"As an occupational therapist and early childhood special education teacher, I can't wait to use the thematic sensorimotor activities in this book. Jenny Clark has developed group activities based on themes often used to motivate and teach young children the concepts and skills they need to learn in preschool and early elementary school. These activities have been made even more fun and motivating by the integration of a balance of sensory and motor components into each of the themes. If you work with young children, you will love this resource!" —Nancy E. Miller, M.Ed., OTR/L, Co-Author, Asperger Syndrome and Sensory Issues: Practical Solutions for Making Sense of the World

"The fun, stimulating, and engaging activities in this book provide a unique collaborative approach for working with early childhood special education/preschool children. Children learn linguistic, cognitive, and social/emotional skills at the same time sensory integration and motor skills are being worked on and refined. What a concept - working with the whole child, not just one area! Great!"—Gloria Bowersox, M.A., SLP

"As a team collaborator with Jenny Clark in providing group sensorimotor experiences in inclusive early childhood settings, I am so excited about the publication of this book! I see significant learning occurring in our students on both an individual and a group basis as they participate in the activities. Significant learning also occurs in our transdisciplinary team members as we collaborate and learn to release traditional roles and assume leadership during group. In addition to the ready-to-use activities presented, this well-organized resource provides a foundation on which to develop additional themes and the specific adaptations needed to meet the needs of individual students. It will be a well-used book in any professional library."—Lucinda H. Bainum, P.T.

"Learn to Move, Move to Learn! is a fabulous resource book jam-packed with useful information and engaging sensory integration activities that can be used to support children of diverse ages and abilities. The book is presented in a clear and user-friendly style making it accessible to parents and professionals alike."—Pamela Wolfberg, Ph.D., San Francisco State University & Autism Institute on Peer Relations and Play, Author, Play & Imagination in Children with Autism and Peer Play and the Autism Spectrum: The Art of Guiding Children s Socialization and Imagination

Foreword

Introduction 

Background

Chapter 1: Overview of Sensory Systems Sensory Integration Problems

Individual Sensory Systems

Vestibular System

Proprioception System

Tactile System

Visual System

Auditory System

Olfactory System

Gustatory System

Chapter 2: School Readiness Skills Sensory Skills

Motor

Gross-Motor Skills

Fine-Motor Skills

Bilateral Coordination Skills

Eye-Hand Coordination Skills

Social/Emotional Skills

Cognitive Skills

Language

Oral Motor Skills

Chapter 3: Program Structure

Overview of Lesson Components

Warm-Up

Vestibular 

Transitions

Proprioception

Balance

Eye-Hand Coordination

Cool-Down

Fine Motor

Chapter 4: Adaptations

Task Analysis/“Just right challenge”

Adaptive Equipment and Materials

Special Considerations

Autism Spectrum Disorders 

Cerebral Palsy

Developmental Delays

Down Syndrome

Hearing Impairments

Visual Impairments

Time-Limited Session 

Additional Therapeutic Tools

Chapter 5: Dynamic Problem Solving 

Collaboration

Leadership Roles

Monitoring and Adjusting Group Activity Levels

Chapter 6: Planning

Functional Outcomes and Goals

Equipment and Materials

Delegating Responsibility and Team Work

Creating Lesson Plans 

Lesson Themes 

ABC’s

Apples

Butterflies/Caterpillars  

Circus 

Colors

Cowboys

Dental Health

Doctor

Dinosaurs 

Earth Day/Recycle

Eggs

Evergreen trees

Fall Leaves

Farm

Fire Engines 

Food Pete’s A Pizza by William Steig 

Friends/Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Day 

Frogs

Groundhog’s Day 

Hibernating Bears

Holiday Mice

Holiday Music

Human Body

Jungle 

Mice

Mother’s Day

Music

Native Americans 

Numbers

Nursery Rhymes

Nutrition

Ocean

Outer Space

Pets

Pumpkins

Reindeer

Rain

Scarecrows 

Shapes

Spiders

Spring Flowers 

Stone Soup

St. Patrick’s Day 

Summer Fun

Thanksgiving Turkeys 

The Mitten by Jan Brett 

Transportation Trains

Valentine’s Day

Weather/Wind

Winter Snow

Zoo

Bibliography and Suggested Readings

Resources

Appendix: Reproducible Forms and Pictures