Low-tech assistive technology (AT) and adaptations are cheap and easy strategies that families and professionals can use to increase their children’s participation in daily activities and routines.
If you have the right supplies, most of these ideas only take a few minutes to make. Creating a make-it take-it kit to keep at home, in the office, or take with you on the go is a great idea for making sure that you’ll have the needed supplies when you want to create low-tech AT or an adaptation.
Below is a list of general materials that may be useful for all of your AT and adaptation projects. In addition to these items, we have also included lists of materials for making devices and adaptations based on functional need.
GENERAL LIST
- Velcro
- Various kinds of tape – Duct tape, masking tape, cloth tape, electrical tape
- PVC pipe
- Sewing kit
- Empty containers
- Cardboard boxes
- Scissors and X-acto knife
- Glue and hot glue gun
- Various kinds of paper – construction, cardstock, 3×5 cards, etc.
- Markers, pencils, pens, crayons
- Styrofoam trays
- Fabric scraps
- Sandpaper
- Spray adhesive
- Pool noodles
- Non-slip material
- Felt
- Phonebooks
- Tool set
- Battery interrupter and switch
POSITIONING & MOBILITY LIST
- Quilt Batting
- Cushions, pillows, towels
- Phonebooks
- Plastic buckets
- Foam – soft & firm kinds
- Hula hoops
- Wood pieces
- Screws
- Rope
- Wheels/Casters
- Washers
- Tri-wall
SOCIALIZATION/BEHAVIOR LIST
- Shower curtain rings
- Popsicle sticks
- Pictures, magazine clippings, drawings, etc.
- Poster board
- Magnets
- Stress balls
USING ARMS AND HANDS LIST
- Shower curtain rings
- Popsicle sticks
- Contact lenses containers
- Film canisters, prescription canister
- Hairbrushes
- Magnets
- Pop-poms
- Stress balls
- Tennis balls
- Wiffle balls/golf balls
- Clay
- Large beads
- Foam hair curlers
- Cookbook stand or PVC for homemade stand
- Wooden knobs
- PVC
- Paper clips
- Poker chips
- Margarine lids
- Buttons
- Cookie sheets
- Felt
- Wood pieces
- Corrugated cardboard
- Empty roll-on deodorant bottle
- Plaster of paris
- Elastics
COMMUNICATION/ LITERACY LIST
- Shower curtain rings
- Popsicle sticks
- Pictures, magazine clippings, drawings, etc.
- Contact lenses containers
- Phonebooks
- Pop-poms
- Plastic bags, clear plastic covers
- Clear keychains
- Styrofoam trays
- Paper clips
- Magnets
- Pipe cleaners, feathers, other textured objects
- Highlighter tape
- Talking picture frame, talking greeting cards, etc.
- Pouch laminators
- Binders and binder rings
To have more ideas, and understand better how to use the materials and create your own loew-tech AT and adaptations, check these two webpages for more info: functional skills and activities & routines.
vick physiotherapy international 