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Play with a Purpose: Simple OT Activities You Can Try at Home

April 6, 2026 by Alexis Tocco, Kaitlyn Goerl
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With creativity and expert task analysis, Occupational Therapists work with kids and families to build skills that need to be strengthened and make changes to the environment or activity to fit their needs and meet their goals. Try these ideas, provided by the Occupational Therapy team at The Children’s Institute.
 

A boy is looking very closely at a sensory bubble tube that is giving off a red glow to everything around.

Bubble Tube
Have your child watch a bubble tube, lava lamp, or sensory bottle and follow the bubbles. This supports sensory regulation, visual attention, and focus.
 
Messy Play
Let your child explore different textures (shaving cream, pudding, or sand) with their hands or use a paintbrush to draw or write. This is a great way to enhance sensory tolerance, visual-motor skills such as writing and drawing), fine motor skills, and creativity


 
 
A baby girl wearing a large tan bow on her head is chewing on a Nuk brush as part of occupational therapy.

Oral Stimulation & Exploration
Use a Nuk brush, vibrating toothbrush, or chewy tube for oral play or to explore different textures to help build oral motor skills, feeding readiness, and sensory desensitization.
 
Obstacle Course
Create a simple obstacle course using pillows, chairs, tunnels, or tape lines for jumping, crawling, balancing, and climbing. Add multi-step directions for an additional challenge. This helps to build gross motor skills, coordination, body awareness, motor planning, sequencing, and core strength.

A 10-year-old boy with blonde hair wearing a hearing aid is crawling through a red play tunnel in an occupational therapy gym.
 
A baby girl wearing a large tan bow on her head is chewing on a Nuk brush as part of occupational therapy.

Tongs
Have your child pick up small items (pom-poms, snacks, toys) with tongs. This activity builds hand strength, coordination, and pre-writing skills.
 

Learn more about what makes The Children's Institute the best choice for your child's Occupational Therapy.

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Occupational TherapyOccupational Therapy Month
Everyday EducationTips and How-To
Alexis Tocco
Alexis Tocco
Senior Staff Occupational Therapist

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Kaitlyn Goerl
Kaitlyn Goerl
Clinical Supervisor, Occupational Therapy

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