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SENSORY MOTOR SKILLS

The focus of the sensorimotor sessions is to practice fine and gross motor skills needed for  success at home and school, with emphasis on the process rather than the end product. In addition, how your child processes sensory information such as lighting, seating, sounds,  smells, clothing, textures, and body awareness is important, as too much or too little can affect  your child’s ability to focus.

While working on motor skills, children typically also are practicing executive functioning skills such as:

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  • staying on task

  • working carefully

  • staying in the boundaries

  • coping strategies

  • time management

  • following through with expectations

  • flexibility

  • transitioning

  • self-monitoring

  • persevering

  • working independently

  • listening to directions

  • organization

  • self-control

Skills such as these are practiced at your child’s level with appropriate support and  encouragement:

 

  • handwriting

  • buttoning and shoe-tying

  • feeding (for picky eaters)

  • cutting worksheets

  • coloring pictures

  • climbing and swinging

  • jumping rope and jumping jacks

  • design copying

  • balancing

  • ball skills

  • movement games (for early math and reading concepts)

  • puzzles

  • illustrating book reports or stories

  • readiness skills, (e.g. lacing, tracing, jumping)

  • obstacle courses (aerial and ground)

  • eye tracking (for reading)

  • manipulation skills, (e.g. Play-doh, Legos, utensils)

  • PE skills, (e.g. pushups, warm-ups, and four-square)

What is Sensory-based Motor Disorder?

  • Postural Disorders – a child has difficulty with posture, balance, and using both sides of the body together

  • Dyspraxia – a child has difficulty using sensory information to execute a plan for a new task

Fun Facts:

Research shows that speed and legibility are direct results of proper handwriting instruction. Repeated motor practice is essential to achieving good handwriting.

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