Chicago Occupational Therapy • Dec 30, 2021

Holiday/Winter Fine Motor Craft Ideas for All Skill Levels

Joanna Pasheluk, MS, OTR/L, is a registered and licensed occupational therapist who brings specialized pediatric expertise and infectious enthusiasm to every therapy session at Chicago…

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Joanna Pasheluk

Joanna Pasheluk, MS, OTR/L, is a registered and licensed occupational therapist who brings specialized pediatric expertise and infectious enthusiasm to every therapy session at Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center. Since joining the team in 2017, Joanna has helped hundreds of children develop the foundational skills they need to participate fully in daily life—from self-care routines to classroom activities to playground interactions. Joanna's educational foundation began at the College of Charleston, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Spanish in 2010. This background in communication studies laid important groundwork for her future work helping children express needs, follow directions, and engage socially. She went on to complete her Master of Occupational Therapy at the University of Illinois Chicago in 2015, where she developed expertise in pediatric development, sensory processing, and therapeutic interventions. In her clinical practice, Joanna specializes in several key areas: sensory integration therapy for children who struggle to process sensory information, fine motor skills development including handwriting, cutting, and manipulation tasks, self-care skill building such as dressing, feeding, and hygiene, and social interaction skills that help children connect with peers and adults. Her treatment philosophy centers on play-based interventions—she believes the best therapy doesn't feel like work. Instead, Joanna designs activities that children find genuinely engaging while secretly targeting therapeutic goals. Beyond direct patient care, Joanna serves as co-leader of Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center's multidisciplinary team. In this role, she facilitates collaboration between occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and behavior analysts, ensuring each child benefits from coordinated expertise. She champions evidence-based practices and continuous learning within the team. Joanna's family-centered approach means parents aren't observers—they're partners. She actively involves caregivers in treatment planning and provides coaching so skills transfer beyond the clinic walls into real-world settings where children live and learn.

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While kids are off school for the holidays, it’s important to continue working on their fine motor skills. Having a strong foundation of fine motor coordination and strength is vital for kids to be able to succeed with tasks throughout their day such as dressing (buttoning, zipping, etc.), eating (using utensils), school work (writing), and play (manipulating small objects like legos or beads). Below are a few holiday and winter themed craft activities you can do with your kids that will challenge their fine motor skills while they have fun!

Beginners: Christmas Tree With Tissue Paper Ornaments

Materials:
- White paper and markers OR green + brown construction paper
- Different colored tissue paper
- Liquid glue
Steps:
- Have your child draw a Christmas tree on white paper or cut one out of construction paper (green for the tree, brown for the trunk).
- Provide your child with a few sheets of different colored tissue paper and show them how to tear off a small piece and roll it between your thumb and pointer to create a little ball.
- Have them create as many “ornaments” as they want, then glue them to the tree.

This task not only works on fine motor and in-hand manipulation, but it also works on strengthening while squeezing the glue bottle and precision when placing ornaments on the tree. This activity allows for lots of creativity and can be a fun way to challenge your little one’s fine motor skills!

More Advanced: Cutting Snowflakes

Materials:
- Scissors
- White and/or blue paper

Steps:
- Start with square paper – if you have regular printer paper, fold a right triangle and cut off excess paper to make a square.
- Fold the paper into a triangle, and fold in half again.
- From there, have your child play around with snipping at different spots on the triangle to reveal different designs when unfolded.

This is great for hand strengthening because your child will be cutting through several layers of paper at a time. Fine motor precision is also targeted through folding and lining up the edges of the paper before cutting. Making snowflakes can be a fun and entertaining activity for older kids!

For Any Age/Skill Level: Help Making Cookie Dough

Steps:
- A great way to work on fine motor strengthening and coordination is to make cookie dough. Have your child help you mix the dough with a spoon, or with their hands. They can roll it into small balls or help roll it out and push the cookie cutters into the dough.
- After cookies have baked, let your kids decorate with frosting and sprinkles, further challenging fine motor precision and force gradation.
- This activity is great for kids of all ages and abilities, and can be a fun way to prepare for the holidays together!

Still Having Fine Motor Difficulties?

No matter what level your child is at with their fine motor skills, you can always challenge them to improve their strength and coordination. Doing so will benefit so many aspects of their day to day life, and will promote increased independence!

If your child is still having fine motor difficulties, or you would like an assessment, call to get scheduled with one of our amazing pediatric Occupational Therapists today at 773-687-9241. Happy Holidays!