It’s President’s Day and this year, I’ve found some really fun activities that will fit goals for fine motor, executive function (specifically planning, following directions, and executing), and gross motor goals.

Presidents’ Day Mask

Here’s an awesome activity from Lakeshore Learning. Paper plates are affordable and readily available. The George Washington mask can be made of form hat or paper hat and the hair can be cotton balls or even white pom poms put onto the mask via tongs or tweezers. Adapt this fun project to your school or clinic. How about using feathers, felt or fuzzy material for Abe Lincoln’s beard?

  Click here for the full activity directions and printable

Presidents Day Cookies

Play with your FOOD! Gather toothpicks, potatoes, cookies, mini marshmallows, chocolate bars, or any food resembling a President’s features and have fun creating different faces! It’s like Mr. Potato head with food!  The photo below is from Party Pinching blog. Click on the pic to read the post.

Edible Houses

Make a log cabin. Oh now I love making gingerbread houses at the holidays…..there’s no need to stop there, create a log cabin with pretzels, chocolates, graham crackers, and whipped creme or peanut butter glue. Super fun to see how each child creates his/her own cabin. Click on the house picture for directions from the one and only Martha Stewart!   Wait, can’t bring food into the classroom…..try building with Legos!

For more fine motor and crossing midline ideas see our video and post here.

Presidents Notebooking Pages

Print out our exclusive Presidents Notebooking Pages. As with any printable, adapt it to your client’s age. For younger children, cut out pictures of the Presidents and add them to an obstacle course. Ask the kids to match the President’s face with his name. It might be fun to print out a few facts about the President and hide them in plastic eggs or containers for an extra fine motor practice activity.

Here’s the link to our President Pages on SALE this month only!

Paper Log Cabin

Create a paper log cabin using items already in your own clinic. We all have craft sticks lying around. Add construction paper, some cotton, dough and let the child create her own cabin. To add difficulty for children who need executive function practice, create directions they must follow. If you want to add vestibular, spread the items all over the mat and position your child in prone extension in order to find the items and build the craft. The sky really is the limit for this one!

Let me know your ideas and send in your photos!