What's in my boys Easter baskets?

With Easter around the corner, I figured that I would share what an OT puts in her kids Easter baskets. Henry will be three and Luke will be one, both at the end of April. I am not against sugar every once in a blue moon, but a basket filled with sugar is a disaster for any kid. Here is what is on the Easter Bunnies agenda in our house this Sunday.

Henry's Basket:

• ZOOSTICKS - Great for building fine motor strength and coordination.

• VELCRO CATCH BALL SET - Works on eye/hand coordination, bilateral skills, strength pulling the ball off of the velcro, turn taking.

• BUBBLES - Strengthens oral motor skills and is a great visual tracking activity. Also works on bilateral coordination (one hand holds bubbles while the other hand holds the wand) and fine motor skills (holding the wand) along with eye hand coordination. Have your child chase the bubbles, jump, squat and clap them and you have just added gross motor skills to this simple, wonderful activity of BUBBLES!

• SOCKS - He just needs them! However, beginning by age 2, your children can be independent in putting on their own socks. This activity that needs to be done daily is such an amazing therapy task. It takes postural control, balance, bilateral coordination (using 2 sides of the body together in a coordinated manner), eye hand coordination, fine motor strength and control of how much force to use. So, you don't have to go buy socks for your kids Easter basket, but make them independent in putting them on!

• EASTER GRASS - That we made by cutting small strips of construction paper. Cutting works on fine motor, visual motor and bilateral skills. 

• Annie's fruit snack mix

• Organic gummy bears

• One small chocolate carrot & Reece's peanut butter bunny (I couldn't resist!)

Lukey's Basket: *Remember, he's not even 1!

• A Small Ball - A great activity for infants. Works on bilateral skills, visual motor integration, visual tracking and turn taking

• Bubbles - It's never too young to start and I love watching the boys interact when Henry blows bubbles to Luke as he chases them, visually tracks them and laughs!

That's it for Lukey! 

Happy Easter!