During therapy sessions, we frequently break down activities into smaller parts or chunks to make it easier for children to learn new motor or life skills. As the child progresses with those individual parts of the skill, the child then practices the entire activity as a whole. Sometimes this is done in an isolated environment […]
It can be a challenge at times to encourage children with physical disabilities to participate in leisure activities. The Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy published a small study to determine the effectiveness of environment-based interventions on participation of 6 adolescents with physical disabilities. A 12-week intervention occurred with a focus on removing environmental barriers and coaching parents. […]
Here is a new twist on a do it yourself stress ball – dried bean stress balls. You might be wondering what make these any different than others? Well until you make one and feel it you will not understand. These dried garbanzo bean stress balls feel more like a deep massage in the hands. […]
Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) is defined by Polatajko and Mandich as a “a client-centered, performance based, problem solving approach that enables skill acquisition through a process of strategy use and guided discovery”. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics published a small single case study series on 18 children between the ages of […]
Why are so many of us over-sensitive? When a gentle glow feels like a spotlight and everyday sounds hurt your ears, life can get anxious and painful. But, discovers Emma Young, there may be an upside to being highly sensitive. Written by: Emma Young At the age of six, Jack Craven started telling his mother […]
If you are a new or seasoned pediatric occupational and physical therapist, the world of assistive technology and adaptive equipment is constantly changing. Here are many resources that can help guide you to select the most appropriate technology. Access to Independence Website – Michelle Lange is one of the top OTs in the field of […]
The June issue of the Your Therapy Source digital magazine is now available for free as usual. This month’s issue includes articles on yoga and self regulation, in class sensory strategies, video prompting for ADLs, developmental progression of playground skills and more! Happy reading!
Here is a fun, new freebie from the latest download, Simon Says. Print off these 9 cards to play a quick game of Simon Says. Can the children copy the body poses exactly? These are 9 samples cards from the HUGE collection of body position cards from the complete Simon Says download. The complete […]
Delays in motor skill development may affect academics, activities of daily living, concentration, emotional and social skills. The Journal of Early Childhood Research reported on a study of children (ages 3-6) with coordination disorders who participated in motor skill interventions over the course of two years. The Early Years Movement Skills (EYMSC) checklist and the […]
Need some quick, easy, ideas for summer time to practice handwriting, fine motor, gross motor and visual perceptual skills? Check out all of these free printables that are all set to go to entertain and encourage learning in children over the summer. 15 Ways to Play with a Beach Ball – print this out and attach […]