Homemade: More than a posting box

A simple posting box made from a yoghurt container is a brilliant fine motor activity.  Read on to see the other benefits of doing this activity.

To make:
Cover a plastic container with scrapbooking paper (or decorate by painting or with stickers).
Cut three slits in the lids using a Stanley knife- horizontal, vertical and diagonal slits.

To use:

• This posting box is perfect for posting small buttons. Encourage a pincer grasp and open webspace of the hand when posting.  {The webspace is the open circular shape that is made by the thumb and index finger as seen in the photograph on the far left}.  This can be done with either hand. 
  
• The posting lid can also be propped up with some playdough.  This allows for the button to be transferred from one hand to the other through the slit.  When passing through the vertical slit, the spatial orientation is as you would need for buttoning shirts.  I have found this really useful for those who have difficulty buttoning up their own clothes {to practise this bilateral activity with the correct orientation to themselves}.  This visual spatial orientation is found in only a few other "natural" learning environments, so having this set up can bring great results. 
• You can also introduce concepts whilst doing this activity such as sorting the buttons according to colour or counting as your child posts.
• Your child may also practise in-hand manipulations skills by holding a group of 5 buttons in one hand.  Your child then needs to move one button from the group to the thumb and index fingertips, before posting. 

This activity is suitable for older toddlers, preschoolers and even school age-children.  Supervision is required for younger children as the buttons may be a choking hazard. 

Does your child struggle to do up the buttons of their shirt?  Have they ever practised with the correct visual spatial orientation to themselves? Will you be making a posting box?

More than a posting box: ready to Pin to your Pinterest board.

Your Kids OT