Opening a door
Prepare for the use of a door with little to no circulation. Invite 3-4 children to come participate in your lesson by telling them you have something to show them. Show each child where exactly to sit and once the children are seated, you sit so that you can see them all, they all can see you, and yet you are not in front of them. Call their attention to the door and tell them that you are going to show them how to open and close the door.
Opening
- Stand so that your body is at an angle to the door with your right side slightly closer to the middle of the door and your left side slightly further away from the middle of the door.
- Make sure the door handle is at a reachable distance.
- Wrap your four right fingers around the door handle.
- Place your right thumb on the top of the door handle near the pivoting point of the handle.
- Rotate your right hand clockwise so that the door handle is at a strong angle and can no longer be rotated.
- Push the door handle with control so that the door opens away from you.
- Take one step closer to the opened door.
- Continue these two movements until the door is 3/4 open.
- Rotate your hand up so that the door handle is now horizontal to the floor.
- Lift your right thumb.
- Release your four right fingers from the handle.
- Bring your right arm down alongside your body.
- Walk through the open door until you are on the other side of the door.
(I personally would come back to the side of the children to show them how to then close the door.)
Closing
- Step toward the open door and stand in a way similar to when you began, making sure the children can see your movements.
- Wrap your four right fingers around the handle.
- Place your right thumb on the pivoting point.
- Rotate your right hand down clockwise.
- As your step back with your right leg first, pull the door back with you.
- Repeat until the door is shut.
- Rotate your right hand up so that the handle is now parallel to the floor.
- Lift your right thumb.
- Release your four right fingers and bring your arm along the side of your body.
Offer each child the opportunity to open and close the door, each time having them stand up to do so.
Once they have all had a turn excuse them one at a time, making sure each child has thought of what he would like to de next.
Direct: To assist the child to independently cope with the opening and closing or doors.
Indirect: To strengthen the hand and wrist muscles.
The moment when the door latch gets unhooked so you can now push the door open.
2 1/2 – 3 1/2