Toddler Throwing Practice with Play Dough Basketball

Posted on May 19, 2013 by christiekiley

Does your child like to throw things? I know my toddler does. Well, challenge them to a game of play dough basketball!

I tried this yesterday after making a fresh batch of orange scented play dough using this basic recipe (and I used 2 packets of orange Kool Aid as both the color and scent, rather than liquid food coloring).

Play dough basketball was a fun way to allow my little guy to throw things without being destructive or getting into trouble!

Throwing is an important skill for the overall development of motor, visual, and coordination skills. It begins around 13 months with “flinging” forward, then progresses to throwing under or overhand around 15-18 months, then develops into throwing toward and eventually into a target about three feet away by the time they are 16-20 months old.

But encouraging kids to throw things can be dangerous, especially once they realize they can throw anything they can get their little hands on!

Play dough basketball is a safe(r) and easily accessible way to encourage throwing toward a target and it’s great because you can make the ball any size you want. If you cook a batch of homemade play dough, you’ll have about a pound or more of play dough to work with.

Because the play dough has some weight to it — as opposed to soft foam balls — it provides more sensory feedback to your kiddo’s muscles and joints, which helps them get a better feel for how much force they must use in order to throw the ball where they want it to go. This is especially true if they play with a big rolled-up piece of play dough that requires two hands just like a basketball.

Once all the play dough is in the target (such as a bucket), they can engage in some “heavy work” by carrying the bucket to a different part of the room or dumping out all the play dough balls to get ready for Round Two. This is especially helpful for kids who really seek out this type of heavy muscle input in order to keep their bodies calm.

After your game of play dough basketball is finished, sit down and engage in some fun fine motor play (10 great ideas here) or simply seal up the dough in an airtight container and save it for later.

Happy throwing!

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Tips for teaching kids time management, planning, and organization (aka- executive function skills)

Posted on April 28, 2013 by christiekiley

Mama OT is excited to welcome back guest blogger Abby Brayton-Chung! Abby is a pediatric OT who wrote a post for us last summer called “Five Things Your School OT Wishes You Would Do This Summer“. Today she is here to talk about something OTs call “executive functioning” which includes, among other things, the ability to manage time, plan, and organize. She spent much of the month of March addressing these types of skills on her OT blog, and she has agreed to condense all those posts into one so you can learn some really great tips. Be sure to click on the hyperlinks in order to read her individual posts with more details on each suggestion she provides. They are REALLY helpful.

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What are executive function skills?

Executive function skills are cognitive skills that are used to execute a task. It takes several executive skills to execute a single task. For example, getting dressed for school involves planning ahead for the weather, beginning and completing the task in a timely manner, managing emotions about wanting (or not wanting) to go to school, and maintaining attention to complete the task.

Executive function skills begin to develop in infancy and continue developing all the way into adulthood! Executive function skills take a long time to fully develop, so it is important to provide children with a solid foundation along the way.

Executive function skills help children complete chores and homework, save money for a desired toy, follow rules, and keep track of belongings. Signs that your child might be having difficulty with executive function skills include: difficulty planning school projects and/or estimating how long it will take to complete a project, difficulty telling details of a story in a sequential manner, or difficulty remember information while doing something.

There are a number of executive function skills, which are described in more detail here. Today I’m going to focus on the following areas that parents commonly identify as areas of difficulty for their children: (1) time management, (2) planning, and (3) organization.

Tips for developing executive function skills in children:

(1) Time management. Time management is the ability to estimate how much time one has and how to use that time to complete a task.

To teach the passage of time, I like to use a dry erase marker to color on the face of a clock, like this (read more about this strategy by clicking here):

This method allows your child to visualize the time remaining, as well as to check in at the halfway point. Some questions to ask at the halfway point:

Am I halfway done with the work?

Am I still focused on the goal?

Is anything robbing my time (e.g. distractions)?

Do I need to move at a faster or slower pace?

(2) Planning. Planning is the ability to create and follow a plan to complete a task.

To help children plan out their homework, teach them to become a future sketcher (read more about that here). If your child has a homework assignment, first ask, “What will it look like?”

For example, what would the following assignment look like?

Using a two column note, write the definition of each vocabulary word and draw a picture to illustrate the definition of your vocabulary word.

It might look something like this when it is completed:

By teaching your child to sketch out what an assignment will look like when it is completed, it allows your child to identify where to start, what components are needed, and what the assignment will look like when it is finished. This all leads to more independent completion of homework!

For long-term planning, post-it note calendars can be useful for students to visualize when different assignments are due, as well as to help with breaking assignments down into manageable chunks (read more here). This can help you and your student avoid the last minute scramble of discovering the science project is due tomorrow!

(3) Organization. Organization is the ability to keep track of information and materials.

Students often fall into one of three organizational styles: visual, spatial, or sequential (read more here). Setting up a Get Ready-Do-Done workspace can help with both organization and planning for all three organization types (read more here).

Using colored visuals to set up and organize the study space allows children to plan for all of the supplies they need to complete their homework and to work more independently.

In addition to setting up a study space for your child, a simple homework folder can help keep your student organized and help to remember to turn in homework (read more here).

Any homework that needs to be turned in should go into the homework side of the folder. When the teacher asks for the homework, your student will know exactly where to look! Your child may initially need assistance making sure all of the homework gets into the folder at night.

Speaking of organization, does your child have trouble getting out the door in the morning with all of his or her belongings? Try taking a photo of your child ready for school and then placing the photo in a luggage tag on his or her backpack. Now your child has a visual to refer to when getting ready for school! This works well for soccer practice (or any other sports practice) as well!

Check out the following blog for more tips on teaching kids executive function skills:
1. Engaging Minds:Tools for Learning, Skills for Life

And I highly recommend these books if you are looking for additional tools to help with executive function skills in kids:
1. Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents, 2nd Edition, by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
2. Organizing the Disorganized Child: Simple Strategies to Succeed in School, by Martin L. Kutscher and Marcella Moran

I hope you find these tips helpful for teaching your child skills to not only be successful in school, but to also be successful in life!

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Abby Brayton-Chung, MS, OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist with 6 years of experience evaluating and treating children ages birth to eighteen. She has experience working in early intervention, school-based, and clinic-based settings. Abby currently works at a private school in the Boston area serving students with language based learning disabilities. Abby blogs about her experiences as an OT at www.abbypediatricot.blogspot.com.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links. That means if you click on the link and end up buying something, a small percentage of that purchase will help Mama OT buy more diapers (at no additional cost to you)!

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Sensory “Calm Down” Bottle

Posted on April 7, 2013 by christiekiley

Have you ever found yourself working with or caring for a child who becomes so overstimulated or upset that nothing seems to help them calm down?

While there are many whole-body sensory calming strategies that can be used to help kids calm and regulate their bodies, they aren’t always available or effective in certain contexts. Wouldn’t it be nice if, when your kid is having a meltdown in the car, grocery store, classroom, Grandma’s house, or even your own house, you had a go-to sensory tool you could provide to help him or her calm down?

Enter the “Calm Down” Bottle.

I first discovered it on Pinterest thanks to In Lieu of Preschool and then dug a little deeper to find the original post published at My Crazy Blessed Life.

Calm Down Bottle

Calm Down Bottles from My Crazy Blessed Life

Just as newborns (especially premies) learn to regulate their breathing, heart rate, and body temperature through an outside source (i.e., skin-to-skin contact with their new parent), older kids often require an outside source in order to learn how to regulate their physiological and emotional responses to stressors.

In OT we call this “learning to self-regulate”. Some common self-regulation strategies preschool-aged kids (or older) can use to successfully calm themselves include deep breathing, wrapping themselves tightly in a blanket, self-massage or “dots and squeezies” up the hands and arms, wall push-ups, rocking in a rocking chair, swinging on a park swing, retreating to a dark, quiet space, laying on or under a beanbag chair, and so much more.

Most toddlers and preschoolers (and even older kiddos) are not able to self-regulate and often require some sort of instruction or model for how to respond to emotional- or sensory-based stressors. This is especially true for many children with autism and sensory processing difficulties. These kiddos often require co-regulation, which means regulation strategies must be initiated or demonstrated by another person. (Side note: Family pets such as dogs tend to be wonderful co-regulators for children, especially those with autism. Some are even trained as therapy dogs for that specific purpose.)

From an OT perspective, these Calm Down Bottles are a nice tool for helping kids transition from co-regulation to self-regulation.

If a child is so upset she cannot be consoled or engaged in other calming activities (like she doesn’t want to be touched, hugged, or talked to), these Calm Down Bottles can serve as a visual “anchor” in order to bring her focus into one place when it may feel like her world is spinning out of control. She can shake the bottle as hard as she wants (so don’t use a glass bottle), and this provides calming proprioceptive input to her body while also serving as a physical outlet that is less destructive than hitting or kicking. While she holds the bottle and watches the glitter fall, her hands and eyes are brought to midline and this can help organize and center her nervous system as well. And as her heart pounds and she demonstrates fast, shallow breathing from being so upset, the slow fall of the shaken glitter can serve as a visual model that, often unconsciously, can slow her heart rate and respiration.

At first the use of a Calm Down Bottle will likely need to be initiated by the adult. As with most calming strategies, it should be introduced to the child before she is ever upset so she knows what it is and how it works. Additionally, it will likely be the most effective when given to the child before she completely escalates and is totally inconsolable. Most calming strategies will be most effective when implemented before kids get to that “point of no return”. Shake up the bottle, hand it to the child, and see what she does. If, after repeated introductions, you find the Calm Down Bottle is an effective tool (like this mom, this mom, and this mom did), then it’s possible you’ve found something to help your kiddo transition to self-regulation!

Sensory Calm Down Bottle

Calm Down Bottle in action, from In Lieu of Preschool

The transition to self-regulation occurs when your child initiates use of the Calm Down Bottle as a self-calming tool. This may mean she asks for it or just goes and gets it herself when she starts to feel overwhelmed, overstimulated, or upset. You will have to be the judge of whether she needs to be left alone or if, after a certain number of minutes, you can sit with her in order to be a part of the calming process by talking to her about her feelings, using additional calming strategies, or simply just being there with her.

I remember learning in school that it takes the human body about 20 minutes to fully calm down after becoming upset or excited. Basically, it takes that long for the body to “call off the attack” and return itself to its original, non-stressed state. So keep this in mind when watching or helping your child recover from a stressful episode, whether it was due to sensory overload or an emotional breakdown.

Calm Down Bottles are really easy to make. Click here to find out how.

You can even have your child help you make the bottle. By involving her in the process she can develop some ownership over it, plus she also gets to practice some fine motor strengthening and hand-eye coordination as she squeezes the glue and sprinkles the glitter in the bottle!

Have you ever seen or used a Calm Down Bottle? Got any tips you’d like to share?

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How to Make Homemade Instant Snow

Posted on March 24, 2013 by christiekiley

Someone recently told me you can make instant snow by cutting open a disposable diaper and pouring water on it til it turns into a gelatinous, moldable sensory play tool.

What?!

As an OT who is always looking for new sensory play ideas, I decided I HAD to try this for myself. Here’s how I did it:

1. Cut open the diaper so you can extract the absorbent pad in the middle. Be delicate with the pad. It’s super fragile and little particles will start to fall off when you move it around.

2. Place the absorbent pad in a container (such as a plastic toy bin, baking sheet, or large mixing bowl) and slowly add water, poking and prodding the pad as you go to help break it apart. I had to use approximately four cups of water to turn a Size 3 Huggies pad into the appropriate consistency. If you don’t have a long container you could always cut or tear the pad into smaller pieces.

3. That’s it! Ridiculously simple.

Check out that texture.

Encourage sensory exploration, motor planning, and fine motor skills by molding the snow into snowballs or creating sculptures such as snowmen or animals. Practice pre-writing skills by forming shapes, letters, and numbers in the snow. Kids can use their index fingers or can even use a tool such as the non-brush end of a thin paintbrush in order to practice pencil grasp as well.

And for those little ones who are either reluctant to touch the slushy stuff or who need to practice their scooping skills, give them a tool (learn more here).

Make sure your little explorer doesn’t try to eat the fake snow. Though the substance is non-toxic, it doesn’t mean it should be ingested. Your snow will be as cold as the water you make it with. If you want it colder, put it in the fridge or freezer. If you want it slushier, add more water. Throw in a little salt if you (or your child) accidentally made it too slushy; this will help “dry” it out a bit. Create different colors of snow by mixing in some food coloring or Kool-Aid powder.

If you don’t have diapers in your house and don’t want to go out and buy a whole pack, you can purchase name-brand instant snow in many stores or online (click here).

Happy snow play!

*This post contains an affiliate link.

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What is Therapeutic Listening ®?

Posted on March 10, 2013 by christiekiley

This weekend I had the opportunity to further my professional development by obtaining training in a therapeutic program I’ve been wanting to use since before I was a therapist: THERAPEUTIC LISTENING ®.

What is Therapeutic Listening ®?
Therapeutic Listening ® is an “evidence-based auditory intervention intended to support individuals who experience challenges with sensory processing dysfunction, listening, attention, and communication.” It’s not a stand-alone program. Therapeutic Listening® (“TL” for short) is one tool that can be used as part of a bigger-picture therapy program based in sensory integration, along with the use of a daily sensory diet (but I like to refer to it as a “sensory lifestyle”).

Basically, kids (or even adults) wear special headphones that play special music which has been “filtered” or modified in order to expose the nervous system to “low sounds” (below 1,000Hz, related to vestibular and postural functions), “mid range sounds” (1,000-4,000Hz, related to key speech sounds), and “high sounds” (›4,000Hz, related to attention, discrimination, and emotional subtleties) at various times throughout the music track. In addition to filtering, the music has also been specially crafted or selected based on the type and number of instruments used (percussion, bass, stringed instruments all affect the nervous system differently) as well as the rhythm (beat, pattern, repetition, tempo), melody, and even the physical space in which the recording was made. Music selections range from nursery songs to nature sounds to classical music to upbeat/pop songs and more.

What does Therapeutic Listening ® do?
Though Therapeutic Listening ® impacts kids’ nervous systems in MANY ways, here are five main highlights of what it does:
1. Influences kids’ extreme patterns of seeking or avoiding movement
2. Influences kids’ understanding and use of their body in space (including motor skills, timing, planning, and coordination)
3. Influences kids’ arousal and activity level so their “Engine” can be “Just Right”
4. Influences kids’ biological rhythms that they may struggle with such as sleep/wake cycles, hunger/fullness, bowel/bladder control, respiration, etc.
5. Influences kids’ ability to use and control their eyes in relation to their head and body

This program uses sound to address functional goals such as improved engagement, social participation, ability to tolerate transitions, communication, learning/academic performance, attention, self-help skills, tolerance for new foods and clothing textures, and even improved handwriting performance. According to the course instructor, most parents report their child’s first responses to TL include changes related to engagement and movement (vestibular: balance, spatial orientation, postural control).

How is the Therapeutic Listening ® Program structured?
In general, children listen to a particular therapist-selected CD for two weeks, at a rate of twice per day for 30 minutes each, with at least three hours in between each listening session. Because Therapeutic Listening ® is a HIGHLY individualized program, it does not follow a cookie-cutter approach. Every child’s plan will be different. Trained therapists use their clinical reasoning to choose and adjust music selections based on the child’s needs/history, the parent’s concerns, and the child’s response to each CD. It is highly dependent on clinical observation and open communication between parents and therapist. Music selections are divided into three categories (Engagement, Interaction, Discrimination) and children are assigned one of three “profiles” in order to guide the therapist in choosing music selections that will best address the child’s needs as they move through one or all three of the categories. Children typically spend a minimum of 12-16 weeks engaging in their individualized program; most will spend even longer depending on their needs and response to each phase of the program.

Who can benefit from doing the Therapeutic Listening ® program?
Everyone! Well…almost. Therapeutic Listening ® should NOT be used with individuals with schizophrenia, auditory-evoked seizures (which are rare), or during active ear infections (prior to 24 hours of antibiotics). It can be used (some with special considerations) for individuals with hearing aides, cochlear implants, Traumatic Brain Injury, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, children under two, and even premature infants in the NICU (so cool!). As mentioned above, this program is meant to be used as part of a therapy program that utilizes additional sensory integration techniques to address bigger picture needs that influence a child’s ability to function in his or her daily life.

So, yes, kiddos and teens with SPD, Autism/Asperger’s, developmental delays, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, visual motor/handwriting difficulties, ADD/ADHD, generalized anxiety, social anxiety disorder, difficulties with executive function, and even/especially those with no diagnosis or who don’t qualify for school-based services but clearly have needs affecting their learning or function in their school or everyday environment…all will benefit! After taking this training, I’m even thinking I need a bit of Therapeutic Listening ® intervention for myself! We all have our own issues, right?

What programs can be used in conjunction with Therapeutic Listening ®?
For those of you therapists who are reading this, you can certainly use TL in conjunction with interventions such as the Astronaut Training Program, Core Concepts in Action, Rhythmic Movement Training, Interactive Metronome, The Alert Program/How Does Your Engine Run, ZONES of Regulation, R.O.P.E.S. Program for improved executive function, and even Handwriting Without Tears. Any others I didn’t list that you would recommend?

How do I get started with the Therapeutic Listening ® program?
First you or your child must be under the supervision of a therapist trained in the use of the Therapeutic Listening ® program. Ask your child’s therapy provider about this or find a certified provider on the Therapeutic Listening ® website by visiting www.vitallinks.net and then clicking Find a Practitioner (or just click here). Once you find a TL provider, discuss whether it would be a good fit for your child and your family. I’ll be honest — it’s a commitment. Two 30-minute sessions a day, seven days a week for at least three to four months? That kind of schedule is not for everyone, and there may be other ways to address your child’s needs and functional goals. Plus, just because it’s not right for you right now doesn’t mean it may not be great at some point in the future.

If you and your child’s therapist decide to begin Therapeutic Listening ®, you may have to purchase some equipment designed specifically to access the therapeutic benefits of the program. As mentioned before, the headphones are specifically designed for use with TL (find online here) and the music selections are customized for the program as well. Music can be played from CDs using a regular portable CD player (secured in a backpack or hip pack), or it can be accessed in the form of a Sansa clip that attaches directly onto the special headphones so you don’t have to worry about dealing with discs. Music should not be burned onto other CDs or compressed into separate MP3 files because it will affect the range of sounds transmitted in music and will compromise the music’s therapeutic effects. Many clinics or therapists may be able to work with families in terms of lending out parts of the program (such as the music) while expecting them to fund some of it themselves (such as buying their own set of headphones and CD player/Sansa clip). Talk with your therapy provider to find out more about their policies regarding this program.

Where can I find more information about Therapeutic Listening ®?
Visit the Vital Links website at www.vitallinks.net. Equipment ordering information can be obtained at www.vitalsounds.com.

If you have any further questions about how the Therapeutic Listening ® program works please leave a comment below, or contact a certified provider in your area (click here) and discuss your specific questions or concerns with him or her.

Happy listening!

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Tips for Introducing Play Dough to Babies and Toddlers

Posted on March 6, 2013 by christiekiley

Have you ever excitedly tried to introduce play dough to a little one for the first time, only to have them reject it or simply walk away? Disappointing, huh?

Don’t worry, your child likely won’t reject that magic dough forever! He just needs a gentle introduction. Once your older baby or toddler is past the mouthing stage (and I like to use home made play dough with this recipe just in case), try these simple tips for introducing him to the wonderful world of play dough.

1. Poke it. Demonstrate first and he’ll probably want to copy you. Once he finds out how funny it is, he might be hooked. Don’t forget the sound effects!
2. Pinch it. Most babies develop a basic pincer grasp by about nine or ten months of age. Show your munchkin how to pinch the play dough and then give him a tiny ball to pinch between thumb and index finger. You may see a smile spread across his face as he discovers his new found skill, along with the squishy sound effects you provide!
3. Hide it. Babies typically develop the basic concept of object permanence (knowing an object exists even when it’s been hidden) by about a year of age. This means they can have fun finding little balls of play dough after you’ve hidden them inside or under containers. Plastic eggs are perfect for hiding play dough balls, especially this time of year when they are available in pretty much every store. Place the pieces inside and watch your little one discover how to squeeze the egg until it pops open and a look of satisfaction comes across his face. He can do this one over and over and over again. Plus as an added bonus, opening eggs is great for working on bilateral skills (coordinating two hands together), hand-eye coordination, and fine motor strength.
However you decide to introduce play dough to your baby or toddler, just make sure it’s safe, supervised, and at a “just right” pace without pushing too fast. Enjoy!

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Reindeer Fine Motor Craft {Photo Friday}

Posted on December 7, 2012 by christiekiley

Welcome to Photo Friday, a place where I share photos of therapeutic tools and ideas that can help boost your child’s development. Please give me feedback on my ideas — I love hearing how they go over with other kids!

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For preschoolers and Kindergarteners who need to work on cutting and fine motor skills, try this simple reindeer craft. Since the body and head are oval-shaped, they serve as a nice transition from learning to cut straight lines to learning to cut circles (since two of the sides are relatively flat). You can pre-cut the antlers if you know your student will struggle so much with them that it will cause extreme frustration. You can also draw a small circle on white paper for the child to color first (coloring smaller shapes requires more fine motor precision), then cut, then glue on as a nose. They can even cut out or draw on a face if they want.

Ask questions about all the different body parts needed (yes, even a neck!), ask about what the body parts are for (be prepared for some funny answers), and then you can even sing the “Mat Man” song from Handwriting Without Tears after each set of body parts has been glued on with the glue stick. Just replace the name “Mat Man” with “Rudolph” and you’re good to go! I also did this with the Santa fine motor craft from last week and it served as a great bridge to review what the students had learned previously (Mat Man) and apply it to a new context (different character). If you’re not sure what the Mat Man song is, it’s a great tool for teaching body awareness and spatial orientation necessary for pre-writing skills. Check it out by clicking here.

Have fun creating reindeer crafts!

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10 Holiday Gift Ideas for Preschoolers

Posted on November 20, 2012 by christiekiley

The holidays are here and it’s time to start putting together your list for the preschooler(s) in your life…but where to start?! Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find ten fun holiday gift ideas for preschoolers from ages three to five years. These gifts will be sure to help that little learner have fun and develop new skills all at once. Of course there are tons of fun toys out there for preschoolers, so I hope this post will help you get started as you dive into the world of gift giving! Find out even more toy ideas for preschoolers by clicking here.

And if you’ve also got younger kiddos to shop for as well, be sure to check out my holiday gift ideas for babies and toddlers!

1. Beginner multi-piece puzzles-Challenge those hands and eyes as they work together to flip, turn, and slide pieces around in order to make them fit together.

2. Easel and supplies- Engages kids’ creative and sensory side while developing strong muscles in the arms and hands to help prepare their bodies for writing. The best easelshave chalkboard and whiteboard surfaces, with the ability to attach paper over them. Some of my favorite easel supplies include dry erase crayons(they are AMAZING!), colored chalk(break into small pieces to encourage age-appropriate pinch grasp, learn more here), finger paint, washable paint, paint cups with brushes, easel paper, and of course an art smock.

3. Pretend play sets- Ideal for this age group and great for developing symbolic play, fine motor, social, and language skills. Some examples include kitchen sets (the Melissa & Doug Corner Kitchen, Little Tikes Deluxe Wooden Kitchen and Laundry Center, Little Tikes Deluxe Wooden Kitchen and Laundry Center, pretend food to cut, etc.), doll houses, doctor/vet set, and costumes for pretend play.

4. Tricycle- Coordinate those legs and strengthen that core to support the development of fine and gross motor skills!

5. Bouncing toys- Beat cabin fever during the cold months by giving kids a chance to move and jump while staying inside the house. Great for sensory seekers. Go-to bouncers include mini trampoline with handle, hippity hop ball, and Rody the hoping horse.

6. Lacing beads- A classic in fine motor development.

7. Gymboree bubbles- Best bubbles on the planet. Five times more bubbles with each blow of the wand, and they float for minutes on end. Lots of developmental benefits to playing with bubbles (find out here). Fun for preschoolers, but also perfect for toddlers and baby play groups as well!

8. Fine motor games- Strengthen those little hands as they prepare to become writers! Some of my favorite fine motor games for preschoolers include Ants in the Pants, Hi Ho Cherry-O, Hungry Dog/Monkey/Bunny, Lite Brite, and Pop Beads.

9. Books- Bring books to life and enhance preschoolers’ reading comprehension by asking them questions and involving them in the story. Check out books with rhymes stories, and silly ideas.

10. Play dough kit with accessories- Sensory, fine motor, language, and imaginary play all in one. So many options to choose from: Creations Caddy, Fun Factory, basic rollers and cutters, big barrel, Prettiest Princess Castle, Dr. Drill and Fill, Star Wars kit, Sesame Street Lunch Box Fun, Cake Making Station, or simply a big pack of colors.

*Many of the links in this post to recommended products are affiliate links. That means if you click them and wind up purchasing the product not only will you get a great product your child will love, you’ll also be helping Mama OT pay back her grad school loans!

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Pumpkin Pie Scented Play Dough

Posted on November 4, 2012 by christiekiley

November is here and there’s nothing like the smell of sweet pumpkin pie…in your child’s play dough!

Pumpkin pie scented play dough is wonderful because it brings a whole other sensory dimension into kid’s tactile play — smell.

Smell is unique because, unlike all the other senses, it is the only sense that goes directly to the brain. This means it travels faster and affects us more quickly than all the other senses. Smell is also strongly tied with memory, especially as it relates to emotions and circumstances. This is because the “smelling receptors” are closely tied to parts of the brain that are responsible for memory and emotion. Think about it: what happens when, for example, you smell cookies baking in the oven? You are immediately reminded of a person or time when you smelled them before (such as eating cookies at grandma’s house), and you will likely experience an emotion along with that memory. In theory, using smell as part of a learning experience could help kids better remember what they learn, especially if there is an emotion tied to the lesson (such as something that’s funny, sad, confusing, or scary).

In addition to triggering emotional memories, smell is also a useful sensory tool to help our kiddos who may have sensory issues. Sensory seekers may appreciate scented play dough because it provides greater intensity to the sensory experience. And the kids who always seems to be lethargic and slouching over will benefit from the scented experience because it provides more intense sensation which basically encourages the body to perk up and get with the program. So it’s a win-win. Just be sure all the kids know not to try and eat the play dough, no matter how good it smells (and it smells GOOD!).

Here are the ingredients for Pumpkin Pie Scented Play Dough:

• 1 cup water
• 20 drops of yellow food coloring
• 10 drops of red food coloring
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tablespoon oil (any kind)
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (find in the spices aisle at the store)
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
(Makes the equivalent of two four-inch balls of play dough)

Directions:

In a large pot, mix 1 cup water, 20 drops yellow food coloring, and 10 drops red food coloring. Add 1 cup flour, 1/2 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 cup salt, and 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Cook on the stove over medium-high heat and mix continuously with wooden spoon for 3-5 minutes. Keep an eye on the consistency of the play dough and remove from heat as soon as it starts to become firm and is still a little sticky (it will stay hot and continue to cook a little once you remove from heat). Once it’s cool enough to touch, knead it and smoosh it until you’re ready to use or store. Store in an airtight container such as a ziploc bag, tupperware, or small plastic baby food container when not in use. As long as you properly store your play dough, it can remain good for up to a year or more.

I dare you to play with this pumpkin pie scented play dough without immediately craving a big slice of pumpkin pie!

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Get Ready for Info on Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

Posted on November 3, 2012 by christiekiley

This weekend I had the distinct privilege of attending the 15th annual international symposium on Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). It was held in my hometown of Sacramento, CA, and I was honored to be in the presence of some of the greatest leaders in the field of SPD research and intervention.

In a nutshell, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) occurs when the brain misinterprets sensory information (like touch, sound, smell, movement) and either over-responds, under-responds, or excessively craves it to the extent that it interferes with a person’s ability to function in his or her daily life. These difficulties with sensory processing also frequently contribute to motor-based problems that end up delaying the development of age-appropriate fine motor skills (small muscle groups: hands/fingers) and gross motor skills (large muscle groups: legs, shoulders, trunk).

The most well-known speaker at this weekend’s conference was Dr. Lucy Jane Miller, an amazing woman who has devoted her life to helping children with issues related to sensory processing. She is the author of Sensational Kids: Hope and help for children with sensory processing disorder and No Longer A SECRET: Unique common sense strategies for children with sensory or motor challenges, and she has co-authored many other books and prestigious research articles on the topic of SPD. Dr. Miller is also the leader of the STAR (Sensory Therapy and Research) Center in Denver, Colorado, which is a unique place for children and their families to engage in intensive sensory-based treatment and education in order to help them more successfully participate in daily activities (such as self-care, eating, playing, and participating socially) and increase their quality of life.

As anticipated, this conference built upon my current knowledge about and experience with sensory processing disorder. Ten lectures over the course of two eight-hour days? Yeah, I learned A LOT!

And I bet you’d like to know some of what I learned?

Well, you’re in luck.

This conference, of course, has reinvigorated my passion for everything sensory, and over the course of the next several weeks, I will be sharing some juicy tidbits that I hope you will find helpful for yourself, your own children, or other children you work with. While I won’t be able to write blog posts about every single thing I learned, I will be sharing many helpful sound bytes throughout the weeks via Twitter and Facebook. So make sure you’re following me on Twitter (@mamaotblog) and you’ve become a fan of MamaOT on Facebook (http://facebook.com/mamaotblog) so you don’t miss out on some really great info.

Topics I look forward to sharing with you are (in no particular order):
• Basics of sensory processing and SPD
• ”Sensory Diet” vs. “Sensory Lifestyle”
• SPD and Autism
• What happens in the brains of kids with SPD as it relates to sensory processing, why this causes them to behave the way they do, and what we can do about it
• Sensory-inclusive playgrounds for kids with SPD and autism
• Emotional regulation as it relates to sensory processing
• ”Picky eating” and sensory sensitivity in kids with SPD

I hope you’re as excited as I am. And, hey, if you’re not interested in reading about SPD stuff, don’t worry, I’ll still be blogging about other topics over the next several weeks as well. I just wanted to give you a heads up so could prepare yourself (because that’s what we pediatric OTs do, right?).

Looking forward to sharing with you!

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Get Ready for Info on Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)