A therapist may help a child develop fine motor skills and strengthen hands and forearms with nothing more than clay and a little imagination. Therapists instruct children to shape clay until it resembles a cake. Then the child places candles into the clay. The therapist and child sing "Happy Birthday" and pretend to blow the candles out. They may cut up the cake with plastic utensils and pretend to consume it.
Parents often rely on occupational therapists to help children learn to eat. Researchers at National Taiwan University developed a game that relies upon a weight sensitive sensor placed beneath a child's plate. When the sensor detects food has been eaten, a computer game rewards the child by moving a cartoon animal toward a goal line. Therapists who lack access to this equipment can adopt this approach using a homemade board game.
Therapists have many activities at their disposal to help children learn to stabilize their bodies. Children develop trunk stability by kneeling on a padded surface and playing catch with a ball. They develop shoulder stability by wheelbarrow walking or by shooting a basketball. They may also practice pouring water from a pitcher or sand from a bucket. To develop wrist stability, children try to walk while balancing a tennis ball on a spoon.
Parents may engage the services of an occupational therapist if their child overreacts to noises or other stimuli. Therapists help these children with simple and calming activities. They may ask children to rock in a rocking chair or hammock, or they may provide children with a small tent with pillows and blankets. Some children find physical activities calming. These children may carry a heavy backpack, move furniture or push a vacuum cleaner.