Play It Forward Therapy

Pumpkin Fidget

Pumpkin Fidget

Is your child constantly touching things?  Does your student have trouble sitting still while listening or while waiting?   Do you ever find yourself saying, “Keep your hands to yourself!”  If the answer is yes, then this Pumpkin Balloon Fidget is a super sensory solution for fidgety kids (and grown ups too)!   Whether your child is feeling anxious or seeking touch input, this little Pumpkin Fidget helps keep busy hands busy.

Sometimes kids really can’t help these extra movements they make with their hands.  Or they can’t seem to stop the need to keep touching things or fidget when required to sit still.  When it comes to sensory processing, it’s their nervous system responding to stress, overwhelm or excitement, or in some cases, even boredom.

You can help by understanding the nervous system’s drive to move, while redirecting it to a quiet, movement activity such as a fidget. In occupational therapy, we use fidgets to 1.)  Help kids maintain their focus  2.)  Help satisfy the need to constantly touch things  3.)  Strengthen hands and fingers by providing a repetitive resistance exercise (squeezing and pinching).

This fidget is Halloween themed, however you can make fidgets all year round!  Check out the video tutorial for this adorable Halloween Pumpkin Balloon Fidget at the end of this post.

Pumpkin Balloon Fidget

You will need

  • 1 yellow 12″ balloon
  • 1 orange 12″ balloon
  • Straw
  • Flour
  • Spoon
  • Funnel
  • Permanent marker
  • Scissors

Directions

  1.  Attach the yellow balloon to the end of the funnel.
  2. Scoop flour into the funnel.
  3. Poke the flour into the balloon using the straw.
  4. Carefully squeeze out the excess air and tie a knot.
  5. Trim the neck of both balloons.
  6. Cut a small 1cm snip on the bottom third of the orange balloon.  You can make it curved and cut out a small bit for a smile shape.
  7. Stretch the orange balloon wide and place the yellow balloon inside (knot side down).
  8. Tie the orange balloon into a knot.
  9. Cut green ribbon and tie 2 knots around the orange balloon knot.
  10. Curl the ribbon using the edge of the scissors for curly vines.

CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO

You may also like this adorable Jack O Lantern Cookie

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