Shelby’s Quest: Fine Motor Skills App Is Fun OT Therapy

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App: Shelby’s Quest

Developer: Doodle Therapy Apps

Platform: iPad (English)

Price: $4.99

Category: Fine Motor Skills App / Visual Perceptual Skills App

Shelby’s Quest Helps Kids Build Fine Motor Skills

If you’re looking for an app that helps kids with their ability to make small, accurate movements and improves their general fine motor skills, Shelby’s Quest fits the bill.

Shelby’s Quest is an application developed by an occupational therapist for the iPad.  This unique app allows kids with autism and other special needs to build fine motor skills while helping Shelby the dog and her friends overcome a set of challenges.  Kids can play games and practice making precise motions on the iPad while having a blast!

Let’s Get Started –  Create An Admin Account

When you first launch Shelby’s Quest, you’ll be asked if you would like to create an admin account.  Go ahead and do so.  You will eventually want one, and it only takes a couple seconds of your time.  Input a PIN number that you’ll remember (this is just so your kids can’t go in and edit their accounts), and then create a student account for the child.

At this point, you can choose to go through the tutorial if you would like.  While it is helpful, you probably won’t have much trouble using the app after reading this thorough review!  (Shelby’s Quest is pretty easy-to-use, but I like to flatter myself.)

Play Games

There are three main options on the home page, but the only one that you really need to worry about is the “Play Games” button.

The “Admin” button just allows you to add more user accounts, and the cog wheel lets you access the tutorial as well as visit the Facebook and Twitter platforms for the app.

Shelby’s Quest offers three major types of games accessible within the “Play Games” menu:  Mazes, Pinching, and Shapes.  Note that each of these game types are offered in three levels of difficulty.

Mazes

By choosing the Mazes tab, you will enter the story of Skip The Salmon.  The mazes are, in my opinion, the most fun activity in this fine motor skills app!  This activity requires you to drag the salmon through a series of different rivers – don’t let him touch the grass, though!

The more accurately that you can guide Skip through the rivers, the more points you’ll receive!  The first level is very easy, as the rivers are basically straight, but the second and third levels increase the difficulty, so be ready!

Pinching

The pinching tab allows you to play a game with acorns.  This game also helps with basic sorting skills.  Allow the acorns to fall from the sky onto the branch, and then carefully pinch each one to pick it up.  While still pinching the acorn, drag it to the corresponding basket!  (As the level increases, you’ll have to sort different colored acorns into different colored baskets.)

While this may seem very easy, the pinching actually takes a good amount of fine motor control, so don’t dismiss this portion of Shelby’s Quest!

Shapes

The Shapes game brings us to the story of Maurice the Moose, who needs to find his way home from the forest!  Draw the shapes that show up on the ground to help him get back!

I found this section of the app to be the most difficult, so some kids will really need to practice before they can get awesome scores on all three of the levels!  But, as they say – practice makes perfect!

A Fine Motor Skills App That Occupational Therapists Will Love

Since Shelby’s Quest was created by occupational therapists, the features included in this app will surely be appreciated by therapy professionals everywhere.  The ability to track student progress and e-mail reports makes this app a winner!

Get Shelby’s Quest at iTunes

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