15 Early Intervention Activities to Rock Your Therapy Session
Are you a therapist who is new to Early Intervention and looking for early intervention activities? If so, it can be a little intimidating to work with infants and toddlers who always seem to have their own plans and agendas.
Well, I’m here to help. In this blog post, we will explore 15 amazing early intervention activities that you can use to rock your therapy sessions. Your kiddos will have a blast while accomplishing their goals.
This post was created by Marra Robert, OTD, OTRL and contains affiliate links.
Early intervention plays a crucial role in promoting optimal development in children. As a therapist, your expertise is instrumental in facilitating the growth of essential skills that form the foundation for a child’s future success.
Hi! My name is Marra and I’m a mama and a pediatric occupational therapist who has years of experience working with children with autism and helping their parents navigate the ups and downs of child development.
I loved being a support person for parents learning about autism, sensory processing, and their child’s individual needs. I’ve spent years working as an early intervention specialist and would love to share some of my favorite treatment activities with you.
This post is all about 15 amazing early intervention activities you can use during your therapy session to help your kiddos accomplish their goals while they have a blast!
What are Early Intervention Services
Early intervention services are an approach aimed at identifying and addressing developmental delays or challenges in children during their formative years, typically from birth to age three.
This proactive strategy recognizes the critical period of a child’s early development, during which their brain undergoes rapid growth and neural connections are established. The primary goal of early intervention is to provide timely and targeted support to promote optimal development, minimize potential difficulties, and enhance overall well-being.
One of the key principles of early intervention is the understanding that children’s brains are highly adaptable during the early years, making it an opportune time to influence and shape their cognitive, social, and emotional skills.
By identifying and addressing developmental concerns early on, interventions can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each child, potentially preventing more serious challenges later in life. Early intervention encompasses a range of services, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and behavioral interventions, among others.
Research consistently demonstrates the significant benefits of early intervention for children with developmental needs. Timely and targeted support can lead to improvements in communication skills, motor development, social interactions, and overall cognitive functioning.
Additionally, early intervention can positively impact the family dynamic, providing parents with the tools and knowledge to support their child’s development effectively. The collaborative nature of early intervention involves a multidisciplinary team, including parents, educators, therapists, and healthcare professionals, working together to create a supportive and nurturing environment for the child.
15 AMAZING EARLY INTERVENTION ACTIVITIES TO ROCK YOUR THERAPY SESSION
1. SENSORY BINS
You can do so many amazing early intervention activities with a simple sensory bin. Sensory bins are versatile tools for enhancing sensory processing. Create bins filled with materials like rice, beans, or sand, and hide small objects for the child to discover through touch.
This activity stimulates tactile exploration, promotes fine motor skills, and enhances concentration. You can play games such as hide puzzle pieces to work on tactile discrimination, work on scooping and pouring, and pretend play.
2. PLAy dough creations
Some other amazing early intervention activities can be making and playing with play dough. The above recipe is so easy and these simple ingredients can be found in most households.
Engaging in playdough activities helps develop fine motor skills and hand strength. Encourage the child to roll, pinch, and mold the dough into different shapes. Introduce various textures and scents to further stimulate sensory experiences.
3. HANDWRITING WITH DIFFERENT TOOLLS
Make handwriting an enjoyable early intervention by incorporating unconventional tools. Use crayons, chalk, or markers of different sizes and textures. Allow the child to write on different surfaces, such as vertical easels or whiteboards, promoting wrist and hand strength.
For younger kids coloring and drawing shapes are great pre-handwriting skills to practice. The important part is to have fun and create an enjoyable experience for the child.
4. PUZZLE PLAY
Puzzles are excellent early intervention activities for developing cognitive and fine motor skills. Start with simple puzzles and gradually progress to more complex ones. This activity enhances problem-solving abilities, spatial awareness, and hand-eye coordination.
To add to the challenge, you can hide the puzzle pieces around the room or make it part of an obstacle course.. Combining multiple activities is a great way to work on several goals at once during therapy sessions.
5. Meal Time independence
Incorporate mealtime activities to promote independence. Encourage the child to use utensils, pour liquids, and manipulate food items. These activities not only enhance fine motor skills but also contribute to daily living skills crucial for self-sufficiency.
6. Visual tracking skills Game
Enhance visual tracking skills with games are great early intervention activities that involve following moving objects. Use toys, lights, or even a simple flashlight to create visual stimuli. This activity is vital for developing eye coordination and focus, which are essential for reading and academic success.
7. Social Skills Play
Create scenarios that mimic real-life social interactions. Role-playing situations like sharing toys, taking turns, and engaging in conversations foster the development of social skills. Use dolls, action figures, or puppets to make the activity more interactive and relatable.
Social skills are so important for development. Some early intervention activities that target social skills include singing songs. playing catch and peekaboo. Littles one love these games.
8. CORE STRENGTHENING EXERCISES
Incorporate exercises that target core strength. Early intervention activities like “animal walks” (e.g., bear crawls, crab walks) or yoga poses help enhance postural control, stability, and overall body awareness.
Obstade courses also target core strength. Children develop proximal to distal which means the core supports everything they do including fine motor development and attention. Core strength is such a good place to start.
9. Therapeutic Listening
Utilizing therapeutic listening programs or activities with music to enhance auditory processing skills are great early intervention activities. Listening to different rhythms, tones, and patterns helps in sensory integration and can have a positive impact on attention and focus.
10. GROSS MOTOR PLAY
Engage the child in early intervention activities that involve large muscle groups. This can include playing catch, kicking a ball, or jumping on a trampoline. Gross motor play contributes to overall physical fitness, coordination, and balance. Gross motor skills also support the development of fine motor skills by offering stability.
11. OBSTACLE COURSES
Designing obstacle courses are great early intervention activities and challenges a child’s motor planning and coordination. Use cushions, tunnels, and balance beams to create a fun and dynamic environment. Adjust the difficulty level based on the child’s abilities, fostering improved motor skills and spatial awareness.
You can add in different sensory activities to target sensory integration such as sensory mets or textured sensory stepping stones. You can also add a fine motor station to the obstacle course such as coloring, a puzzle, stringing beads, or buttoning.
12. VISUAL Perceptual Games
Strengthen visual perception through games like matching and sorting. Use cards, shapes, or objects with varying colors, sizes, and patterns. These activities contribute to improved visual discrimination and cognitive processing.
13. Interactive Story Telling
Foster language development and imagination through interactive storytelling. Encourage the child to participate by asking questions, making choices, or acting out parts of the story. This activity promotes cognitive and communication skills.
14. FINE MOTOR SKILLS CRAFTS
Arts and crafts activities are an enjoyable way to refine fine motor skills. Have the child engage in tasks like cutting, pasting, and coloring to enhance hand-eye coordination and finger dexterity. Crafts also provide an opportunity for self-expression and creativity.
15. Emotional Regulation Activities
Teach emotional regulation through early intervention activities such as deep breathing exercises, mindfulness, or the use of sensory tools like stress balls. Helping the child identify and manage emotions contributes to improved self-regulation and overall well-being.
Incorporating these 15 amazing early intervention activities into your therapy sessions can create a dynamic and effective environment for fostering a child’s development. Tailor each activity to meet the specific needs and abilities of the child, ensuring a personalized and engaging therapeutic experience.
Remember, the goal is not only to address developmental challenges but also to make the learning process enjoyable and meaningful for the child. Through your expertise and creativity, you can make a lasting impact on a child’s journey toward optimal growth and development.