As an occupational therapist I often work with kindergarten teachers. (One of my favorite parts of this job!) At the start of the school year - with so much going on - it is challenging for teachers to get a quick read on their students' abilities.
I created the screening below for OTs and teachers, with simple activities to assess children's fine motor skills. Although this is not an evaluation, it suggests simple tasks to see which students may be struggling.
When children have difficulty with all or a few of these tasks, this may indicate some concern. These are the students to keep an eye on and to encourage with activities to improve hand strength and coordination.
Always remember that development varies from child to child and every student is on his or her own time line!
Get your copy of this fine motor screening HERE:
As always, feel welcome to touch base with me, Dr. Lisa Marnell, OTD, by e-mail at KidsMasterSkills@gmail.com I would love to hear about your successes, your struggles, and any questions or comments you have! Let me know if this post was helpful.
I also wanted to share that I am SO excited for 2021. I am developing a FREE Online Autism Masterclass entitled Helping Kids Master CALM. Sign up for this Masterclass at my website HERE: https://www.kidsmasterskills.com/
Also, join my Autism Facebook group and keep up to date as I post more tips to help teachers, parents, and therapists help kids master skills! Join HERE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kidsmasterskillsautism
Finally, for a variety of skill-building resources, check out my store on Teachers Pay Teachers at https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kids-Master-Skills