All right, we are on to part 3 of our therapist recommended toys for this holiday season! For those of you that miss Part 1 and Part 2 I have linked them! So here we go for a few more of our faves and why we like them! Toy Microwave and Food – This is […]
Holiday Gift Guide 2018 Part 2
We’re back with Part 2 of our therapist recommended toys for gifts and why they are recommending them! For those of you that missed Part 1 check it out! Yoga Spinner – This is another game that is fairly new to our clinic but it has been pretty popular! As many of you know, we […]
Holiday Gift Guide 2018 Part 1
Hi! It’s that time of year again. Many families are asking us for ideas of gifts to get for their kids. We have done several gift guides in the past – Here is last years! So, to do this year’s we asked our therapist to each pick 2 of their favorite toys. I am going […]
Teaching Shoe Tying – A Tool
We are lucky enough to have an OT back on staff and we have been loving the collaboration and idea generation! We have had quite a few kids come in that aren’t able to tie their shoes, and while velcro is an option, some of them want the shoes that have laces. So, in order […]
Looking at the Big Picture
When we provide physical or occupational therapy to kids, we are often asking parents about their child’s participation in life. Are there areas that they aren’t able to participate in fully or things that are really important to the child or family? For instance, if they go to a playground, will they readily […]
Favorite Toys: Connect Four
Connect Four is a great game for anyone to play. It’s a great way to start working on strategy with kids. Being a PT, while we may play the game with our kids, it’s usually part of another task that we are working on. Here are a few of the ways that we have used […]
How to Make a Tennis Ball Monster
What you need: A tennis ball, scissors or knife, marker, small manipulatives such as paperclips, pennies, beads, pom poms, etc. Steps: A whole or slit needs to be cut across the ball first for the mouth. The adult should do this possibly before beginning the activity with the child. This can be difficult to do […]
Doing Two Things at Once
Have you ever asked your child to walk while holding their glass of milk back to the table? “Dual tasking” or doing two things a once can sometimes be a difficult task and occasionally can lead to some spilled milk! Walking has been thought to be an automatic activity. However, recently studies have shown that […]
Five Ways to Use Drinking Straws
Straws are a fun and affordable way to develop fine motor skills such as cutting and stringing. Straws also can be used for fun tabletop games or for arts and crafts. 1. Blowing bubbles: Who remembers blowing bubbles in a glass of milk as a child? Blowing bubbles are a great way for improving oral […]