Occupational Therapy: Functional Living Skill - Setting the Table

Occupational Therapy: Functional Living Skill - Setting the Table

 

The holidays offer many occasions for celebration, connections, traditions, time off from school and work, perhaps travel, and certainly fun.  Here are some tips from our Occupational Therapy department to help your child.

The holiday season is a great time to work on functional living skills.  Whether you are hosting a large gathering or having a smaller family meal together, setting the table can be a great way for your child to participate.  Although it may seem simple, setting the table requires multiple skills. For example, executive functioning skills such as sorting, planning and working memory are needed to gather the appropriate materials.  Gross motor, body and spatial awareness skills are needed to load and carry items from one place to another.  Grading force to gently place items on the table is another important part of setting the table.  Visual motor skills help to know where each item should be placed in relationship to one another.  Understanding that it takes such a multitude of skills to complete this routine task is helpful. It is something that needs to be directly instructed and modeled so your child can be successful. If we can be of any help, please do not hesitate to email the OT department with any questions.  

 

View video to help your child learn Basic Table Setting Skills.  For more helpful Functional Living Skills videos, visit Newmark's Functional Living Skills Video Library.