Celebrate National Pizza Day with a Fun, Hands-On Activity!

Today, February 9th, is National Pizza Day—the perfect opportunity to enjoy one of America's favorite foods!

While grabbing a slice from your favorite pizzeria is always an option, here at SkillSprouts OT, we challenge our Sprout Families to take it a step further by making pizza at home tonight!

Build Fine Motor Skills & Sensory Skills While Making Pizza

Homemade pizza isn't just delicious—it’s also a fantastic way to support your child’s development! Engaging in the pizza-making process helps strengthen fine motor skills through activities like:

• Stretching and rolling dough – builds hand strength and coordination
• Ladling sauce – encourages wrist control and precision
• Sprinkling cheese and toppings – improves pincer grasp and finger dexterity

In addition to fine motor benefits, pizza-making is a great sensory activity! The variety of textures—from soft dough to gooey cheese—provides tactile sensory input, while the aroma of baking pizza can be a fun sensory experience for kids.

Want to take it a step further? Encourage your Little Sprout to choose and arrange their own toppings, promoting creativity, independence, and sensory exploration!

Short on Time? No Problem!

If you're in a rush, grab pre-made dough from your grocery store’s bakery or refrigerated aisle. This allows you to focus on fine motor skills and sensory play while skipping the extra prep work!

Fun Pizza Facts!

No matter how you celebrate, here are some fascinating pizza facts courtesy of National Day Calendar:

• Pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping, found on 36% of all pizzas ordered.
• Over 3 billion pizzas are sold in the U.S. each year—plus another 1 billion frozen pizzas!
• 17% of all restaurants in the U.S. are pizzerias.
• The world’s first pizzeria, Antica Pizzeria, opened in Naples, Italy, in 1738.
• The first U.S. pizzeria, Gennaro Lombardi’s, opened in New York City in 1895.
• On average, Americans consume 23 pounds of pizza per person each year!

Join the Fun!

Whether you make your own pizza or grab a slice from your favorite spot, we hope you have a delicious and skill-building National Pizza Day!

Let us know in the comments—what’s your favorite pizza topping? 🍕✨