Drawing is a stage of development where children are assigning meaning to marks on the page. Lines and shapes positioned together become representations of objects and people. As the child develops those lines and shapes are used in handwriting to form letters and numbers.

As an occupational therapist, I use a multisensory approach for teaching children to draw. This helps guide a child to associate the object with the drawing...in this case a house.

A multi-sensory approach is an engagment of the whole body during learning.  It helps with visual spatial skills, motor planning and memory of the activity. 

Each of the three steps that I'm using to teach drawing includes singing a song about a house.  Music and singing is a wonderful way for children to have a repetitive way to sequence and recall different components for drawing a house. 

I'll outline the three step approach below; however this process is best observed via the video that I've recorded.  You will find the you tube linked here on the website or if you are reading this email use this link HERE. 

1. SING AND ACTIONS

Here's a house with a wall (hold up one arm vertically and keep it up) 
with a wall (hold other arm vertically and keep it up) 
with a wall (keep both arms up).
Here's a house with a floor (place one arm horizontal and hold)
with a floor (place other arm horizontal on top and hold)
with a floor (keep both arms horizontal).
Here's a house with a roof (place one arm diagonally above head and hold)
with a roof (place other arm diagonally above head with fingers touching other arm and hold)
with a roof.
HERE COMES THE WIND (make blowing noises and arms shake)
There's no house any more any more (arms are lowered and you can also fall down).
There's no house any more. 

Repeat the song and actions several times. 

​2. SING AND MAKE
I use matchsticks to help children to make the house.  Match sticks are a good size to encourage a small drawing.  Alternatives you might use include wikki stix, pipe cleaners, craft sticks or even pencils.

Sing the song again and instead of doing the hand actions, place down a match stick for each wall, the floor and the roof.  I like to join the house into a square before adding a roof. Have your child make their house next to yours and as you sing.  Slow down the singing if needed to allow time for the "making". 

3. SING AND DRAW
After the child has learnt how to make a house, you can then introduce a pencil. You may leave the model of the matchstick house for your child to observe. 

I like to draw the house with the child so that they are imitating my strokes and direction.  This helps children with the visual motor planning needed to draw. I use the same steps to draw as I did in placing the matchsticks (ie. the same order as I sing). Have your child draw their house next to yours and as you sing.  Slow down the singing if needed to allow time for the "drawing". 

​Encourage your child to sing along at every step!   

Have you tried a multisensory approach to drawing? 

What other songs could you adapt in the same was that I've adapted this song?  I would love to try out your ideas too so comment below, tag Your Kids OT on Instagram or send me an email [email protected].

Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia.  She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete).  Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.  Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog

Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team.  They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK.

​The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. ​​​
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Refusing to write.
Sore hands during writing.
Having difficulty forming letters.
Confusing letters of the alphabet.
Reversing letter formation.
Unable to write on a line.

Handwriting continues to be one of the main reasons I am asked to see children for occupational therapy.

These are some of my top tips for helping to teach and remediate handwriting! 

1. Check Pencil Grasp
Whilst grasp doesn't always affect legibility, it should always be considered when a child is complaining about handwriting. It is important to consider a child's age foremost when looking at pencil grasp. Are they holding the pencil in a way that is developmentally appropriate?

Are they efficient and functional?

Does their pencil grasp demonstrate the fundamentals for good pencil control (ie. an open web space; tripod grasp between the thumb, index and third finger; separation of the two sides of the hand)? Read more about pencil grasp HERE and HERE! Find toys and activities to encourage fine motor skills HERE.

Read more about what to consider if your child can't use a "typical" grasp" HERE. 

Pinch and Flip! A quick trick to achieve a dynamic pencil grasp.

Would your child benefit from the use of a silicon pencil grip?  A slope board? 

I have a lot more to say about pencil grasp...but you will have to wait until the next book is finished!
(progress is being made and it is going to be EPIC)

2. Check Fluency and Pencil Control

Ideally, a child will use the intrinsic muscles of their hand to move the pencil for writing. This dynamic movement allows them to have mastery of lines, curves and shapes and therefore smooth pencil control.  Pencil control and fluency of movement is also affected by a child's visual motor skills as they move the pencil to create "neat meaningful" strokes on the page. "

You can read more aboute pencil fluency HERE. 

3. Check Postural stability and Core strength

If your child is having difficulty with pencil control and fluency of movement, they may be using their whole arm or elbow or wrist to control the pencil.  Shoulder stability and arm strength is seen when these are held in a relaxed position.  The forearm and wrist are then supported on the table with the wrist slighlty extended.  It is important for children to develop postural stability (to be able to sit upright) and core strength so that they are stable enough to use their hands for something as complex as handwriting.

Read more about gross motor skills for page stabilization during handwriitng and gym ball activities.

4. Check letter formation.
Letter formation (ie. writing letters)  is a complex skill that requires the ability to control the pencil, plan how to combine lines and shapes and assign meaning to them.  

Teaching letters is often taught in groups for the benefit of reading (which is important).  Occupational therapists also like to group letters into "families" to help children to become familiar with the letters that start with the same motor pattern.  A multi-sensory approach to letter formation can help children to learn the correct starting points and the direction needed to form a letter.  Kinesthetic learning (incorporating movement with learning)  will help with motor and visual memory as well as help to prevent letter reversals. 

Refer to the following information and resources:

• Letter families HERE
• Multisensory Approach to Preventing Letter Reversals HERE
• Visual Perceptual skills Required for Handwriting  HERE
• Lowercase Letter formation program HERE
• More alphabet resources HERE.

Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia.  She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete).  Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.  Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog

Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team.  They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK.

​The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. ​​​
Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/yourkidsot
YKOT shop:  https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html
Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot
You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/
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​

​It is a new school year here in Australia and our children have headed back into the classrooms.  Everyone is hoping for a smoother year with less disruptions than the last few years! There are many new adjustments with twice weekly rapid antigen tests and mask wearing (mandatory for high schoolers).  How have your children adjusted to "new school routines"? or Have you had children starting school for the first time? 

As we look ahead at 2022, as adults we like to plan and have goals. I REALLY like doing this now and hence the OT Planners that I published recently (Natural and Swish Designs).  I'm using my planner every day!

As a child, I was never very good at the idea of goal setting.  What did I want to achieve? Shrug. I don't know.  I was happy where I was and what I was doing.  When someone asked me what I wanted to learn... I don't know.  I think one of my own children are a bit like me. 

I've created some new planning tools have been designed to assist your sc hool age child (middle school and high school) with their executive functioning skills. 

The framework can be introduced as a traffic light system with the red associated with stop (or goal), the yellow light associated with think (or plan) and the green light associated with go (perform the activity). A "u-turn" feature has been included to assist your child to return to the beginning to check their progress. Students will need to be taught the components which correspond to each light.

The resource has been designed with alternate wording (ie. stop/goal, think/plan) to provide versatility for use. It may be important for your child to grasp "stop" for attention or focus with an emphasis on whole body listening. In this case the STOP THINK DO CHECK framework may be more suitable. For some children, the concept of goal setting is more familiar to them and therefore the GOAL PLAN DO CHECK framework may be more appropriate.

A small version of the STOP THINK DO CHECK and GOAL PLAN DO CHECK has been created. These smaller versions of the visual aids may be cut out and stuck on a desk or inside a workbook.

The idea with this framework is that it can be used with individual children according to their needs.  These could be goals from writing neatly on the page, finish work in the classroom within the allocated time, playing safely on equipment, raising a hand to ask a question rather than calling out, unpacking a bag in the morning independently, sitting with the other children on the floor, etc. 

​The worksheet pages provides a student the opportunity to focus on tasks and goals that they may be having difficulty achieving. A separate print out of the worksheet page should be used for each goal/task. The worksheet guides a student through the framework to plan (with the assistance of a parent, teacher or therapist) how these goals or tasks may be achieved.

Your child may have difficulty with different aspects of the goal, plan, do, check procedure.  That's ok. This is not a worksheet for independent work!

The child, depending on their cognitive ability may be encouraged to come up with as much of the plan as they can. Mistakes can help children to learn. As the helping adult, you may want to jump in and change the plan.  You can guide your child, however it it is safe to do so, you may allow the plan that you don't think will work to be actioned. This is where the importance of the "check" part occurs where a child evaulates what happened and whether a goal was achieved. 

A page of "school goals" is included in this resource to prompt discussion with parents and teachers. These can be used to identify broad areas of need before measurable goals are written. The goal pages can be used in discussion with the student to determine priorities and to plan how they may be achieved.

The Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach is an evidence based approach used by some occupational therapists. Read more about a Co-op approach HERE from the American OT association or jump in to do the FREE online course by the University of Toroto (where the approach originated) HERE. This resource may be used to support a Co-op approach though the GOAL PLAN DO CHECK pages.

If handwriting is difficult for a student, the worksheets may be discussed with them and completed by the adult. 

The last two pages of the resource that I've created are a repeat of the Goal Plan Do Check (CPDC) worksheets with the context of an OT session or a classroom environment These pages have the inclusion of what the teacher or parent may see as a goal for the student as this may guide how the student themselves sets their goals. The plan is also divided into three sections: developing skills, using resources and equipment, modifying the environment.  This will help a student (and adult) to think of a wide range of options for achieving the goals. 

Watch a walk through of this resource on you-tube: Goal Planning Tools

Do you have a student (or class)  who may benefit from these executive functioning tools? 
​
Executive functioning skills are important for classroom and school participation. It is hoped that this NEW resource will provide some support towards your child's participation.

Let me know if you try out these tools and how your children find using them.
​

​Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia.  She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete).  Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.  Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog

Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team.  They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK.

​The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. ​​​
Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/yourkidsot
YKOT shop:  https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html
Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot
You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourkidsot/