The addition of bling or sparkle in therapy sessions can offer amazing sensory benefits! Just a little preparation and patience while the glue drys and you’re set for an array of glittery options!
The only things you’ll need to make the items are a pack of glue-glow pens markers, cardstock (which is more dense than regular paper) and scissors.
The glitter creates an elevated surface that has the appearance of a “bumpy” surface. Instruct your children to “feel” by rubbing their fingertips along the glitter that has dried. This will provide your child with tactile feedback in combination with visual information. Feedback through tactile sensation can aid in learning names, letters, shapes as well as other things.
You can also disperse the glitter so that your child is able to color the glitter. This is great for children who struggle with “colouring” within lines or coloring the entire surface they have to color. Kids enjoy coloring on the rough surface of the glitter.
Here are a few ways I incorporate glitter into therapy sessions, and sometimes my own children benefit as well!
1. Alphabet glitter Use these cards to master the alphabet, classify into alphabet families or spell names for your children, master proper letter formation, etc. If you’ve ever have heard of “sand letter paper” Then these glitter alphabets can function similar fashion but at less than the price. You can create them in any size you like and even make capital letters, too!
2. Glitter Shapes Make use of glitter glue to outline shapes , or to color the whole surface of the shape. Imagine coloring within those shapes before “hitting” at the raised border. Your child will gain an idea of where to stop coloring. The child may also trace the raised border to discover the number of sides these shapes have as being able to identify the names for the shapes.
3. Glitter Names The child in your life will be thrilled to learn the names of their names in glitter! Trace over the letters, write over them, spell…do it over and over again, while keeping their eyes closed! Learn left-to-right direction of letters, and letters too.
4. Glitter Colouring Do you have a your child who isn’t keen on coloring? Have you tried coloring with glitter? Draw simple images small is best and then cover by glitter glue. Distribute the glitter for crafts so it’s thin, and allow it to completely dry. Do you think these Easter eggs are attractive? Your kids will be thrilled coloring the eggs and the images can be used as an egg hunt.
My reluctant-colorer Mr was delighted to color these after which Miss 8 put the crayons in the garden for him to search for. Fun and a little some pencil control the mix, win-win-win I say!
I’m not a fan of letting students I visit for OT make use of glitter glue pens because I usually see children at schools. I don’t know if that there’s a place for the artwork to dry, and we won’t create a massive mess!
The next activity is something I’d perform at my home.
5. Glitter drawing: Encourage children to sketch an easy picture using markers. Then , give them glitter glue for tracing the drawing. Squeezing the glitter glue can be an excellent way to stimulate the pincer grip and build on hand muscles that are intrinsic to.
Have you been inspired to grab some glitter glue? I can assure you that it not too messy and isn’t a lot of time to organize. Your children will be thrilled with the effort you’ve put into it!
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