Are you an occupational therapist? One fabulous tool to have in your toolbox to help your clients achieve their goals is a beanbag. Beanbags can make reaching therapy goals super fun! They are safe, versatile and inexpensive (you can even make them with some fabric and beans).
Here are my top five activities using beanbags:
- Midline Activity: Have a child go through an obstacle course. Line the right and left side of the course with beanbags. Have the child pick up the beanbags and toss them in a bucket on the opposite side.
- Visual Motor: Have a child use a beanbag instead of a bow and arrow to hit a target. It’s easier to hold than an arrow and ads the weight or tactile input you may want.
- Social: Beanbags are a wonderful, soft and safe object for kids to use instead of a regular sports ball. You can use textured or plain beanbags to do all kinds of ball games with groups of children.
- Core Strength: Have a child sit on a therapy ball and place beanbags all around it. Have him lean back, pick up the beanbag and then sit up (assisted as needed). He can then toss the beanbag into a bucket.
- Attention: Have the child sit down and listen as you read a story aloud. Every time he hears a key word you choose, he has to toss a beanbag into a bucket. The beanbag in his hand also acts like a great fidget!
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