Occupational Therapy Activities For Children | Free Expert Guide

What are Occupational Therapy Activities?

In simple terms, occupational therapy activities are special activities chosen and crafted to help kids get better at doing everyday things. OT activities for kids help them learn the skills they need to be more independent in their day-to-day lives—whether it’s getting dressed, playing games, or going to school.

For instance, OT activities for toddlers might involve pinching clothespins to help strengthen their grip. This can make it easier for them to hold a pencil and improve their handwriting. Or, they might have kids play catch with a ball, which is a fun way to work on their balance and coordination. This can be really helpful for them, especially when they play sports at school.

Expert-Approved Fun Occupational Therapy Activities to Try at Home

Each of these activities has been designed by occupational therapists and is expert-approved, so you can feel confident that they’ll help your child develop important skills at home. First, try the standard version with your child. If your child has some difficulty with this, move to the modified version instead. If your child has a lot of difficulty with the initial task, it may be best to use the simplified version.

Primitive Reflex Integration Exercises

Primitive reflex integration exercises are important for any child who has retained primitive reflexes.

See our full guide to primitive reflex integration exercises for more information.

1. Moro Reflex Exercise (Open/Close)

• Original: For the Moro reflex exercise, sit down, tilt your head slightly back, and open your arms and legs out. Then lean forward, cross your right arm and leg over your left arm and leg, and look down. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg on top.
• Modified: Sitting down, tilt your head slightly back and open your arms out. Then look down and cross your arms. Repeat with the opposite arm crossed on top. Then lean back on your arms, open your legs wide, cross the right leg over the left, then switch.
• Simplified: Stand behind your child and guide them through opening and closing their arms while standing with their back to you.

2. Marching in Place (ATNR)

• Original: Stand in one spot with your arms straight out in front of you and your fingers extended. Turn your head to the left while keeping your arms out straight, then march in place for 10 steps. Rest, then repeat with your head turned to the right.
• Modified: Stand in place with your arms out in front. Keep your head straight and march in place for 10 steps. Pause, then repeat for another 10 steps.
• Simplified: Hold your child’s hands and encourage them to march in place, while supporting their hands in front.

Fine Motor Activities

Fine motor activities can help to improve your child’s fine motor skills, like drawing, writing, moving small objects and cutting with scissors.
See our full guide to fine motor activities for more information.

1. Rock, Paper, Scissors

• Original: Like the kids’ game, move through the movements of rock, paper, scissors with your dominant hand and then your non-dominant hand. Repeat 5 times on each side at a relatively brisk pace, then try with both hands. ‘Rock’ is a fist, ‘paper’ is your hand extended straight out, and ‘scissors’ is your thumb folded along your pinky and ring finger, with your index and middle finger in the shape of scissors.
• Modified: Move just through rock, paper, rock, paper with their dominant hand, non-dominant hand, then both.
• Simplified: Your child practices rock, paper with one hand, guided by you if necessary. Guide your child to make a fist then guide them to make a flat palm with their fingers out.

2. Piano Exercises (Finger Lift)

• Original: With one hand on the floor, wall, or table, lift each finger individually and then place it back down. Follow this order: pointer, middle, ring, pinky. Then repeat the same thing with the other hand.
• Modified: With one hand on the floor, use your opposite hand to help lift each finger in the same order, then repeat with the opposite hand.
• Simplified: Using hand-over-hand assistance, help your child gently lift each individual finger in this order: pointer, middle, ring, and pinky. Then repeat on the opposite side.

3. Finger Wiggles

• Original: Hold your thumb and pointer finger in an ok sign for a count of 20. Maintain this position and wiggle the other three fingers on your hand. Start with your right hand, then the left hand, then both hands.
• Modified: Hold your thumb and pointer finger in an ok sign for a count of 10 with your left hand. Then take your right hand to help wiggle the remaining 3 fingers while sustaining the ok sign. Repeat with the opposite hand and fingers as above.
• Simplified: Hold your thumb and pointer finger in an ok sign for a count of 10, then release.

Proprioceptive Activities

Proprioception means body awareness and the ability to control the force and pressure of movements.
See our full guide to proprioceptive activities for more information.

1. Crab Walk

• Original: Sit on your bottom, then raise your bottom up so you’re balancing on your hands and feet, trying to lift your stomach to the sky. In this position, move backward across the room and then move forward to return to your starting position. Try this 6 times.
• Modified: Sit on your bottom, then raise your bottom up so you’re balancing on your hands and feet, trying to lift your stomach to the sky. In this position, move backward across the room and then turn and move backward to return to your starting position. Try this 6 times.
• Simplified: Hold the crab position for 10 seconds.

2. Hopping in Place

• Original: Hop 10 times on your right foot, take a break, then hop on your left foot 10 times.
• Modified: Stand on your right foot and lift your left leg up and hop, then touch it back down, then repeat, keeping the pause between hops. Do this 10 times. Then repeat standing on your left foot, lifting your right foot up to hop as you just did on the opposite side.
• Simplified: Standing up, lift left leg up to 90 degrees then place back down, then repeat. Do this 10 times, then repeat on the right side. Remember to pause between leg lifts.

3. Jumping Jacks

• Original: Stand up, raise your hands over your head to clap, while simultaneously jumping your legs open and out slightly wider than your hips. You then jump, and while jumping, move your hands down to the side and legs together. Repeat 10 times.
• Modified: Standing up tall, jump your legs out and arms up about 90 degrees, then jump legs together and arms down, and pause. Take your time, and remember to pause between tries. Do this 10 times.
• Simplified: Stand with your legs apart, slightly wider than your hips, and then raise and lower your arms slightly, bending at the elbows. Repeat this 10 times.

Tactile Activities

Tactile activities can help your child with processing touch stimuli. Some children are under-responsive or over-responsive to touch stimuli, and these children can particularly benefit from these exercises.

See our full guide to tactile activities for more information.

1. Body Rubs

• Original: Stand up, take your right arm over to your left arm, and rub it everywhere on your left arm for a count of 10. Then repeat on the opposite arm. Next, bend over and rub your left leg with both hands for 10 counts, stand up, then repeat on the right leg.
• Modified: While standing or sitting, rub each arm with the opposite hand for a count of 10. Skip the leg portion if needed.
• Simplified: Child may sit or stand. Help guide their hand through the motion, or perform the exercise for them.

2. Body Taps

• Original: Tap from hand to shoulder on one arm, then under the arm from shoulder to hand. Repeat on the other arm. Then tap legs from ankle to thigh and back, first left, then right.
• Modified: Tap arms as described while seated or standing. For the legs, seated tapping may be used or skipped if difficult.
• Simplified: Sit or stand. Guide your child’s hand or tap for them as needed.

3. Snow Angels

• Original: Lie on your back with arms at your side and legs together. Move arms up and out, and legs outward, then return to start. Repeat 10 times rhythmically.
• Modified: Lie down and repeat the arm motion 10 times. Then perform the leg movement separately for 10 repetitions.
• Simplified: Assist your child by guiding their arms and legs in the movement pattern while they lie on their back.

Oral Motor Exercises

Oral motor exercises (exercises for the mouth, lips, jaw, and tongue) can help your child with their speaking skills, eating skills, brushing their teeth, and more.

See our full guide to oral motor exercises for more information. This guide also includes inspiration for taste sensory activities that your child can take part in during snack times and meal times.

1. Open and Close the Mouth

• Original: Open and close your mouth. Repeat this five times, pausing in between each one.
• Modified: Use gentle tactile cues to guide your child’s jaw to open and close.
• Simplified: Use a mirror, tactile cues, and parent modeling to encourage your child to open and close their mouth.

2. Puff Your Cheeks Out

• Original: Puff your cheeks out.
• Modified: Use tactile cues to encourage your child to puff their cheeks out.
• Simplified: Use a mirror, tactile cues, and parent modeling to encourage your child to puff their cheeks out.

3. Kiss Lips

• Original: Bring your lips into a kissing shape.
• Modified: Use tactile cues to encourage your child to purse their lips into a kissing shape.
• Simplified: Use a mirror, tactile cues, and parent modeling to encourage your child to purse their lips into a kissing shape.

Auditory Processing Activities

Auditory processing activities can help your child with paying attention, reading, spelling, following directions, and remembering what’s been said.
See our full guide to auditory processing activities for more information.

1. Telephone

This is a game where one person whispers a short message to another person, who then repeats the message to another person. By the end, hopefully, you will have the same message as the original. This is a fantastic game to practice listening and verbal skills.

2. Directed Drawing

Ask your child to draw with specific instructions like “draw a house on a hill, with two red doors and windows, draw two clouds in the sky.”
Make this age and skill-appropriate by using multiple steps or single steps as required. This can help your child develop their fine motor and auditory skills.

3. I Spy

A great way to combine auditory and visual skills. You describe the thing you see in the room—like “I spy with my little eye something big, something yellow, something you can hold”—and your child has to guess what it is.

Cerebellum Exercises

Cerebellum exercises can help your child with balance, memory, attention, learning ability, anxiety, and hyperactivity.
See our full guide to cerebellum exercises for more information – this guide is particularly tailored toward cerebellum exercises for ADHD.

1. Crazy Claps

Original: Stand on one foot and clap your hands overhead 10 times. Switch legs and repeat.

Modified: Stand on your left foot and clap your hands overhead. Bring your foot down, repeat for a minimum of 10 times. Then stand on your right foot, clap your hands overhead, and bring your foot down for a minimum of 10 times.

Simplified: If you can stand on both feet, clap your hands overhead; if you can’t stand, sit in a chair and clap your hands overhead 5–10 times.

2. Stand Kicks

Original: Stand on your right foot and kick your left leg out to the front, to the side, and back, then place it back down on the ground. Then stand on your left foot and kick your right leg out to the front, side, and back. Repeat this alternating pattern a minimum of 6 times.

Modified: Use a wall or chair for support if needed. Stand on your right foot, kick your left leg to the front, to the side, and to the back a minimum of 6 times. Then turn around and kick your right leg to the front, side, and back for a minimum of 6 times.

Simplified: Stand next to a chair or wall for balance, slightly lift your left leg and kick to the front, then kick to the back. Then turn and kick your right leg to the front and back.

3. Tightrope Stand

Original: Stand with your feet together, one in front of the other, like you are balancing on a tightrope. Extend your arms out for balance, then close your eyes. Hold this position for 10 seconds, then switch feet and hold for 10 seconds.

Modified: With one hand touching the wall or chair for support, stand with your feet together, one in front of the other. Use the opposite hand for balance. Close your eyes and hold this position for 10 seconds, then switch feet and hold for 10 seconds.

Simplified: With one hand touching the wall or chair, stand with your feet slightly apart, one in front of the other, like you are balancing on a tightrope. Keep your eyes open. Hold this position for 5 seconds, then switch feet and hold for 5 seconds.

Vestibular Activities

Vestibular activities activate the vestibular system, which helps us to know whether we are still or moving, and in which direction we are moving. These exercises can help your child with balance and stability, dizziness or nausea during or after movement, posture, reluctance to take part in movement and more.
See our full guide to vestibular activities for more information.

“These activities provide appropriate proprioceptive and vestibular input to help decrease sensory seeking behaviors or provide sensory input that the body needs to regulate to facilitate concentration and participation in games with rules, arts and crafts activities and completion of homework packets.”

— Jayce de Vera, pediatric OT in Neighborhood Charter School, Bronx, NY

1. The Sky Earth Stretch

Original: Stand up tall with your arms above your head. Stretch your arms and fingers up to the ceiling. Then bend forward and fold in half. As your child stretches all the way up, they also activate their proprioceptive system. This system controls awareness of where the body is in space. They use postural skills to lift their body back up to standing, and they can practice grading muscle movements by doing the exercise slowly.

Modified: Sit on a chair and lift your arms above your head, then bend forward and place your elbows on a chair.

Simplified: Help your child lift their hands above their head, then help them to bend forward slightly to touch their knees.

2. Downward Dog

Original: Get on all fours, placing your hands and feet on the ground. Extend your legs and try to get them as straight as possible. Keep your head between your arms while looking down toward your feet. This works your child’s vestibular system because their head is inverted. It also works their proprioception skills and core muscles as they hold their body in position.

Modified: Get on all fours, placing your arms out in front of you. Keep your head between your arms and leave your knees bent on the ground, then push back like you’re going to sit while keeping your arms outstretched in front of you.

Simplified: Encourage your child to kneel on all fours and look down toward their knees.

3. X Stretch

Original: Stand like an ‘X’ with your arms out above your head, and legs slightly over hip-width apart. Then fold over, keeping both arms extended, and reach your left arm to your right foot. Stand up, and repeat with your right arm reaching to your left foot. This exercise works the vestibular system as your child bends forward and crosses their midline. By encouraging your child to look at their hand and foot during the exercise, they can also work on their visual skills.

Modified: Stand like an ‘X’ with your arms overhead. Take your right arm to your left knee, looking down but not fully bending over. Repeat to the other side.

Simplified: Demonstrate hands overhead to your child and encourage them to copy, or use stickers to match.

Ocular Motor Activities

Ocular motor activities can help your child improve their ocular motor skills. These are important for activities like reading and writing, copying text, throwing and catching a ball, and navigating their environment.
See our full guide to ocular motor activities for more information.

1. Eyes Up/Down

Original: Stand up with your head in neutral, looking forward. Move just your eyes up to look up for a count of 3, and then look down for a count of 3, then pause. Repeat 4 times.

Modified: Sit down in a chair with your back supported and your head in neutral, looking forward. Move just your eyes to look up for a count of 3, then down for a count of 3, then pause.

Simplified: Lie on the ground looking up at the ceiling. Move your eyes up as far as possible, then down as far as possible.

2. Converge and Diverge

Original: Stand up and hold your pointer finger up in front of your nose about 10 inches away. Slowly move your finger towards your nose so that your eyes come together, then slowly move your finger away from your nose so your eyes move apart. Pause for 10 seconds, then repeat 2 more times.

Modified: Sit down and hold your pointer finger up in front of your nose about 10 inches away. Slowly move your finger towards your nose so that your eyes come together, then slowly move your finger away from your nose so your eyes move apart. Pause for 10 seconds, then repeat 2 more times.

Simplified: Sit down with your back supported and hold your pointer finger up in front of your nose about 10 inches away. Slowly move your finger towards your nose so that your eyes come together, then slowly move your finger away from your nose so your eyes move apart. Pause for 10 seconds, then repeat 2 more times.

3. Eye 8s

Original: Stand up and look down at the ground. Trace a lazy 8 shape with just your eyes, don’t move your head. Trace starting in the middle of the 8 and up to the left, then start in the middle and up to the right.

Modified: Sit down and look down at the ground. Trace a lazy 8 shape with just your eyes, don’t move your head. Trace starting in the middle of the 8 and up to the left, then start in the middle and up to the right.

Simplified: Sit down with your back supported and look down at the ground. Trace a lazy 8 shape with just your eyes, don’t move your head. Trace starting in the middle of the 8 and up to the left, then start in the middle and up to the right.

How to Make Occupational Therapy Activities More Effective

There are a few things to remember that can make OT activities as effective as possible.

Make it fun

If your child enjoys the activities and feels like they are playing a fun game, they are much more likely to enjoy it and be willing to do it again.

Keep it easy

Make it easy for both you and your child. This doesn’t mean that you make the activities so easy that your child isn’t challenged – it means picking those that are suitable for your child and can be done at home, with minimal equipment, at a time that works well for you and your child.

Practice, practice, practice

The more often your child can practice these activities, the quicker they will grow neural connections and gain new skills. If you’re looking for inspiration to help with building a sensory play practice, try Soundsory®, a 40-day program that can help your child gain the sensory skills they need.

Plan activities well

Even if you’re not a trained occupational therapist, it’s nice to know a bit about how they do things. This can help you come up with your own little OT activities at home. For example, before starting an activity, you might do something to help get your child ready. This could be as simple as having them sit in a special chair that helps them focus, moving to a quieter room, or using a special tool to help them hold their pencils better.

OTs use activities to equip children with the skills they need to participate in daily life activities. For example, learning how to button clothes is a big step in dressing themselves, and practicing kissing lips is really important for developing the mouth skills they need to drink from a straw. So when planning your activities, think of activities you can use to develop the skills your child needs as a stepping stone for their goals!

“Getting kids to learn the skills necessary to do things like wearing their clothes or brushing their teeth on their own, despite the challenges, makes me feel like I am making a real difference in their lives."
– Ramon, pediatric OT in Australia

After getting your child ready with purposeful activities, you can then move on to real-life, occupation-based activities. These are the actual daily activities that a child needs or wants to do, or is expected to do. It could be anything from playing with friends at the playground to their morning routine, like brushing teeth and getting dressed.

Adapt activities as necessary

Before starting an activity with your child, it’s a good idea to think about what the task involves and tweak it to match their current skills and what they like. Let’s say you’re teaching your child to button a shirt. A smart way to adapt this task is to start with large buttons, which are easier to handle. As they get the hang of it, you can adjust the difficulty of the activity, making it easier or more challenging based on how they’re doing. It’s all about taking small steps to build up their abilities!

What are the benefits of occupational therapy activities for kids?

Children love doing OT activities because they’re fun and engaging. But the best part is, while they’re having fun, they’re also learning and developing all kinds of important skills. These activities are a big help in getting kids to their developmental milestones, making sure they can do things on their own and be as independent as possible. It’s a win-win – they enjoy themselves and grow at the same time!

OT activities for kids can help children:

• Improve academic performance and become successful in school
• Enhance fine motor skills (important for drawing, writing, cutting, and sticking)
• Improve gross motor skills (important for running, playground skills, and sports)
• Address sensory processing difficulties
• Increase independence in activities of daily living (e.g., dressing, grooming, feeding)
• Learn to self-regulate their emotions
• Enhance social and communication skills
• Problem-solve and plan by themselves

If you think your child could benefit from improvement in one of these areas, it may be worth trying out some OT activities at home. If you’re not sure which activities and exercises are suitable for your child or why they’re struggling in a particular area, you can speak to an occupational therapist for advice before getting started.

How do OT activities benefit kids with Autism, ADHD, SPD, and APD?

Occupational therapy activities can be highly beneficial for children with specific developmental or sensory needs. By targeting the right skills through tailored exercises, OT helps children participate more fully in everyday life.

For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

OT activities can help improve:

• Social interaction
• Communication skills
• Sensory integration
• Self-care abilities, such as dressing, grooming, and bathing

For children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

OT activities may focus on improving:

• Attention
• Concentration
• Behavior management
• Task organization
• The formation of routines and habits

For children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

Children with SPD can be either under-responsive or over-responsive to sensory input.
[3]
OT activities offer controlled sensory exposure that helps them process and respond to stimuli in a more adaptive way.

For children with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)

OT activities can help improve auditory processing and related challenges. Since APD may also affect visual processing
[4], and altered sensory processing is commonly seen in children with autism and ADHD
[5][6],
OT can also support development in these areas—especially skills like visual tracking, reading, and hand-eye coordination.

We’ve also created a summary table of all our exercise guides that can help your child gain the skills needed for everyday life.
This table includes benefits, materials needed, how many exercises are included, and the best time and place to try them. Scroll down to explore the full list.

FAQs | Occupational Therapy Activities

What is the role of OT in daily living?

OTs develop an intervention plan unique to a person’s needs that will help them regain or develop the skills they need to participate in daily living activities that they find meaningful and important.

What is an activity in occupational therapy?

In occupational therapy, activities have a specific goal in mind – they aim to help people get better at skills they need for their day-to-day life. These activities are actually key parts of everyday tasks.

What are the goals of OT for autistic children?

OT enables individuals with autism to become more independent and engage in and participate in a wide range of activities. Typically, OT programs for kids with autism involve helping them manage sensory difficulties, develop appropriate communication and social skills, and promote self-care skills.

What activities can I do for children with ADHD?

Children with ADHD typically have difficulties with emotional regulation, executive functions, and sensory processing difficulties. Sensory activities, including tactile, proprioceptive, and vestibular activities, can calm and boost their mood. These are mostly physical activities like obstacle courses and active games. Structured activities with clear, easy-to-follow instructions can also help improve their attention and concentration.

What skills do OT activities work on?

Here are some of the skills OT activities can help your children develop or improve:

• Primitive reflex integration
• Fine motor
• Proprioceptive
• Tactile
• Oral motor and taste
• Auditory
• Cerebellum
• Vestibular
• Ocular motor

Conclusion

Occupational therapy activities can help your child develop the skills they need to reach their developmental milestones and engage in daily life activities that are important to them, including play, participating in school, and taking care of themselves. These exercises are a great complementary treatment to the Soundsory® program, a 40-day program of movement to music.

Soundsory® is specifically designed to boost the neurodevelopment of children with ADHD, Autism, and Sensory Processing Disorders. It includes a wide range of home-based activities to target multiple aspects of neurodevelopment.

References

1. World Federation of Occupational Therapists. (2012). About occupational therapy. Retrieved from
   https://www.wfot.org/about-occupational-therapy
2. Case-Smith, J., & O’Brien, J. C. (2010). Occupational therapy for children (6th Edition). Mosby Elsevier, Maryland Heights, MO.
3. Mulligan, S., Douglas, S., & Armstrong, C. (2021). Characteristics of Idiopathic Sensory Processing Disorder in Young Children. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 15.
   https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2021.647928
4. Buffone, F. R. R. C., & Schochat, E. (2022). Sensory profile of children with Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD). CoDAS, 34(1).
   https://doi.org/10.1590/2317-1782/20212019282
5. Cheung, P. P. P., & Lau, B. W. M. (2020). Neurobiology of sensory processing in autism spectrum disorder. Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science, 173, 161–181.
   https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.04.02
6. Dellapiazza, F., Michelon, C., Vernhet, C., Muratori, F., Blanc, N., Picot, M.-C., & Baghdadli, A. (2020). Sensory processing related to attention in children with ASD, ADHD, or typical development: results from the ELENA cohort.
   European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 30(2).
   https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01516-5