Built-up Handles

To increase participation in activities at the sandbox, attach foam to the handles of plastic flour scoops and enable students with limited grasp to dig or move sand independently. To increase student participation in activities involving playdoh or clay, add foam to the handle of a plastic pizza cutter.

Knob Toy Grips

Moving targets are hard to grab! Help students with limited grasp or fine motor skills play with wheeled toys by gluing raised knobs to mobile cars, trucks and airplanes. Try the wooden candle cup holders sold at most hobby shops.

Cookie Sheet Games

To increase participation in cooperative play, convert a cookie sheet into an accessible board game. Adhere colorful electrician's tape to the sheet and create a grid for tic-tac-toe.  Play the game using magnetic X's and O's or glue magnets to poker chips to create your own pieces.  Add plastic loops to the poker chips to assist students with decreased fine motor skills. Adapt simple puzzles by attaching magnetic tape to individual pieces to help students slide pieces together.

Magical Magnetic Grips

If students can gasp a magnetic wand, then they can participate in a variety of play activities. Simply attach pieces of magnetic tape onto toys such as cars, trucks, boats etc. Students can then drive the vehicles with a magnetic wand or magnet attached to a splint or handcuff.

Hairbrush Card Holders

Increase the ability of students to participate in card games by using a hairbrush as a cardholder. Students can forget about the struggle to hold cards and focus on Old Maid, Go Fish or even Crazy 8's!  For more support, use Velcro to secure the hairbrush to a non-skid placement.

Play Mat

To help students play independently, attach toys to a plastic or rubber placemat with thin strands of elastic. If a toy happens to fall off the mat, students with limited fine motor skills can scoop the elastic bands and bring the toy back to the playing surface. Attach cookie cutters, mini-rolling pins and plastic pizza cutter to create a play mat compatible with clay and playdoh tasks.