I am always looking for ideas to shake up my OT treatments and try to get creative with activity tolerance activities, because it is just NOT functional or
This Blog and Infographic will review tonic reflexes, their significance if the reflex persists beyond the typical age range, and the possible impact on a child’s functioning and role performance. Last but not least, this blog will suggest therapeutic interventions that are known to help inhibit the activation of tonic reflexes and advance postural control as a foundation for optimal functioning.
Successful early experiences in math have a powerful effect in how your child develops their mathematical thinking, a important skill to master for use in their everyday lives. Our math printable worksheets will help your young child learn their numbers, shapes and other basic math skills.
Visual discrimination is an important skill for children to develop to assist with reading, writing and math skills.
I am always looking for new ideas to work on fine motor skills, specifically when working with adults. I tend to resort to my "old favorite" list of fine
Ever used handwriting without tears? This is a great product for more practice with writing your letters! Each page has the HWOT prompts using boardmaker pictures. I love using these sheets to help my students remember what comes first and it helps parents when I send these home to help teach lette...
Discover over 45 vestibular activities that can calm, regulate, and improve attention in your child. Plus, get vestibular exercises for...
Head to your game closet - it's time to make a domino line-up. A quick and easy preschool math activity to develop number sense skills.
Let's explore 15 amazing early intervention activities that you can use to rock your therapy sessions. Your kiddos will have a blast while accomplishing their goals.
Looking for the best splinting guide? The Orthotic Intervention for the Hand and Upper Extremity: Splinting Principles and Process is it!
Learning to write is much more complicated than we think. After all, most people can write so what is so difficult about it? It's second nature to most of us, yet take some time to look at yourself when you write. What muscles are you using? Switch hands and see if you can manage writing with your other hand. This may give you some idea of the level of control required to make meaningful marks on paper. Building muscle strength and learning to control those muscles is an integral part of children learning to write. Core muscles, the large arm muscles and the small muscles in the hand and wrist all need strengthening and developing in order for children to be able to gain control of a pencil or crayon. In addition to strengthening and controlling muscles, refining depth perception and visual tracking skills are important. Hand-eye coordination is essential as the hands and eyes have to work together to enable children to form letters and write across the page. While your child's first writing experiences may look like scribbles to you, if you ask them what they have drawn you may get a very complex story. Children recreate and make sense of their world first through their drawing and later through their writing. This takes time to develop and develops alongside their language. When a child can tell you all about their drawing and you can record that for them, they are learning that their words are valued and can be represented. When children begin to understand that symbols have meaning, they are on their way to being motivated to record these symbols for themselves. Their first efforts at writing recognisable letters will possibly begin with them writing their names between four and five years old. It's vital that children see their name written and have opportunities to write their names independently. This is their signature, it's not a copy or tracing of an adult's writing. Children who can write their names are very proud of this and this achievement needs to be celebrated, whatever the writing looks like, so they will be enthusiastic about writing. When their child is beginning to write, parents should not worry about letters that are not properly formed, letters that are back wards and that their child may have missed out letters. This is a natural part of children developing their writing style. They get plenty of practise at forming letters later on, the early years is a time for children to experiment as they develop the brain connectors needed to control their hand eye coordination and make writing on the lines possible. Source: Words their way Children need experiences to write about so exploration and interaction with the world around them and other people is essential. Children learn to express themselves through their writing when they have opportunities to: à draw, paint and create and a collage à practise their skills in a variety of contexts through different experiences à strengthen their muscles through manipulating materials during play à develop their coordination through physical activity à interact with their peers and adults Ideas to develop muscles and hand-eye coordination include: à playing outside, swinging, running, pouring sand and water, playing tag, swimming, riding a bike à exploring and experimenting with a variety of materials such as sand, water, glue, tweezers and tongs, boxes and puzzles à finger painting and gloop à working with playdough The more children are engaged in purposeful play; the more opportunities they have for interactions with others; the more they are positively encouraged; the stronger their foundations for both writing and reading will be and the more rewarding their progress will be for them as you celebrate each success together. Some examples of emergent writing
Vestibular input activities can provide some of the best stimulation for active sensory seeking kids which can keep their sensory needs met for hours.
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is an inflammatory condition. It causes pain at the thumb side of your wrist where the base of your thumb meets your forearm. Decrease inflammation, improve function, and prevent symptom recurrence with these exercises for de Quervain's tenosynovitis.
If you're new to physical agent modalities and aren't sure where to begin, look no further! This list will cover all PAMs that you may encounter in practice
These hand dominance activities help with laterality and hand preference in kids. Kids who switch hands during activities can work on hand dominance.
Find out exactly what the tactile system is, red-flags for sensitivities and the best activities for the tactile system that kids will love.
Visual discrimination is an important skill for children to develop to assist with reading, writing and math skills.
Teach kids to tackle challenges and build vital thinking skills with these fun problem-solving activities and games for preschoolers.
Practice pre-writing with this line tracing worksheet along with fine motor skills.
If you're an occupational therapy practitioner or student looking for cognitive intervention ideas, check out our article covering the all the basics here.
Visual discrimination is an important skill for children to develop to assist with reading, writing and math skills.
Successful early experiences in math have a powerful effect in how your child develops their mathematical thinking, a important skill to master for use in their everyday lives. Our math printable worksheets will help your young child learn their numbers, shapes and other basic math skills.
Visual discrimination is an important skill for children to develop to assist with reading, writing and math skills.
Sensory Diet: Practical Ways to Incorporate Sensory Input for children and students. Includes Discussion of Sensory Systems, Evidence Base Research on Sensory Diets, and free printables to create a Sensory Diet.
Circle or whole-group activities can be challenging for SLPs. Here are five easy to prep, highly engaging activities for preschoolers.
Ultimate Outdoor Loose Parts List for Winter!As an outdoor educator in Canada, winter can pose all sorts of challenges and I have found many loose parts work differently in different weather. I want to share what I have learned for those of us who want to use loose parts during snowy, wet, or colder seasons! These loose parts will work great in your backyard, schoolyard, local park or any outdoor space. They are fun when there is snow on the ground and will survive colder weather. The last thing
Occupational therapy in the acute care setting can be fast-paced, exciting, and intense. Here's what you can expect in this OT setting.
Find out what the average attention span of a preschooler is and teach your kids to focus with these 10 simple activities to increase attention span.
Looking for functional, occupation-based standing tolerance activities for your OT practice? Here are 10 of our top favorites.
Visual discrimination is an important skill for children to develop to assist with reading, writing and math skills.
This interview with ICU Occupational Therapist Abby Lefkove, OTR/L, takes a deep dive into what it's like to work as an OT in the ICU.
Does your child seem more active than their same-aged peers or pursue movement? Does your child have a hard time sitting in their chair at school or during ...
Parent advocates will learn about early intervention and autism and early signs of autism and interventions to support development.
Improving Communication Skills for Non-Verbal Children Through the Use of Aided Language Boards
Looking for early intervention for sensory differences? This article covers everything you need to know about SPD in early intervention.
Shaving Cream Painting is a process art activity for preschoolers and toddlers. (My 7 year old loves it too.) You need minimal supplies and I guarantee that your 2, 3, 4 or 5 year old
Learn how to teach children self-control the right way with this collection of fun yet powerful self-regulation strategies and activities for kids!
A super fun arrow jumping game for kids. Comes with a free printable.
From developing fine motor skills, letter and number recognition, sight words, sorting, sequencing, reading, and math, these task boxes for autism tasks will help develop important life skills and beyond!
Master cutting kids need to practice scissor skills a lot... so here are 20 fun ideas for cutting practice!
