A lot of perseverance and a variety of skills are required to accomplish that all-time favorite activity of folding a paper airplane. It may seem like such a simple task, but children who experience difficulties in a variety of ways, whether through difficulties associated with a diagnosis such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention Hyperactivity Deficit Disorder (ADHD), difficulties with regulating and managing their emotions, or difficulties using their arms and hands to complete tabletop tasks, often find the activity of folding a paper airplane to be beyond their abilities.

This post will provide a glimpse into the clinical life and training of an Occupational Therapist (OT). An OT considers many very basic physical, emotional, and mental skills required to complete daily life activities, such as folding a paper airplane, and identifies which skills a particular child is struggling to attain and perform. The OT then uses daily life activities, such as folding a paper airplane, to target the skills a child is struggling to achieve and to promote the child’s improvement in those target skill areas.

Below is a list (not comprehensive!) of those very basic physical, emotional, and mental skills required by an individual to demonstrate during the activity of folding a paper airplane. There are also definitions for the terminology involved and simple explanations for how each skill pertains to the creation of such a classic piece of aerodynamics. (A website URL link to a great YouTube video is listed at the top of the page underneath the airplane picture, for whomever reading this blog is inclined to have some fun folding a paper airplane as you consider the following information!)

Reference: Foldable Flight. (2018, November 28). How to Fold an Easy Paper Airplane in 1

Minute (60 seconds)! — Flies Extremely Well! YouTube.com.

Thanks for joining me on this blog post! Always remember that every activity in life, no matter how small or seemingly simple, requires the implementation of a variety of physical, emotional, and mental skills in order to successfully accomplish the end goal in mind.

Please contact Children’s Therapy Place, Inc. regarding any questions you may have about Occupational Therapy. Enjoy your new paper airplane, and have a wonderful day!

Blog post written by Megan Koyle, MOT, OTR//L in honor of April as Occupational Therapy Month