Occupational therapy games

Occupational therapy games for telehealth offer several therapeutic and practical benefits, and there’s a seemingly never-ending list of games to try. The key is to perform each activity with therapeutic goals in mind.

Summary

• Telehealth games can increase motivation, especially in pediatric clients, while targeting skills like fine motor control, executive functioning, and visual-motor integration. Download our fine motor skills activities list.

• From interactive whiteboards to movement-based activities like “Simon Says” and “I Spy,” therapists can choose from many no-prep or low-prep games that align with therapy goals.

• Success with OT telehealth games depends on choosing goal-aligned activities, preparing technology ahead of time, adapting to client needs, and documenting outcomes effectively.

• Features like built-in apps, screen sharing, and an interactive whiteboard make it easier to incorporate games into virtual sessions while also managing documentation and billing. Utilizing a telehealth platform like TheraPlatform with exclusive interactive features can help therapists streamline prep and deeply engage their clients.

Follow along as we explain how incorporating occupational therapy telehealth games can be valuable, share nearly a dozen ideas for games, and provide tips for implementing occupational therapy games for telehealth in your practice.

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Why use occupational therapy games for telehealth?

From higher engagement to encouraging social interaction, occupational therapy games for telehealth offer many advantages.

Games build engagement and motivation

Games may capture the attention and boost the motivation of pediatric clients who may be disengaged or anxious in virtual settings. Occupational therapy telehealth games create a fun, low-pressure environment where clients participate and try new tasks.

Support functional skill development

Therapists can tailor games to target specific occupational therapy goals, such as:

• Fine motor skills (e.g., clicking, dragging, or using a stylus)
• Executive functioning (e.g., planning, attention, memory)
• Visual-motor integration (e.g., tracing, puzzles, matching)
• Activities of daily living (ADLs) through gamified simulations

Encourages cognitive and social interaction

Games can stimulate problem-solving, turn-taking, and communication, decision-making, and impulse control.

Benefits of OT teletherapy

Occupational therapy teletherapy offers several advantages for therapists, children, and families.

“Occupational therapy practitioners should carefully consider all relevant factors when deciding if telehealth is the right service delivery model for each client, including caregiver involvement, client engagement, environmental factors, and accessibility," according to the International Journal of Telerehabilitation.

These considerations help ensure that teletherapy is used to provide the most effective and client-centered care.

1. Improved access to services: Teletherapy eliminates travel time, making therapy more accessible for families who live in rural areas, have transportation challenges, or require flexible scheduling. It can reduce missed appointments due to illness, weather, or scheduling conflicts.
2. Natural home-based intervention: Children participate in therapy within the environment where they complete most daily activities. Therapists can directly observe routines such as homework, dressing, mealtime, or play, and provide recommendations that are immediately applicable.
3. Greater caregiver involvement: Parents often become participants during teletherapy sessions. Instead of simply reading progress reports, caregivers learn therapeutic strategies, environmental modifications, and coaching techniques to continue throughout the week.
4. Use of everyday materials: Teletherapy encourages creativity by incorporating common household items instead of specialized clinic equipment. This improves carryover because families can easily repeat activities between sessions without buying additional materials.
5. Development of independence: Children often take greater ownership during virtual sessions by gathering supplies, organizing their workspace, and completing tasks more independently, which supports executive functioning and self-management skills.

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Types of occupational therapy games for telehealth

In the world of occupational therapy games for telehealth, games can take a variety of formats. From built-in apps to activities away from screens to games with materials and screen sharing, occupational therapists have several options for incorporating games within our sessions.

Allow your client to tap into their competitive spirit with the following games that can be adapted to target your client's needs and address their goals.

There are several OT teletherapy ideas and occupational therapy games that occupational therapists can utilize during office and virtual visits. Here are a few occupational therapy games that require almost zero preparation.

The Mystery Choice game

Fun and interactive, this is a nice way to build rapport with a new client. Here are a few ideas on how to play.

• Use plastic eggs, poster boards, cups, Post-it notes, or anything else to conceal something from your side of the screen.

• Give your client some control of the session by allowing them to pick which one they want.

• Underneath, provide directions for the next task. For example, if you are doing animal walks, your client might select different-colored plastic eggs that you show them on the screen to find other animals in.

• Are you working on letter sequencing? Hide the letters you are working on behind colored squares of paper and let the client pick which color they want to do first.

World Record Challenge

Are you having trouble keeping your client motivated? Invoke some competitiveness by asking them if they can set their own world record! This works especially well for timed activities, including dexterity tasks (stacking 10 pennies) and sensory activities (the highest jump challenge).

You can also use the number of repetitions to motivate your client. For example, the number of reciprocal actions completed without making an error or even the number of letters aligned correctly on the baseline.

Search and Find

Another great occupational therapy game for telehealth is Search and Find. Finding items in hidden pictures can facilitate visual scanning skills, along with cognitive strategies, and address visual discrimination.

To make the search even more challenging, you can select to list the hidden items by name rather than showing the pictures. This can be a great way to reinforce left-to-right and up-down scanning skills and can be very challenging!

TheraPlatform offers a built-in app that allows you to quickly make your own searches and finds with bright and colorful pictures, perfect for preschool students. Highlights Kids also offers digital hidden pictures of varying complexity that can be used for older children through adults.

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I Spy

Building intentional movement into teletherapy sessions is essential, especially when incorporating plenty of seated work. Playing a game of I Spy is another quick and no-prep activity you can use between seated activities.

Instead of using the standard format, the therapist will say, for example, "I spy something fuzzy," and the client will get up and move to try to find something that fits the description.

It gives your client the movement break they need and provides a natural way to work on functional short-term memory skills.

Pictionary!

Pictionary is a fun and interactive game that can be graded to meet your clients' levels. It is a no-prep activity that simply requires an interactive whiteboard, such as one on TheraPlatform.

To demonstrate how to play, begin by drawing your own picture and allowing your client to guess what you are making. Then, allow your client to take the lead with their drawing. This game easily targets visual motor integration skills and the ability to draw representational pictures.

Simon Says

Simon Says is a popular game for in-person and teletherapy occupational therapy sessions. Why? It can be customized to target so many different skills! Examples include Motor planning, auditory processing, midline crossing, following one or two-step directions, left/right differentiation, and sensory regulation!

Sequencing Fun

Sequencing skills are essential for many functional activities, like washing hands, dressing, or completing a simple household chore. TheraPlatform features many built-in games, including a sequencing game that contains pictures for your clients to drag and drop into the correct order.

Because it is built into the teleconferencing platform, when your client gets a sequence correct, they will receive a digital token. This is an excellent way to work on a foundational skill while also keeping your client motivated!

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Mazes

Another must-have occupational therapy game for telehealth is mazes. They are great for developing problem-solving and visual perception skills and can be enticing for many clients.

The website Toy Theater offers free mazes that you can cast on your screen for your client to navigate. Even better, your client can move through the maze using a simple click rather than drag and drop to draw lines. This is a great alternative for isolating those visual perception skills without the challenge of the motor component.

Bingo!

Bingo Baker is a simple website that allows you to create a one-of-a-kind bingo card. You can type whatever you want into the squares or even drag and drop pictures for clients who cannot read. Highly customizable, use bingo to reinforce self-regulation strategies at home, write sentences, or simply fill the squares with several motor activities and help your client perform the activity on the card.

Teletherapy activity ideas based on skills development

Choose games that match therapy goals. Target specific skills like fine motor control, sensory activities, or executive functioning.

Fine motor skills

Fine motor activities remain highly effective in a virtual setting when therapists focus on functional tasks using readily available materials.

Some easy teletherapy ideas:

• Building with LEGO, blocks, or cups to improve bilateral coordination and hand strength
• Cutting simple shapes or crafts with child-safe scissors
• Stringing beads, pasta, or cereal onto yarn or pipecleaners for precision and bilateral coordination
• Using clothespins or kitchen tongs to strengthen the hand
• Folding paper, ripping paper, or origami to address sequencing, visual motor integration, and finger dexterity
• Drawing, tracing, coloring, or completing mazes to target pencil control
• Manipulating coins for palm-to-finger translation, finger-to-palm translation, and in-hand manipulation
• Creating letters or shapes using Play-Doh, putty, or modeling clay

Therapists can also increase motivation by incorporating themes based on a child’s interests, such as superheroes, animals, dinosaurs, or favorite books.

Sensory activities

Sensory regulation activities translate well to teletherapy because they often utilize the child’s own home environment.

Some easy teletherapy ideas:

• Animal walks, such as bear walks, crab walks, frog jumps, and inchworms, for proprioceptive input
• Obstacle courses using pillows, blankets, chairs, and couch cushions
• Yoga sequences to improve body awareness, balance, flexibility, and self-regulation
• Deep breathing using bubbles, pinwheels, feathers, or stuffed animals placed on the abdomen
• Heavy work activities such as carrying laundry baskets, pushing baskets or boxes, wiping tables, or helping with household chores
• Simon Says or movement imitation games targeting motor planning and body awareness

Therapists should always consider each child’s individual sensory profile and modify activities based on their regulation needs rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Executive Functioning

Teletherapy naturally lends itself to address executive functioning because children are managing tasks within their own environment.

Some easy occupational therapy teletherapy ideas:

• Planning and completing a simple cooking or snack preparation activity
• Following visual schedules independently
• Multi-step scavenger hunt requiring organization and sequencing
• Memory games and matching activities
• Digital board games that encourage turn-taking, planning, flexibility, and problem-solving
• Creating morning or bedtime routines together using pictures or checklists
• Organizing a desk, backpack, or bedroom while discussing categorization strategies
• Goal-setting activities where children identify one objective for the session and reflect on their progress afterward

These activities strengthen planning, working memory, attention, cognitive flexibility, and self-monitoring while remaining meaningful and functional.

Tips for implementing occupational therapy games for telehealth

As with all games, a few rules of engagement go a long way in helping you help your client to make progress on their goals. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

• Prepare the tech in advance: Test games beforehand, share links clearly, and have backups ready.
• Engage actively during gameplay: Guide the session, ask questions, and use the game to encourage participation and skill building.
• Adapt games to fit client needs: Modify difficulty, break down tasks, and provide prompts as needed.
• Document with intention: Clearly record what skills were addressed and how the game supported therapeutic outcomes.

Using occupational therapy games for telehealth is a great way to keep your pediatric clients engaged and motivated while helping them achieve excellent outcomes.

Parent coaching tips for occupational therapy through telehealth

Parent coaching is a very valuable component of pediatric teletherapy. Studies “suggest that the telehealth parent coaching program may potentially support a family who has a child with ADHD and executive function deficits," according to an article published in Occupational Therapy in Health Care.

Rather than directing every activity, therapists should empower caregivers to confidently support their child’s development throughout the week.

Some easy occupational therapy teletherapy ideas:

• Send a short supply list before each session using common household materials.
• Explain the therapeutic purpose behind each activity, so parents understand why it matters.
• Demonstrate activities before asking caregivers to assist.
• Focus on one or two home recommendations instead of overwhelming families with multiple strategies.
• Encourage parents to observe rather than immediately help, allowing children opportunities to problem solve independently.
• Celebrate small successes and emphasize progress over perfection.
• Build interventions into existing routines such as dressing, meals, bath times, homework, or bedtime.
• Parent coaching transforms teletherapy from a once-a-week appointment into an ongoing therapeutic partnership that supports skill carryover between sessions.

What to avoid when using occupational therapy games through telehealth

• Overly complicated activities requiring extensive preparation
• Assuming every family owns specialized therapy equipment
• Long periods of sitting without movement breaks
• Rapid transitions between activities that overwhelm children
• Speaking primarily to caregivers instead of directly engaging the child
• Focusing only on worksheets or screen-based tasks
• Selecting activities that are too difficult without appropriate grading
• Ignoring environmental distractions that may affect participation

Best tools for virtual OT sessions

Having reliable digital tools can streamline planning while keeping children engaged. Some helpful virtual OT resources include:

• HIPAA-compliant teletherapy platforms with screen sharing and interactive whiteboards
• Visual timers to support transitions and time awareness
• Digital spinner or dice applications for games
• Interactive drawing and annotation tools
• Google Slides or PowerPoint activities
• Boom cards for interactive learning activities

Technology should enhance hands-on intervention. Successful teletherapy sessions balance interactive digital tools with meaningful movement, functional activities, and real-life practice using materials already available in the child’s home.

Occupational therapy teletherapy is an effective service delivery model that expands access to care while promoting functional participation in everyday routines. By combining engaging activities, thoughtful parent coaching, and purposeful use of technology, therapists can address fine motor skills, Sensory Executive Functioning, and daily living skills in meaningful ways.

Flexibility is essential in teletherapy. If a child is dysregulated, adjusting the session to include movement, sensory input, or parent coaching may be more beneficial than rigidly following the original treatment plan.

Choosing the best HIPAA-compliant teletherapy platform

Telehealth use has skyrocketed since the pandemic, with teletherapy emerging as a trusted, convenient, and secure alternative to in-person care for both children and adults. Therapists and clients report high satisfaction, and teletherapy now accounts for 13–17% of U.S. healthcare visits.

To protect privacy, providers must use HIPAA-compliant video platforms. The top platforms not only secure sessions with encryption but also support scheduling, billing, documentation, and client portals to streamline practice management.

The best teletherapy platforms go beyond video conferencing. By combining compliance, reliability, stable video, resources, games and practice management tools, they help therapists deliver care that’s safe, effective, and adaptable to modern client needs. 

Marketing is also another aspect of owning a practice that can be conducted through a secure HIPAA-compliant platform as you can communicate with existing clients via chat, email and more.

Why therapists choose TheraPlatform as their teletherapy platform

Whether for solo practice or larger clinics, therapists choose TheraPlatform for its blend of usability, flexibility, and robust telehealth tools.

Here are top reasons why therapists choose TheraPlatform for teletherapy:

• Efficiency and convenience: Everything down to payments, scheduling, documentation, and insurance claims is managed in one integrated platform, saving time and reducing friction.
• Security and compliance: TheraPlatform is fully HIPAA and PIPEDA compliant, with encrypted video sessions, secure data storage, and 24/7 monitoring for peace of mind.
• Engagement tools: Built-in interactive features like whiteboards, games, media sharing, screen annotation, and therapy-specific “apps” enhance client engagement especially useful in pediatric and speech therapy.
• Client-centered functionality: The secure client portal empowers clients to book sessions, complete forms, submit documents, and make payments, reducing admin work for the therapist.
• Customization and flexibility: Therapists can create and customize templates for notes, treatment plans, and intake forms allowing them to tailor workflows to their practice style.
• All-in-one practice management: Combines telehealth, EHR, billing, insurance, scheduling, and documentation, eliminating the need for multiple tools or software.
• Therapy-specific design: Unlike generic telehealth platforms, TheraPlatform is purpose-built for mental health, speech therapy, OT, PT, and more with features tailored to each specialty.
• Professional credibility: Recording features, branded portals, and compliance tools help therapists present a more professional, trustworthy experience to clients.
• Positive user experience: Therapists appreciate having everything in one place and often report a smoother workflow, fewer tech issues, and faster onboarding.

What therapists are saying about TheraPlatform telehealth

Therapists praise TheraPlatform for its ease of use, seamless scheduling, and built-in billing tools like superbills. They value the platform’s features including intuitive charting, customizable notes, and interactive telehealth tools as well as the responsive support team, which listens to feedback and implements updates. 

Many highlight that the platform offers the best of all worlds, combining excellent video conferencing with resource sharing and an engaging, client-centered teletherapy experience.

"There's seriously no better platform out there! Easy to use … syncs to your personal schedule, provides superbills …"- Coastlinespeechtherapy (Source)

“It is not just the platform, it is the team behind TheraPlatform, always willing to help and receptive to feedback to bring updates requests to live,” Orly, Smarty Therapy PC (Source)

"The video conferencing is excellent and the ability to share resources and the interactive screen make Telehealth a rich experience."- Kathy J.  (Source)

"TheraPlatform has been the best of all worlds! … intuitive charting, in-system billing, customizable notes …"-Kendrah B. (Source)

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Resources for occupational therapists

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References

Baker, A. R., Barents, E. R., Cole, A. G., Klaver, A. L., Kampen, K. V., Webb, L. M., & Wolfer, K. A. (2025). Use and Perceptions of Telehealth by Pediatric Occupational Therapists Post COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2024.6655

Pijarnvanit, P., & Sriphetcharawut, S. (2023). The Effects of Telehealth Parent Coaching on Occupational Performance and Executive Function of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders, and Parent Self-Efficacy: A Preliminary Study. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2023.2169976