Chicago Occupational Therapy • Dec 16, 2024

8 Fantastic Holiday Gifts for Fine Motor Coordination

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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Coordination Fine Motor holiday gifts occupational therapy Pediatric physical therapy Strength

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Finished Shopping this Holiday Season?

Are you looking for ideas for toys or holiday gifts for your child? Here are a few ideas that help promote fine motor skills in children ages one year and up! Some of the toys below are also used at the center, though none are formally endorsed by Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center. They can help build hand strength, grasp and pinch precision. If your child would rather make something than unwrap it, these holiday crafts for every skill level work the same small muscles. Happy holiday shopping!

8 Fantastic Holiday Gifts for Fine Motor Coordination and Strengthening

Wok and Roll (3-4 years old and up) — This activity encourages fine motor precision and hand strengthening.

2.Super Sorting Pie (3 years old and up) –– This activity provides opportunities for hand strengthening and color sorting.

3. Hedgehog (18 months and up) — This activity is great for a wide age range of children. It promotes hand strengthening when pulling out and pushing in the spikes.

4. Egg Matching Sets (18 months and up) — This game set helps with hand strengthening. Also, it’s a great way to practice shape recognition and colors.

5. The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game (3 years and up) — This is a fun hand strengthening game using tweezers. It also encourages turn-taking skills.

6. Stacking Peg Board (One year and up) — Facilitates hand strengthening and fine motor precision. Also, a great activity for color sorting.

7. Jenga (8 years and up) — Facilitates fine motor control and grading of appropriate force required to remove pieces.

8. Operation (6 years and up) — Facilitates fine motor control and grading of appropriate force required to remove pieces.

We Are Here to Help!

Pediatric occupational therapists help children master daily life skills with ease and efficiency. The “job” or “occupation” of a child is to play and to use tools such as crayons or utensils. It is also to interact with their environment, adults and their peers effectively. Plenty of that play happens with simple materials already at home. A short session of fine motor play with playdoh builds the same grasp and pinch strength a good gift does.

Should you have questions or concerns regarding your child’s adaptations to daily life skills, please check out more information about our occupational therapists and what they do for children every day! Contact our specialists for a consultation at 773-687-9241!