Blue Painters Tape

Finn is a curious boy and a wanderer.  His teachers have trouble keeping him in the classroom, at an activity, and off of tables.  Then, they came up with a solution: blue painters tape.  They made outlines of boundaries for each station and at the classroom door.  At our last parent-teacher conference, we witnesses first hand that it works.  Finn was on his tippy-toes peaking around the corner outside the classroom door, but his toes never crossed that blue tape.  I think I am going to implement this tape inside our home.  I'm hoping this comes in handy, especially around the witching hour otherwise known as dinner time. 

I stumbled up on this article today written by a therapist at Independent Living.  http://www.independentlivinginc.com/its-more-than-just-painting/

What great ideas!

1. Use it as a boundary to improve body awareness. For example, if your child crosses the line you’ve made on the floor, you say “What part of your body crossed the line? Is it your right or left leg? Put it back behind the line…”
   
2. Make a hopscotch or ladder type design (1 foot per square) on the floor and instruct your child to hop on one foot to (the first, middle, last) square. Or have them stand backwards and jump to a specific square, they can also side step across the ladder.
   
3. Use the hopscotch or ladder frame, except this time have your child toss bean bags into the squares. Assign each square a different point value by taping the number into the center of the square.
   
4. Make a small square on the ground as a “fence” and using a straw, blow cotton balls into the square to “herd the sheep.”
   
5. If your child is clumsy, put a small piece of tape at the eye level of child on the wall, door, doorframe, etc… that the child runs into. Or put small pieces on the corners of coffee tables, desks, etc… The visual cue may help give the child feedback to move before bumping!
   
6. Work on balance and walking in a straight line by taping a 6 foot strip to the floor. Have your child walk on the line (like a balance beam).
   
7. Use as a marker to mark off goals for forward jumping. Place a few 6 inch strips on the floor and encourage your child to jump over/past the line. Gradually increase the distance and play “Let’s see how far you can jump!” game each day.
   
8. Use it as a visual reminder to stay in a designated area for safety and/or to improve participation during games/play. Tape an “X” or your child’s letter, “K” for Katie, on the floor. Encourage your child to “STAY on your spot/letter” when playing a game on the floor, doing homework, helping in the kitchen…etc.

These great ideas are all ways to help improve sensory awareness, walking, balance, jumping distance, attention and behavior all while having lots of FUN!!!