Activity: Octaband!
Target Participant Group: Children with physical and cognitive disabilities, senior adults, elderly population who have Parkinson's disease
Therapeutic Potential of activity: Promotes visual attention, coordination, motor planning, strength, endurance, promotes individuality and group cohesion, physical activity through movement, fine motor skills, awareness of others, encourages cooperation
Other Groups that may Benefit: This activity can be used for people of all ages and abilities. It is very open and can be adapted to use with all populations! The website suggests that it can be used for children with Autism/Asperger's, children with ADHD, individuals with psychiatric illness, individuals with substance abuse, and group activities with elderly.
Groups not fit for Activity: As stated above, this activity is great for people of all ages and abilities; however, it may be difficult to use with individuals who have extreme cognitive impairments or individuals that have had both arms amputated.
Activity Description:
The Octaband is a stretchy, spandex interactive tool that has a center circle with "legs" coming off of it. You can purchase the Octaband with 8 legs or 16 legs. The Octaband website has an activity guide that provides different games, songs, and activities that are created to use with the Octaband. For example, a kid's game may be placing an object in the center and having the individuals hold one of the "legs" and try to bounce the object without letting it fall off. There are SO many games and activities that can be used with the Octaband. The Octaband is great because it can be used for all different ages and has many benefits. The activity guide is the best resource for various options/uses of the Octaband.
Resources Needed: Octaband-- can be purchased online for 59.99 (8 leg) or 91.99 (16 leg). This is a bit pricey; I think that one could be created easily for cheaper by sewing spandex material.
Best Leadership Style for Activity: This activity would be best with one or two facilitators, depending on the size of the group.
Activity Source: I heard about this activity from an occupational therapist. I researched it online to find out more about it.
Additional Info: The Octaband website tells all! http://www.octaband.com/index.htm
The activity guide can be found here: http://www.octaband.com/activityguideforblog.pdf
I have just found your site. Thank you for posting about the Octaband. Regarding your comment about Groups not fit for Activity, you say "it may be difficult to use with individuals who have extreme cognitive impairments" to which I would like to state that this is the population for which I created the Octaband, so that is not accurate. As far as "individuals that have had both arms amputated", the Octaband can go over the feet. It can also be used with only 1 arm or 1 leg. Also, as far as "one could be created easily for cheaper by sewing spandex material", in fact one person told me that it cost her more to make the Octaband. Spandex is rather expensive, and very difficult to sew.
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