holding objects

Some small objects may be difficult for children to grasp. Attach shower curtain rings to them using a glue gun. The large ring is easier for the child to hold enabling them to use the cup, stamp, stencil, etc.

To increase participation in activities at the sandbox, attach foam to the handles of plastic flour scoops and enable students with limited grasp to dig or move sand independently. To increase student participation in activities involving playdoh or clay, add foam to the handle of a plastic pizza cutter.

Materials:

• Party favors/Action figures
• Poker chips
• Shower curtain rings
• Hot glue gun and glue stick

Directions:
1. Mount each action figure on a poker chip using the hot glue—put a dab of glue on each surface of the figure that contacts the chip. Let set at least 2 minutes.

Increase the ability of students to participate in card games by using a hairbrush as a cardholder. Students can forget about the struggle to hold cards and focus on Old Maid, Go Fish or even Crazy 8's! For more support, use Velcro to secure the hairbrush to a non-skid placement.

Moving targets are hard to grab! Help students with limited grasp or fine motor skills play with wheeled toys by gluing raised knobs to mobile cars, trucks and airplanes. Try the wooden candle cup holders sold at most hobby shops.

A child that has difficulty grasping objects may be unable to manipulate puzzle pieces. For some children, simply cutting notches into the side of each of the puzzle pieces may make them easier to grasp. Adding handles of some kind to puzzles can also make them accessible. A knob, empty thread spool, or section of dowel rod may make a handle that a child can grasp. If the puzzle came with knobs, but they are too small, simply replacing them with larger knobs can make the puzzle accessible. If the child cannot grasp a handle, adapting the puzzle with Velcro may be the solution.

Materials:

• Small car or truck (Matchbox or similar)
• Empty one liter clear plastic soda bottle
• Clear plastic tube used to store florescent light bulbs
• Large rubber suction cup (type that is used for car top carriers)

Instructions:

Materials:

• Hook and loop Velcro (sticky back)
• ½ inch elastic long enough to wrap around child’s hand one time with overlap of 1 inch

Instructions:
Sew a 1 inch piece of hook Velcro to one end of elastic and a one inch piece of loop Velcro to another end. Sew a two inch piece of hook Velcro at the middle of elastic. Stick a piece of loop Velcro onto the toy that the child wishes to play with to allow for grasping.

For our students without mature grasp patterns, use a foam gripper or foam ball. Pierce one end with a sharp object (a pen will do) and insert pencil.

Materials:
• Two - 1/2 in. PVC Pressure Tee Connectors
• One - 1/2 in. PVC Nipple
• One 1/4 in. x 1 in. thumb screw
(PVC and other materials are available at Home Depot or similar hardware store).

Directions:
1. Drill a 1/4 inch hole into one of the PVC Tees in the center where all angles meet. (See photo).
2. Assemble the pencil holder by attaching a PVC Tee to each end of the PVC Nipple.
3. Thread the thumb screw into the drilled hole.