[Source: Boomerang Health] Getting kids dressed to go outside in the winter can be a daunting task. On a good day it can take almost as long as the outdoor play itself. To avoid a hold up, parents will often “assist” their children with the process. Although support is great, offering too much can have […]
by Stacy Menz, DPT, Board Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist One of our OT’s was so excited last week to show us the new activity she was doing with a few of her kiddos. She had just started it so she hasn’t had time to embellish it for pictures and make it look pretty! Also, we […]
[Source: Your Therapy Source] Self-regulation is the ability to monitor and manage your energy states, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in ways that are acceptable and produce positive results such as well-being, loving relationships, and learning. It is how we deal with stressors and as such, lays the foundation for all other activity. Developing this ability […]
Editor’s Note: This article was written for parents and guardians and would be an excellent share with your clients’s caregivers. [Source: Mama OT] It’s raining cats and dogs and you’re rushing to get the kids out the door. Your 8-year-old throws on her coat while quickly zipping and snapping it up. Your 4-year-old struggles and struggles […]
By: Dr. Joni Redlich, DPT, PCS As a physical therapist working with children I have worked very closely with pediatric occupational therapists in a variety of settings. There are areas of overlap that both OTs and PTs address, and also areas that we can consult with each other to maximize the child’s outcomes. PTs have […]
[Source: Medical X-Press] Writing, driving a screw or throwing darts are only some of the activities that demand a high level of skill. How the brain masters such exquisite movements has now been described in the journal Nature by a team of researchers at the University of Basel and the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research. A […]
[Your Therapy Source] Did you know that ADHD affects approximately 3% – 7% of school-aged children worldwide? The symptoms of ADHD may include severe inattention, impulsiveness and overactivity and many children also display poor motor coordination. Pervious research indicates motor problems in children with ADHD 30% to 52% of the time. This can influence many skills […]
[Source: Your Therapy Source] A recent research review investigated the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions. It included mindful movements such as yoga on attention and executive function in children and adolescents. Following a systemic search, 13 randomized control trials were identified as meeting inclusion criteria, including mindfulness-based psychological interventions (n = 7), yoga (n = 3), and traditional meditation techniques […]
[Source: The Inspired Treehouse] Learning how to skip can be a challenging skill for many kids. These tips can help! Skipping is a skill that you will often see a 5 year old beginning to master as they gain body awareness and bilateral coordination. It’s a locomotor skill that is seen during games of tag […]
By: Loren Shlaes, OT Certified Teacher of the Alexander Technique 1. Make sure that the child with attentional issues is sitting near an adult with his back facing a wall, or better yet, niched in a corner. A sensory defensive child lives in a chronic fight or flight state, and sitting with his back exposed will […]
Here is an old favorite therapeutic activity - spray shapes and patterns. Cut up some fun foam into different shapes or use any foam shapes. Using a spray bottle, squirt some water on a white board or mirror. The fun foam will stick to the surface. You could trace the shapes on a dry area of the board. Once the shapes are damp the child can match them up to the outlines. This activity encourages: hand strengthening wrist extension visual perceptual skills math concepts Looking for more activities like this? Check out Play - Move - Develop.
[Source: Your Therapy Source] Did you know that mindfulness for preschoolers can help with executive functioning, academic skills and social skills? Researchers have explored this topic and have found that mindfulness techniques can be very beneficial when it comes to preschoolers. ne study followed a year long mindfulness program designed to enhance the self-regulation of […]
By: Melanie Lambert OTR/L A.M. Skeffington, an American optometrist known to some as “the father of behavioral optometry”, believed that vision cannot be separated from the total individual nor from any of the sensory systems because it is integrated into all human performance. His model describes how visual processes mesh with auditory input, proprioception, kinesthesia […]
[Source: Pediatric Occupational Therapy Tips] Squeezing and placing clothespins is a great way to strengthen the small muscles in the thumb, index, and middle finger and improve eye hand coordination, which are both important for handwriting and scissor skills. I like to have the child place the clothespins on a paint stirrer to address bilateral […]
The arches of the hand support precision and mobility in fine motor tasks. Discover arch development and activities to refine hand arches.
by Katherine J. Collmer, M.Ed., OTR/L One summer, I came across a remarkable fourth-grade student who desperately wanted to increase her speed with cursive. We’ll call her Mary. When I assessed her handwriting skills, I discovered that her letter formations were superb, but she certainly attained that perfection at the expense of speed. We spent […]
[Source: Educate 2 Empower] Here are ten fantastic books to help children understand, manage and overcome anxiety, worry and stress — providing through story, lessons and coping strategies that will stay with them as they grow up, facing the challenges that life throws at us. Check Out This List on Educate 2 Empower
[Source: A Day in Our Shoes] Thanksgiving is almost here! For most of the world, families anticipate and look forward to this time with happiness. Some of us with special needs, maybe not. It can be challenging, to say the least. Sometimes I think that I could use printable social stories for Thanksgiving to help […]
[Source: Your Therapy Source] Editor’s Note: Margaret Rice of Your Therapy Source has been a contributor to our blog for over a decade now – since the inception of our PediaStaff Blog. Please enjoy this collection of all the Thanksgiving Themed Freebies she has shared with all of us over the years. Take a Look […]
[Source: PBS Learning Media] In this interactive game, children are prompted to help the animals get dressed for each season. The earth changes with each season, and children can enjoy and learn from these changes. Observing the ways in which these changes take place can be a wonderful tool to introduce concepts such as evaluation […]
[Source: Your Therapy Source] A recent research study looked closely at action observation, imitation, and autism. The study wanted to explore how neurologically, motor impairments contribute to the deficits and unique neural signatures of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Precognitive embodied simulation is the ability to understand other people’s actions and intentions and implicitly […]
[Source: Your Therapy Source] It is important for primary students to have handwriting fluency and writing skills. This allows them to be able to communicate their ideas effectively. There are many activities that can help improve these skills but it is critical to understand what areas need to improve. Researchers took a closer look at […]
[Source: The EleanorOT Blog] By Eleanor Cawley M.S. OTR/L When is it time to discharge?: This is always one of the biggest questions when it comes down to CSE Meetings and whether or not to recommend services for students next year. Of course, in a school-based setting, the big ‘money makers’ are handwriting and now […]
Article and Image Source: Melissa & Doug by Kristina Buskirk I have always loved watching the Summer Olympics. As a little kid I would glue myself to the TV watching gymnastics and cheering on my favorite athletes. Now as a mom I love to find ways to share Olympics fun with my own kids through simple games. Today […]
[Source: SLP Runner via TpT] I hope you enjoy this fun 10 slide freebie. It is an auditory processing, sequencing, and memory activity where students act as customers, servers, cooks, and supervisors in a pizza shop. The customer orders from a menu and the server must recall the order and express it to the cook. […]
Editor’s Note: PediaStaff would like to once again welcome Ushma Sampat as a PediaStaff blog contributor. Ushma helps school based OTs hit the ground running with confidence rather than overwhelm through an Online CEU Course which includes templates and mentoring – Literally everything she wished she had when she was new to the school […]
by Dana Moore, OTR/L There are so many ways to use popsicle sticks for craft projects. But did you also know that they can be great tools for building school-readiness skills? Check out these easy ways to use popsicle sticks to prepare your little one for reading, writing, and academic success! 1) Spacing Buddy: First […]
Editor’s Note: This blog post lists 100 great summer ideas right in the post. A more printer friendly list is also available for free if you sign up for the OT Toolbox mailing list. Having a summer bucket list that keeps kids from the inevitable summer boredom is essential…but a summer bucket list that actually […]
Special Thanks to Your Therapy Source for this great activity. Please support our contributors and visit Your Therapy Source We all know the usual “therapy” uses for bubble wrap – popping the bubbles with the fingers or the feet. Here are some creative crafty ideas to extend the proprioceptive benefits of bubble wrap!
[Source: Your Therapy Source] Check out this awesome FREE visual motor animal I spy. Look and finds are great but sometimes they are only a visual discrimination and figure ground activity. This freebie combines both of those visual perceptual skills with fine motor and visual motor skills because the students have to color the correct […]
[Source: Yoga in My School] This game helps attune individuals to all the sounds in their environment. It is wonderfully versatile and can be played with one other person, a group, or all alone. In addition it builds concentration and memory. This game encourages open attention as it requires continual scanning of the environment. It […]
[Source: Your Therapy Source] Impulse control is an essential skill for children to develop. It involves the ability to inhibit one’s actions and wait until a more appropriate time. For example, waiting until they are calm to prevent acting impulsively. Educators, therapists, and parents can learn some simple tips on how to improve impulse control […]
[Source: Recycling OT] I have been teaching several children and adults to close large buttons using large button squares. These are simply 2 pieces of fabric -one with a button sewn on it and the other with a slit to button onto it. Some of my clients are ready to work on closing smaller buttons […]
[Source: Kids Play Smarter] There seems to be some kind of fascination that kids have with spray bottles! What better way to sneak some educational value into an already motivating game than to incorporate learning and fine motor concepts into spray bottle play! Don’t let the simplicity of these games undermine their effectiveness in improving […]
Making a collage is a standard type of activity in preschool and kindergarten rooms. Assembling a lot of different materials to create a larger visual item is a time-honored art form. In fact it is so familiar that often we overlook it as a creative endeavor. But preschoolers still enjoy making collages and experimenting with this visual art form. In our art camp last summer, we created a collage with sticky notes. These collages were group efforts with different colors, sizes, and shapes of self-stick notes. We got most of our notes from the dollar store. We used our magnet boards as a base for the collages. But you could use large pieces of paper. Or even create the collage directly on a wall. This activity is great for all ages of preschoolers. Since no glue or other adhesive is involved, younger preschoolers can easily enjoy doing this activity. And our pre-kindergartners and kindergartners really enjoyed it, too. Just make sure you have lots of notes on hand! If you leave the collage out for several days, preschoolers can add to it or rearrange it. They can take notes off and replace them later. Add even more creativity with pens or markers. Children can draw or write on the notes before or after sticking them on the collage.
Adapted from: From Flapping to Function: A Parent's guide to Autism and Hand Skills http://www.fromflappingtofunction.com Typically developing children naturally cross midline during play and functional activities. This is not a skill that parents usually teach, which is why you've probably never heard the term before. Children with dyspraxia other types of Sensory Processing disorders (SPD) may avoid crossing midline. MIDLINE: is an imaginary vertical line running from the top of the head to the toes, that divides the body into left and right sides. Seven-year-old Pedro reached for markers using whichever hand was closest to them, and then used that hand to color. He didn't attempt to stabilize the paper with his opposite hand. Observing this, the teacher, consulted with the school occupational therapist, Leila. Leila recommended that he practice forming large circles on a whiteboard. She offered him a marker positioned directly in front of him at, midline. He grasped it with his left hand, suggesting this hand might be dominant. Leila gently held his right arm at his side while he drew large circles on the board. Next, Leila placed her hand on top of his to guide his movements. With this help Pedro was able to trace over large diagonal crosses and horizontal figure-eights without switching hands. Leila also recommended activities to help Pedro strengthen his hands, especially his fingers, so that he didn't switch the marker from hand to hand due to fatigue. His teacher tried the 1-2-3 PULL activity shown in the video below and realized that Pedro's left hand had better control than his right when pulling the rings. This observation reinforced the idea that he was left-hand dominant. Source: Sensory Pull Bottle Helps Children with Autism or sensory Processing Disorders by RecyclingOT Here are a few more activities that promote crossing midline: 1) Find two containers of different colors (such as red and blue) and bean bags to match. Place the red beanbags on the child's left and the red container on the child's right and vice-versa for the blue. Instruct the child to insert the red bean bags into the red container with the right hand, and the blue beanbags into the blue container with the left hand. The girl in the photo has a basket on the other side of the horse so that she can sort the objects while working on crossing midline. 2) Ask the child to touch her right knee with her left hand. Repeat with various body parts. Reverse by showing her how to use the right hand to touch named body parts on the left side of her body. Sometimes we can encourage crossing midline while children use both hands to move a larger object. The girl in the photo is grasping a vibrating cushion with body hands to touch it to her right leg. She is crossing midline with her left arm. Suspend a ball so that the child can bat at it with a long tube. Initially have the child hold the tube with both hands. He will at times cross midline as the ball jumps around. Position your hand while giving high fives, so that the child crosses midline. I did this repeatedly when performing hippotherapy. This simple strategy can be used anywhere, anytime - whether sitting standing or moving. The person inserting checkers into the Connect Four Board must stabilize it with one hand because it he doesn't it will fall over. When he began working from his left t o right, he did not cross midline, but eventually he did as he worked his way across the board. Another awesome game that will surely promote crossing midline is Twister. Its also very easy to position materials so that the person reaches across midline with the dominant hand. The person in the video enjoys repetitive picture matching in the form board. Source: Form Board Picture Activity for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities by RecyclingOT Finally, the last video demonstrates an activity that uses either Scrabble tiles or alphabet blocks. This works on many visual and fine motor skills as I alternate hands to place the letters alphabetically. Source: Crossing Midline Alphabet Sequencing for Children with Sensory Processing Disorders by RecyclingOT
[Source: The OT Toolbox] Life skills-cooking does not mean learning to make gourmet meals. It means meal preparation to survive. No teenager should go off to college without the means to cook Ramen, macaroni and cheese, cereal, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Add pizza and Taco Bell to their meal plan, and voila, […]
[Source: OT Closet on YouTube] Click to Watch this Video on the OT Closet YouTube Channel;
[Source: Your Therapy Source] How does visual perception and handwriting work together? A recent research article took a closer look at determining if correlations exist between the eight sub-components of visual perception including eye hand coordination, position in space, copying, figure ground discrimination, spatial relations, visual closure, visual motor speed and form constancy, and handwriting […]
[Source: The Inspired Treehouse] We’re happy to be partnering up with Dayna at Lemon Lime Adventures for the second post in our series together on sensory processing. Today’s post is all about the vestibular system – what is it, why is it important to growth and development, and what can you do to support it in your child? […]
[Source: Your Therapy Source] If you work with kindergarteners, you know how important it is to start teaching the basic of handwriting in kindergarten. Not only does handwriting instruction help with legibility, did you know that it can also help with reading skills? A recent study was done to determine if handwriting instruction had an […]
Editor’s Note: Thank you to our friends at School Psyched Your School Psychologist for sharing this article [Source: Tolerance.org] McKenzie Adams and Maddie Whitsett should still be here with us today. But after being tormented at their respective schools last year, the two girls, both 9 years old, died by suicide. According to the girls’ […]
[Source: The OT Toolbox] Working on a functional pencil grasp with your child or occupational therapy caseload? Need activities to improve pencil grasp that kids WANT to do? These games that improve pencil grasp through fine motor activities are activities that boost the skills kids need for pencil grasp and games that strengthen the hands. Working on […]
[Source: Pink Oatmeal] It’s hard to believe that Christmas is almost here. I’ll admit, I’m pretty excited that the Hallmark Channel has started playing their Christmas movies. Even though it’s not even Thanksgiving people have been asking what to get my little man for Christmas. I’m sure I’m not alone. I’ve come up with a simple […]
[Source: Pathways.org] Why’s and How’s of Tummy Time presented by Dr. Anne Zachry and Linda Rooke, PT The webinar covers: The importance of tummy time Different tummy time positions How to make tummy time fun Tips for a fussy baby during tummy time and more! Tummy Time plays a significant role in helping babies meet their […]
[Source: Medical X-Press] Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder affecting between 8-10 percent of school-age children. In a recent study published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, Stewart H. Mostofsky, M.D., director of the Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research at Kennedy Krieger Institute, and Karen E. Seymour, Ph.D., assistant […]
