Explosion box

The original Pin was designed as a card/gift which is a great activity in its self but I wanted to think about what else it could be used for.

http://pinterest.com/pin/8725792998300247/

Memory box

Decades- Tool for OTs to use with clients. I made this one based on the 1950's, historical information is readily available on the internet and some pages have it all in a timeline. Things I search for included,; news, events, celebrities, fashion, sports, music, inventions...  It took me about an hour to make this including the research and printing. This could be a good way of generating discussion or triggering a memory.


This could also be made more personal to the individual, maybe about significant events, people, hobbies etc..

This is something which the therapist or assistant could produce, the client themselves, in groups or with family.

Reminiscence - research into reminiscence says that its is a widely used in occupational therapy within dementia care and that it is pleasurable activity and can help improve depression, life satisfaction and self esteem. (Baillon S. et al 2005)


Other options - Sensory, fine motor. You can add various textures and colour's to the box. I made holes in one of the sections and added some thread for weaving, and added buttons to some sections with various shapes that could be fastened on. I used what materials I had to hand, but this could be planned in more detail to include colour and shape matching, sequencing activity and threads with beads.

Both of these then fold up neatly into a box for storage. I made this fairly small, but you could make them any size you wanted and use the lid as part of the activity; maybe add a small bead roller-coaster to the top or have some fold out information, or a quiz inside the lid of the memory box. I made this fairly quickly and roughly as you can see.. but with proper planning, materials and time, these could be great little activities... I am definitively going to give these some more thought and effort.

      Baillon S, Van Diepen E, Prettyman R, Rooke N, Redman J and Campbell R. (2005) Variability in Response of Older People with Dementia to Both Snoezelen andReminiscence. British Journal OF Occupational Therapy.  68(8) pp 367-374.