Celebrate OT Month with These Fun, Skill-Building Activities!
April is Occupational Therapy (OT) Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the essential role occupational therapists play in helping children gain independence and confidence in their everyday lives. At Cheshire Fitness Zone, our OTs help kids grow through playful, purposeful activities that build the skills needed for dressing, writing, feeding, and participating in daily routines.
Whether your child is currently in OT or you’re looking for ways to support their development at home, these activities are a great way to celebrate OT Month together. They’re simple, fun, and packed with opportunities to boost fine motor skills, coordination, sensory regulation, and more!
Try one activity each week or mix and match based on your child’s interests. Each one reflects the heart of OT, supporting kids through movement, creativity, connection, and play.
Fine Motor Activities
Focus: Hand strength, finger coordination, pencil grasp, bilateral coordination
Why it matters: Strong fine motor skills are essential for holding utensils, writing, cutting, zipping, and other everyday tasks.
Activity: Bead Stringing & Pom-Pom Pick-Up
Materials:
Pipe cleaners or string
Beads (or dry pasta)
Tweezers
Pom-poms
Two bowls
How to do it:
Let your child thread beads or pasta onto pipe cleaners—start with larger pieces and gradually challenge them with smaller ones.
For a bonus activity, use tweezers to move pom-poms from one bowl to another. Add a timer to turn it into a mini race!
OT Benefits:
Improves grasp patterns and finger strength
Boosts focus and coordination
Encourages use of both hands together (bilateral coordination)
Sensory Exploration
Focus: Sensory processing, tactile tolerance, calming input
Why it matters: Sensory play can help children regulate emotions, build attention, and become more comfortable with different textures and sensations.
Activity: Spring Sensory Bin
Materials:
- Large plastic bin
- Sensory filler (rice, beans, kinetic sand, water beads, or water)
- Scoops, spoons, plastic animals or toys
How to do it:
- Fill the bin with your sensory material of choice.
- Add small items to hide and scoop out.
- Let your child dig, pour, and explore with their hands or tools.
OT Benefits:
- Supports self-regulation and calming
- Encourages attention and imaginative play
- Builds tolerance for new textures
Movement
Focus: Gross motor coordination, balance, core strength, motor planning
Why it matters: Movement helps children build the physical foundation needed for sitting upright, navigating their environment, and learning how to move with control.
Activity: Animal Walk Obstacle Course
Materials:
- Pillows, painter’s tape, chairs
- Space to move
- Stuffed animals (optional)
How to do it:
- Set up a path with taped lines, pillows, or under-chair tunnels.
- Add animal movements along the way:
- Bear Walk (hands and feet)
- Crab Walk (hands and feet, belly up)
- Frog Jumps (squat and leap)
- Bear Walk (hands and feet)
- Turn it into a pretend play mission—rescue animals, hop to safety, or race against a timer.
OT Benefits:
- Enhances strength and balance
- Boosts coordination and spatial awareness
- Builds endurance and confidence in movement
Life Skills Practice
Focus: Independence with daily routines, problem-solving, motor planning
Why it matters: OT supports kids in becoming more independent with everyday tasks like feeding, dressing, brushing teeth, and organizing materials.
Activity: Buttoning, Pouring, & Sorting Practice
Materials:
- Button-up shirt
- Cups, small containers
- Dry cereal, snacks, or water
- Socks or simple household items for sorting
How to do it:
- Practice buttoning/unbuttoning on a shirt laid flat or hanging.
- Pour dry cereal or water from one container to another.
- Sort socks by color or size, or group small toys by category.
OT Benefits:
- Improves hand control and finger strength
- Encourages sequencing and focus
- Builds real-world problem-solving skills
Celebrate Your OT!
Focus: Social-emotional skills, reflection, self-expression
Why it matters: Taking time to reflect builds self-awareness and confidence. It also helps children recognize their progress and form positive relationships with their therapists.
Activity: Thank You Note or Drawing
Materials:
- Paper, crayons, markers
How to do it:
- Ask your child what they like most about OT.
- Help them write a short note or draw a picture for their therapist.
- Share it during their next visit or take a photo to send.
OT Benefits:
- Promotes expressive language and emotional connection
- Builds a sense of pride and appreciation
Encourages storytelling and reflection
Take a few moments to play, move, create, and connect!
Occupational therapy empowers children to do the things they need and want to do, through meaningful activities that support growth, independence, and joy. During OT Month, we’re reminded of the incredible progress kids make every day, often through the simplest moments: stringing a bead, crawling across cushions, pouring water, or expressing a “thank you.”
No matter your child’s age or ability, these activities can be adapted to meet them where they are and celebrate how far they’ve come.
So this April, take a few moments to play, move, create, and connect, and join us in celebrating all the ways occupational therapy makes a difference!
