging. I sometimes trap objects under the wrap as if it is my skin that they must pluck out with "doctors tools" or fingers. -I also use a little bag of black rubber ants that can have many themes requiring the child to pick them up without touching them: I use a little cloth bag of various colored felt scrap pieces cut in common and irregular shapes that can be used to simulate leaves, precious stones, people of different colors, put together to "paint" a picture with, stuff the bag and use as a pillow on an imaginary journey etc. -I just was at a huge crafts store, and they had small bunches of soft plastic grapes for 49 cents. These are some of the best fidget toys I have seen, as they are really fun to manipulate and squeeze. They are small enough to fit into small hands, and are quite cheap. I think they need to be used only by kids old enough to not try to eat them, though. -When we were kids we made "Cootie Catchers" out of paper. I recently saw this again in a "Klutz" book. They are great for hand manipulation.

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Anita Something I use is a cotton knit fabric tube "tunnel" for kids to crawl through. Depending on the size of the tube and the size of the kid, it gives some great deep tactile input. The kids love it! This is an item suggested at the "How does your engine run?" workshop. This tube tunnel is nothing more than 2-3 yards of cotton knit fabric, and it’s all one piece, so requires no sewing. I got it at a fabric store. It is a stretch knit fabric. You have to open one end and hold it open so the student can get her head, arms, and knees in and then hold that end while she crawls through. This provides the resistance that she moves against. Pam Last year I had a little bag of plastic bugs. I would have the kids make a little 'raft' out of modeling clay and then I would give the kids a few bugs in their palm. They would then have to work on palm to finger translation to get the on the raft. They loved this game!