Handwriting is a very important skill that needs to be honed and used throughout life, regardless of the speed of technology. Even if they are struggling with handwriting, never give up on your child’s ability to write. Even if one child’s road is longer than another’s, the process of building the foundation in a multi-sensory…
Creativity is in the white space: Why we need more forts and hideouts for kids
Wiring for Distraction In a world filled with screens to play video games, host Minecraft playdates, and complete school work, kids are becoming more and more distracted and disorganized. They might seem engaged and attentive when they play a stimulating video game or watch a Youtube video but then when it comes to completing an…
Safe Food Exploration with Holiday Food Art for Picky Eaters
If you are looking for fun ways to increase exposure to fruits and veggies this holiday season, check out these food art ideas. We will be making a “Grinch Santa” and a “Veggie Train”. I will be honest, the veggie train is slightly more complicated but perfect for a child who hates veggies but loves…
Gifts to Regroup from Screen Time
Sometimes kids need ways to reduce visual stimulation through activities like hiding in tents and going into tunnels. They also need to be able to stretch out of postures that can lead to grown up aches and pains like their necks and backs hurting. Sometimes taking a calming squishy toy into the hiding space or…
Holiday Christmas Tree Craft
Fine motor crafts that work on scissor skills, using tape, and using two hands together are great for skill-building. But choosing a craft often depends on your child’s abilities. You don’t want to over help, but you do want to make sure that you know when to work on a step together (also known as…
Restore to Calm Down from Holiday Excitement
Rhythm, pressure, and respiration are the key ingredients for promoting calming and destressing. While for some kids a hug will do, for others with sensory differences, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation, they need more frequent opportunities to engage in supportive movement exercises. Exercises like the one below provide restorative input, slow down the heart rate, and…
Gross Motor Gift Ideas
When we are thinking about what kinds of sensory supportive and skill building opportunities to put in our environment for children to explore, it’s always a balance between things that support calming and recover, give energy to the body through speed, unpredictability, and crashing, and things that build skills. Children want to achieve and feel…
Get off the screen and get moving with this Holiday Obstacle Course
Make sure to enjoy the holiday season with some fun activities that get kids off their screens, moving, and into the holiday spirit. These activities are easy and fun without costing a fortune. Get creative for kids who have sensory and motor difficulties or trouble completing multi step sequences. For example, using a gift or…
Holiday Gifts that Energize
Energizing is about increasing connection to your body through fast and unpredictable movement, climbing, resistance, and crashing. Activities such as lifting heavy things, swimming, playing soccer or hockey, and dancing all are ways to increase this energy in an organized way. But for many of our kids with sensory and motor difficulties, they aren’t into…
Squishy Sensory Holiday Crafts
Whether your child loves to get messy making projects like slime and putting shaving cream on their skin in the bathtub or is the total opposite and doesn’t even want to touch sticky or slimy things, this craft is still for you! A kid that “loves mess” will have fun making these crafts. The kid…
