Re: Help with coloring

September 10, 2012

Hi - I am a pediatric OT ~ as well as a mom on this journey with my 2 year old son (we are in OT and Speech and neuro and such!) I have quite a few suggestions and would be happy to chat or just send a few ideas - either way! Initially - aside from how old is your son - my thoughts were first, have him do LOTS of upper extremity weight bearing tasks... wheelbarrow walking, crawling, bearwalking, scooter board from prone on tummy, rolling over a large ball, etc. Any opportunity to play on all fours and just putting weight on his hands will help strengthen the shoulder girdle as well as help build the arches of the hands, which are needed to help grade movement and force (as they get older.) The hands, way down on the end of the arm, need a great deal of support from the shoulder girdle, at the top

of the arm, in order to be more efficient and skilled. You could also try taping the coloring sheets, or whatever you are working on, in a vertical plane (on the wall or an easel.) Crayola makes such great products - you could get window markers and have him color/draw in different media (bath crayons on wall = vertical plane) You could also use the window markers on foil. I like to use an item called 'Wikki Sticks' to outline an item to be colored, so it naturally creates a barrier to remain within the lines. You can use these (wikki sticks) on the foil or windows or doors too - they are waxy,

though!) Depending on his age and skill level - he could use the wikki sticks to outline or copy shapes - great work for the fingers! Crayola also makes color change markers where you could trace the outline in the 'magic' marker and he could then color with the regular markers - then he could see when he marks our of the lines as the color of the marker will change once it crosses the 'magic' line. Please know - markers, while the offer many great things, do not offer the ability to grade his movements - basically - if your pressure is firm or light - the mark is the same. I could go on and on and am

happy to go on in greater detail, should you like - but those were a few ideas of the top of my head and tips of my fingers - with regard to coloring, specifically! A product called china markers are good, too - as they have a nice drag on the paper to allow him to 'feel' the coloring, as well! You can find them on amazon or any teacher store.Hope it helps and feel free to ask any further questions - I will happily help as I am able! ~ Jill To: mb12valtrex Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012 7:27 PM Subject: Help with coloring

Hi I need suggestions to help my son with his coloring, fine motor activities. His OT says he does not like to color because his hand is weak, and his hand is weak because he does not color! Over the last 2 years, he has had some fine motor improvement, now it is just trying to motivate him. His OT says he just scribbles, and when we try and color together he is in tears after 10 minutes. He does not want to stay in the lines, he wants to color the coloring page all one color, he does not even watch what he is doing and just scribbles. Maybe it is just to important to me? He has become challenging lately, I guess that is more typical. Anyway, they use hand writing without tears at school. I wanted to ask if anyone had other suggestions for home?

Thank you

September 10, 2012

I think this is interesting as my daughter tends to scribble also. She is in her 20's now and contracted the problem (shots) at 16. She was an excellent artist and had been in advanced oil painting classes. Obviously the root cause is not tallent or ability in her case. She is clearing some with the Valtrex so maybe there is hope. From: jujugirl1971

To: mb12valtrex Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012 5:27 PM Subject: Help with coloring

Hi I need suggestions to help my son with his coloring, fine motor activities. His OT says he does not like to color because his hand is weak, and his hand is weak because he does not color! Over the last 2 years, he has had some fine motor improvement, now it is just trying to motivate him. His OT says he just scribbles, and when we try and color together he is in tears after 10 minutes. He does not want to stay in the lines, he wants to color the coloring page all one color, he does not even watch what he is doing and just scribbles. Maybe it is just to important to me? He has become challenging lately, I guess that is more typical. Anyway, they use hand writing without tears at school. I wanted to ask if anyone had other suggestions for home?

Thank you

September 11, 2012

Thank you so much Jill! Those are great ideas. We do some drawing vertically,

I guess I should try coloring that way. He does like to draw- coloring, not so

much. I notice when he colors he just goes over and over the same area, I try

to show him the entire area that should be colored. He is 6 years old, and in

Kindergarten. My husband drew a few basic pictures last night, with distinctive

shapes, like a simple house - square, roof- triangle and we thought we will

break it down for him that way. Like color the square, now the roof, etc. I

plan to buy the china markers and work vertically, plus I can use the wikki

sticks. Thank you!! I may ask you more questions in the future(:

>

> Hi - I am a pediatric OT ~ as well as a mom on this journey with my 2 year old

son (we are in OT and Speech and neuro and such!)Â I have quite a few

suggestions and would be happy to chat or just send a few ideas - either way!Â

Initially - aside from how old is your son - my thoughts were first, have him do

LOTS of upper extremity weight bearing tasks...Â wheelbarrow walking, crawling,

bearwalking, scooter board from prone on tummy, rolling over a large ball,

etc.Â Any opportunity to play on all fours and just putting weight on his hands

will help strengthen the shoulder girdle as well as help build the arches of the

hands, which are needed to help grade movement and force (as they get older.)Â

The hands, way down on the end of the arm, need a great deal of support from the

shoulder girdle, at the top of the arm, in order to be more efficient and

skilled.Â

>

> You could also try taping the coloring sheets, or whatever you are working on,

in a vertical plane (on the wall or an easel.)Â Crayola makes such great

products - you could get window markers and have him color/draw in different

media (bath crayons on wall = vertical plane) You could also use the window

markers on foil.Â I like to use an item called 'Wikki Sticks' to outline an

item to be colored, so it naturally creates a barrier to remain within the

lines. You can use these (wikki sticks) on the foil or windows or doors too -

they are waxy, though!)Â Depending on his age and skill level - he could use

the wikki sticks to outline or copy shapes - great work for the fingers!Â

Crayola also makes color change markers where you could trace the outline in the

'magic' marker and he could then color with the regular markers - then he could

see when he marks our of the lines as the color of the marker will change once

it crosses the 'magic' line.Â Please

> know - markers, while the offer many great things, do not offer the ability

to grade his movements - basically - if your pressure is firm or light - the

mark is the same.Â

>

> I could go on and on and am happy to go on in greater detail, should you like

- but those were a few ideas of the top of my head and tips of my fingers - with

regard to coloring, specifically!Â A product called china markers are good, too

- as they have a nice drag on the paper to allow him to 'feel' the coloring, as

well!Â You can find them on amazon or any teacher store.

>

> Hope it helps and feel free to ask any further questions - I will happily help

as I am able!Â Â ~ Jill

>

> ________________________________

>

> To: mb12valtrex

> Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012 7:27 PM

> Subject: Help with coloring

>

> Â

> Hi I need suggestions to help my son with his coloring, fine motor activities.

His OT says he does not like to color because his hand is weak, and his hand is

weak because he does not color! Over the last 2 years, he has had some fine

motor improvement, now it is just trying to motivate him. His OT says he just

scribbles, and when we try and color together he is in tears after 10 minutes.

He does not want to stay in the lines, he wants to color the coloring page all

one color, he does not even watch what he is doing and just scribbles. Maybe it

is just to important to me? He has become challenging lately, I guess that is

more typical. Anyway, they use hand writing without tears at school. I wanted

to ask if anyone had other suggestions for home?

> Thank you

>

September 11, 2012

Using crayons and pencils is much harder in terms of producing a piece of art because there is so much less tactile and visual feedback than with paint. My suggestion is ... let him paint! Fingerpaint is a great place to start. Make the same color in different shades ... maybe he is scribbling to find a shade he particularly likes. There are fingerpaints that come in quite gooey formulations and with glitter and with scent; all good tactile stuff. Also, try using his 'scribbles' as a background and let him put 'stuff' on top such as the pre-cut foam shapes at the local craft store. This way he gets a picture with a great background and foreground that looks like stuff other kids do ... which makes parents feel better. Start with really big paint brushes and decrease the size as he goes on.

My fav fine motor skill: bursting the tiny bubble-wrap bubbles. try using fingers, toothpicks, chopsticks, ... endless amusement.

September 11, 2012

One round of Humaworm, my son went from not being able to hold a crayon/know how

much pressure to apply, to holding crayons/pencils perfectly, coloring with

multiple colors inside the lines OVERNIGHT.

HTH,

Amy