Occupational Therapy blog with tips and tricks for those who care for children
Finding the perfect baby toys can feel overwhelming, can’t it? One of the things I’ve learned as a mom and pediatric Occupational Therapist is that babies often enjoy — and prefer! — playing with everyday, ordinary stuff that’s laying around the house. That laundry basket? Toy. That baby wipes container? Toy. That kitchen pot? Toy. That cardboard box?…
Today I welcome guest blogger Stacy Turke, OTR/L! Stacy’s 30+ years as an occupational therapist have taught her what it really takes to be a great OT. She’s learned that occupational therapy practitioners are passionate, generous, versatile…wait, I don’t want to give too much away! Go for it, Stacy! . . . . . After spending…
Jessica is a first year OT student who will be starting her Level II fieldwork in an acute care hospital setting. She is super nervous because she is shy and gets nauseous at the sight of blood. Jeff is a second year OT student who will be starting his Level II fieldwork in a skilled nursing…
Spring is near and it’s a great time to transition from heart-themed activities to rainbow-themed ones! I’ve created a pack of FREE printable rainbow templates you can download and use for fine motor activities with the kids in your life! I initially created these so we could build rainbows out of Fruit Loops! This was specifically for…
Have you been looking for an easy way to support your kids’ fine motor development? Fine Motor ABC is your answer. Written by a pediatric Occupational Therapist, this short picture book gets right to the heart of how to support fine motor skills children need for everyday activities such as playing, feeding, dressing, cutting, writing, and…
As a pediatric Occupational Therapist, I often receive questions from concerned parents and teachers about whether children are on track with their handwriting development. Sometimes kids’ handwriting difficulties are due to the fact that they are not yet developmentally ready to begin handwriting instruction. Or sometimes it’s because they don’t have a good gross motor…
With each passing year, technology becomes a more critical part of students’ educational programs. This is especially true for children who struggle with handwriting. Keyboarding is often suggested as an alternative or supplement to pen-and-paper writing for children with disabilities. But what if a child also struggles with typing, or with learning how to type?…
Looking for a toy to keep the kids in your life active? Then check out these OT-recommended gifts to get kids MOVING! The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends that children and adolescents should get at least 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. This includes activities that promote aerobic exercise (vigorously…
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 and FINALLY gets his coat on with his arms in the right holes. He makes a few half-hearted attempts at hooking the two sides of…
“My 11-month-old shows no interest in feeding herself. Is that normal?” “My toddler spills sooooo much every time she tries to feed herself yogurt. It’s so messy!” “My preschooler hates using his fork. He throws it every time I try to get him to use it!” “My middle schooler still needs me to cut his food…
