MinneSNOWta

With these massive snow storms that have graced Minnesota over the last few weeks, I put one of our occupational therapists on the task to write up some fun things to do inside! Check it out!

It is winter time in Minnesota! The snow has been piling up and as much fun as the snow can be, the cold weather can be limiting to the amount of sun and activity people get. With individuals with strong sensory needs, this problem can be even harder which can lead to individuals feeling very dysregulated. Therefore, your friendly OTs have decided to provide you with a list of activities to continue to make the season enjoyable, even when the weather does not agree.

• Build a fort: Work together to push around chairs/other heavy objects that can be used to support your fort, hang up sheets, lay around pillows, and maybe even hang up some lights!

• Make obstacle courses: Work together to create a fun obstacle course that the whole family can do- include animal walks, having to climb over objects, a mountain of pillows, roll down the hallway, karate chop pillows, jump on an old bed mattress, wheelbarrow races

• Play hide and go seek/or hide things around the house: Add another component by making them animal walk (bear, snake, crab)

• Create your own sensory bin: Pour items like sand, shaving cream, dry beans, rice or water in a container or in the bathtub. Place cars/kitchenware or other fun toys in it to make it more fun. You can even make your own car wash by having one container with something messy and another container with just plain water.

• Make homemade playdoh: Have them help you mix it up with their hands for both a heavy work activity and a tactile play activity.

• Have them help with daily chores: Washing dishes can be a fun tactile play activity, carrying in groceries, helping with laundry, shoveling the driveway (not inside, but does have to usually get done), vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, bake (mixing can be great heavy work!)

• You can make these activities more engaging by…. hiding objects around the kitchen and have them have to sweep/mop the objects to a certain target, putting weights in the laundry basic and have them race/push around, or washing dishes and toys.

• Mealtime activity: Drink liquid through straws- thicker liquids and thinner straws will make it more difficult, drink from a suction water bottle, eat more chewy/crunchy foods (apples, celery, etc), chew gum if appropriate

• Start your morning off with an exercise: Animal walks to get their clothes,handstand when getting out of bed

Or if you can get out of your front door, play out in that fluffy stuff!

If you have any questions or comments, please give TOPS a call at 651-455-0561.